What it takes to lead - Special Feature

Do you want to be a leader? Have you ever had the urge to take charge and make the decisions for HI your team or group? Are you the kind of person who finds it hard to sit back and let others tell you what to do?

Good leaders need to develop skills that allow others to have confidence, trust, and faith in them. Fortunately, there are thousands of chances for young people to develop leadership skills while they're still in high school. Some leadership opportunities are available right at your own school, while others may require travel to remote parts of the country. There are as many different leadership programs as there are types of leaders.

If you want to lead, there's probably a leadership opportunity that's right for you. But, as Vince Lombardi said, it takes hard work to become a leader.

Leading with Class

"Leadership has a harder job to do than just choose sides. It must bring sides together." "-Reverend Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader

Every high school has many student leadership positions, from class president to treasurer of the chess club. Becky Gonnolly gained leadership skills as the president of her local National Honor Society and student council secretary in high school.

"I joined every group in high school," Becky remembers, "and I learned that leadership is about team effort, not recognition for yourself." She continues, "When it was my turn to organize activities, I found out that I couldn't do it all by mysell; so I quickly learned how to delegate jobs and distribute tasks."

When asked about what traits are important for leaders, Becky responds, "Communication is a huge part of it. Open-mindedness is very important, and you need to be able to speak to all different kinds of people, because a leader's responsibility is to the whole group, not just part of it."

She adds, "Self-confidence is also critical. I've watched wishy-washy leaders get themselves into big trouble. If you question yourself, it makes you weaker."

Becky, who now attends Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, hopes to become a social worker, helping others overcome their problems. "I want to put what I've learned into practice," she says. "The most important thing is to make a difference in people's lives."

Taking the Leadership Challenge

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do."--Eleanor Roosevelt, former first lady

Whether the challenge is sailing the stormy Maine coast, driving a dog sled through the frozen Alaskan tundra, or scaling a jagged rock face in Montana, Outward Bound builds leaders. For the past 40 years, the program has been helping young people develop self-reliance, confidence, and leadership skills by facing and overcoming challenges in rugged outdoor settings. Every year more than 10,000 young people attend Outward Bound experiences that can be as short as eight days or as long as 18 days.

"Young people come to our programs to push themselves, to do something new," says Michelle Barnes, Outward Bound's vice president of sales and marketing. "All of our experiences offer learning by doing, or what we call 'challenge by choice,'" she explains. "As students gain confidence, they take on more responsibility for running the activities until the instructors assume a shadowing role in the background."

Every Outward Bound program ends with a final expedition, and most experiences involve a solo phase when each student is alone in the wilderness. "It's almost magical," Michelle says. "You're totally alone with no CD players, computers, or cell phones." She adds, "It's great to see the confidence that students have when they complete the final expedition. They're all so proud of themselves."

Students pay their own tuition for Outward Bound programs, but there are scholarships available for students with financial needs. "Anyone who wants to go on an Outward Bound program should be able to," states Michelle. "If you want to go, we'll find a way to make it happen."

Leadership in Uniform

"Leadership is a combination of strategy and character. If you must be without one, be without strategy."--General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, Operation Desert Storm commander

More than 2,900 schools across the country host Junior ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) programs that serve about 450,000 students. Programs are associated with either the Army, Air Force, Navy, or Marines, and are directed by a retired officer. Cadets wear military uniforms, practice military drills, participate in leadership activities, and sponsor community service projects. Some schools offer graduation credit for Junior ROTC classes and activities.

Despite the name of the program, high school cadets are not members of the military and do not receive advanced rank if they enlist in the service. The purpose of Junior ROTC is to instill positive values, develop character, and build leadership skills in young people.

Another military leadership organization for young people is the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program, which is sponsored by the Air Force. Unlike Junior ROTC, Civil Air Patrol is not a school activity, but is offered through almost 1,800 local units throughout the country.

Civil Air Patrol cadets can join as soon as they enter sixth grade and may participate until they turn 21. More than 26,000 cadets are involved in the program, which offers leadership activities related to aviation and aerospace. Cadets may actually participate in emergency search and rescue missions and earn Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) pilot ratings. Like Junior ROTC, cadets wear military uniforms, but are not members of the U.S. armed forces. Many cadets later move on to exciting careers in the military. From 6 to 10 percent of each service academy (West Point, Annapolis, Air Force Academy) class is made up of former Civil Air Patrol cadets.

Leadership as a Career

"As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others."--Bill Gates, business leader and founder of Microsoft Corporation

Whitney Moore hadn't spent much time in hospital settings before she found herself observing open-heart surgery in the operating room at Leahy Clinic in Boston. Whitney's experience was part of a weeklong program hosted by the National Youth Leadership Forum in Medicine, which she attended during the summer of her junior year in high school. "It was certainly an eye-opening experience," says Whitney, "and it confirmed my goal of becoming a doctor."

The National Youth Leadership Forum offers career experiences for high-achieving students with strong interests in law, defense, diplomacy, or medicine. Students are selected for the program on the basis of leadership potential and academic record. Although participants must pay their own tuition, financial assistance is available for young people from low-income families. National Youth Leadership Forum experiences involve site visits, lectures, observation opportunities, and discussions about important topics in each career area, while bringing together talented students from across the country with successful career leaders.

Whitney, now a pre-med student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts, served as president of her high school's National Honor Society and captain of three teams during her senior year. She attributes her senior year success to skills gained through her National Youth Leadership Forum experience. "I learned how to make friends and work effectively with others," Whitney recalls. "In particular, the ethics discussions taught me how to listen to others' ideas and formulate my own opinion."

"Successful leaders need to consider everyone's opinions in a group, and sometimes put their own ideas aside for the good of the group," she explains. "Good leaders also need to be caring and comforting when members of the group need support."

Leading Through Service

"Leadership is solving problems."--Colin Powell, secretary of state and retired Army general

What could the cowboy star of a 1950s television show know about service and leadership? As it turns out, quite a lot!

In 1958, television actor Hugh O'Brian traveled to one of the most remote regions of Africa to visit with the elderly humanitarian Dr. Albert Schweitzer. Dr. Schweitzer had dedicated his life to writing and caring for the native peoples of French Equatorial Africa and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952. O'Brian recalls, "He said that the United States must take a leadership role, or we are a lost civilization." But O'Brian was more deeply touched when, at the end of his visit to Africa, Dr. Schweitzer shook his hand and asked, "Hugh, what are you going to do with this?"

In response to this life-changing experience, he developed Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership, or HOBY, seminars. More than 285,000 people have attended HOBY seminars since they began in 19.58. Last year, 14,500 high school sophomores attended one of the three-day leadership seminars. The seminars, which are free of charge, are held at various locations across the country.

One HOBY graduate is Wheaton College (Illinois) freshman Julia Biery. "I had an incredible time at the Youth Leadership Conference, and I still keep in touch with the people I met there," Julia says. "The panel discussions were really inspirational," she remembers, "and it was encouraging to hear leaders say that what I was doing in high school had results."

Ironically, Julia returned to school that September and was not reelected as class secretary. "After I lost that election, my high school career snowballed," she says with a laugh. "I went on to become assistant editor of the yearbook, secretary of the National Honor Society, and eventually, valedictorian of my class."

Julia credits her rebound, in part, to what she learned at the HOBY leadership seminar. "When something knocks you down, you need to suck it up, pick yourself up, and move on."

Leadership through service is an important theme in HOBY seminars. Hugh O'Brian challenges each sophomore participating to complete 100 hours of community service.

What is the connection between leading people and serving others? Julia explains it like this: "The more you get involved in your community, the more you can improve your leadership skills. Getting involved allows you to observe leaders in action and it helps you gain experience with people. The more experience and understanding you have for others, the better leader you become."

The Leadership Question

"Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other."--John F. Kennedy, former president and statesman

What does it take to lead? Communication? Open-mindedness? Organization? Self-confidence? Courage? Character? Concern for others? Service to the community?

As any leader would say, it takes these skills as well as the desire to challenge yourself, refine your own leadership skills, and continue to learn. Leaders are first and foremost in the people business. Because people are always growing, shifting, and changing, leaders must also be ready to grow with the people they lead, and that means constantly learning and gaining new skills.

Do you want to be a leader? Get started today. Get involved. Be ready to learn.

RELATED ARTICLE: Learning About Leadership

The following organizations provide leadership programs for young adults. Get started on your leadership career by checking out what they have to offer.

* Outward Bound (www.outwardbound.org)

Outward Bound programs feature challenging and exciting outdoor experiences and build self-confidence. If you're serious about investigating one of their courses, speak to an admissions advisor at 888-88BOUND.

* Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership (www.hoby.org)

High school sophomores are nominated by their schools to become HOBY "ambassadors." Talk to your principal or guidance counselor to find out if your school participates in the HOBY program.

* National Youth Leadership Forum (www.nylf.org)

This organization offers career programs in defense, diplomacy, law, and medicine for high school students. Participants must apply to the program and are selected on the basis of their academic records and leadership potential.

* Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) (www.usarotc.com/jrotc/jrotc.htm)

JROTC offers leadership training programs in 2,900 high schools across the country. Unfortunately, there are many high schools on the waiting list to start up a unit.

* Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program (www.capnhq.gov/nhq/cp/cp.htm)

Civil Air Patrol Cadet Programs are open to young adults as soon as they enter the sixth grade. Units, which are usually located at airports, provide leadership training and aviation education. Some Civil Air Patrol units participate in search and rescue missions.

There are many local, state, and national youth leadership programs. See your guidance counselor for further information.

Students will recognize leadership qualities and determine ways to develop their leadership potential.

REVIEW/DISCUSS

* What national programs help young people to develop leadership? (National Youth Leadership Forum, Hugh O'Brian Youth Leaders hip, Jr. ROTC, Civil Air Patrol, Outward Bound)

* How are these leadership programs similar and different? (All involve building leadership skills, but their focus is either environmental, military, educational, or governmental.)

* Which of these programs sounds most appealing to you and why?

* What is your definition of a leader?

ACTIVITIES

* See if the class can agree on a definition of leadership.

* Ask students to list the leadership opportunities for young people in your school and community Then ask which they have taken advantage of or would like to pursue.

* Discuss the traits of good leaders, and ask them to select the three most important traits from this list:

___character

___teamwork

___self-confidence

___integrity

___compassion

___courage

___service

___friendliness

___fairness

___ability to delegate

___strength

___honesty

___intelligence

___communication

___organization

___hard work

___open-mindedness

___other___

* Have small groups consider how young people can develop the leadership qualities listed above.

* Discuss leaders they admire. Have each student write a paragraph describing a respected leader.

* Ask students how the following programs build leadership skills: Outward Bound, Civil Air Patrol, ROTC, National Youth Leadership Forum.

* Invite students to talk to someone who has participated in one of these programs. Have them ask about the benefits of the experience.

* Show students the Web sites of leadership programs to find out about schedules, costs, goals, activities, participants, and the selection process.

* Invite the class to debate this statement: Leaders are born and not made.

teacher resource

"Student Leadership Video Series," two videos, $149; Jaguar Educational, 1-877-524-8200. "The Leadership Assignment," video, $99; Meridian, 1-800-727-5507.

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