Any student or young person can be a leader, regardless of age or experience. Here are 10 tips students can use to become a better leader. Learn more about the Student Leadership Challenge: studentleadershipchallenge.com/assess

1. A Wiley Brand
10 Steps to Becoming
a Better Leader
THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE®

2. Seek opportunities to
take on a leadership
role.
1

3. The more you practice,
the better you’ll become.

4. 2
Make speeches
and presentations.

5. Learn to be confident and
straightforward in what
you have to say.
Communicate your emotions
verbally and nonverbally.
Use concrete examples.

6. 3
Coach or captain a
team. Be a mentor.

7. Learn about the skills, interests, and
aspirations of others and enable them
to make the most of their talents.
Be responsive and express confidence in
others’ abilities to make good choices,
back them up when they make mistakes,
and support their decisions.

8. 4
Volunteer to lead
projects both on
campus and in
your community.

9. Engage in opportunities
to build and affirm shared
values that all can
embrace.

10. 5
Record observations
about exemplary
leaders in a journal.

11. Notice how they

12. 6
Read biographies and watch
videos of exemplary leaders
such as Martin Luther King, Jr.
and Gandhi.

13. Listen to their speeches.
Notice what leaders
do that makes them
successful.

14. 7
Interview leaders you
admire and respect.

15. Ask for permission to observe
them in their day-to-day activities.
Identify what they do to
lead successfully.
Ask for their advice.

16. 8
Take courses. Work with
teachers, mentors, and
coaches.

17. Continually seek out ways
to expand your knowledge
and skills in specific areas in
which you want to improve.

18. 9
Develop a personal
action plan.

19. Use what you’ve learned
to create a concrete
action plan to help you
practice the behaviors
you admire in leaders.

20. 10
Self-reflect.

21. Assess your development
and ask others for feedback
on your leadership skills.

22. Adapted from The Student Leadership Challenge Student Leadership Planner: An Action Guide to Achieving Your Personal Best, copyright ©2006 by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner. The Leadership Challenge®,
The Student Leadership Challenge®, and The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership® are registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. The associated icons are copyright ©2011 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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