KidLead Insights

On our leadership aptitude assessment, one of the 25 questions addresses strong willed children.  The impact of the answer is that if a child is strong willed, the chances increase that the child possess leadership aptitude, while if a child lacks strong will, it doesn't mean the child lacks leadership aptitude.   In other words, many leaders are strong willed, but a child can be strong-willed and not possess leadership aptitude.  S/he may just be strong-willed, unwilling to take commands, and unresponsive toward authoritarian direction.  While most adults don't enjoy the strong-will in children, we embrace it in KidLead training because it is often a sign of leadership aptitude.  By nature, leaders must be strong-willed at times to stand up to adversity, push back on status quo, and simply persevere.   Take the free Social Influence Survey to see the broader view of this perspective:  https://www.kidlead.com/374945.ihtml  

I'm very encouraged with the movement of public schools in California, as they focus on Common Core initiatives and Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS).  I'm all for academics, but for some reason, society has over-emphasized generalized tests and under-valued life skills.  This includes the diminishing of effective social behaviors.  The PBIS movement is well grounded in research.   Young leader development is at the heart of this impetus, because when we identify and develop social influencers and their organizational skills, we benefit the entire school culture and improve learning environments, allowing teachers to teach by allying young leaders to positively police their peers.  Kudos to educators who are getting a better grip on what employees and colleges are looking for in their pursuit of effective grads. Other states are also discovering this emphasis, but it's great to see Cali schools moving forward. Check out www.pbis.org. 

This week, 1000 firefighters are working to put out a blaze in Big Sur, CA.  Yesterday, the skies here in Monterey were overcast.  The strong smell of smoke was in the air, even though we couldn't see the fire, several miles south of us along the coast.   That's a lot like leadership.  You can usually smell the results of leadership, even if you can't see the leader. The effects of leadership are evident in the people, productivity, and social impact.  That is true both positively and negatively.  We are launching a county-wide impetus here in Monterey to improve the Positive Behavior in the schools and other organization with children, preteens, youth and young adults. That's the "smoke" of good leading.  The "smoke" of bad leading is gangs, disruption, bullying, and social decay and even mediocrity.  http://kidlead.com/709413.ihtml 

Malcolm Gladwell's new book, "David and Goliath," describes how people solve complex problems and overcome difficult obstacles.  The key is to create unique and different solutions.  Over the years, leadership development has pretty much remained unchanged throughout history.  Leaders emerge on their own and typically only get formal training, much past the time that psychologists determine we're moldable.  But in the linked presentation, I offer a TED Talk-type slide show that explains 5 things we've discovered the last 8 years that will turn leadership development as we know it, upside down.  Click  HERE for the YouTube presentation. 

Finishing a project is fun, isn't it?  We're putting final touches on the third of four training curriculum modules for teens, now that Holly Bates, a stellar trainer in Canada, has beta tested it with her group.  When I meet people like Holly in Canada and Monica near Philly, PA and Tim in Irvine, CA, and Nicki in Burlington, ON, I'm jazzed because these people "get" the importance of young leader development.  I got to spend some prime time recently with Dr. Madelyn Katz at the Hebrew Union College in LA, about her vision to help develop young Jewish leaders. Yet, so many who work with youth seem consumed with academics and athletics.  As a guy who teaches at the Naval Postgraduate School, I appreciate the value the strong academics.  But that alone isn't going to make the world significantly better.  This week, I talked to the Chief of Police of Salinas, CA. Chief Kelly recognizes that unless we work on prevention, we'll never get ahead of crime.  T