After talking about physical fitness, how can we not talk about leadership? After all physical fitness is key to leadership. Now coming to leadership part, what does it mean in the real life?
Wikipedia describes it as “the process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task”. Alan Keith of Genentech states that, “Leadership is ultimately about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen.” Leadership is “organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal.” The leader may or may not have any formal authority.
Now after a few definitions about leadership, the most important thing is to understand how it is helpful for a person; for a group and the society as a whole. There are some traits like intelligence, adjustment, extraversion, conscientiousness, openness to experience, general self-efficacy that make a person emerge as leader. These traits help a person behave in a way that appeals to everyone. This gives encouragement and success to the leader which is actually the success of his group, which in turn is an achievement to the society.
There are different styles of leadership like autocratic or democratic. Depending upon the situation a leader would use a style to motivate, communicate, empower or even transform the group.
Building up leadership qualities at a very young age is very helpful. I am quoting an article in www.buzzle.com on leadership in children here.
It says, “Leadership is not just barking orders or commanding someone to do something. It is much more than that. You can help your child to be the best in his or her job or he or she can try to be the best, but that would not mean that the kid has imbibed effective leadership skills. Be it a 15 year old or a 20 year old, one aspect of leadership is to win the trust of the others; trust building. The drive to do something towards a group goal or intent is what results in individuals becoming leaders. Those who have that are always ahead in organizing events and working towards a common purpose even if it is at a micro level. Leadership drive also involves the best use of available resources and grabbing the initiative at every opportunity. Once the children get used to taking the initiative and working with a group of people, that habit develops into the desire to become a leader. That initiative drives the children further. Hence, it is very important that the parents and the elders, including school teachers encourage and motivate the children who exhibit such qualities. All those who are great in their job are not necessarily leaders. If that individual takes along the others in the path of progress, helping them out all the way, then he or she can be called a leader. This is very important when it comes to leadership as it relates to quality developing.
Qualities of leadership in children are not very tough to develop if you give them a pat on their back for doing a good job, excelling in a particular activity and motivating them. Although many people say that leaders are born, I feel that leadership can be developed if you begin early. What you need is a proactive role of elders and responsive kids. What you need is to have a keen eye for everything and to learn all the time from what you observe”.
Looking at this, I feel that it is very important for children to be motivated in this direction. Who else would do a better job in achieving this other than a school? That’s why picking up the right school is essential to create leaders and develop a society.