Leadership 101: the essentials for youth
Someone once said that today is the tomorrow our leaders promised us yesterday. End quote. Today is the day that youth should be fine-tuning their leadership skills so that they can lead today. But what is leadership and what are those skills are needed for effective leadership?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines leadership as the act of guiding on a way, to direct the operations, activity or performance of, or to tend toward a definite result. In other words, leadership can be said to be an art in which an individual motivates a group of people to act towards achieving a common purpose, goal or objective. For these activities to be carried out effectively, there are a number of skills required, the first of which is integrity- that is, being honest and upholding high moral standards, and not being unethical. The second most important skill for a leader to have is timekeeping. Knowing how to manage your time will help to you prioritize activities and tasks to be carried out. Timekeeping, especially when it comes to meetings –starting and ending on time- is of particular importance as it shows that the leader values the team members time. According to the Center for Creative Leadership[1], one of the most important things a leader can do is to treat people with respect as it will not only create trust, but also ease tension and conflict within the group. Being able to communicate effectively- from conveying information within the team of peers, to adults and across cultures, to coaching team members- is also important for youth leaders, and this includes listening.
According to the Management Study Guide[2], youth leaders should have a sense of responsibility, accountability to their work and self-motivated so as to be influential and motivate their team members to do their best. Empathy-stepping into the shoes of another- and courage go hand-in-hand when it comes to decision-making. This is because it aids the leader not make biased decisions as they understand where the other is coming from, their needs and aspirations. Armed with these and more skills, youth will become transformational leaders who guide teams by providing them with a sense of meaning and challenge them to work enthusiastically, fostering the spirit of teamwork and commitment today.
Catherine Muteithia
ACLAD Media Consultant
[1] Center for Creative Leadership