You have a gifted child, but is he or she a leader?
She exhibits those traits that characteristically represent giftedness. The behaviors may include an advanced vocabulary and an ability to conceptualize and express unusual ideas. Your child has an intellectual curiosity about things and asks you a lot of questions.
You can see a wide range of interests and passion for some subject. She is a fast learner and has a great memory. She likes to read, has facility with numbers, and likes the company of older companions or adults.
She is independent and prefers to do work on her own. She is a keen observer and creative problem solver. And she appears to have a high energy level – not much sleep is needed.
But is she a future leader? Does she have leadership capabilities?That is a good and fair question because not all gifted children are necessarily potential leaders.
What is leadership?
There is a general belief that being a leader means taking charge, directing activities, telling others what to do, and making decisions for a group. While these tasks do reflect leadership, they are not considered the most important characteristics of a leader.
Children who become students in the twenty-first century will experience a world of constant and ever-increasing speed of change. Information will be more complex and delivered faster than ever before in history. Surprises will be daily occurrences.
Gifted leaders of tomorrow will be highly adaptable and ready for any unexpected event or challenge. They will not be simple consumers of information, but active producers and innovators.
Robert Sternberg is an American psychologist and professor known for his research on intelligence and creativity. Sternberg says that gifted leaders will exhibit three basic qualities: creativity, intelligence and wisdom.
Sternberg defines creativity as the skill to come up with novel solutions to problems and to create new ideas worthy of further development.
He explains intelligence as the ability to recognize the quality of these ideas and the ability to influence others on their value, so they will be accepted and acted upon.
According to Sternberg, wisdom is the ability to consult with others, get feedback, and refine ideas so that all stakeholders affected are involved.
Leaders will face real-world problems, come up with valuable ideas for solving them, interact with all kinds of audiences, and ensure active implementation of those ideas.
Does your child show leadership?
So what should you be looking for to see if your child might be a future leader?
Does your child easily assume responsibility? Being accountable shows an awareness of outcomes and a willingness to accept risk. Does she foresee consequences and understand the implications of decisions? As a result of this awareness, is she more likely to show good judgment in decision-making?
Is your child confident and self-assured? Is she well organized and likes a structured environment? Does she express herself clearly and fluently? Peers are attracted to leaders who are confident in their views and decisions and who can be articulate in expressing them. Effective leaders are usually well-liked.
Another observation would be an awareness and sensitivity to the feelings and emotions of others. They are socially sensitive. This might be a key factor in attracting followers and building a consensus of support for ideas.
The California Association of the Gifted listed 16 traits of leadership at is 1980 convention. In addition to those mentioned above were the following:
- Ability to be a facilitator
- Goal-oriented
- Has integrity
- Resourceful
- Competent
- Persistent (hangs in there)
Does your child stay at an activity for a long time? Is she totally absorbed in the moment? Does she set goals for herself and strive to meet them? Is she honest in recognizing struggles as well as achievements? If working with others, does she offer ideas to help the other person?
Leadership is a multidimensional concept that involves intellectual and behavioral skills in a unique combination. If you think your child has that combination, you may want to look for opportunities to further develop those skills. There are teaching scenarios specifically aimed at leadership development.
How can leadership be developed?
Leadership can be developed. Schools can provide a curriculum that fosters intellectual growth specifically for gifted students. Advanced coursework can be provided in mathematics and language arts, science, engineering, technology, and the performing arts.
Students can be involved with creative drama, simulations, group play, modeling and collaborative work. Teachers can select concepts related to leadership and present them on a regular basis.
Students should be asked to compare and contrasts information, providing their own opinions and assessments, and encouraged to look at problems from different perspectives.
Students should be taught ambiguous concepts, see new relationships, and learn to strategize and think critically. Gifted students learn quickly and like to be challenged. Repetitive learning and rote memory exercises are not for them.
Young students should be taught what qualities leaders possess. After learning these traits and commenting on them, these children will learn to see the traits in other children and adults. They will also begin to internalize them and see leadership traits in themselves.
A good source for leadership training is the biographies of great leaders. Teachers (and parents) can select books that highlight the lives and decisions of leaders in different fields and with different ethnic backgrounds. Students can discuss what problems were faced and how they were overcome. Students can express how they might have addressed these problems.
Fairy tales and children’s literature are more sources of leadership ideas and examples. There are many imaginative characters with power and influence that are fertile subjects for discussion.
Parents’ involvement in leadership
Parents have a significant role in helping their gifted children become leaders. Giving your children the right formal education is part of it. Helping them get involved in extracurricular activities, clubs, associations, school leadership programs, community programs, and athletics are another part.
Perhaps more importantly, the idea of leadership can and should start at home. You should involve your child in family discussions and decisions. Share ideas on family vacations.
Ask your gifted child his or her opinion on a current news story. If you think the family needs more information on a topic, ask your child to find out more about it so you can all discuss it more. This will give your child some responsibility and recognition for doing the work.
Parents, too, can learn more about leadership and what it means. Some schools have workshops and lectures regarding leadership. The more you as parents learn on your own, the better you will know what to look for and what to encourage in your child.
Leadership is not all about telling someone else to do something. It is more about having awareness and vision, producing quality solutions that can solve unexpected problems, and inspire others to see the value in those solutions.