Leadership is one of the most necessary skills a person can learn in their lifetime. A workplace or organization won’t function without somebody in charge; a classroom won’t become a learning environment without a teacher; and a store can’t run without a manager. If leadership is so important, how can students gain experience with leading while in school?
The first step to become a leader is to find an appealing leadership position. These are tons of positions in school, even if they aren’t widely advertised or known about. Southeast Polk has lots of clubs to offer, and most clubs will have a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and other potential positions to run for.
Leadership positions are also available outside of school. You can find roles in church, a job, volunteering experiences, and around the community.
Once you have found a position you want to pursue, it’s necessary to start building the skills you need to succeed in your target role. Going out for leadership might be uncomfortable at first. You are going to have to push yourself to build relationships with new people and to have heightened responsibility. However, making these changes doesn’t have to be as intimidating as it seems.
Actions that display these qualities required for leadership can be as simple as raising your hand more often in class, being more active in group projects, or creating goals for yourself and others you work with. If you start with these small steps, the transition to becoming a leader will feel natural.
You also need to evaluate your current time commitments and see if you will be able to fit the duties that come with a position in your schedule. A position needs to be taken seriously, and every task that comes with it needs to be completed on time.
Once you feel like you are ready to take on a leadership position, it is time to begin campaigning or applying for it. This is most likely going to be the most difficult part of the process. If you ever get discouraged, it’s important to stay confident and remember how well receiving a leadership position will pay off.
After all of the hard work it takes to secure a leadership position, it is finally time to start serving and becoming a role model to the rest of the people in your organization or community.
It takes a significant effort to secure and maintain success in a leadership role. If the process is so demanding, why do so many people continue to pursue leadership?
Gaining experience in leadership makes it significantly easier to find success in the future. Securing a leadership position enhances your profile on college applications and future resumes. According to NACE’s 2024 job outlook, over 70% of employers are specifically seeking out candidates who have held a leadership position in the past.
Additionally, according to Ivywise.com, a college admissions resource, “Colleges look for students who are proactive, self-starters and can handle responsibility. Admissions committees look for these leadership qualities to determine what you will contribute to the campus community.”
These skills that future schools and workplaces are looking for don’t just benefit them, but will help you grow into a stronger human as a whole. Skills like teamwork, communication, dedication, and time management are the foundation for a successful person.
Senior Abigail Huitt is involved in leadership at Southeast Polk through DECA, an extracurricular where students compete using their business and marketing skills. She is currently the school’s co-president for DECA.
“If it wasn’t for DECA and being a part of the Association Officer team I wouldn’t feel as prepared for my future as I am. It teaches you things all the way from 21st century skills to professional communication, leadership, and real world problem solving,” said Huitt.
Leadership doesn’t always stop at the school level. Associations such as DECA, FFA, and student governments have officers or other leadership positions available at the state or national level.
Huitt is one of the dedicated and avid students who decided it was time to take the next step and apply for one of these higher level positions. After a long campaign process, Huitt was finally elected as Iowa DECA’s Vice President of Marketing.
Her job consists of running all of Iowa DECA’s social media accounts, and promoting and setting up DECA conferences.This job is fast-paced and requires a larger time commitment than representing only Southeast Polk’s DECA students, but will come with more recognition from universities and employers and more unique experiences and benefits.
While there are many intimidating tasks that come with beginning leadership, simply taking the jump to start often creates the most hesitation among students. The best advice Huitt can give to students eager to join leadership is to just go for it.
“I would say, if you’re thinking about it just do it. There is no greater feeling than being a part of a leadership team and working to make your club or organization better,” said Huitt.
