Let Them Lead

Students learn to become student leaders by leading something.

If your "student leaders" gather together for regular "student leader" meetings - have they really led anything yet?

If you pass out "student leader" t-shirts to your "student leaders" - have they really led anything yet?

If you hand your "student leaders" a book on "student leadership" - have they really led anything yet?

What you will discover is that the REAL "student leaders" will appreciate the meetings, the t-shirt, and the book at the beginning. But they will move on to something else quickly because they're bored with the process and haven't had a chance to actually LEAD anything.

The question is: Are your "student leaders" actually leading anything or anyone?

Leadership Fundamentals: Which 3 Would You Choose?

John Ryan has recently written an article in Forbes.com where he lists his "Three Fundamentals Of Effective Leadership." Ryan starts the article by saying:

Through more than 40 years of service in the military, in higher education and with nonprofits, I've been privileged to work with and learn from superb leaders, from the young instructors who taught me how to fly airplanes for the U.S. Navy to the very smart group of corporate chief executive officers I met during a recent business trip to Asia.

These talented people have differed widely in their personality traits and life stories. Some have been charismatic, some very modest. Some came from poor backgrounds, others grew up amid great wealth. Some of them came by their leadership abilities naturally, and many others worked hard at developing them.

But all of these men and women have shared three critically important skills:

His three are: vision, communication, and judgement.

If you had to choose three fundamentals...which would you choose?

The Studentlinc 140

Here are some of my latest Studentlinc leader tips from Twitter.

I probably need a more creative name for these, as well as something that takes less characters since you only get 140. You can follow me (@timage) on twitter to receive these types of "tweets" on a regular basis.

Studentlinc leader tip: Student leaders should spend their final days celebrating and saying "thank you" to everyone for their help.1:21 PM Apr 14th

Studentlinc leader tip: Don't keep asking people for advice until you finally hear the advice you're looking for.9:06 PM Apr 13th

Studentlinc leader tip: Those closest to you will leverage some level of influence in your life. Choose your inner circle wisely.10:38 AM Apr 13th

Studentlinc leader tip: Sometimes when you start acting like a leader you start acting like a leader.10:40 AM Apr 7th

Studentlinc leader tip: Good ideas are great. Prioritized good ideas are better. Add a plan to those ideas and you're ahead of most.6:07 PM Apr 4th

Studentlinc leader tip: Humor that is offered at the expense of someone else will diminish your leadership influence.6:04 PM Apr 4th

Studentlinc leader tip: When it comes to leadership, integrity is not a personality trait.2:54 PM Mar 30th

Coming To The End Of Your Student Leader Year

The last season that a student leader experiences is the Separation season. This season is a time of letting go. You find yourself at the end of your time as a student leader and beginning to look forward to (anticipation season) the next thing.

Everybody leaves. It just depends on when and how. Most of those two things is up to you.

The best and most successful student leaders leave when their position, their commitment is over. They leave when they're supposed to leave.

Unfortunately, not every student leader sticks around and leaves when they're supposed to leave. They resign. They quit. They step aside. Whatever you want to call it or for whatever reason - they don't see things through to the end.

But this article isn't for them - it's for you...the one's who are gonna be there to hand the keys to the next person.

When it's time to leave, there's some things you can do that will put the icing on the cake of your student leadership year. There's a few ideas that I have that will allow you to leave responsibly instead of with regret.

1. Say Thank You!
Take these last few weeks of your student leadership year to thank all of the people who have helped you, encouraged you, inspired you, motivated you, and worked alongside you. If you were a student LEADER this year, then there are people whom you've LED that need to hear your appreciation. If there isn't anyone you can think of...well...you might want to reflect on what it means to be a student leader.

2. Celebrate With People!
It's time to party. Spend some moments reflecting and remembering all of the things you accomplished with the people you accomplished them with. Hand out some crazy awards to all of your team mates. Gather all of the pictures and videos from the year and watch them again. Share all of your inside jokes one more time.

3. Invest In The Next Leader!
Your student leadership year is a chapter in an ongoing story. The work of the person who served before you impacted your year in certain ways. Your investment this year will effect the next person. One of the best questions you can ask yourself in preparing the next person is this: What do I know now that I wish I knew a year ago? Whatever the answer to that question is will be the very things you need to share with the new person.

As you step away from your position, make sure you take some time to reflect on the lessons you learned. Write down your insights. If you were to do it all over again, how would you do things differently? Are there areas where you leave your position better than you found it?

And remember, if it wasn't the best experience, that's okay. Every opportunity to serve in a student leadership position can teach you something. A student leadership position is a laboratory for you develop your own leadership skills and experience. Just make sure you do the hard work of looking for the lessons and working to not repeat some of the same mistakes.

Flickr credit: RU4SUN2

Leadership: You Know It When You See It

There are numerous examples of courageous leadership that took place before, during, and after the plane crash of US Airways flight 1549 into the Hudson River. Without detracting from any of the valiant efforts of hundreds of people, I want to point out the leadership of the plane's pilot - Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger.

As we find ourselves moving further away from the event and reflecting on all that occurred, we can see that this tremendous pilot was just "doing his job." But he did it in such a way that it drew the admiration, praise, and attention of millions. Not to mention the extremely grateful passengers and crew who were under his care at the time.

One of the newer voices on the internet in the area of leadership is Nina Simosko. I have started reading her articles on a regular basis. She writes about this tragic-turned-heroic event in one of her posts. What I really enjoy about her writing is her personal and practical summaries at the end of each post. In regards to this event, she writes:

Captain Sullenberger demonstrated astounding leadership qualities during this mid-air crisis.  He showed how a leader can keep an otherwise turbulent [no pun intended] situation where chaos might be expected, calm and orderly.  His calm, authoritative poise under intense stress with 155 people’s lives in his hands, created an atmosphere in which he was able to accomplish something never done before.  We should all emulate his behavior to lead with steadiness and ensure the well-being of those we are responsible for.

I spend a lot of time writing about what leadership is, why it's necessary, and how to improve in it. Ultimately, one can only write so much. It is in the personal examples - those who live it out in real time and real life - that teach us the most.

If someone asks you what a leader looks like, you can point to a man by the name of "Sully" who did what was required, found courage in the face of adversity, and was prepared for the challenge that he faced. Because of his leadership, people lived.

I'm also thinking of another "real life" example today. Martin Luther King, Jr. embodied all of the principles he spoke about. He was a man who took an idea and moved it into the realm of possibility. Because of his example and effort and LIFE, we live in a better world. Some of us have yet to realize how much the memory and mission of the Martin Luther King, Jr impacts the historic moments that we will witness tomorrow on the steps of our nation's Capitol. The two are linked: the leadership of one is tied to the leadership of another.

"Now, I say to you today my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: - 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'"

- Martin Luther King Jr., Speech at Civil Rights March on Washington, August 28, 1963

Tony Dungy - Role Model Leaves Winning Legacy

If we're going to talk about leadership on this blog, then we have to talk about Tony Dungy.

Tony Dungy recently retired as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. He steps down having achieved a great deal in his illustrious football career. In reflecting upon his timing for stepping down, Dungy was quoted in USA Today saying:

"I won't look back and think that I could have done anything more, that if I'd put more time in, maybe we'd have won one more game. I think I did all that I could do. I think our coaches and players did all that we could do. The Lord blessed us with one (Super Bowl win), and that's one more than a lot of people win."

I love this quote. As Dungy steps down from his leadership position, he doesn't have any regrets. And you know what else? He doesn't stop being a leader either (you don't need a position to be a leader).

As you consider what's left of your student leadership year, are you preparing to step away with no regrets? When the time comes to leave (and everyone leaves) will you look back and say that you did everything you could do?

Perhaps one of the greatest measurements of success is the feeling that occurs when everything is over and you know that you gave it your all and left everything out on the field.

Repost: What Are Your Sweet Leadership Skills

I recently updated my status on Facebook to say that I was "watching some football and eating a dang quesadilla." Much to my surprise, it was apparent that some of my friends didn't know what movie I was referencing by the line, "dang quesadilla."

This reminded me of a post I wrote on studentlinc over a year ago that referenced this cult classic, Napoleon Dynamite. Here's the post...enjoy some "dang" leadership inspiration.

* * * * * * * * *

If you're unsure what your strengths are, ask someone you know and trust. In the movie, Napoleon Dynamite, Napoleon is approached by Pedro who is running for Senior Class President.

Pedro: Do you think people will vote for me?

Napoleon Dynamite: Heck yes! I'd vote for you.

Pedro: Like what are my skills?

Napoleon Dynamite: Well, you have a sweet bike. And you're really good at hooking up with chicks. Plus you're like the only guy at school who has a mustache.

Of course, you'll need to make sure the advice they give you is something you can use.

Photo: Still from the movie, Napoleon Dynamite © 2004 Twentieth Century Fox. All rights reserved.

Quotable Leadership

Study the quotes of great leaders. Learn from them. There are nuggets of wisdom that will help you grow in your own leadership capacities.

Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.
George S. Patton

A leader is a dealer in hope.
Napoleon Bonaparte

The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet.
Theodore M. Hesburgh

Go to the people. Learn from them. Live with them. Start with what they know. Build with what they have. The best of leaders when the job is done, when the task is accomplished, the people will say we have done it ourselves.
Lao Tzu

Leadership Revealed In Good And Bad

The economy looks bleak.
The future is uncertain.
The situation at hand doesn't need another quick fix.

Sounds like there's a need for leadership.

But there is always a need for leadership.

What kind of leader is needed during the difficulties?
The same kind of leader that was needed during the good times, the prosperous times, and the times when everything seemed to flow smoothly.

How To Put The "STUD" In Student Leader E-Book

The path to greatness in student leadership is often paved with a lot of little things.

That's what I hoped to communicate in this ebook, STUDENT LEADER: 35 Ways To Put The STUD In Student Leader. [1.3mb PDF]

These are not difficult or time-consuming ideas. They are simple ideas that, when implemented, go a long way in establishing a student as a student leader.

Are there things that you find yourself repeating over and over to your student leaders? That's what this list is. It's the lessons and skills that I recite on a regular basis to those student leaders in my care. Sometimes you need another way to communicate. That's why I put this ebook together.

It's Free. Free to download. Free to pass out. Free to send to others. Free to use.

I would love to hear your comments about this resource. Let me know how you're using it and whom you have passed it on to.