What has leadership got to do with school? Some might say nothing at all. Others might try to push you into applying for opportunities, such as sports, arts, music or school captain leadership roles. Before you say you can’t be bothered, or before you assume that it isn’t rewarding enough to put yourself forward for such opportunities, let’s consider some of the potential benefits. How could leadership opportunities apply to your real life?
- Communication skills. Taking on a leadership position means you will certainly have the opportunity to practise your communication skills with a wide range of people and in many different ways, including public speaking, liaising with teachers and parents, communicating with your peers and even resolving conflicts. Communication skills are highly sought after in nearly every possible career path, so you can be assured you will develop skills essential to the rest of your life.
- Sense of empowerment. Students granted access to leadership are able to feel the satisfaction of knowing they are contributing towards making a difference, on whatever scale it may be. Students should have a voice in their schools, so take pride in your position and make sure you are vocal about the issues you care about if you are given the chance to lead!
- Problem-solving skills. Leaders will inevitably be faced with problems and forced to make difficult decisions. It is highly beneficial for young people to have the chance to solve problems, think creatively and in this way work alongside others. If you are working on attacking problems in an innovative way, this is a great ability which will apply to countless more situations in your life.
- Step outside your comfort zone. Throughout your life you will be confronted with opportunities that might make you uncomfortable to even consider doing. It can feel risky to take on a position you have no experience with, but step outside of your comfort zone and embrace the challenge! You can never predict exactly how it will turn out and you have nothing to lose.
- Develop team-work skills. The best leaders are collaborators, people who are willing to listen to others’ input and take that into consideration. Another highly sought-after skill in most professions is the ability to work successfully in teams, and leadership in school is a great opportunity to work on this skill.
- Build up your resume. Having any leadership experience is looked upon favourably by employers down the track as it is seen as a demanding role: if you have the chance to get leadership experience, you should take it. You never know where a small leadership role at school might help you reach.
- Achieve success in a non-academic forum. You may not feel at home with memorising definitions and studying for hours upon end, but this doesn’t mean you would be a bad leader. Taking on a leadership role and doing a good job is a very highly regarded form of success which is not tied to academics.
If you loved this article, you will LOVE all of our other articles, such as: 3 Facts You Should Know About Your ATAR, Tips for Supporting Your Child in Year 11 and 12! and Will anyone care about your ATAR in a year?
About Learnmate
Learnmate is a trusted Australian community platform that connects students who want 1:1 or small group study support, with tutors who are looking to share their knowledge and earn an income. From primary school to high school subjects — from science and maths to niche subjects like visual communication — Learnmate can help you improve academic performance or boost confidence, at your pace with the tutor that you choose.
We pride ourselves in offering a reliable and positive experience for both our students and tutors. Every tutor that joins the platform is vetted to meet a level of academic excellence, teaching qualification or relevant experience. All tutors are provided the opportunity to complete professional training.
Students and parents can easily find and screen for tutors based on their location, their subject results or skill level, and whether they provide in-person or online sessions. Learnmate is proud to provide tutors in Melbourne, Sydney, Geelong, Brisbane, Hobart, Canberra, Perth & Adelaide, and other locations.
