Chapter 16

Introduction

• Leadership is a misunderstood concept.
• Types of leaders are evolving.
• Leadership skills can be cultivated.
• Leadership requires intra-personal skills.
• Need for human interaction and ethical leadership.
• Actualized leadership benefits individual and society.

There are many definitions of leadership, but today's definition includes "the need for collective, shared leadership" (Karnes & Bean, 563).

21st Century Leadership

• Students today have digital interconnectedness.
• Students have opportunities to work in a global society.
• Use of technology may "change the types of behavior that build leadership potential" (565).
• Today's jobs demand new, creative, non-routine tasks.

4 essential skills for employee development:

• critical thinking
• communication skills
• collaboration/team-building
• creativity/innovation

Leadership today is:

• more holistic
• centered in groups
• people-centered
• focused on building relationships
• embedded in issues identified by participants
• (Karnes & Bean, 566-567)

"Today, more than ever, leadership is more about influence than authority" (567).

Generational Differences

• Our youth have lived with fast-paced change,
• are used to multi-tasking,
• and get bored easily.
• They need more guidance in critical thinking and decision making.
• (Karnes & Bean, 568)

Trends in Leadership

• talent
• innovation
• collaboration
• globalization
• See table 16.1 on pages 569-571

"Key leadership skills and perspectives are related to one's intrapersonal skills, self knowledge and understanding, and one's interpersonal skills" (572).

Emotional intelligence correlates positively with leadership performance
(572).

Research on youth leadership development

• Developmental antecedents of leadership:
• self-confidence
• caring orientation
• optimism
• openness/curiosity/flexibility
• Popper & Mayseless (2007) (Karnes & Bean, 573)

Traits and Influences on Leadership

• Child's reaction to new or unusual stimuli
• Family structure: birth order, size, parental attention
• Parenting style: authoritative is most beneficial to developing leadership skills.
• Exposure to experiences that promote leadership skills
• Child's age relative to peers: older students are more likely to be leaders

Intelligence and Traits

• Intelligence is positively related to leadership: verbal skills, reasoning, problem-solving.
• Leaders are more creative and motivate others to be more creative.

Building blocks of leadership 5 Factor Model:

• openness to experience
• conscientiousness
• extraversion (stongest correlation to leadership)
• agreeableness
• neuroticism
• (Karnes & Bean, 575)

Leadership & Giftedness

• Leadership is one of six federal domains of giftedness.
• Only 18 states represent leadership in their definitions of giftedness.
• Leadership is the most under-served aspect of gifted education.
• Effective leaders and gifted students share many characteristics.

Leadership should be taught as part of the gifted curriculum, and many instructional materials exist. See pages 584-590.

Incorporating Leadership into the Curriculum

• Integrate leadership skills into broad-based concepts
• Connect to power, symbols, culture, patterns, relationships, and values (591).
• Study history of leadership, great leaders, theories and styles (591).
• Develop intra- and inter-personal skills through discussion, role-plays, and collaboration.
• Provide mentorships and internships for real world connections.
• Expose students to leadership opportunities outside school

"Educators must seek every opportunity to identify leaders at an early age and infuse leadership concepts and skills into the learning environment for gifted students" (593)