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Section 7. Encouraging Leadership Development Across the Life Span

Who are potential leaders?

You know that:

___Leadership skills are learned.

___Nearly everyone is capable of being a leader at some time and place in her life.

___People with “natural leadership skills” – good communicators, initiators, risk takers, etc. – particularly need to be ready to be thrust into leadership.

Why look for potential leaders?

___You know that the right people are much more likely to emerge as leaders when they’ve had some experiences that make them feel capable.

Leadership development across the life span

___You’re aware of leadership development opportunities for children:

  • Sports and games
  • School, camp, and other institutional situations
  • Community projects
  • Letting children solve many of their own problems without adult intervention
  • Modeling good leadership by treating children with respect while providing a structure in which they can operate safely

___You’re aware of leadership development opportunities for adolescents:

  • Athletics
  • Music and theater
  • Youth groups and clubs
  • Involvement in community and political issues
  • Challenging outdoor activity

___You’re aware of leadership development opportunities for college students and other young adults:

  • Entrepreneurship
  • Politics
  • Service learning
  • Employment
  • Government-sponsored service programs
  • Non-profit and non-governmental organizations

___You’re aware of leadership development opportunities for parents and other adults:

  • Community activism
  • Organizations and associations
  • Parenting
  • Parenting-related experiences
  • Volunteering
  • Local politics

___You’re aware of leadership development opportunities for “elder statespersons”:

  • Employment
  • Organizations and associations
  • Volunteering and community service
  • Local politics

___You’re aware of leadership development opportunities for retired persons and seniors:

  • Community service
  • Advocacy
  • Local politics
  • Volunteering

Some general guideline for encouraging leadership development across the life span

___You ask people to take leadership positions

___You provide real-world opportunities

___You challenge people with reachable goals

___You provide training

___You build on success

___You provide peer support

___You provide an institutional structure for leadership development opportunities

___You provide models of effective leadership