Student Leaders: Talk vs. Execution

By Doug Franklin October 25, 2012

We grow leaders by uncovering leadership principles for students as they encounter them in experiences. There is a lot of talk about the importance of leadership, but very few are telling you how you develop a leader. I like to walk youth workers through a model that effectively develops students into leaders.

1.Students must learn a set of leadership principles or universal truths about leadership.
2.Students must apply these principles to real leadership experiences where their decisions lead to success or failure; then they must live with the consequences.
3.These experiences have to be challenging; students have to move outside of their comfort zone for transformational change to take place. This means that the opportunity to fail must be present.
4.Evaluation is the key that brings the process together. When students learn to ask tough questions, they discover how to apply the leadership lessons to their lives.

Leadership development is a process. It doesn’t happen overnight. Students must have multiple experiences in leadership roles. They must understand the pressure to lead and the humility needed to follow. Developing leadership is a continual process. It can be taught. It can be sharpened. But, it doesn’t happen by accident.