Encouraging Young Leaders: Tips for Parents

By Malaika Spencer

Lindsay Wall Succari, Program Coordinator of CTD’s Civic Education Project (CEP), recently presented to members of Northwestern's Alumni Association and the CTD Backpack online community about how to encourage, support, and challenge young leaders. The conversation focused on tips and tools for parents, educators, and youth development professionals to guide young people grades 4-12 in identifying and nurturing the knowledge and skills of effective leaders. 

For adults looking to guide young leaders, Wall Succari started with the importance of recognizing that there are different styles of leadership, and leadership skills can be cultivated. A critical goal is for young leaders to gain awareness of their strengths and style and then learn how that translates into skills they need. 

One example of understanding different leadership styles comes from the Northwest Youth Corps. Their  “Leadership Compass” examines four different leadership styles using the compass directions as the main identifier. These compass directions can provide a framework for understanding strengths and areas for growth. The “Norths” represent leaders who are task-oriented and want to get things done. They are confident, driven, and ambitious. The “Easts” are leaders who think of the big picture and enjoy brainstorming ideas. They are creative, enthusiastic, and passionate. The “Souths” are focused leaders who attend to the team overall. They want everyone to have a voice and to contribute. Finally, the “Wests” are detailed oriented, organized, and have an analytical lens. 

Students can reflect on the four compass directions and self-select to an area that identifies their talents and natural instincts as a starting place for leadership development. While it’s important for young people to understand that leadership can look different for different people, some common skill sets such as knowledge of a group’s needs, a shared understanding of goals, communication skills, interpersonal skills, and project and time management skills can be learned and developed with guidance and new experiences. 

Young people are growing physically, emotionally, and cognitively, and with that growth comes different opportunities for them to develop as a leader. Adults should encourage young people to try new things and persevere, and help keep track of how they grow and what they learn along the way. It is important to check in with your student to define what success looks like for them individually. Then, break it down into smaller tasks and goals that can be accomplished and are developmentally appropriate. Also, adults can provide space for young people then to reflect on how they felt after completing a task (whether the outcome was successful or not). Allowing time to process the experience can help set the student up for success next time and to take on larger roles or more advanced skill development. 

If your young person is ready for a leadership journey, CTD’s Civic Education Project (CEP) offers an Online Leadership Intensive (grades 7-10), which helps build leadership skills through reflective learning opportunities. Students come away with a deeper understanding of their strengths and talents. Additionally, students in grades 6-12 can experience leadership & service-learning courses as part of CTD’s Academic Summer Camps in the Taking Action: Leadership & Service (grades 6-8) and Civic Leadership Institute (grades 9-12) courses. Applications for all spring and summer courses are open now; to learn more about CEP and to apply visit the Leadership and Service-Learning webpage. 

To hear all of Wall Succari’s tips and insights, you can watch the recorded presentation.