Developing students’ leadership skills

Abstract

Leadership is a fundamental 21st century skill for all students, irrespective of whether they occupy a formal leadership position or not. This is because effective leadership leads to an increase in employee engagement and organisational performance. This chapter illustrates the connection between these two outcomes and leadership by means of a discussion of transformational leadership. The latter is used as an example of one of the leadership styles that teachers might focus on in their efforts to develop students’ leadership skills. The chapter also considers the role that self-leadership can play in cultivating those traits that can help students to position themselves as effective leaders.