Simple ways to teach leadership skills to our children - skills that are about personal leadership and sticking to it in life. Personal leadership needs to come first as one must know how to lead themselves before leading others. Here are just ten ways to raise a leader.
1. Model the Positive. We live in a glass is half empty type of world. It's easy to notice what isn't right and to lost focus on what is working. Even if you tend to lean towards the pessimistic side of viewing the world make an effort to model the positive with your children. This is a choice - a finding joy type choice - in life. It doesn't mean being faux happy, but rather means choosing to be positive or see the good first in a situation. I like to call it giving the situation the benefit of the doubt.
2. Set Goals. Work with your children in all ages to set goals. When they're little the goals can be as simple as I'm going to make my bed in the morning or put all my books on the shelf at night. As they get older the goals can be more complex, more focused driven, but just as critical. As you set the goals make it a point to work with them to achieve their goals. Everyone needs someone behind them motivating them.
3. Motivate. Again. Motivate. This goes along with seeing the positive and setting goals. Sometimes kids move away from the consequence - you don't clean your room you don't go outside - but they also move towards rewards - you keep your room clean for one week and on Friday we'll get icecream. Figure out what motivates your child. But, in that motivation make goals that your child can work towards. And stick with the plan. Don't fudge on awarding when they job isn't done. That doesn't teach leadership.
4. Let them Fail. Funny coming from me the mom who wrote the Dear Mom Who Feels Like She is Failing letter. The truth is that our children need to not win at everything because it is essential that they learn the skill of pulling up their bootstraps and trying again. I've learned the greatest lessons in life in the moments where I feel like I've failed. This teaches lessons - trying again, what didn't work - and it cultivates strength and character. Be there for them, motivate them to try again, and encourage them to see those moments of not winning as learning times. Then put out your hand, dust them off, and help them try again. And remember just as I write to you about not defining yourself with the words "I'm failing" do the same for your children. Words are power.
