Leadership has been a hot topic lately, whether we’re discussing the formation of a new government or the appointment of a new football manager. The qualities and decisions of leaders significantly impact our lives, guiding us through challenges and shaping our future. But amidst these discussions, one crucial perspective often gets overlooked: the voices of children and young people.
Young people have unique insights and fresh perspectives that can enrich our understanding of leadership. Their experiences and ideas are invaluable and therefore need to be listened to. A student from Archway presenting at General Synod in July put it like this “we are asking for a seat at the table, we deserve a seat at the table. We are worried that if we don’t have a seat, then we might just become the menu”.
Over the past month I’ve been talking to children and young people about all things leadership, and as you would expect they had some fantastic things to say. I asked Phoebe (age 3), Madeline (age 6), Josh (age 10), Isla (age 12) and Jack (age 17) a series of simple questions and it’s clear that some general themes are present across the board.
Take a look at their responses:
What makes someone a good leader?
- Listening - Phoebe
- Somebody that works for a long time and then they can be an important person - Madeline
- Being kind and supportive, having experience and knowledge - Josh
- Someone who can take on others’ ideas, someone who can include others, someone good at directing people - Isla
- A good leader will represent confidence through modesty and compassion for those who follow them - Jack
What should a good leader do?
- Crawl when their legs are tired and be nice - Phoebe
- Look after people - Madeline
- Help everyone, no matter what - Josh
- Make sure everyone is happy and control the group - Isla
- A leader should care for those around them and be humble despite their role of leadership - Jack
Who is an example of a good leader?
- Mummy and Daddy - Phoebe
- My teaching assistant - Madeline
- My Dad and my Godfather because they know how to deal with a situation - Josh
- My youth group leader because she is kind and makes sure others are okay. She can also be strict when she needs to be - Isla
- Jesus Christ and within my church the leaders do an excellent job of running services and keeping everyone comforted in our place of worship - Jack
Do you like being a leader? Why or why not?
- Yes, because I like dogs and when people fall over I help them up - Phoebe
- I don’t really know - Madeline
- Yes, because I like the pressure of being a leader and it’s good to have a responsibility - Josh
- Sometimes, because it’s nice to be in control and it can be fun - Isla
- Yes, as it allows me to communicate my ideas without having to concede to ideas which do not leave a positive effect - Jack
These thoughts carry profound wisdom. Take Phoebe's example of crawling when your legs are tired - perhaps on the surface a comical picture from a 3 year old, but on reflection, what could this teach us about leaders having self-awareness and getting the support they need? A glaringly obvious theme through all of their responses is leaders having care for the people they are leading, I wonder how often us adults get swept up in other qualities we think a leader should have.
I had the joy of joining the Movement team at a pilot session for the Young Leaders Learning Hub this month and it was insightful listening to their discussions. We started the session off by looking at different definitions of leaderships and discussing them.
One young person who attended shared his experience of how stepping into a leadership position helped him to know God. He asked a thoughtful question about whether or not leaders who aren’t Christians are still exercising a spiritual gift.
“Perhaps by stepping into leadership people will be able to find God in that journey. That’s what happened to me - leadership brought me to Christianity. I started being a youth leader and then through working with the other leaders who were Christians, I got involved with their church and found faith through that. Now I’m a Christian and see that leading is a gift from God.”
Jake
I also got to chat to Isabella, Jake and Seun and ask them a few questions about leadership. Have a listen to what they had to say
All of these responses highlight the importance of fairness, kindness, and inclusivity. They remind us that true leaders listen and value everyone’s voice, fostering a sense of community and belonging. By embracing these simple yet insightful views, we can cultivate leadership that is compassionate, just, and genuinely representative of all. I was so inspired by all of my conversations, I would encourage you to seek out the young people that you know and find out what they think as well.