For your student leaders, it is certainly time to ensure the rubber meets the road. How can your student leaders make a lasting impact in your school community?

Let's be clear- Being a student leader is not a reward, it is a responsibility to contribute to our school. This may sound obvious to educators that work with student leaders, but how often do we explicitly let them know that. Leadership is a responsibility, not a reward. Coming at it the other way causes all sorts of problems, not just in our schools, but also in big corporations. Let's get it right with our future world leaders (who are currently in our schools) now. Leaders come to serve and contribute, not to be served. Leaders are responsible to the community they lead. If we can help our student leaders get that right, the world will continue to become a better place.

Because our school has selected student leaders to lead, they have selected student leaders to serve, be responsible, contribute and add value to others.

Read on to find out how- and get our three top tips for student leaders that you can use right away.

#1- LEADERSHIP IS NOT A POSITION. LEADERSHIP IS INFLUENCE.

Years ago, I was school captain at my high school. I was committed to doing the best job I possibly could. I thought leadership was all about making speeches, presenting cheques to charities, wearing a badge with pride and shaking hands with important people. Little did I know that the greatest impact that I would have on someone during that year would not be based on these formal aspects of the role, but instead based on relationships, influence and example. It had nothing to do with being in the position of School Captain.

As adults, this might seem obvious, but as a student, I thought it was wearing a badge and holding a position that made me a leader. John Maxwell says that “Leadership is influence- nothing more, nothing less”.

So if it isn’t the speeches we make or the people we meet that gives us influence, what is it? I believe Albert Schwetzer provides us with the answer: “example is not the best way to influence people. Example is the only way to influence people.” Lead by example.

Let’s remind our student leaders that they are in a position of leadership as a result of the example they have already been for other students. Sure- they have a particular role for which they are responsible, which must be taken seriously, but the best way for them to influence the people around them is to “let their own light shine.” In doing so, they “give others permission to do the same.”

That’s influence, and that’s real leadership.

#2- LEADERSHIP IS NOT A SOLO ACT. LEADERSHIP IS A TEAM SPORT.

The best leaders are not those with all the strengths and no weaknesses. The best leaders do not try to do it all. Solo leaders are exhausted, they are lonely and they don’t last long at the top.

Instead, the best leaders recognise the strengths in those around them and encourage them to rise up and grow their skills. Great leaders are confident enough in their own abilities to ask for help. Great student leaders recognise that it is more about the impact produced by the team than it is about their own impact. They are self-aware and socially-aware.

In order to help staff and students understand their strengths, and those of the people around them, we have developed a simple 15 question survey that helps students understand their strengths (and that of their team members) as a prophet, planner, or people leader. Your students can access this as part of our LEADING FROM THE FRONT WORKSHOP for student leaders. It will help your student leadership team function much more effectively. Through the process, students learn that we all have a role to play; that our ideas belong to the wider group (allowing us to detach and choose the best idea, not just our own); that we need to pay attention to details; and how we communicate our message to our community matters.

#3- LEADERSHIP IS NOT AN IDEA. LEADERSHIP IS AN ACTION.

As an Assistant Principal, part of my role was supervising student leadership groups in a school. Over time, I noticed a pattern emerging…great ideas would arise from the group during meetings and the group would proceed to talk about them for a few weeks, with no action happening. It was frustrating, and these were often some of the most capable students in the school!

I realised whether it was an idea for a fundraiser, free dress day, sports event, house challenge or just about anything- the idea had absolutely no impact if it didn’t lead to an action. No action = no impact. Theodore Levitt once said “ideas are useless unless used”.

This is why we created the idea to action framework for student leaders- so that student leaders could stop talking about ideas and start doing them. If your school would like help with getting ideas into action, check out our LEADING FROM THE FRONT WORKSHOP for student leadership groups. It will save you hours of meeting time.

To sum up: leadership is influence, leadership is a team sport and leadership is an action.

All the best for your lifelong journey of leadership.

If you're interested in our LEADING FROM THE FRONT WORKSHOP check it out at the links below:

LEADING FROM THE FRONT FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS >>

LEADING FROM THE FRONT FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS >>

The overview of a sample one day program for leaders is included here:

LEADING FROM THE FRONT SAMPLE ONE DAY OUTLINE

EVERYDAY LEADERSHIP- Leading everyday through service, action, example. Leadership is a responsibility, not a reward.
DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP STRENGTHS- 3 Types of Leaders- being aware of our own strengths, and those of others.
GETTING IDEAS INTO ACTION- developing action plans for our major leadership projects- using UPP's idea to action framework that has been honed over the last 10 years and used to great effect in hundreds of Australian schools.
PITCH PERFECT- public speaking and starting with the "why?". Learning and practicing the 6 simple verbal and non-verbal tools for communicating our message in a way that connects with our audience and inspires action.

Click to find out more about our Primary school incursions our Secondary school incursions or our Teacher Professional Development.

Sincerely,
Luke McKenna
Unleashing Personal Potential