Developing students’ leadership skills— the benefits of a multi-faceted approach
Print Edition
WHAT is leadership? In simple terms, leadership is the art of motivating a group of people or an organization toward achieving a common goal. Thought leaders focus on many differing aspects of this lofty concept, such as John Maxwell’s quip, “Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less,” or Bill Gates, who said “… leaders will be those who empower others.”
Despite the myriad of views, definitions and commentary on styles of leadership, one thing is certain: Experts agree that leadership skills can be developed in many different ways. According to Ronald E. Riggio, professor of Leadership and Organizational Psychology at Claremont McKenna College and the author of more than 100 books and publications on areas of leadership, “there are various competencies that make up the character attribute of leadership.” Therefore, children who are given the opportunity to experience a range of activities that develop their leadership skills are clearly at an advantage.
At one school in Shanghai, Yew Chung International School of Shanghai (YCIS), building students’ leadership skills is fundamental to the program and is steeped in all aspects of the school’s curriculum, activities, and culture. According to Terence Dayes, vice principal at YCIS’s Gubei campus, “YCIS students develop their ability to lead others through various experiences. We believe that they should be given the freedom to draw their own lines, to think ‘outside the box,’ and to lead with their intellect, creativity and passions.”
Leading outside the box
Dayes adds, “We challenge mainstream conventions, asking students to look beyond recognized ‘name brand’ leaders like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, because we believe that a successful leader is not solely defined by how much money they generate. At YCIS we want students to think beyond conventions, and to consider how they can genuinely make a difference through leadership in a global world.” One example of a unique initiative in leadership at YCIS is the International Women’s Academy (IWA). Several years ago, a group of Secondary students decided to start a chapter of the IWA at the school, and this entirely student-led group has worked collaboratively to support and empower less privileged female members of society, and has since raised funds to furnish a computer classroom for a girl’s school in Ghana.
Leading among peers
The school also recognizes the developmental gains for students through having the experience of leading their peers — including both younger and older classmates.
“We have Lower Secondary students willing to present at assemblies to older students, and the reverse with our Upper Secondary students creating and leading after school activities for their younger classmates. These leadership examples set the bar high and encourage students to lead others beyond their years,” states Dayes. Another popular program at the YCIS Secondary campuses is the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, a merit-based activity that includes many aspects of leadership. Chris Cummings, secondary head of social sciences at YCIS’s Century Park campus, notes, “Students have to work with their peers and show leadership both when journeying and completing the requirements for physical, skill, and service categories, and we see their huge personal growth as a result.”
Leading with character
With a school motto that includes aligning with “love and charity,” “At YCIS, leadership skills are also developed through the lens of ‘how leadership can be used to make far-reaching benefits for others,’” says Gemma Forde, student activity coordinator at YCIS’s Gubei campus. Forde adds, “students learn that a leader can be incomplete if they do not consider others. We build opportunities for students to practice this concept as it creates a worldview wherein they embrace the disposition of ‘thinking beyond themselves.’” As such, Secondary students support a number of local charities raising hundreds of thousands of yuan every year to contribute to these organizations. The vast majority of these initiatives are entirely student run and led. “As YCIS trains students beginning in Year 8 on the principles of leadership, this results in older students who are completely equipped to run initiatives on their own. These student leaders are so mature and dedicated that managing them is simply more about guidance,” states Forde.
With a vast range of leadership opportunities available for students, and also by encouraging students to create their own projects to lead, YCIS is a bellwether institution when it comes to trends in this area. By helping to develop students who are committed to using their skills to challenge conventions and make a difference in the world, who are able to lead amongst their peers, and who aspire to lead in a way that truly makes a difference, YCIS Shanghai is a model institution for producing future global leaders.
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