Donald Formby believes that students have a great opportunity to become young leaders. Although leading a group of your peers can be challenging, the good thing is that anyone can develop into a true student leader; it takes is a positive attitude, the right advice and practice. Donald offers his top tips to help become a true student leader.
Take the time to listen
One of the things every leader must learn to do is take the time to listen. Trying to solve problems without listening to the root cause will not work. You need to be patient and show understanding to your team members.
The more attentive you are, the better your team will function. This will help you build trust and work better together. In addition, your team members will come to you for help when they need it. This will validate your authority and help you be recognised as a trustworthy leader.
Keep an open mind
Not every person will think or behave the same way. As a leader of a group, you will have to be able to cooperate with different behaviours and ideas. Keeping an open mind is essential in these situations. You need to be able to accept different ideas and work with anything someone brings to the table.
Even if someone’s view of a situation might not be the same as yours, you still need to consider their opinion. Being open to suggestions and listening to the conversation is crucial. Only through actions like these will everyone consider you a leader. This is the best way to be fair and work in unison with your team.
Give the right person the right task
People with different skills and qualifications usually make up a team. This is the best way for a group to work together well and produce an amazing result. To achieve this, you need to learn how to give the right person the right task.
You need to learn to listen to your team members and communicate with them about their skills and preferences. Through that, each person will engage with a task suited to their character and skillset. As a result, the team will perform in the best possible way.
Ask for feedback
It is important for a leader to know what they did wrong and what they can improve. Asking for feedback from your colleagues might be tough when you are young, it can be easier to want to justify your actions and find excuses, but a true leader will admit to their mistakes and work hard to improve them.
The words of the people you work with should always matter to you. Even if you don’t always like what they have to say, feedback is very important. It will also improve the bond between you and your members and build trust between you. This way, everyone will work on improving their leadership skills and the results of the team.
Developing the right qualities for your leading style
All of these tips will help you develop your own leadership style. Becoming a good leader requires time and hard work. Starting at a young age, you will be able to develop into a true student leader with the right values. This will help you become more competitive in the job market in the years to follow.
Think about which of these tips you personally believe will help you become a true student leader and put them into practice.
Donald Fomby is a writer and editor whose dissertation proofreading service aims to help his younger audience excel in their studies.
