“Do you think you are a leader?” I ask as I stand in front of a classroom of fourteen to eighteen year olds. A couple hands shoot up, a few are timidly raised because they are not sure, but many are left down and their eyes drop.
“Do any of you interact with someone?” All hands go up and those that don’t we call the local funeral home to haul them off because they must be dead. I continue to explain to these young men and women that leadership is influence and they are leaders even if only to one person. They continually influence others.
Over the last month I had the opportunity to help students see that they can be leaders as part of The John Maxwell Team Global Youth Initiative. Over the course of the month I was able to share lead
ership principles with around 700 students.
I was able to share with them a simple personality test that helped them understand themselves and those around them to see the strengths they have to add value to others.
I shared principles that would help improve their self-esteem and understand some of their natural gifting.
I was able to share with some of them Nick Vujicic’s five steps to success.
Some of them experienced an amazing interactive game called the Leadership Game where they were built up and empowered by their peers and grew in their understanding of practical leadership actions they need to grow in.
What an opportunity to do all that! Now, how does this matters for you? Some of the principles and ideas I shared with them also apply to us.
- Our image of ourselves – A couple groups of students learned that at the foundation of being an effective leader one has to have the correct image of themselves. What is the image we are holding of ourselves? Do we believe we have what we need to be effective leading in the role we hold at work or the role we fulfill at home? It may look different than when we were teenagers, but we still have to pay attention to our self-talk to assure we are reinforcing truth and not lies about who we are and what we can do.
- Our strengths and gifts – One leadership lesson I taught some of these students helped them identify their natural gifts and understand their personality. When we understand ourselves and what comes more natural to us we can lead in our strengths and have others use their strengths where we are weak to build a stronger and more effective team.
- Our purpose – Vision provides clarity and as leaders when our purpose is clear we are able to more effectively point those we lead toward the goal. What is the ultimate purpose of the team, organization, family, etc. you are leading? That clarity will inform and enable more effective decision making.
No matter where we lead, we need to build the next generation of leaders. Those may be leaders entering their first job in your organization or your own children. What purpose are you giving that next generation of leaders? Just as I was able to help these students understand their purpose, value, and gifts wherever you work you can do the same. Continue to lead well at work and at home empowering the next generation.
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