Archives For youth

Leadership for Kids: A Great Way To Teach Your Kids About Leadership

November 10, 2012 — 14 Comments

iStock 000007610660XSmall 300x199 Leadership for Kids: A Great Way To Teach Your Kids About Leadership

What Does Your Mommy Do?

I have never had one of those jobs they sing about on Sesame Street.

As with most of us, the roles I have assumed over the years are hard to explain.

But if you ask my kids what I do,  they have a short answer, “my mom is a leader.”

Probe further, and you’ll get more:

  • “She asks a lot of questions”
  • “She helps people figure things out”
  • “She teaches people stuff”
  • “She has a team”
  • “She tries to make work more fun”

They know because they live it.

Some would argue it’s because I have no work-life balance, and by some definitions, I suppose that’s true.

On the other hand… Continue Reading…

In Developing Leadership in Children, Help People to Grow , , ,
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The Power of Yes

July 11, 2012 — 7 Comments

SeUUss 02 300x200 The Power of Yes

“Yes-let’s said Tigger, bouncing a little, even though he had no idea what was to be begun.  He liked to be asked to do things, and he liked to be asked to do them first, and he always said “yes,” because it is much more interesting when you do.”

-David Benedictus, Return to the Hundred Acre Wood

As leaders (or community members, parents, friends), deciding where to spend our physical and emotional energy can be daunting…  So much of the self-help literature seems to be teaching us how to say “no” to the wrong things so we have more time to say “yes” to the “right” things.

That makes sense.

What can be more difficult is knowing the difference.  Sometimes the most illogical opportunities can provide the most fascinating experiences.  Sometimes the growth comes precisely because the opportunity is out of our comfort zone, or because we have to completely rearrange our lives to make room for it.

Yes can be scary. 

Yes leads to opportunity.

Continue Reading…

In Risk taking , , , , , , , , ,
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Kermit the Frog as Leader? It’s Not Easy Leading Green

July 6, 2012 — 7 Comments

Growing Leaders of All Ages:
Part of my mission for this blog is engaging leaders of all ages in the leadership conversation.  Today, I present a guest post from Jared Herr, age 12.  If you are a leader of any age, interested in collaborating on a guest post on leadership, let’s talk more.

dreamstime xs 22242614 240x300 Kermit the Frog as Leader? Its Not Easy Leading Green

royalties purchased from dreamstime.com

Kermit is a strong leader in many ways:

  • He works to make the muppets the best that they can be
  • He is inspiring because he always tries his hardest
  • He brings misfit animals together and makes them a team
  • He always has a plan
  • He is a collaborative decision maker 
  • He is self-reflective 
What are Kermit’s leadership challenges?
  • He takes things too personally
  • He has trouble giving tough feedback
  • He needs more work-life balance

Jared’s advice to Kermie…

You are a caring amphibian and always try to make others the best they can be. You put the muppets in roles where you know the can succeed.  You are a role model of hard work, and get all of those crazy animals pulling together as a team.  You inspire them to care about one another.

Kermit, one of your greatest strengths as a leader, self-reflection, is also your challenge.  You may want to check out Karin’s post (is strength your weakness).  For example,  you will double and triple check yourself to make sure every muppet is in a part of the show. But when things go wrong, you take it out on yourself. You always point out things you messed up with or things you should have done. I think you feel a lot of pressure being a leader.

I wish you could have more confidence in your decisions.  Once when you fired Miss Piggy (she deserved it), you ended up face down on the floor (of course, that may have something to do with dysfunctional love, but that’s another post).

You are so nice.  I worry sometimes you have trouble confronting or giving the tough coaching messages.  You always lead to victory in the end.  You might save some time if you could give more direct coaching along the way.

Kermit, you sure seem to face a lot of pressure as leader of the muppets.

I worry that you feel like as their leader, you need to be with them 24/7, and you don’t get much personal time.

All said, it is not easy leading green.  And you have a nice track record of results.  Keep up the great work.  I know you will continue to grow into an amazing leader.
***  

Check out some of Karin’s other posts that may help:

is strength your weakness
 one person at a time
where there is chaos seize control

Jared Herr is 12 years old and a rising 7th grader. He likes to play basketball, swim, and act. He is a big fan of the muppets. For the seventh consecutive year, he is taking part in Alex’s Lemonade Stand, a charity that helps find a cure to pediatric  cancer. Together, he and his friend have raised over 25,000 dollars for cancer research.
In Help People to Grow , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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