by gcLi Faculty Kelsey Twist Schroeder, Ed.D.; Middle School Principal at Georgetown Day School, Washington, D.C.
1. Dispel the Myth of the “Born Leader”
It’s critical for students to understand that leadership is a skill set that can be developed through effort and practice. Talking about leadership in ways that are inclusive and individualized helps students realize that there is not one way to be an effective leader. When we create space for recognizing the range of different leadership styles, from introverted inventors to outspoken activists, we ensure that all students see their leadership potential.
2. Provide Real-Life Leadership Opportunities
Give students meaningful leadership roles that have a real impact on their lives and communities. Whether leading school initiatives, engaging in activism, mentoring younger peers, or working in teams, students need hands-on opportunities to practice leadership in authentic contexts.
3. Develop Emotional Intelligence and Self-Awareness
Leadership is as much about understanding oneself as it is about guiding and supporting others. It’s critical to help students understand their own strengths, weaknesses and emotions while also being aware of and empathetic toward others.
4. Encourage Decision-Making and Problem-Solving
When students have the opportunity to make choices and solve problems independently in their daily lives, they gain confidence in their ability to think critically, take initiative and weigh different outcomes.
5. Normalize Risk-Taking and Resilience
Leadership often requires taking some risks. Teach students how to handle setbacks with confidence and adaptability. Share stories of personal failure to help young people understand that setbacks and even failures are things everyone experiences at some point and are always opportunities for learning and growth.
6. Challenge Stereotypes & Address Social Barriers
Proactively discuss and counteract fear of judgment, stereotype threats and potential social costs of leadership, particularly with students who may uniquely feel these pressures. Teach students to navigate leadership in ways that are collaborative and provide strong adult-student mentorships to ensure all students are and feel supported in their leadership.
7. Introduce “Like Me” Role Models
Expose students to relatable role models, including slightly older students, young alumni, and diverse leaders from a range of fields. Seeing someone “like them” in leadership reinforces the idea that leadership is accessible and achievable.
8. Teach Communication and Public Speaking Skills
Leadership requires the ability to listen well and communicate effectively. Provide structured opportunities for students to practice speaking, presenting and leading discussions while also emphasizing the importance of active listening.
9. Promote a Visionary Mindset
Help students set goals, be ambitious and cultivate a vision for their future. Teach them to align their strengths and passions with leadership opportunities, reinforcing the notion that leadership is directly tied to purpose.
10. Engage the Whole School Community
Start conversations about leadership early; children as young as our PreK students have powerful ideas to share! Normalize leadership development as a lifelong journey by integrating it into all aspects of the school experience. When leadership is woven into daily interactions, all students have the opportunity to grow into capable leaders and confident agents of change.
Prior to joining Georgetown Day School, she was an administrator at the Hamlin School in San Francisco and a teacher and dean at Roland Park Country School in Baltimore. Kelsey is a 2011 graduate of the gcLi Leadership Lab and a 2014 gcLi Scholar. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s in education from Stanford University and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. Kelsey lives in Bethesda, Md, with her spouse and their four children. She returns to the Lab year after year because the faculty group is one of the highest-performing teams she has ever been a part of, and she learns much each summer from her colleagues and the participants.