What is a "Natural Born Leader"

[Stosh]

A natural born leader vs. a great leader. A natural born leader is one who has for the majority of his life been aware of others around him and has found it easy to get along, help out, and give suggestions and help when needed. A great leader may be someone who hasn't always been as concerned with the needs of others but realizes that if he's going to be able to lead, he had better get onboard with that dynamic.

 

Some people naturally are focused more on themselves and thus don't make good leaders, but there are those who naturally seek to please, and do what it takes to help out others and care for others. Those are the ones that are naturally adapted/born to such leadership.

 

I have always said, give me a boy that cares about others and with taught great organizational skills, I will teach him to be a great leader. Give me a boy that cares only about himself and with taught great organizational skills, I'll teach him to be a great bully. Leadership is more of a caring attitude than it is any set of management skills.

 

My first and only "training" I ever have done with my PL's in terms of leadership is summed up in the phrase: "Take care of your boys". Every PL that has taken that to heart has never had a problem with disciple in his patrol.

 

When does leadership training formally start? The buddy system. Take care of someone other than just yourself. If the only person someone is concerned about is themselves, they will never be a leader of any sort. Start small, take care of your buddy (husband), and grow into taking care of a small group (PL/Father), take care of others in general (SPL/Citizenship). I have seen it work over and over again.

 

If this doesn't make sense in the general sense of word, look at the military. One has the foot soldier. The first officer is the corporal who takes care of a squad of people, usually about 8-10 soldiers (interestingly, PL's when scouting first started out were nicknamed corporals). Small numbers of corporals were organized under sergeants, sergeants under lieutenants, lieutenants under captains, etc. And who did the men follow naturally? The officers that took care of them. An officer that was loved by his men knew that they would do anything for him if the need arose. If he took care of them, they would take care of him. Officers who didn't care, were quickly identified and followed only out of threat of insubordination.

 

I had a boy in my Venturing crew of Civil War reenactors that adamantly said he did not want to be a leader in the crew. He fought me tooth and nail on it. I knew better. When he went off to college and jointed ROTC, he was selected by his comrades as squad leader right off the bat. What did they see, that I saw, that he didn't see in himself?

 

Modesty often times keeps a lot of boys from recognizing their natural leadership ability. Opportunity to flex that ability produces excellent, natural born leaders.

 

Stosh

 

 

[OldGreyEagle]

Who said that old quote

 

Some are born great, some acheive greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them

 

Oh, thats right, Malvalio

 

[DeanRx]

" have always said, give me a boy that cares about others and with taught great organizational skills, I will teach him to be a great leader. Give me a boy that cares only about himself and with taught great organizational skills, I'll teach him to be a great bully" - from Stosh...

 

well yeah, I'd agree with that, but then again if the boy already shows compassion for others and is well organized 90% of the work is already done!

 

In my expirience (youth, military, private sector) - most if not ALL people (especially boys of age 11 to 15) start out in it for themselves. Humans by nature are a selfish animal. Outside of the central family unit, very few humans intrisically CARE about the wellbeing of others, especially when the are still children themselves. This is a trait that must be TAUGHT to them by parents / caregivers. Its exactly why my 4 y/o thinks nothing of slugging his brother full force when he doesn't get his way!

 

I think the majority of our work as parents and as youth leaders in BSA revolves around the notion that we help awaken a youth's perception of others and how his actions influence other's behavoir and emotions. That's how they learn empathy.

 

Two most often repeated phrases I use with my Webelos den...

 

"Take care of your scouts" and "There is a HUGE differnce in being the bossy and being the boss".

 

Its amazing to go from Tiger / Wolf den when the chosen DL for the meeting thought that meant he got to go first and boss everyone around, to Web II and the DL understands it is their JOB to make sure everyone else has a turn at the activity and has the resources to do the project BEFORE they get THEIR materials or their turn.

 

That's when I know its sinking in and maybe I've done a decent job at the youth mentoring thing...

[Kudu]

 

"One of our methods in the Scout movement for taming a hooligan is to appoint him head of a Patrol. He has all the necessary initiative, the spirit and the magnetism for leadership, and when responsibility is thus put upon him it gives him the outlet he needs for his exuberance of activity, but gives it in a right direction."

 

http://inquiry.net/patrol/index.htm

 

 

[Stosh]

Kudu,

 

That is so true. Some of my best leaders have been the charismatic trouble makers that realize they get more attention doing it right than causing trouble.

 

Stosh