How to Make Your Kid a Leader & Not a Follower

Your little one is growing up before your eyes and as he grows, you might think more about his future. Regardless of his career choice, you probably hope he̵7;ll be a leader throughout his school years and into his adult life. In the article, "Raising Leaders: Developing Leadership Skills in Children," Dr. Steven Richfield explains that, "Leadership skills can make the difference between a child who thoughtlessly follows the arrogant will of the majority versus the trailblazer who obeys their own moral principles and sensible convictions." The qualities and skills of a leader are ones you can teach your child now.

Instructions

    • 1

      Foster a positive attitude in your child. According to Education.com, praising your child for his efforts and hard work rather than just making general statements of praise about his personality is more likely to develop within him a persistent and positive attitude. Such an attitude helps in many facets of life. In the article, "Hire for Attitude," Leadership IQ CEO and founder Mark Murphy explains that, "Attitude, not skills, is the top predictor of a new hire's success or failure."

    • 2

      Teach your child to ask questions and find resourceful solutions to problems. For example, if your child is involved in a school project and she brainstorms an idea that doesn̵7;t quite fit the instructions, encourage her to think outside of the box -- have her find a way for her idea to meet the criteria. According to the article, "Building Leadership Skills in Children," on Penn State's website, problem-solving helps children learn both responsibility and consequences that come along with making decisions.

    • 3

      Encourage your child to keep trying when she would rather give up. If she̵7;s involved on a sports team and isn̵7;t the best player, encourage her to practice so that her skills improve. This would also be a great time to talk to her about the significant role she plays as a team player. Some of the best leaders are not in the spotlight, but the ones behind the scenes helping to make the best players, and thus the team, successful. Working with groups helps your child learn to negotiate and compromise. This helps her see more than just her own personal view. Extracurricular activities help your child build self-confidence when she performs well, which fosters a positive attitude and a feeling of accomplishment.

    • 4

      Push your child to do his best every day. Don̵7;t be overbearing in your approach, but foster an environment that values an attitude of wanting to always do your best in honest terms. Remind him it doesn̵7;t have to be perfect as long as it̵7;s his best, and that honest is better than perfect any day. With every scenario, be sure to teach the lessons that may be less obvious to your child. Many times those lessons are principles and morals that will impact your child for life. These scenarios provide opportunities to teach about learning from mistakes. Leaders make mistakes, but they always find a lesson in the mistake. If your child performed poorly on a test because she didn̵7;t study enough, help her see the lesson -- poor effort equals poor results.

    • 5

      Encourage your child to speak in front of others, either at school or during an extracurricular activity. You can encourage him to participate as a leader for group projects or on a debate team if his school has one. Good communication skills is one trait the Talent Identification Program at Duke University points out as an indicator of leadership potential.

    • 6

      Find early leadership roles your child can participate in, such as teacher̵7;s helper, team captain or student council. According to the TIP program, leadership roles during the school years allow children to practice and hone their leadership skills during real-life interactions. Additionally, children will get to see how different groups function. Volunteer opportunities and summer leadership courses are also useful opportunities for children to improve their leadership skills.

    • 7

      Offer your child choices so she learns to make decisions. Make sure the choices are age-appropriate so she̵7;s not overwhelmed. Depending on your child̵7;s age, starting with choosing between two outfits for school is a good starting point. If your child is a little older, offering different choices for chores or rewards for completing chores is a good approach.

    • 8

      Give your child responsibility at home. Choosing and finishing chores gives your child practice in decision making as well as builds confidence when you praise him for a job well done. Offer an allowance so he learns early on how to manage money and its value.

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