The Six Seasons Of A Student Leader Year

One of the more unique aspects of student leadership is the amount of time that each student commits to his or her position - typically one year. 

That's the beauty of the student leadership laboratory.  One year to accomplish something significant.  One year to learn to become a better leader.  One year to invest in the lives of others through one's position and influence. 

One year. 

A lot can happen in a year.  But in order to make the most of each and every year, a student leader must be aware of the ebb and flows - the seasons that each year contains.  A season is "a recurrent period characterized by certain occurrences."  (American Heritage Dictionary).  Seasons divide each year at certain times. They shape the weather and give us a general idea that things are changing, time is moving forward.  We recognize the onset of summer as the days grow hotter and longer.  We begin to prepare for winter as the temperature drops and rain turns into snow.  Each season is recognizable and repeats itself every year - sometimes in more pronounced ways than other years.

There are seasons in a student leadership year as well.  They flow from one into the other.  Sometimes they are more intense and dramatic, other times they seem to come and go without much notice.  There may be some overlapping and even some signs of moving back into a previous season.  They express the flow of each year.  And each student leader experiences these seasons at different levels.  Some feel them more than others because of their own temperament, personality, and leadership situation.

For the most part, these seasons happen in the order that I list them here. There is movement in a student leader year with high points and low points.  That’s why it's important for each student leader to get a sense of the big picture.  If you understand ahead of time when and where the seasons (both good and bad) might be, you’ll be better prepared to handle them when they come.

Let me give you a quick overview of each season:

Anticipation

This is the season of looking ahead.  Deciding to apply, planning a campaign, looking ahead to what one will attempt to change, maintain, and accomplish throughout the upcoming year.

Implementation

This is the season of moving into action.  All the plans and dreams are put into motion.  A student leader quickly finds that he or she is kneedeep in their position, putting their strengths to work, building relationships, and having fun.

Fluctuation

This is the season of overcoming obstacles.  Student leaders discover that things don't always go as planned, conflicts arise, certain realities begin to push aside one's idealism.

Evalutation

This is the season of the gut check.  Working through the fluctuation season, one discovers that the year may turn out differently than anticipated, that everything planned may not happen.  A student leader must take the time to figure out what's most important or risk their success.

Determination

This is the season of staying the course.  A student leader will come to a crossroads - to persevere or to walk away (before their done...before the year is over).  It is during this season that student leaders must decide that there is still work left to be done and if they stick with it, they' discover a whole new level of leadership.

Separation

This is the season of letting go.  Every student leader leaves, the question is when?  A student leader who stays the course will leave a lasting legacy that other student leaders can follow.  How a student leader prepares the next generation of student leaders is vital to the health of the organization.
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The next series of posts will deal individually with each season.  As I explain each season, I will include ways that student leaders can be the most effective and how they can handle or avoid the pitfalls that frustrate a student leader's ability to be the best they can be.

Comments

[tim]

Thanks Amanda. I really like the concept of "seasons." While you have a general idea when they should occur, they can be late, early, mild, harsh, etc. There's lots of room to maneuver in between seasons. It's not an exact science but it does give a student leader some handles on what they can expect.

One other thing...I've used this model with my student leader groups for the last 3-4 years. Each group can identify and recognize the seasons and have found it helpful. That's about the extent of my research.

Philly was fun. I discovered that I prefer a Jersey Cheesesteak to a Philly Cheesesteak.

tim

[Amanda]

Tim-- you did a nice job articulating the "seasons" of student leaders! Wouldn't it be great to use as an exit interview tool and have students reflect on when/where they fell into those categories?! Then, talk about how they can navigate the seasons in future leadership positions. Okay ... I'm done! Hope you had fun at Philly camp.