What makes a leader?

Many people interested in the Alzar School often have questions about how we help guide students in the journey to become effective leaders. I wish there was a short answer to the in’s and out’s of what works, and what doesn’t.

Over the course of the semester, in a variety of manners, we work on a few key actions, thought processes, and reflections that help.  To get the conversation started in our semester academic course on leadership, Capstone Leadership, we decided to have students access their prior knowledge on the topic.  Many students discovered they knew more than they thought about leadership.

This is what they came up with:

The image may be difficult to read, allow me to highlight the ideas students shared about what it takes to become a leader:

– Desire
– Work for the group
– Confidence
– Belief in cause, in yourself, and your followers
– Humility, put others before self
– Comfortable environment and community
– Having support from others
– Asking Questions
– Openness to other’s ideas
– Passion
and lastly:
– a desire to try, and willingness to fail.

I am inspired to work with students who choose enter into a new and challenging situation, with flexible mindsets around the above-mentioned skills. Our semester will be filled by conscious practice of these skills noted by our students.  We do it because Leadership is important, and we believe it works.

Because our students are so willing to learn, what do YOU think it takes for one become a leader?  Comment, and I’ll pass your words on to our students.