It’s believed that the ability to lead is an innate trait, and if they don’t manifest themselves in any way since childhood, then such a person isn’t destined to lead companies or gather stadiums.
Leaders are usually endowed with the gift of persuasion, the ability to insist, and charisma. Does it all have to happen at an early age? Is it possible to be a leader without all of the above?
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Who Are Leaders?
Let’s start by defining who can be considered a leader. Here are some of the qualities that are intrinsic to them:
- Creativity in the broad sense. It isn’t only about creativity as such but about the ability to find non-standard ways out of any situation, to generate ideas, to see opportunities where everyone else gives up.
- Self-confidence. It’s hard to imagine a leader who is embarrassed by the looks of others, mumbles and stutters, stands aside, doesn’t participate in collective discussions, and constantly doubts every word he says.
- Willingness to take responsibility. Leaders are those people who are not afraid of extra responsibilities, who are ready to take the initiative and propose actions, understanding that the results directly depend on them.
- Broad outlook. A person who leads others knows a lot more. Erudition, flexibility, and the ability to perceive information from different sources allows one to hold multiple viewpoints in one’s head and apply them when necessary.
- Persistence. The leader doesn’t give up at the first difficulties or disapproval of the others, he persists in arguments in favor of his choice. And if for some reason the direction is still worth changing, he changes the strategy to a more favorable one in this situation.
- Ability to negotiate. Personal charm and a certain degree of empathy are important here. Leaders know with whom to interact in order to get what they need.
Does Everyone Need Leadership Skills?
In society, there is a widespread stereotype of leaders as aggressive people who are ready to sacrifice others to achieve the goal, and sometimes use not the most honest methods in work. However, this image is not the only one, and many qualities are useful in life to absolutely anyone.
Leadership qualities, if they can be developed even in a small way, can greatly facilitate communication. One way or another nowadays even freelancers and those who earn money via a baccarat online casino need to improve negotiation skills, and not always favorable conditions of interaction appear by themselves. Designating personal boundaries and adhering to certain personal norms is also a skill inherent in leaders. All the more the ability to interact with other people is necessary if a child learns to build relationships in a class, group or any other collective. When he grows up, he will easily find common ground with his colleagues, for example, in the office.
The trend toward individualism, which we can observe in society, is all the more conducive to the development of personal qualities that will help to compete more effectively, to position yourself as a specialist. Simply being good at your job is no longer enough. Knowing how to present yourself correctly helps you get your ideas out to the world faster.
How to Determine if a Child Has Leadership Potential
Indeed, many leadership qualities are due to innate abilities and talents and heredity, but an important role in their presence is also played by upbringing, the environment and the example before their eyes. In the families of successful entrepreneurs, high-level managers, and famous people this is why quite often children also become visible in society.
A tendency to publicly express themselves, a desire to speak in public and participate in public events can speak about the child’s leadership potential. If your child from an early age likes to be in the spotlight, reads poems with pleasure, sings songs or dances in front of an audience, it’s possible that there is such a possibility. An indication of the natural abilities of the leader may be the child’s display of initiative, for example, in class during lessons, when the teacher offers to break into teams and come up with a name for them, or to gather a few guys to organize something. Such children can organize the others without any problems.
The ability to find common ground with a variety of kids in a class, group, or playground can also be a sign of leadership qualities. After all, who better than a good leader to know what to say, what to charge, or what to motivate. Often such children intuitively choose the style of communication that is appropriate in each specific situation.
Another skill of the future leader is the habit of analyzing and drawing conclusions. In early childhood, it’s expressed as a myriad of questions. Such children really need to understand what works, what is the reason for certain actions or phenomena. Often they are actively interested in everything, driving their parents crazy with their “why”. However, this curiosity speaks to the need to understand as much as possible about how the world works.
How to Develop Leadership Qualities in a Child
So, you have come to the conclusion that your child could use leadership qualities. What should you do to develop them?
Encourage your child’s initiative. Whatever it concerns, support him in any endeavors. Whether it’s a new hobby, even if it’s the fifth one this month (remember, it’s important for a leader to know how the world works), a new mode of transportation or a desire to perform in some competition. Besides new experiences, it’s also about listening to your inner voice and following your desires.
Talk to your child. It’s important to participate in its discussions on various topics, even if you find them boring or mundane. Listen to your child’s opinion on any issues, argue with him, it’s important that he knows how to defend his point of view and formulate arguments for and against. Communication with adults develops just as well as a clever book, especially if they treat it with respect and allow you to really participate in conversations, not just listen and comply with requests.
Encourage participation in competitions. Any activities where there is an element of competition are excellent here: for example, sports games, intellectual or creative competitions. Even if the child isn’t motivated by victory and awards, a healthy attitude towards defeat as a useful experience is always useful.
Keep an eye on your child’s health. Moderate physical activity for excellent health is as important as mental hygiene. Overexertion from studying is just as stressful as using gadgets for a long time.
Invite the child to take part in role-playing or storytelling games that involve the distribution of responsibilities depending on the scenario. Such activities contribute to a child’s understanding of how different professions work. You can play them in developmental activities at children’s centers or on a shift at a summer camp.
Give the child the opportunity to take on some responsibilities around the house. For example, this could be the weekly cleaning of his room, grocery shopping for dinner or walking the dog. It’s important to trust him or her to do these things without interfering. A child needs to feel that all the responsibility is on him. And, of course, it will be great to praise him for a job well done.
