Education: leadership

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP? TYPES OF LEADERS HOW DO YOU BECOME A GOOD LEADER? Learn what it means to be a leader and the qualities and skills you’d need to be able to lead others

WE CAN’T all be leaders, which is why in many situations people choose the person they believe has the best leadership skills to lead them. The others in the group or organisation can then support the leader by playing positive roles.

Let’s learn more about the qualities that make a good leader. Leadership is the ability to inspire members of a group, organisation or team to reach a common goal. The captain of a soccer team, for example, tries to inspire his team to win their match.

There’s usually at least one person in a group who’s willing to be the leader. This person must somehow persuade the others to follow them. Some people make better leaders than others; some however turn out to be terrible at it. Looking at the world’s great leaders, it’s clear there are two main types: democratic leaders and autocratic leaders.

Democratic leaders are chosen by the people they represent and try to lead on their behalf.

Autocratic leaders are interested only in the power and privilege that comes with leadership and act out of self-interest.

Democratic leaders listen to their advisers and followers before making important decisions. They inspire their followers, motivate them to work together and set an example by being honest and lawabiding. They also accept that not everyone will always agree with them.

Autocratic leaders ignore other people’s opinions. They don’t heed good advice and always want to be in control. They enjoy having power over others and get angry if people don’t agree with them.

The best leaders have certain characteristics that make them stand out from the rest. Some of these qualities are: S Integrity A good leader is true to their

word. S Intelligence Good leaders are insightful and gather knowledge to enable them to make good choices and decisions. S Self-confidence Good leaders learn from their experience and don’t doubt themselves. S Communication skills Good leaders are

skilled speakers and listeners. S A work ethic Good leaders take responsibility, are dedicated and work well with others. S Humility and a willingness to learn

Good leaders don’t think they’re better

than others, and they take advice. S Perseverance Good leaders don’t give up when things get tough, especially when they have to make unpopular decisions.

All children have the potential to develop leadership qualities. If you want to become a leader, try to take part in things that boost your self-confidence, such as sports and cultural activities. It’s important that a leader communicates well, so taking drama classes or joining a debating team is a good idea.

Identify your strong and weak points – perhaps ask an adult you trust to help you with this – to find out what you need to work on. If you’re not good at organising, for example, you can ask your parents to help you draw up schedules and rosters for your homework and other chores. This can help you become better at organising.

Join teams where you have to learn to work with others. There are many extramural activities that can help you develop your leadership skills, especially organised sport, dance lessons and theatre. These activities teach you about teamwork, as well as how to act independently.