Leadership and Young People

No tree can make a forest by standing alone, it takes a multitude of trees to produce this effect. Can we separate leadership and guidance from people? No! Leadership plays an important role in peoples’ lives, especially young persons.

From the cradle to adulthood, we have guides who function in different capacities; some are coaches and mentors, even our parents sometimes act in these roles. There are outcomes of these encounters, and can be differentiated into either being good or bad. The good outlook of leadership will translate into positive impacts felt in the community, while the negative leads to lack of direction and a sense of apathy. Using this piece, I will explore the effects of leadership on young people and the qualities of effective leadership.

Leadership is known to be the ability to inspire, influence and guide others towards a goal or vision. One must make use of effective communication, a good sense of decision-making and even problem-solving skills to inspire the group to unleash their potential. Effective leadership builds on this with the introduction of qualities like empathy, integrity, flexibility to adapt to changing situations.

One problem I have identified in the Nigerian state is the absence of good governance at all levels of government. This lack has contributed to the decay witnessed at these levels, with little or no role model to emulate for better grooming of young people. A good leader must provide direction and guidance to young people, this helps them, to discover their inner strength while allowing them to find their place in this world.

The Lagos Business School Mentor and mentee meet-up is a good base for students to be paired with individuals that serves as role models and mentors. Thus, helping them navigate the hurdles of the financial and corporate world while ensuring an all-round development, this makes the graduates highly sought after.

Being an effective leader requires more than one skill, and some of these are essential to the overall success of the followers. Empathy; young people need a leader that can connect with them, understand their needs, fears, and aspirations on a deeper level, this is why empathetic leaders are valued. They create a safe zone that encourages and support these fellows.

Another quality seen in effective leaders is the power to inspire and motivate. A leader with the power of vision can conceive an idea and communicate this vision to his group in a clear and concise manner that sums their desire. Working with Gen Zs can be tiresome, but with a clear vision, they are ready to go full steam.

Also, trustworthiness and honesty can’t be left out, as these qualities allows a leader to stand out from the crowd. Transparency is needed at all time to foster the culture of trust and respect amongst young people, while it allows for the leaders to be accountable to their actions.

On the other hand, poor leadership creates monsters out of the followers as they are exposed to the detrimental effects of dishonesty, self-centredness and poor choices. This leads to apathy, loss of confidence and even long-term setbacks in pursuing their dreams.

In conclusion, selecting a good leader is crucial to achieving success and their characters greatly influences the younger generation. Wherever we find ourselves, we should strive to invest in developing role models and advocates for the next generations, and this begins with ourselves.

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