Here at The Tutoring Center in Powder Springs, Georgia, we believe that all children have the potential to develop leadership skills. It is a lifelong process. Teachers can give children opportunities to serve in leadership roles at school. As parents, we can teach the skills necessary for our children to take on leadership roles now and in the future. The following are some ways that you can help your child develop his or her leadership skills.

It is important to model leadership behavior to your child. Tell him what you are doing and why you are doing it. He will learn that you do things with purpose which have outcomes.Teach him how to see things from another’s point of view. Good communication is a key component to being an effective leader. Teach your child how to listen carefully and to respond to others in a calm and respectful way.

Help your child build leadership self-confidence by giving him opportunities to do a good job and offer praise when appropriate. You might say, “I am so proud of you that you volunteered to be the leader of the group. It’s a big job to make sure everyone is doing their part.”

Find ways to create problem solving situations. Allow your child to start making small decisions such as picking which activity they want to participate in. Give him more opportunities to make decisions as he learns the concepts of responsibility and consequences of making a decision.

Teach your child how to work with others in a team situation such as group projects or sports activities. Negotiation and compromising will teach him to stay focused on a larger picture not only his own personal view.

Often, children as well as adults shy away from leadership tasks because they feel overwhelmed. Show your child how to break tasks into workable ways to get the job  done or address a problem situation.

While every child may not end up in a formal leadership role, it is a good bet that she or he will be doing some sort of leadership in the future. Remember that today’s children will be needed as volunteer leaders in your local community organizations. It is never too early to start building their leadership potential. If your child needs a little extra help with assignments from school, give us a call at The Tutoring Center, (770) 222-7133.