Every student will find a situation where he or she must act as a leader.

Are your students prepared for that moment?

LEADERS ARE LEARNERS.

That’s why there are so many resources that address leadership issues for the budding entrepeneur, the business leader, even the person who desires to simply lead him or herself. But what’s out there to specifically address the issues and the circumstances faced by student leaders – those young people who are engaged in the leadership laboratory within their school, youth group, civic organization, etc?

Introducing CORE LEADERSHIP TRAINING. Training that is specifically geared towards students who are engaged in the process of developing their leadership skills. The best leaders are students – always learning…always growing. In fact, there isn’t much difference between leaders who strive to be the best students and students who are striving to be the best leaders. There’s a lot to learn when one is leading others.

This resource is packed with 30 (THIRTY!) lessons. That’s an entire year’s worth of curriculum.

While 30 lessons may seem like a lot, there’s a structured method behind the curriculum’s development. Each Core Leadership Training lesson focuses on one leadership theme within the Six Seasons Training Model matrix (more on that below).

Interested? Download a preview of the Core Leadership Training. It includes the entire first lesson on Character.

DOWNLOAD PREVIEW

 

OVERVIEW

The Core Leadership Training lessons provide an overarching training curriculum. You can use and re-use this material with each new student leadership group.These modules are designed for use in a comprehensive student leadership training program and include the following components:

  1. An introduction to the student leadership theme. This brief paragraph explains why this theme is important for student leaders.
  2. A concise teaching outline that explains the key aspects of each leadership theme. This outline can be used for student reading or in training sessions led by an advisor.
  3. A practical case study that engages students to identify the issue and discuss it with others. Each case study gives students a chance to reflect on real life situations. These situations will cause student leaders to think deeply about how they would properly implement the leadership theme in this specific context.
  4. Practical application suggestions. Students can use these as quick action steps to put into practice immediately.
  5. Journal questions are used for reflection by student leaders. It is helpful for students to keep a journal of their experience. These questions guide student’s writing about their leadership journey and personal growth.
  6. The sidebars include quotations that enhance the leadership theme in each module.

Of course, there are other ways to implement this training. Since each module can act as a stand alone lesson, you are free to plot your own course.

A. Individual leadership modules – Focus on the leadership trait that your group needs to work on the most.
B. Six Seasons Track – Follow the student leadership year and work through each season as they occur.
RECOMMENDED! C. Core Leadership Skills Track – Work through each of the five student leadership skills that a student carries in his or her student leadership backpack.

Basically there are SIX SEASONS that every student leader will go through (they’re described further below). The Six Seasons of the Student Leader Year are combined with the following five core leadership skills:

  1. The discipline to lead yourself first.
  2. The ability to influence others.
  3. The perspective of a difference maker.
  4. The skill to communicate clearly.
  5. The knack to get others involved.

Together, these five skills, along with the six seasons form the Six Seasons Training Model matrix. Within the matrix are 30 leadership modules that deal with the specific issues student leaders face while they exercise a leadership capacity within a particular season This training model is designed to take your students through practical leadership training as they are experiencing specific leadership issues. Your students will wrestle with the topics and ideas that are pertinent to their situation right now.

What are the Six Seasons?

There are seasons in a student leadership year. They flow from one into the other. Sometimes they are more intense and dramatic, other times they seem to come and go without much notice. There may be some overlapping and even some signs of moving back into a previous season. They express the flow of each year. And each student leader experiences these seasons at different levels. Some feel them more than others because of their own temperament, personality, and leadership situation.

For the most part, these seasons happen in the order that I list them here. There is movement in a student leader year with high points and low points. That’s why it’s important for each student leader to get a sense of the BIG PICTURE. If a student leader understands ahead of time when and where the seasons (both good and bad) might be, she’ll be better prepared to handle them when they come.

»THE SEASON OF ANTICIPATION
This is the season of looking ahead. Deciding to apply, planning a campaign, looking ahead to what one will attempt to change, maintain, and accomplish throughout the upcoming year.

Lessons for this season:

  1. Character: Who Are You…Really?
  2. Vision: Do You See What I See?
  3. Assessment: What’s Going On Here?
  4. Expectations : You Say Jump – I Say How High?
  5. Recruitment: Who You Gonna Call?

»THE SEASON OF IMPLEMENTATION
This is the season of moving into action. All the plans and dreams are put into motion. A student leader quickly finds that he is knee-deep in his position, putting his strengths to work, building relationships, and having fun.

Lessons for this season:

  1. Personal Management: Does Your Life Need An Upgrade?
  2. Equipping: What Will Take This Group To The Next Level?
  3. Preparation: Am I Ready?
  4. Effective Communication: Do I Need To Talk Gooder?
  5. Delegation: What Can I Give Away?

»THE SEASON OF FLUCTUATION
This is the season of overcoming obstacles. Student leaders discover that things don’t always go as planned, conflicts arise, certain realities begin to push aside one’s idealism.

Lessons for this season:

  1. Balance: Can I Burn Out For A Brighter Future?
  2. Values: What Do I Believe?
  3. Problem Solving: What’s My Next Move?
  4. Relational Communication: How Can I Help You?
  5. Accountability: Who’s Looking Over My Shoulder?

»THE SEASON OF EVALUATION
This is the season of the gut check. Working through the fluctuation season, one discovers that the year may turn out differently than anticipated, that everything planned may not happen. A student leader must take the time to figure out what’s most important or risk her success.

Lessons for this season:

  1. Priorities: What’s My #1 Goal?
  2. Focus On Strengths: Where Can I Add The Most Value?
  3. Leading Change: If Not Now, When? If Not Me, Who?
  4. Listening: Can You Hear Me Now?
  5. Momentum: Are We Pushing Uphill Or Racing Downhill?

»THE SEASON OF DETERMINATION
This is the season of staying the course. A student leader will come to a crossroads – to persevere or to walk away (before he’s done…before the year is over). It is during this season that a student leader must decide that there is still work left to be done and if he sticks with it, he’ll discover a whole new level of leadership.

Lessons for this season:

  1. Self-Discipline: Am I Doing What Has To Be Done?
  2. Excellence: What Does Constant Improvement Look Like?
  3. Paying The Price: Do I Pay To Play Or Just Play?
  4. Motivation: What’s On The Inside That I Can Tap Into?
  5. Teamwork: Who’s On My Bus?

»THE SEASON OF SEPARATION
This is the season of letting go. Every student leader leaves, the question is when? A student leader who stays the course will leave a lasting legacy that other student leaders can follow. How a student leader prepares the next generation of student leaders is vital to the health of the organization.

Lessons in this season:

  1. Finish Strong: Can I Go Out On Top?
  2. Legacy: What Will I Leave When I Leave?
  3. Celebration: Who Wants To Party With Me?
  4. Experience: How Do I Find Meaning In My Memories?
  5. Potential Leaders: Who’s Next?

The Core Leadership Training is available in both book form (spiral bound) or downloadable PDF (available immediately). Either version will kickstart your student leadership training program for the next year!