Raising Up Leaders

Raising Up Leaders

Is your child rebellious? Does she have a spirit for adventure? Is she enthusiastic and persistent? Though some of these traits may challenge you as a parent, they are all great qualities necessary for becoming a leader as an adult.

The discussion regarding whether leaders are born or made has existed for centuries. Psychologists contend that leadership traits are inborn; leadership experts insist that leaders are both made and born. Indeed, there are certain personality traits that people are born with that make them effective leaders, but only if those traits are cultivated. Your role as a parent is critical in the development of our children as leaders.

So, what makes a great leader, and why is it important for you to recognize the leadership qualities in your children? Most parents do not fully grasp the gravity of the important work they do as they raise their children. We as parents help shape who they become. It’s an awesome responsibility.

Our children are our future, and the future requires strong, dynamic leadership. Our children will discover cures to disease, build new technology, discover ways to feed the hungry, and build bridges for peace.

Having the ability to effectively lead requires an aptitude in certain areas, and it’s our parenting skills that steer our children toward cultivating those areas. The following are personality traits helpful in creating visionary leaders:

• Intelligent: They don’t have to be the smartest person in the room, but they must be intelligent enough in their area of expertise to do the job.
• Quick Thinker: They must be decisive and able to switch gears quickly and efficiently.
• Global thinker: They must be able to look at the small parts and see the big picture.
• Great communicator: They must be willing to express their views, and driven to learn the views of others.
• Articulate: They must be able to clearly communicate to others.
• Sense of Humor: Critical for stress management, as well as likeability factors.
• Flexible: They must be willing to change their opinion based upon gaining more data.
• Integrity: Their moral code must be worthy of modeling. They must do the right thing.
• Presence: They must be able to attract followers in a compelling way.
• Empathetic: They must be able to feel emotion for others.
• Self Aware: They must know their own value.

A parent can recognize some of these characteristics in their children, and seek to expand their experiences in these areas. Following are ways you can impact your child’s leadership development:

• Increase your child’s knowledge in their areas of interest.
• Reward their curiosity!
• Encourage their sense of adventure and expose them to diverse topics and experiences.
• Support their efforts to think critically, and help them to be exposed to other perspectives.
• Encourage and support their ability to take risks.
• Let them know what makes them unique.
• Encourage productive debate.
• Help them build courage and self-esteem.
• Teach them what you know.
• Model integrity and character.
• Expose them to good role models.
• Explain to them how the world works.
• Love them powerfully, and teach them ways to love othersn • Help them be tolerant of diversity

Help your child discover the joy of becoming a leader in the world by intentionally developing these skill sets with them. As a parent, we must take our responsibility seriously in helping our children emerge from our loving arms, prepared to face the challenges of our future.n n