At CoolSpeak, we meet student leaders everywhere, from packed auditoriums to small after-school clubs, and no matter the setting, one truth always stands out: leadership isn\u2019t about having a title, it\u2019s about learning how to take ownership of your own path.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why we asked our CoolSpeaker Lamarr Womble<\/a>, who spends his days helping students find their passion and confidence, to share the simple, powerful ways he\u2019s seen young people step up and truly lead.<\/p>\n In this blog, Lamarr breaks down three real strategies that help students take charge in their schools, their decisions, and their growth. If we are in the business of creating leaders at the middle and high school level, it all begins and ends with autonomy<\/strong> and choice.<\/strong><\/p>\n One of the most underrated ways students can take the lead begins by looking inward.<\/p>\n Something I see over and over again while coaching high-achieving student leaders is that they have no time because they don\u2019t know how to say no, are scared to disappoint parents or advisors, feel pressure to do it all because their school is so small, etc.<\/p>\n Many think that if I do everything, at least my resume will look good for college. This may be true, but it also leaves leaders overwhelmed, disempowered, and disappointed if one of the ventures didn\u2019t deliver the fruits of the effort.<\/p>\n Student leaders need environments where they can make their own choices without feeling guilt, shame, or blame for doing so. Spaces where the adult ego is not impacted if the student doesn\u2019t take an AP course, chooses to drop a club, or doesn\u2019t get admitted to mom\u2019s alma mater.<\/p>\n There is nothing wrong with high expectations for kids, but how often is that vs. additional school budgets for AP students, or parents bragging about which college the student is going to?<\/p>\n Recently, I was interviewed by a middle school student leader about one of my biggest life lessons: This demonstrates how students could have power over their lives, choices, and schedules. A kid with healthy boundaries becomes an adult with healthy boundaries.<\/p>\n Student leaders and highly engaged students in this generation love to be told what to do and exactly how to do it. They have a really hard time with directions that force them to make choices on their own or that are vague.<\/p>\n This is where one of my favorite activities and phrases comes into play to help students take the lead. Low-stakes practice, doing it their way, and living with the results.<\/p>\n In these challenges, all the roles, rules, and responsibilities are given to the students. You can go through the directions once. Then, after that, my favorite phrase to say to student leaders when they have questions is, \u201cWhat do you think you should do?\u201d<\/strong> I\u2019ll repeat that phrase over and over again until they stop asking.<\/p>\n Not every student is cut out to be a coach or facilitator, but our job is to set the stage for some of your student leaders to be prepared to do the work you would do. This is why collegiate student programming boards are so effective: students do all the work and just check in with the full-time staff who work on larger projects, typically aligned with the department’s objectives.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the lower-stakes events, concerts, and programs are student-run. On rare occasions, I\u2019ll encounter a high school that does this, for example, in Pennsylvania, where I spoke at Great Valley High School.<\/a> Besides being welcomed into the building by the principal, I was immediately handed off to the students running the event. I didn\u2019t see another staff member until 2 hours later, when the event began. This is the potential power some of your leaders could have!<\/p>\n Students ran the auditorium, the AV system, event logistics, when and where students arrived at the event, introductions for me as the speaker, etc. It was awesome! Train your students on the job or skills they need to support other students as you would.<\/p>\n Hope this helps you get clear on ways you can pass along control to your students, helping them in the long run by continuing to give them autonomy and choice in their lives and leadership. They may not get it anywhere else in their life besides from you, show up for them this way!<\/p>\n When we give students space to lead through choice, challenge, and real responsibility, we\u2019re not just preparing them for school. We\u2019re preparing them for life. Lamarr\u2019s<\/a> work reminds us that leadership grows when students feel trusted, empowered, and encouraged to take action on their own terms.<\/p>\n1. Build Leadership Through Healthy Boundaries<\/h3>\n
\nI shared with her a story about how scared I was to tell my parents I wanted to drop out of ROTC in high school after 2 years because it wasn\u2019t for me. My dad was military for 21 years, and I was terrified to disappoint them. I remember we were driving to the mall one Saturday during my Sophomore year, and I blurted it out. \u201cI don\u2019t want to do ROTC anymore.\u201d My parents looked at me, and both said, \u201cok.\u201d That was the end of it. I dropped ROTC at semester’s end and picked up gym. The following year, I enrolled in my true interest, Intro to Marketing. This was one of 2 choices my parents allowed me to make about my own life, and it truly made me feel in control.<\/em><\/p>\n2. Build Confidence Through On-the-Spot Leadership<\/h3>\n
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3. Train The Trainer<\/h3>\n
Bring Lamarr to your school and give your students the tools to lead with purpose.<\/h3>\n