Everyone can be a leader when you take the time to form these skills. There are many advantages to helping teens develop their leadership skills. Teen leaders build up the self-esteem in others, helping to prepare for life’s ups and downs. As cheer coaches, dance teachers, and gymnastics coaches, you can have a huge influence here. Here are some great ways to develop leadership skills in teens, accompanied by some pictures of the awesome Southern Utah Gymnastics Academy’s 2018 team shoot!
How to Develop Leadership Skills in Teens
Search for Leadership Potential
While some people feel more comfortable in leadership roles and speaking in front of others, everyone has the ability to lead. Search for this potential in the teens in your life. You may need to find what interests them to release their leadership ability. Most people feel comfortable leading when they’re in charge of something that they know a lot about.
Build Self-Confidence
To develop leadership skills in teens, take the time to build their self-confidence. Talk with the teens in your life one-on-one. This will allow you to hone in on what they’re good at and discover the skills that they have. Focus on this information to build their self-confidence.
Let Them Lead
If you’re planning a group activity, let the teens oversee it. Encourage them to plan the activity fully including transportation, snacks and the actual activity. Help them from the sidelines instead of taking over even if you know an easier way. Give them the chance to learn from any snafus or inconveniences that occur along the way.
Be a Good Example
You can help build leadership skills in teens by setting a good leadership example. It may seem like kids stop paying attention to what you’re doing as they get older, but they still notice how you conduct yourself. Show them that you’re able to balance your business and personal roles. Also, teach them about accountability by using effective leadership.
Focus on Decision Making
Good leaders know how to make decisions. People often make bad decisions when they have too many choices. Show your teens how to narrow down the options. You can start small by suggesting ways for them to spend their time. As they become older, the choices become harder since they’ll need to choose where they attend college and their careers. Advise your teens to look at the pros and cons of every option to make the best possible decision.
The Future Needs Good Leaders
Leadership skills consist of being confident, balancing out different areas of one’s life and making good decisions. When you help build leadership skills in teens, you’ll be sending strong adults into the world, adults who won’t be afraid to oversee and support positive changes. That is one of the things that is so great about being a sports coach! You really can influence your kids’ lives for good!