Teaching Our Kids about Great Leadership
Growing up, like many of you, I read the Landmark Biography series. I distinctly remember reading about Martin Luther King Jr and learning about the passion, bravery and strength he had to possess as he led the fight for civil rights for all Americans. We honor Martin Luther King Jr. as an example of a great American Leader, and it got me thinking about what makes a leader great.
I decided to ask people around K12 what they think makes a great leader and to no ones surprise – the answers I received were all very similar. I even hit the jackpot by asking Melissa King, a K¹² Senior Curriculum Specialist, who mentioned that she took a course about leadership in her doctoral program.
Here are a few of the answers:
- “The ability to instill in others a sense of wanting to go the extra mile to provide for the greater good of a team.”
- “Passion and exuberance”
- “Someone who inspires you to be better tomorrow than you are today, and helps you focus on what matters most in life”
- “The ability to communicate, understand, and assist with their followers. Assisting does not mean it always has to be positive, but can include constructive criticism. Assisting is a way to help others grow, which every true leader wants to see.”
- “Willingness to take risks; courageous”
- “Insightful, clear vision of targeted goals”
And as Melissa shared with me, “leaders come from all fields and in every walk of life; often it’s the unsung heroes who do the greatest good”. When I asked for examples of great leaders, many of the answers I was given were from their own life – mothers, fathers, teachers, doctors, soldiers. The truth is we all have the ability to be leaders. Anyone in our daily life can be considered a role model for our children and we all need to work together to ensure that they grow up learning about great leaders, past and present, learning the skills necessary to become a great leader themselves and giving them plenty of opportunities to step up and be a leader!
January 17, 2011 marks the 25th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday and many states are encouraging Americans to use this holiday as a way to give back. Make sure you and your family visit the MLK Day of Service website to find get information about this effort and find projects that “strengthen communities, empower individuals, bridge barriers, and create solutions” – all actions that can help make our world a better place to live.
Heres to helping create the next generation of Great leaders!
Take some time to share some of the great leaders in your life and how they continue to inspire you by leaving a comment below.
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