DEVELOP YOUR CHILDREN FOR LEADERSHIP

DEVELOP YOUR CHILDREN FOR LEADERSHIP

Children are a gift of life and the promise of the future life. It is wise for every leader, parent and teacher to understand how children grow to be leaders. Ann O'Connor talks of three stages of growth; physical, emotional and mental. Not knowing these stages may lead to parents and teachers being "ruled" by children. However, taking advantage of these stages can lead to the early growth of leaders.

Children grow in height, weight and body coordination. Some are lively others are not so active. It would be nice to have them calm, but dull children may in fact be ill.  If children learn to control their bodies, this makes for healthy self-esteem in later life. If they do not learn to work with others, they may carry on fighting and attacking others later in life because they do not respect or know how to work with others.

Emotional control is vital for leaders to become wise in later life. Children who rule by tantrum do not learn patience or the courage needed for leadership. Teach the child delayed gratification and you will grow in them the seeds of vision and goals setting.

Most leadership training begins when children learn to reasoning. This may be too late. A child who does not have good physical and emotional and roots, may turn out to be no more than a shrewd thief or a clever bully. By the time a child is learning to reason their leadership roots are already set. Start training your children when they are toddlers and they will be primed for leadership by the time they are in the fourth grade.

Allan Bukusi