Leadership skills are crucial for success in life, from employment to relationships. The general consensus is that many of these skills are lacking among adults and young people. Whether you have youth and young adults living in your home or placed under your supervision, you can invest in their futures by teaching them how to be leaders.

Qualities necessary for teaching youth and young adults to be leaders.

Give Them Responsibility

As a youth group leader, parent, teacher, or other authority figure, this can seem like a scary prospect. Are they ready for responsibility? Can they handle it? Give them something to be responsible for that will build their self-confidence, but don’t make it something that’s life-and-death. Take your teens’ personal skills, strengths, and weaknesses into consideration, too.

Here are some examples of responsibilities for teens.

• Running an errand for you, such as picking up something from the store. If they can’t drive, you can drop them off to run the errand.
• Opening up a bank account.
• Let them lead a class or group.
• Household chores like laundry could be delegated to the young adults and teens in your home.
• Have them organize the set-up and clean-up of an event.

Jobs

One of those ironies of good leadership is that being under leadership is often a great way to learn it. Youth and young adults would do well to work at least part time, This fosters learning responsibility and also learning what is involved in good leadership. Having a job is an important responsibility that can prepare young people to lead.

Consider jobs like camp counselor or babysitter, too. Those are both jobs that put young people in charge of others.

Workshops

Are there leadership workshops available in your area? If not, see if you can hire a leadership consultant to come in and speak to your group. Maybe you can find someone to speak to your teen’s class, or hold a seminar on your young adult’s college campus. If there is a workshop available, take your youth group to the workshop, or sign your kids up.

Groups and Organizations

Organizations like Boy and Girl Scouts are also good ways for young adults and youth to learn leadership skills. Don’t let the names “boy” and “girl” deter you – there are all kinds of opportunities in these organizations for youth and young adults. Other clubs and groups encourage leadership among members, too. Find out about what is offered in your community – even your local YMCA/YWCA might have some ideas or programs.

Take stock of the opportunities available that are tailored to the career opportunities that are unique to the community in which you live and the curriculum available in schools and colleges in your area. Discuss the hopes and dreams held by your youth and teens and encourage them to share them with you and their peers. Innovation and success spring from the seeds of ideas.

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