3 Tips for Students to Develop Leadership
by David N., PhD
People gravitate towards those whom they believe are leaders, but how does one become a leader? And, more importantly, how does one stay a leader?
It is possible to accidentally become a leader, but without actual leadership skills you won’t stay there long.
First, it’s important to understand the difference between a manager and a leader. A manager has authority because the social structure has assigned it to them. But a leader has authority because of what they can do, regardless of their official titles. Those who have leadership skills tend to be elected to roles as managers.
Here are 3 tips on how students can develop leadership.
1. Seek to Better the Lives or Productivity of Others
The key to developing leadership is to start doing it before you even become a leader. Leaders help others become better, safer, and more productive. Therefore, wherever you are and whatever you are doing, find ways to help people improve their skills, performance, and ability.
Find ways to help people be heard. For example, take a little extra time and effort to make sure that a classmate understands the instructions and knows the correct deadline for an assignment. It’s not rocket science. Instead of leaving everyone to fend for themselves, try to make sure that people don’t fall through the cracks even though it’s not your job.
2. Make Your Teammates Look Good
Leaders have the ability to make their teammates look good. One way is to point out how others are working hard or doing a good job. Leaders find ways to share the glory, such that when the leader rises, they “take others with them.”
People who are secure about themselves are not afraid to make others look good or to redirect everyone’s attention to someone else. Leaders who are generous with sharing glory, or giving up glory, make other people feel safe. People who feel safe around you will want to elect you to leadership.
3. Be the Example That You Want Others to Follow
Leaders are trustworthy and committed, so earn these qualities by showing up early to help set-up and then stay late to help take-down. Leaders are the ones who volunteer to do the jobs that no one else likes to do.
Everyone enjoys a party or fun event, but at the end of the event when everyone is tired, no one wants to help with cleanup. One of the best ways to show leadership is to show it consistently – meaning, do it more than once – show up early and stay late to help, even though it’s not your job.
As you can see by now, developing leadership skills looks a lot like being a kind person who is aware of the needs of those around them. It’s not rocket science and not that hard once you train yourself to be aware wherever you go.
