"A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm." Henrik Ibsen
One of the most pressing issues facing the United States and its youth serving organizations today is how to best facilitate the development of our youth. The future of the nation, and the future of world civilization, will soon rest in the hands of today's young people.
To become productive and contributing individuals who can be effective and proactive in determining the course of tomorrow's world, today's youth must develop positive leadership knowledge, attitudes, skills, and aspirations. Preparing today's young people for their roles as tomorrow's leaders is a challenge we all face.
The purpose of this section is to provide an overview of 4-H youth leadership development programs which are being conducted in Ohio to help meet this challenge and to outline the research base and commonalities upon which the programs are built.
The 4-H program is unique in its educational approach in that it offers "learn by doing" education, laboratory settings to test the results of that education, and real-life applications of the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and aspirations gained. The remainder of this handbook provides an overview, guidelines, and resources for these major 4-H youth leadership development program opportunities. Leadership Defined
The working definition used in the 4-H program to define "leadership" is "a broad concept related to the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and aspirations utilized by one or more persons in influencing, motivating, inspiring and otherwise causing desired actions and reactions by others." Rather than limiting the focus of the programs to leadership as defined by a particular scholar, or to a particular perspective, it is the intent of 4-H faculty to incorporate and accept a variety of viewpoints in a broad definition which includes and synthesizes diverse opinions and theories. "Leadership development experiences" are similarly defined as "any learning experiences or background gained by individuals which facilitate the development of leadership".
Note: It is recognized that there are almost as many definitions of leadership as there are scholars and theorists studying the concept. Leadership is one of the most observed and least understood of all phenomenon. Even those theorists who conceptualize leadership in frameworks of types and styles of leadership have not reached consensus on an all encompassing system which takes into account the varied perspectives from which they view the concept.
However, the fairly complete scheme of classification developed by Stogdill and Bass (1981) which builds on the similarities between the many definitions of leadership advanced by scholars since the turn of the century has proven to be a helpful starting point for 4-H program development. This scheme defines leadership in 11 categories:
a) a focus of group process,
b) personality and its effects,
c) the art of inducing compliance,
d) the exercise of influence,
e) a group of acts or behaviors,
f) a form of persuasion,
g) a power relationship,
h) an instrument of goal achievement,
i) an effect of interaction,
j) a differentiated role, and
k) the initiation and maintenance of structure.
Even though scholars believe there may be special personality traits and characteristics which distinguish leaders from followers, thus far, no perfect "recipe" has been found of characteristics which when combined make a person a leader. However, there are many studies which substantiate that leaders usually exceed or score higher than average group members in relation to the characteristics listed below. 4-H youth leadership development programs should be designed to enable teens do develop the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and aspirations needed for effectiveness and success related to each of these characteristics:
| ...technical skills | ...friendliness |
|---|---|
| ...task motivation and application | ...group task supportiveness |
| ...amount of social participation | ...social and interpersonal skills |
| ...leadership effectiveness and achievement | ...emotional balance and control |
| ...administrative skills | ...general personal impression given |
| ...intelligence, scholarship | ...dominance and decisiveness |
| ...willingness to assume responsibility | ...ethical conduct and personal integrity |
| ...maintaining closeness within a group | ...maintaining coordination and teamwork |
| ...communication skills | ...physical energy |
| ...conformation to norms | ...creativity and independence |
| ...maintenance of standards of performance | ...informal group control, helpfulness |
| ...experience and involvement | ...courage and daring |
| ...maturity | ...cultured approach to life |
| ...dependability in completing responsibilities | ...socio-economic status |
| ...initiative | ...persistence |
| ...know-how in getting things done | ...self-confidence |
| ...alertness and insight into situations | ...cooperativeness |
| ...popularity | ...adaptability |
| ...excellence in the group task | ...originality |
| ...judgement | ...aggressiveness |
| ...desire for excellence | ...sense of humor |
| ...liveliness | ...athletic ability |
| ...height, weight, body build, appearance, | ...emotional control |
Note 1: It is important to recognize that although several studies support the importance of each of these characteristics, there are also studies which prove "exceptions to the rule" for each.
Note 2: Of particular concern to 4-H program developers are the results of numerous studies which indicate that gender differences are significant both in development of leadership and in how males and females lead. Current research is indicating that what "works" for females does not always work for males, and vice versa. As more research is done and definite conclusions drawn, it is critical that findings be incorporated into on-going program development processes.
The following principles have been identified as critical for success in planning, conducting, and evaluating youth leadership development programs. Check the degree to which the youth leadership development programs with which you work incorporate each of these principles:
A. Effective youth leadership programs should be developed around stated purposes and goals. Programs should be thoughtfully designed and explicit about what they are trying to accomplish. Although enabling young people to develop leadership knowledge, attitudes, skills, and/or aspirations is a basic goal of all youth leadership programs, effective programs focus their efforts towards specific purposes and goals which meet the needs and interests of their target audiences.
B. Effective youth leadership programs encourage high expectations and confidence in youth and demonstrate respect for youth. Having someone who respects and believes in them is an excellent motivator for enabling young people to developing the confident attitudes and aspirations which are characteristic of successful leaders. Those who work with youth leadership development programs should convey and demonstrate with every action, word, and deed that they respect, have confidence in, and have high expectations of each program participant. While programs may do this in various ways, they can only do it if they embody a genuine respect for young people: for what they know, for who they are as individuals, and for their potential.
C. Effective youth leadership programs emphasize experiential learning and provide opportunities for youth to exercise genuine leadership. Leadership is learned by doing. Respect for youth as leaders implies trusting them to exercise leadership within the program itself. Youth should be involved in exercising real leadership by designing, conducting, and evaluating programs and activities in real life situations. As leaders, they should be encouraged to take prudent risks, learn from their successes and failures, and continue their growth and development in the future.
D. Effective youth leadership programs enable youth to understand the history, values, and beliefs of their society. Effective leaders must understand the society of which they are a part, even if they seek to change that society. Young people need to learn to think critically regarding the history, values, and beliefs of their society in order to understand problems and needs, consider alternatives, make acceptable decisions, take appropriate action, and otherwise be successful in exercising leadership. With this in mind, effective leadership programs should consider the various cultures and societies within their community, in developing programs which prepare youth to be leaders.
E. Effective youth leadership programs promote awareness, understanding, and tolerance of other people, cultures, and societies. We live in a world that has been made more complex and diverse by our global age. To be effective and authentic, leaders must have the capacity to work with people outside their social group on the basis of empathy and tolerance.
F. Effective youth leadership programs involve youth in collaborative experiences, teamwork, and networking with peers. Young people need to experience collaborative teamwork in order to develop the skills and understanding needed to work with other people in democratic groups.
G. Effective youth leadership programs help youth develop skills related to leadership. Leadership requires skills. Leadership programs should make young people aware of those skills and should provide opportunities to develop them. The key skills of leadership include: envisioning, communications, making group decisions, resolving conflicts (negotiation), motivating people, advocating ideas, creating positive images, gaining legitimacy, and building coalitions among groups. These are the ways in which groups and communities depend on leaders.
H. Effective youth leadership programs involve youth in significant relationships with mentors, positive role models, or other nurturing adults. Mentors and role models play a powerful role in launching young people in positive directions. A multitude of research studies have concluded that significant relationships with mentors, role models, and other nurturers are a key factor in the development of leadership. Effective leadership programs should include the development of such positive relationships.
I. Effective youth leadership programs facilitate the development of individual strengths and personal characteristics. There is no one successful leadership style, and no single set of personality traits that make for a successful leader. However, leaders must understand and accept themselves as unique and valuable individual, have a valid appreciation of their strengths and weaknesses, and be aware of the ethics and beliefs which guide their behavior. Effective leadership programs should enable youth to process and reflect upon what they learn in order to improve for the future.
J. Effective youth leadership programs encourage youth to provide service to others, to their community, to their country, and to the world. Young people should learn that service is intrinsic to leadership. That is, leadership implies serving the group or community, not controlling them. Programs should encourage young people to value that service dimension and exercise responsible citizenship.
There are ten significant adolescent leadership development experiences which should be incorporated into teen leadership development programs. Use these as a checklist to assure that you provide appropriate experiences in the leadership development programs with which you work:
____ A. collaborative experiences
____ B. personal characteristic development
____ C. mentors/role models/nurturers
____ D. cultural and citizenship experiences
____ E. communications experiences
____ F. management experiences
____ G. employment/internship experiences
____ H. group leadership experiences
____ I. formal education
____ J. spiritual and other significant life experiences
All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.
Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Adm. and Director, OSU Extension.
TDD No. 800-589-8292 (Ohio only) or 614-292-1868