The good news is that although the world has changed dramatically, and will continue to change, the skills that enable young people to make good decisions remain the same.
That’s the abiding message from Stephen Covey, the author of THE LEADER IN ME: HOW SCHOOLS AND PARENTS AROUND THE WORLD ARE INSPIRING GREATNESS, ONE CHILD AT A TIME.
Even better, says Covey, is that these are skills that can be taught and nurtured. In other words, they are skills that prove we can help our children live more fulfulling lives.
Read Also
Ground rules for farm family communications
Establishing meeting ground rules can help your family find ways to communicate that work for your farm. Here are some…
Covey, known for his THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE, ranks these among the most important:
1. Goal setting
2. Creative problem solving
3. Critical thinking
4. Public speaking
5. Conflict management
6. Valuing diversity
7. Time management
8. Teamwork
“Not all children are going to grow up to be CEOs, but you do want them to lead their own lives, be strong examples for others, and be an influence for good,” Covey tells me.
Andy Thibodeau, a motivational speaker from London, Ont. who has addressed two million middle school and high school students in his almost 20-year career, agrees. He defines leadership as the ability to motivate and direct yourself.
“There’s a misnomer that it’s about telling people what to do.”
To Thibodeau, a quality he calls “care” is the most important leadership skill of all. For teens, showing care means getting involved in clubs and charities, being a good listener, participating in class and being friendly to those you meet in the halls.
The challenge, continues Thibodeau, is that “caring” doesn’t always work.
The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People
By Stephen Covey
1. Be proactive. You’re in charge.
2. Begin with the end in mind. You must have a plan.
3. Put first things first. Work first. Then play.
4. Think win-win. Everyone can win.
5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Listen before you talk.
6. Synergize. Together is better.
7. Sharpen the saw. Balance feels best.
RESOURCES
www.theleaderinme.org website for The Leader In Me program offers games for kids and resources for parents and teachers. To find out more about FranklinCovey’s Leader in Me Program for schools, contact Gail Green at [email protected].
THE LEADER IN ME: HOW SCHOOLS AND PARENTS AROUND THE WORLD ARE INSPIRING GREATNESS, ONE CHILD AT A TIME book by Stephen R. Covey.
Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program. Public-speaking skills for students. Contact your local Toastmasters club to find out if they offer a youth program in your area.
“Learn to do by doing” is the motto of the 4-H Program. Members learn leadership skills such as public speaking, critical thinking and organization. 4-H leaders act as mentors.
Go to www.4-H-Canada.ca for information.
Also check out Youth Leadership Camps Canada, Orillia, Ont. www.ylcc.com.
“Sometimes you’ll get hurt and we tend to remember that hurt… but we need to focus on the positive.”
The reality is that if we don’t care, nothing gets done and nothing improves. It’s linked to another old but equally important truth, says Thibodeau. “Volunteers sign up and show up.”
Parents can help instill leadership qualities in their children by being good role models, Covey says.
“There is no more important leadership role than being a parent,” Covey explains. “The home is the foundation for education of the mind, the heart, the body and the spirit. It lays the foundation of principles, values, morality, and fairness for a lifetime. You can help discover the leader within and prepare them for a life of great contribution and service to their families, their communities, their places of employment, and the world.”
Parents can be an example, agrees Thibodeau. They can also gently encourage kids to get involved at school. Be aware of coming events and ask your children if they’ve thought of joining a club you think they may have an interest in, he says. Kids who are involved in school do better socially and get better marks. There are all kinds of great clubs at schools today, he adds.
Parents can also help their kids develop leadership skills by surrounding them with a positive environment, says Stu Saunders, speaker and author who founded the Youth Leadership Camps Canada summer camp in Orillia.
Exposing you children to conferences, speakers, programs and camps will help them to grow in a positive way, Saunders believes. There are also lots of good organizations for youth to help them develop life skills, he adds, including 4-H as well as church youth groups, Scouts and Girl Guides and many others.
Lauren Heistad, marketing and communications specialist for the 4-H Program in Saskatchewan, says there are many opportunities for kids to develop leadership skills at the local level in 4-H. Members run the clubs with the guidance of adults, Heistad points out, and they must participate in public speaking.
Mark Shand, 4-H program specialist for the Alberta ministry of agriculture says a leadership and personal development program is offered at the provincial level. After attending this one-week program, kids are encouraged to take these skills back to the local community and apply them there.
Some Toastmasters Clubs also offer an eight-week youth leadership after-school program to help teens develop their public speaking skills.
As well, Covey’s theories have now been translated into a program for school kids called The Leader in Me. This program developed by Covey’s company, FranklinCovey, integrates the principles of personal leadership and effectiveness in everyday, age-appropriate language into the core objectives and curriculum of an elementary school.
Gail Green, an education consultant with FranklinCovey in Mississauga, Ont. says schools that have embraced these leadership concepts see student achievement go up. They also see kids take responsibility for their learning. Plus, there is a decline in discipline problems as kids apply the principles on the playground.
In short, students, parents and teachers all report increased satisfaction. According to FranklinCovey, in a survey of parents at Joseph Welsh Elementary School in Red Deer, Alta., 99 per cent of parents said the Covey program had a positive impact on the atmosphere at the school and 97 per cent wanted to see the program continue.
While no one can predict what skills will be needed on tomorrow’s farms, armed with a set of life skills, these experts say, tomorrow’s farmers will be well-equipped to lead the way. CG
