I'm an Iconoclast

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Iconoclast: a person who attacks cherished beliefs, traditional institutions, etc., as being based on error or superstition. a breaker or destroyer of images

 I do not believe that everyone can become a leader, if you define leadership as the ability to accomplish together what you cannot as individuals.  I do not believe that leaders are all adults, meaning that people as young as 3 lead and as young as 10 can be taught to lead with sophistication.  I do not believe that people who understand youth, understand leadership and those who understand leadership, know how to identify and develop adolescent leaders.  I do not believe that teaching gifted and talented students how to lead is the same as identifying and training students gifted in leadership.  I do not believe that just calling something leadership is actually leadership, in that most school and adolescent "leadership" programs are actually about self-esteem, academics, confidence, character and any number of other things that fail to distinguish what leaders do from non-leaders.  I do not believe that our complaining about a lack of effective and ethical leaders will raise up more and better leaders.  I do not believe that the traditional means of leadership development is working today.  I believe there's a need to change the way we think about leaders, if we're to bring about a better society.  I am an iconoclast and the founder of KidLead, the world's first organization dedicated to the identification of 10-18 year olds gifted in leadership, and the development of their talent through project based training and coaching.

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