Illustrated by: Randy Cameron

It is safe to say we would all love to have children who are natural born leaders but is that something that can be truly taught or something which has to be within us from the beginning?

Scene:

I am at a museum and there are a group of kids age 8&9 accompanied by their parents/guardians. The curator asks the kids for 5 team leaders to head groups of 4 for that days scavenger hunt. Most of the parents are relaxed in the background letting their kids make their own decisions but this one little girl’s father jumps into the mix and tells her to go up and be a leader. She expresses that she is not interested but he gives her THE LOOK and she obeys. As team leader she would have to give good directions and make sure her team remained together while finding everything as a unit. Giving directions were not her strong suit,  nor reading a map and the list continued. Needless to say all of the other teams collected all of the items and had a blast but her team did not and she looked miserable the whole time. To top it off her experience was proceeded by her dad stating he was disappointed that she lost.

I couldn’t help but feel as if it was all her father’s fault that her team lost.  Maybe she knew her strengths and weaknesses hence her not wanting to be a team leader,  better yet maybe she is better at taking directions than giving them.

Which leads me to wonder, are we all born with the leader gene maybe subdued and need to be coaxed out with some nurturing or is nature for us to come out leading a group of people or being a master follower.

EITHRE WAY I think it is important that we do not over impose and possibly stunt our child’s role in society.  We must of course teach them the way and give them options but remember that being a follower or leader is a part of their own choice to make in life and in society.  This could be the difference in being a mediocre leader or a horrible follower.

IF WE ARE ALL LEADERS WHO WILL FOLLOW?

feel free to leave your thoughts below…