The Young Leader

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How to Develop Leadership Skills Before College

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Have you ever wondered what’s involved in becoming a standout leader?

Leadership.

What comes to mind as you read that word?

Back when I was a teen in a competitive school district, few words seemed as overused as leadership. It felt like everyone around me was being pressured into becoming a leader in whatever activities we were involved in. Becoming a leader meant obtaining a title—another gold star or award to leverage in our college applications. Leadership meant power and status. Leaders seemed to emerge only after they finished climbing their competitive mountain from beginning to end.

But I was mistaken. After gaining experience leading multiple groups in college, I gradually changed my views. Most of my early attempts were admittedly failures. Some were no big deal. Others were embarrassing and even painful at times. Consider the adrenaline rush and anxiety many of us feel when doing public speaking. Think back to the most nerve-wracking time you’ve had to speak in front of a large audience. Imagine how you’d feel if someone quietly walked up to you after you spoke and then, ever so gently, said that your fly was wide open the entire time. Genuine leadership then meant having the courage to fall headfirst into the mud, the resilience to immediately recover, and the communication skills to then redirect those behind you.

Leadership is an informal, role-based skill that you continually develop through ongoing experience and reflection. Leaders are those who are committed to the spoken and especially unspoken needs of their specific team or group at hand.

This definition was not immediately obvious to me. It’s an understanding that I gained by reflecting on past experiences with the help of mentors. Your own views and personal definition of leadership will likely be different. And that’s a good thing, too! Because leadership is a fluid concept that is culturally-dependent, specific to each discipline, and varies between teams. Being a leader is also not the same as holding a formal or management position. Leaders can be found in all kinds of situations as well as walks of life.

That said, there are 3 concrete and valuable leadership skills that anyone can develop:

1. Inclusion (connecting members based on common goals and values)
2. Facilitation (communicating different views then reaching agreement)
3. Negotiation (solving internal conflicts to maximize group interests)

Like all communication skills, these are improved through committed and deliberate practice within real situations.

Improving your leadership abilities is also separate from marketing yourself to college admissions offices or signaling your skill set to the job market. Although both are important, the first involves you personally defining then measuring your own success rather than appealing to others. You can improve as a leader by setting your own goals and then acting on advice from mentors or others that you value. Marketing your leadership abilities requires understanding your audience, recognizing their values, and then continually tailoring your message to them based on feedback.

What does leadership mean for you? How do you develop leadership skills, or encourage others to do so? Please share below!

Contributed by Nick Fochtman

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Why Early June and Late August are Ideal Times for Summer Travel

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Likely many of you have traveled during peak season at some point in your life. Or maybe you always travel during peak season. You’re probably then familiar with the horrible crowds, lines, and maybe even the extreme temperatures that come along with a peak season vacation. That’s not even mentioning the horribly high prices of travel and lodging during those periods as these companies exploit the fact that many people travel during these much-coveted seasons. But you don’t need to be one of them! There are some great times to travel that can still fit in nicely with many school schedules and can give some great benefits over those packed sardine pools in July.

Early June Travelers Unwind Faster

Most people don’t travel immediately after school lets out. They give their kids some time to “unwind” and then plan their family vacation somewhere between late June and early August (i.e. peak summer season). But what better way to unwind then to take that vacation right away! Moreover it can give you something to look forward to as the year comes to a close. That period can be one of the most slogging for students, with finals and everything weighing down hard and their free time dwindling to nothing. Having a vacation right at the end of the tunnel can provide that extra boost of motivation needed to push through those rough times and maybe even perform better.

On the vacation itself, the benefits only continue to add up. Reduced crowds and cost of travel and lodging are of course the biggest, but also most places are in the dead of summer or winter during the two big peak travel seasons. Those extreme temperatures can be quite uncomfortable. Trust me, there’s nothing as simultaneously amazing, sweltering, and packed as Disney World in July. You can dodge all of that if you just decide to jump in a little early.

Leaving Late is Just As Great

Taking your vacation just before school starts again, in early September or the end of August for most, can be just as great of an experience. Going in late August can provide a lot of great memories kept fresh in your mind to discuss with friends at school. The same benefits of missing the worst part of the crowd and getting discounts on travel also apply.

Another benefit of a late vacation is being able to get the time off for both you and your parents. Whether working part time or full time, businesses need help during peak travel season because everyone wants to travel. Delaying your vacation a little to cover everyone else can not only earn you some awesome cred at your job, it can make your own planning easier.

Early or Late, Both Are Great

Hopefully these tips have convinced you to come into your summer holiday a bit earlier or later than the masses. There are a lot of benefits to doing so, both on the vacation and in your life before or after the vacation itself. If you just try it once you’ll never go back to vacationing with the horrible crowds and heat again.

Did you know…?

GLA offers summer programs for teen travelers starting in the beginning of June and going all the way to the end of August. So if you’re looking for a program that fits those travel windows, check out all of our offerings by available dates here.

Contributed by Nick Bartholomew

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5 Things I Wish I’d Done Before Graduating from High School

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Graduating from high school is one of the most highly anticipated and noteworthy moments in life. In terms of memorable stepping stones, it’s easily compared to attaining a college degree, being offered your first job, buying a home, and even getting married. While countless adults look back on their high school years fondly, the unfortunate truth is that too many people regret certain aspects of their youths. Looking back, it’s often easy to identify missed experiences and opportunities; hindsight is, after all, twenty-twenty. For those who have yet to complete this meaningful rite of passage, however, there’s still time to live this period of life to the fullest. Here are five things you should seriously consider doing before you graduate.

1. Participate in More School Activities

Upon reflection, many individuals wish they had been more involved in the activities and opportunities provided to them by their high schools. Prom, for example, may seem insignificant now, but choosing to skip it is a decision you can’t take back later. Likewise, extracurricular activities, such as basketball, band, and debate, help prepare you for success in college. You only get to enjoy things like this for free for a very short while; take advantage of them while you can.

2. Spend Time with Family and Friends

On the flip side, it’s also easy to get so caught up in your extracurriculars that you miss out on important, quality time with friends and family. There will be very few periods in your life when you will have this much free time to spend the way you choose. After high school, you can get bogged down by work, chores, and other daily responsibilities. Cherish the moments you have with those you care about. The memories you make with loved ones today will mean a lot to you in the future.

3. Sign Up for Auto Shop and Home Economics

Contrary to popular belief among teens, being an adult is hard. As you get older, there will be all sorts of requirements expected of you, including cooking for yourself and taking care of your car. Reliable transportation is an absolute must in today’s society and frozen pizzas will only get you so far. While focusing on academics is vital, it’s just as important to acquire useful life skills like these during high school. Taking an auto shop or home economics class now will make you more self-sufficient, save you money, alleviate future stress, and enable you to live a healthier lifestyle.

4. Focus on Building Healthy Habits

It may be hard to believe, but you won’t be this young forever. That’s why it’s so important to begin taking care of your body now. Starting to build healthy habits, like regularly brushing your teeth, running in the morning, and eating right, will set you up for a long and productive life. Don’t automatically assume you can make up for eating a whole pack of Oreo cookies when you’re older – it’s much more difficult to break a bad habit than it is to establish a good one.

5. Travel Abroad

When you’re in high school, it’s easy to forget there’s a much larger world out there. There are people who speak different languages, drastically diverse cultures, awe-inspiring historical monuments, and natural wonders that will take your breath away. With so many things to see and experience, it’s utterly impossible to do it all. That’s why you need to start now. Whether you travel through a study abroad program or with family on a vacation, visiting another country at least once before you graduate will open your eyes to what the world around you truly has to offer.

Contributed by Amanda Vosloh Bowyer

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