Can everyone become a leader?
An emphatic “NO” would perhaps be the most logical answer to the above question.
But if you and I both seem to agree on this critical point and assert that everyone ‘cannot’ become a leader, then what is the significance of asking the above question in such a pronounced way? Let us try and find an answer to this question first. We can answer the main question later, as we proceed with the article.
WHY SHOULD A STUDENT LEARN LEADERSHIP SKILLS?
Majority of the students (at any given point of time) are in their formative years. That is generally the time when everyone is quite keen and fast to learn multiple things. Various skills, which are often acquired by students without too much effort, come in handy throughout their lives.
Many students today may soon complete their studies and opt for jobs where they could be required to work on projects in isolation or where utmost secrecy is desired. They may not have much interaction with many people at their workplace and they may not be required to lead any team or followers. Despite the above being true, I am of the firm opinion that all students, whether they are in school, college or university, must avail the opportunity to learn and further develop their leadership skills.
From my personal experience, I can say with certainty that irrespective of your work situation requirements, the concepts that you learn in leadership skills while studying in college are extremely useful in real life situations that you may face later. We shall look at these in greater detail here as we move on.
WHAT WITH ALL THE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS?
To strengthen my arguments given above, I may add that due to extremely fast-paced technological advancements in the current age, the economic or business world too is changing much faster than anyone would have imagined a few decades ago. We may soon see times where you could be engaged in multiple activities as an entrepreneur, professional, consultant or even a freelancer. In such a situation, those who are already equipped with leadership skills will have a clear distinctive edge over others who aren’t. You would also do well to imagine another situation in the near future where an entrepreneur may switch to a full-time job and vice-versa; a professional may turn entrepreneur or an entrepreneur may choose to be a freelancer. Leadership skills acquired and honed as a student will be found useful and rewarding in many such situations by all concerned.
KEY BENEFITS OF DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP SKILLS AS A STUDENT
Anyone who learns leadership skills at any stage stands to gain a lot from the same. As a student, when you show some special traits and inspire others to do what you want them to do but give them a feeling that they are doing it out of their own love and concern, this subtle behavior soon gets into your system. You realize that your college is the best place to hone up your leadership skills. Many additional benefits also flow your way then.
As you develop your leadership skills, you learn to take responsibilities willingly and that builds your confidence in your own self. You gradually become aware of your hidden potential. Slowly, you start building a network and this skill comes to you in a natural way. Your fellow students who are also your team members start coming to you with their problems. As you provide solutions to them, you learn the art of solving problems in a subtle way in a friendly atmosphere. Along the way, you also pick up negotiation and management skills. Believe me, all this adds up to a colossal gain for you as a student. If you were to learn all this while you were already working in a corporate set-up or as a professional, you would be required to spend a lot of precious time, effort and money for acquiring the various skills. So, learning leadership skills as a student and reaping all these benefits is truly a bonanza. Grab it while you can!
Prriya Kaur
Life and Business Coach, NLP Trainer & Counselor