Student Leadership

What is the importance of student leadership?

It's important for students to experience leadership opportunities during their schooling, to learn the art of building relationships within teams, defining identities, and achieving tasks effectively. It also provides an opportunity to learn to identify and display effective communication and interpersonal skills.

Five qualities of a successful student leader:

• Being authentic: Leaders who are authentic are trusted because they are unwavering, especially when faced with the challenges of popular opinion. As a student leadership participant, be sure the ideals that got you elected are consistent throughout policymaking, planning, etc. and remember to always stay true to yourself and the values you believe in.

• Keep an open mind and always listen: Open communication and consideration of all ideas fosters a creative and collaborative environment. A good leader is someone who is comfortable handling suggestions and adapting to changing situations whilst remaining calm and in control. 

• Know how to delegate tasks to achieve common goals: A successful leader knows when to take the reins. When it comes to important projects and tasks, know when and how to allocate responsibility to those around you and be willing to go above and beyond to get it done.

• Learn from mistakes to improve for the future: Even if this isn’t your first time being elected, there will most certainly be times where the plan goes wrong. Be prepared for the worst, take responsibility for the outcome, and stay optimistic. A quality leader learns from every experience, positive or negative. 

• Seek knowledge: Leaders are continuously developing their skills so they can continue to inspire their peers.