Leaders—our world is hungry for them. From kids who are leading their siblings and classmates to influential figures who are leading entire countries, there need to be people who step up and take on responsibility.
And as teachers, we’re invested in preparing our students to thrive in the world of their future. To that end, we must also be invested in encouraging them to be the kind of leaders that this world wants and needs.
Leadership Qualities for Students to Cultivate
What kinds of leaders does the world need?
Arguably, people who are effective at setting and achieving goals—those who have a vision and are able to make it a reality by inspiring and persuading others to join them.
But is that enough? Being able to turn a vision into reality is a result of effective leadership, but what if the vision is harmful to people? There are countless examples throughout history of effective leaders who were not admirable. So being an effective leader is clearly not enough. Besides being effective, a leader must also be ethical and possess a variety of other respectable traits.
So what skills does a good, effective leader possess?
Leaders can take many forms. There isn’t really a single definition that works in all instances of leadership, but in general, a leader is:
- Goal oriented
- Positive
- Hardworking
- In service of others
- A good listener
- A good decision-maker
- A good communicator
- Encouraging
- Responsible
What do these traits look like among students? What makes a good student leader, and how can student leaders be nurtured and developed?
Group projects are a great way to observe the qualities of a student leader. Let’s say you’ve divided your class into small groups and given them the assignment of reading, retelling, and presenting one of Aesop’s Fables. Throughout the allocated class times, you may notice the above-mentioned traits play out in the following ways:
1. They are goal oriented.
Part of being an effective leader is understanding the ultimate objective and being driven to get there. Students especially show signs of leadership when they intrinsically set their own goals beyond the ones set by the teacher. Look for students who propose ideas above and beyond what you ask of them and commend them for their initiative.
Example: As you observe the groups, you notice certain students immediately take charge and set the vision of the group. You may hear things like, “Let’s do the story of the Ant and the Grasshopper and make it like a comic book,” or, “Let’s do the story of the Dolphins, the Whales, and the Gudgeon and use cardboard boxes to make dolphins and whales.” You give each group a name: “Ant and Grasshopper” and “Dolphins and Whales.”
2. They are positive.
Leaders keep their eyes on the goal, even in the face of obstacles. Keep an eye out for students who believe that whatever goal has been set can be accomplished, even if it may seem insurmountable. Let them know their positivity is admirable and can inspire positivity in others.
Example: There are only a few minutes left of work time. The Whales and Dolphins group is elbow deep in the blue paint you gave them. There is just one part of a whale left to paint. A student looks at the clock and a determined expression crosses her face. “Hey, this is looking pretty good so far! Come on, everyone!” she says. “If we paint a little faster, we can finish before the end of class!”
3. They are hardworking.
Working hard is contagious. If one student is persevering and showing a true passion for the subject, that student will inspire others to believe that they, too, can (and should) strive for excellence. In short, hardworking student leaders inspire and push their classmates to do more. Look for the students that you see working hard, and let them know they are showing signs of being a good leader.
Example: While the Ant and Grasshopper group is busy on the computer, the Dolphins and Whales group is consumed by the cardboard boxes you supplied them. As you come by to see if they need anything, you see one student especially hard at work cutting out a hole for the whale’s mouth. You call attention to how much you admire how involved that student is, which gets other students to notice the hard work and want to contribute. Soon enough, the rest of the group joins in and starts to cut and shape the other boxes.
4. They serve others.
Students exemplify strong leadership skills when they want what is best for others and are willing to go out of their way to help their peers and communities. In a classroom setting, this is best seen through acts of kindness or selflessness. You can help develop leadership by prompting students to think about what their classmates need.
Example: You are on the second day of the project on fables. The Ant and Grasshopper group is now working on their comic book strips. As they discuss how to proceed and what they need to begin the task, you encourage one student to make a list of all the materials needed. She shows strong leadership when, unprompted, she goes around the classroom and rounds up the necessary materials.
5. They are good listeners.
An important leadership skill is genuinely caring about and listening to the thoughts and concerns of others. Leading others must come from a desire to help others. When students practice this skill in group work, they’re not only listening carefully to other students’ concerns, they’re also being more receptive of feedback and willing to compromise.
Example: The Whales and Dolphins group is assessing their work from the previous day and figuring out what today’s tasks should be. You hear one of the students say, “The whale’s tail doesn’t look right and is hard to move. Anika, do you think we should use another box for it?” Anika shows signs of leadership when she replies, “Okay, that works. Are there any boxes left, or do you think we should ask the teacher for more? Should we do the same for the dolphins?”
6. They are good decision-makers.
Students exhibit great leadership when they evaluate a given situation and come to a well-reasoned conclusion about the best course of action. Ultimately, good decision-making stems from a sense of responsibility, a good understanding of the problem, and the ability to think under pressure.
Example: The Whales and Dolphins group is looking at one whale made out of cut-up boxes and trying to figure out how to patch a large gap in it. One student shakes his head. “Hmm . . .” he says. “I don’t think we have one piece of cardboard left to fill in the hole. But, we do have a few small pieces left over that we could tape together that would probably be big enough. We can ask the teacher for lots of tape to fix the whale.”
7. They are good communicators.
Another important student leadership quality is communication. Student leaders communicate their ideas to the rest of a group. If students have an idea of how things should be done, they take on the role of being a good leader when they make their suggestions known in an open and respectful manner.
Example: You make your way back to the Ant and Grasshopper group. The group is gathered around one student who is excitedly pointing to a diagram she drew on a tablet. “I think we should first decide on and write a short description for each box, and then we can divide up the boxes and each work on drawing the pictures for that box and coming up with what the characters will say. What do you guys think?”
8. They are encouraging.
Part of being an effective leader is recognizing that everyone comes with different backgrounds and experiences. Students display strong leadership skills when they affirm and utilize the strengths in the group, while also trying to assist when others are struggling.
Example: The comic book strips for the Ant and Grasshopper group are beginning to take shape. The summary headings have been written and some sketches are starting to form on the paper. Then, one of the students looks up from his work. “Hey Adana,” he says. “I can tell you’ve put a lot of effort into learning to draw faces. Can you help me draw faces on the ants?”
9. They take responsibility.
If something goes wrong, student leaders do not pass the blame or make excuses but take responsibility for their part. Then, they learn from it, do what’s needed to correct what went wrong, and keep moving forward. When things go right, the most effective leaders are humble and recognize the efforts of their group and not just their own.
Example: While the Ant and Grasshopper group has effectively and efficiently cleaned up their work space, the Whales and Dolphins group is having less success. One of the members of this group comes up to you, her shoulders slumped, her expression apologetic. “Umm . . . teacher? I’m sorry, but we spilled the paint on the floor. I forgot to close it and then it got knocked over, but I’ll help you clean it up. Oh, but did you see the whale we made? Didn’t we do a good job?” She shows leadership in several ways: taking responsibility for a problem, proposing a solution, and attributing the successful paint job to “we.”
The Leaders of Tomorrow: Developing Leadership Skills for Students
Our students may be young, and they may be small. But observations made throughout a group project can create opportunities to develop lifelong leadership skills and give us a glimpse of the great leaders our students can be in the future. Let students know when you see them showing signs of strong leadership, and encourage them to reflect upon and grow their leadership skills.
With each opportunity and with each encouragement to grow the skills of student leaders in a healthy, productive, and appropriate direction, they can become the good, effective leaders that our world needs.
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