After more than 35 years of research, what educators and authors Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner have learned about leadership applies just as much for young people as it does for senior executives. What is required of young people is that they have the motivation and desire to step forward to become the best leaders they can be.

1. Leadership Is for Everyone
THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE®
There is no shortage of opportunity for young people to make a difference
Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner

2. Leadership is the art of
mobilizing others to want to
struggle for shared aspirations.

3. In today’s world, people
of all ages, from all
backgrounds, with all types
of life experience need
to seize the opportunities
that lead to greatness.

4. After more than 35 years of
research, what we’ve learned
about leadership applies just
as much for young people as it
does for senior executives.

5. We need young people
to accept the leadership
challenge and we’re seeing
them do so every day within
classrooms and service
projects, residence halls,
athletic fields, and clubs, and
in their neighborhoods—all
across the world.

6. What does a leadership
challenge look like?
It’s when you find yourself in
a situation that requires you
to set an example for others,
imagine an uplifting future,
take initiative despite the
risk, build teamwork, and
encourage others.

7. We began researching
leadership practices among
students by asking them to tell
us about their personal best
experiences as leaders.

8. From case studies and
empirical evidence from
over 150,000 students,
The Student Leadership
Challenge was designed
to help students and
other young, emerging
leaders harness their full
leadership potential.

9. Leadership is an identifiable
set of skills and abilities that
are available to anyone. We
call these The Five Practices
of Exemplary Leadership®
.

10. Model the Way
Inspire a Shared Vision
Challenge the Process
Enable Others to Act
Encourage the Heart
Exemplary student leaders utilize
The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership:

11. Our research has shown
that the more students use
The Five Practices, the more
likely it is that they’ll have
a positive influence on the
efforts and commitment of
others to their group, team,
campus, or cause.

12. When student leaders engage in The Five Practices,
our research shows that they are better able to:
• Build teamwork and trust
• Foster loyalty and commitment
• Enhance motivation and the willingness to
work hard
• Promote the success of others
• Enable others to feel valued and appreciated
• Increase the pride students have in their work

13. As a skill, leadership can
be strengthened, honed,
and enhanced with practice
and feedback, role models,
and coaching.
What is required of young
people is that they have the
motivation and desire to
step forward to become the
best leaders they can be.

14. The vision, values, and
actions of today’s young
leaders will shape the
direction of the world.

15. We need young leaders
to inspire others to
dream, to participate,
and to persevere for a
greater common good.

16. Now in its third edition,
The Student Leadership
Challenge dives even more
deeply into The Five Practices
model, offering extensive
case examples, reflection
questions, and activities
for individual learning
and growth.

17. Each copy of The Student
Leadership Challenge includes
an access code for the Student
LPI Self Online assessment so
students can assess their current
leadership skills based on The
Five Practices model.

18. The Student Leadership
Practices Inventory®
(Student LPI®
) is based
on what we learned from
students’ personal-best
leadership experiences.

19. To learn more about
The Student Leadership
Challenge, the Student LPI,
and activities designed to help
bring out the leader within
each of your students, visit
studentleadershipchallenge.com.
GO

20. Interested in using the Student
LPI Online assessment with
your students?
Request a free trial.

21. JIM KOUZES is the Dean’s Executive Fellow of Leadership, Leavey School of
Business, Santa Clara University, and according to the Wall Street Journal, one
of the twelve best executive educators in the United States.
BARRY POSNER, PHD, is the Accolti Endowed Chair and Professor of
Leadership at the Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University, where he
served for twelve years as dean of the school.
JIM KOUZES and BARRY POSNER have been working together for more than 35 years
studying leaders, researching leadership, and conducting leadership programs. They are
the authors of many bestselling books and have lectured and presented workshops on
over 100 college campuses around the world.
Cover photo © Hero Images/Getty Images
The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership®
is a registered trademark of John Wiley Sons, Inc.
The associated icons are copyright © 2011 John Wiley Sons, Inc. www.studentleadershipchallenge.