There are many ways to help a child learn leadership traits and capabilities... but the key is to take a lesson from the bible in changing perspectives about leadership.

When the Disciples asked Jesus which of us will sit at your Right Hand in heaven, Jesus replied, "the one who is the servant of all will be the master."

To lead is to serve, and leadership occurs at many, many levels. In the military, there are leaders from Generals (overall picture), to Majors (battaliion commanders), to Lieutenants (Platoon Leaders), to Sergeants (Squad leaders), and even to those who train (lower-level Sergeants). All are leaders, but in society we have made the propoganda to be THE Leader and accompany fame and fortune on a single person.

Leadership is earned without desire... that is politics. CEO's are not chosen because of leadership, they are chosen because of their Management skills... which is completely different. Presidents may or may not be good leaders, because their desire to be in that position is based on power and politics... not acquired leadership through service.

Taking all these into account, a child can learn to be a leader in hundreds if not thousands of ways. Obviously sports is a prime goal of many children and parents, but if you are not athletically inclined, there is the mental aspect of sports... coaching and teaching. When you coach and teach you are exhibiting leadership skills because you are serving those you teach, and the total cause of the team. There is also mentoring academically... tutoring peers in subjects that a child may be good at, as well as starting early in learning how to work with money and jobs. Babysitters are given extroidinary responsibility and have to learn and use leadership skills in their service for their employer.

The true test of a leader is to not only get the most out of someone and their abilities, but to also teach and do through example. One of the greatest examples of someone who through his experiences growing up in a rural part of America to become a leader of men through complete humility and service was Audie Murphy. He grew up with only an 8th grade education to poor sharecroppers in Texas. His father left their family when he was 16, and he had to use the ability of his rifle to get food for the rest of the family and to work at other farms to provide monetary support. In 1941 his mother died and in agreement with his older sister, he had the other three children put into an orphanage.

Audie Murphy had to fight hard to even enter the military, and also to even get into combat... but when he did, he became the most decorated war hero in America.

All because life teaches us in everyday experiences how to be a leader... and how to both serve and make choices for the betterment of all those around you with little or no thought to what it can do for you.

So listen to children, and see what they have a desire for. Then promote those skills into serving both themselves, and others and you will let life itself teach all the things a child needs to become a leader.

Learn more about this author, Kenneth Schortgen Jr.
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