Leaders are made not born

You may heard a lot of times in your life that Leaders are born not made. Do you think is that true..? Whenever we read a biography of a leader we discovered that he was quiet, reserved in his child hood, are those natural qualities of a leader? Of course not! These people have developed their leadership qualities later in life.

What makes leadership such an important skill today? It is the fact that there are many situations nowadays when one has to take up the role of a leader and get some work done. And this is especially true for kids, with frequent school projects, debates, sports, etc. Also, developing leadership skills in your child will make him confident, successful and more independent.

Children can be taught leadership skills at a young age because their mind is still young, curious and on the lookout for an identity. And you as a parent are the best person to offer him options so he can decide what sort of a person he would like to be. With your guidance he will also learn how to communicate effectively, strategize, handle complicated situations, not be suppressed, and plan everything in advance. All of this is part of leadership.

Integrity – Become a role model for your child. Parents teach by example, and integrity is a quality kids learn from their parents. Talk with your child about integrity. One tool that is very helpful is story telling. Look for books that tell about the value of integrity. You can also discuss your own stories that tell about the value of integrity.

Courage - always praise courage. When your child shows courage, notice it and praise it.

Creative, independent thinking - In order to develop this quality, it is very helpful to ask questions. When you talk with your child about any subject at all, always ask open questions, that encourage creative thinking. Use the "One Step Farther" principle. After you have gotten all the obvious answers, ask one more question, to come up with a deeper, more creative idea. Questions like "Why", "What would happen if...", "How do you think did it feel...", encourage your child to think creatively. Talk to your child, encourage independent thinking.

Confidence - this is one of the most important qualities required for success in general. To develop confidence in your child, avoid criticizing your child, praise your child sincerely and often, develop a habit to talk about your child's strengths and achievements with him every day. Remember to make it a point to bring up at least one good quality of your child every day. If you adopt it as a routine, over time it will do wonders for your child. It takes only a few minutes to mention an achievement or a strength (a good quality). Encourage your child, repeat the phrase "you can do it" often.

A leader takes responsibility- When your child blames someone else or something else for a mishap, or comes up with excuses, you have an opportunity to encourage your child to assume responsibility. Make sure that your child knows that it is Ok to make mistakes. Mistakes are an opportunity to learn. You can help your child draw conclusions, without 'making him wrong,' by asking: "What did you learn from this?", "What do you think went wrong?", "Why do you think this happened?", "How could you avoid this?" and again, "What do you think would happen if...?" Your child should understand that he has no control over other people, and is not expected to have control over other people's actions, but he has full control over his own reaction. This will give your child the feeling of power, as opposed to 'being a victim.'

And lastly, teach your child to set goals and high standards. This does not mean you force your child to achieve the impossible, but teach him to always aim for the best. And more importantly, teach him how to get there too. A true leader settles for nothing but the best and knows how to achieve it too.

So go ahead and teach your child about leadership today. It can be a very proud moment for you when he finally becomes a great leader!