At What Age?
At what age can a student begin to learn leadership? Why do people think it’s age that allows you to be a leader? I believe that leadership is a set of principles that you live out in life experiences. These principles are universal truths and many of them are found in scripture; for example, navigating obstacles. I get this from the teaching that Jesus gave about counting the cost before you build a tower. So the question becomes when can a student learn a truth and when do they have the maturity to apply it to their lives? I think a lot of jr. highers can learn leadership. I’ve seen first hand young teenagers lead their peers and I have seen them apply truth to relationships and tasks. What saddens me is when adults use the excuses of age to keep students from leading or learning about leadership. I say, start whenever the students are interested; who cares what age they are.
About the Author
Doug Franklin
Doug Franklin is the president of LeaderTreks, an innovative leadership development organization focusing on students and youth workers. Doug and his wife, Angie, live in West Chicago, Illinois. They don’t have any kids, but they have 2 dogs that think they are children. Diesel and Penelope are Weimaraners who never leave their side. Doug grew up in… Read More
