Leadership Training: Discussion of Richard Greenwald's Aritcle

I agree with aspects of Richard Greenwald’s article “Today’s Students Need Leadership Training Like Never Before.” He says that more leadership programs, and training are necessary for students to counter our risky world (Greenwald 2). Today’s society requires more self-reliance, and communication, skills that can be taught. To foster better individuals for our society, leadership training is essential. I’m excited about learning more about myself as a leader in the 2011 Emerging Leaders Program. In high school, I was involved in the Student Diversity Leadership Conference; it was a two-day conference focused on issues of diversity and challenged students to explore where they stood on these issues. I’d be interested to see if Uarts could send a few students to the upcoming Philadelphia conference. Students would bring back what they learned from the conference and further implement these skills within the Uarts community.

Like Greenwald notes, all leadership programs should focus on constant self-examination. Our world is always changing and advancing so it’s important to evaluate oneself as a leader so ones skills continue to grow with society. Curriculums should not only focus on gaining public positions at school or in a work setting; curriculums should also focus on “life skills such as introspection, cultural sensitivity…”(Greenwald 1). This self-examination makes all leadership experiences individual and unique, which promotes different leadership styles. Like Madeline noted, there are many types of leaders. Hitler’s Germany is not less valid than our American presidential system; it is just a different way of leading. Finding one’s leadership style is important for personal growth and prosperity.

Because our world is riskier today, necessary leadership skills are significant (Greenwald 2). I can say from my experiences that leadership courses and programs have challenged me to think deeply about my values as well as challenging me to reach the best version of myself. These types of courses are invaluable, and all students should be exposed to some sort of leadership training.

Greenwald says it is the job of colleges and universities to administer adequate leadership training. I disagree; leadership training should begin as early as middle school. I think at the college level it’s too late to be introducing leadership because leadership is not only mastering a set of skills; it’s a self-explorative process. College is a great place to further challenge students about leadership, but our society has the ability to train better leaders if we begin at an earlier stage in student lives.

Greenwald brought up whether true leaders are born or made. Everyone is born with things they are good at, and gain different skills throughout life. Through leadership programs these skills will develop in useful ways. For example, a student with good communication skills can learn the art of public speaking in a leadership course. She already has the knowledge of what it means to communicate, and the leadership training will help her to communicate to a larger audience in an eloquent manner. A student with people skills can learn how to network and bring people together, the same way leaders in public relations do. Everyone has leadership potential; leadership programs will help students hone these skills and teach them how to use what they already know. This does not mean every student will become a leader in the public sense of the word; it will mean that students will have a better knowledge of themselves and will have tools they can use for a lifetime.

Arielle Pina