Five Ways to Develop Leadership Qualities in Children
You find leaders or heroes in all areas of life, whether it is politics, sports, entertainment, business, teaching, social work, health or several others you may think of. Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Winston Churchill, Henry Ford, Walt Disney, Richard Branson, Bill Gates are some of the names that come to the mind when you talk about leaders. Most often, their parents may not have dreamt of their child to become leader and it may have been circumstances or encounters with mentors that helped them achieve success.
All good qualities are imbibed early in life, whether it is giving respect, having a feeling of empathy, or good manners and etiquette. The first school for any child is the home where they are born and brought up. Thereafter, schools provide knowledge and life skills to them.
Here are 5 ways to develop leadership qualities in children.
1. Allow Children to do Activities Themselves
If you have the habit of spoon-feeding school going children either because they dirty the place or are slow to eat, you are making the child incapable of doing things of their own. The same applies to school lessons or projects; help them do it own their own even if they make small mistakes.
2. Encourage Group Activities
You should encourage your children to take part in small group activities which could be done indoors or outdoors. It helps your child to get adjusted with others, know how to handle quarrels and fights that arise. It helps your child to work in a team and learn to take responsibility for their actions.
3.Teach Them Decision-Making
If you teach your children to take decisions, they will learn to choose from various options- it could be allocating time between reading, spending time with friends, playing or watching TV. When they grow up, at work or in family, they will be accountable for each of the actions or decisions they make.
4. Involve Your Child in Family Decision-Making
You must involve your child in family decision making – including buying things, planning tours, how to balance income and expenditures, helping needy people in the family or outside. You can involve them when refurbishing your house or building a new one. Dinner time could be ideal to initiate such discussions at home.
5. Encourage Reading and Mentoring
Reading biographies of great leaders, achievers and heroes can motivate your children to think of achieving great things in a field of their interest. You might have seen how successful people talk about their role models. If you are unable to motivate your child, you can seek the help of mentors who will help them improve their communicative skills.
Leadership qualities cannot be attained just by attending an MBA program or working in a company. It is learnt from small, small activities in day-to-day life that help your child take responsibility for their actions, work in a team and handle crises. You are observed closely on how you handle crises, interact with others and take leadership role in your neighborhood, associations and other forums. You could encourage your child to improve public speaking skills, take part in charitable activities and help them develop a positive attitude. They should be talking more about solutions than problems.
