Here are a few reasons Leadership Development is important for teens:

Leadership can have a significant impact on shaping a teen’s life and help them to develop important skills and qualities. Warren Bennis once said “The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born-that there is a genetic factor to leadership. That’s nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born.” There 

is no age limit when it comes to acquiring leadership skills. Being a leader is not reserved for people in specific areas. The Lexicon Ambassadors Program was designed to empower young people to develop leadership skills that are necessary to navigate the real world, help them achieve their goals and make a positive impact.

Here are a few ways in which leadership can shape young people’s lives:

Building confidence: Leadership opportunities can help to build a teenager’s confidence by giving them the chance to take on new challenges, solve problems, and make decisions. As they successfully navigate these challenges, their confidence can grow and they can develop a sense of self-efficacy. Our flagship Leadership Development Program is led by expert U.S. based faculty and will ensure that you gain practical skills to build your confidence.

Enhancing communication skills: Effective leadership requires strong communication skills. Through leadership opportunities, teenagers can develop their ability to communicate effectively with others, whether through speaking, writing, or other forms of communication. By enrolling in our Leadership and Mentorship Programs, students will have the opportunity to engage with fellow participants, exchange ideas and share insights in order to build networks and collaborate to solve the world’s most pressing problems.

Fostering teamwork and collaboration: Many leadership opportunities involve working with others, and this can help to foster teamwork and collaboration skills. Teens can learn how to work with people from different backgrounds, resolve conflicts, and achieve common goals. Working in groups encourages teenagers to work with people from different backgrounds guided by one common goal. As a participant in our Mentorship Programs, you’ll collaborate with other young people and come up with the best solutions to address the challenges in the track that you are enrolled in. This is a great opportunity to listen to different ideas and share your ideas as well.

Developing decision-making skills: Whether it’s a decision about which college to apply to or scholarship to accept, you’ll need to make decisions at every turn in life. Effective leaders must be able to make difficult decisions and navigate complex situations. By taking on leadership roles, teenagers can learn how to weigh options, make informed decisions, and take responsibility for the outcomes of their choices. The Lexicon Ambassadors Program not only gives you the skills to make decisions but also the opportunity to apply those skills and influence the decisions made on the different projects that you’ll be enrolled in. As a participant in our Mentorship Programs, you could play a critical role in deciding which technology-based program to implement in South African schools to improve literacy or contributing to a decision about the most effective way for early cancer detection in Pakistan. Explore our wide range of programs to enroll in one that resonates with you and make a positive impact.

Building empathy and cultural competency: Your classroom, sports team or neighborhood is made up of people from different backgrounds. The world has more diversity and learning how to interact with people who are different from you is a skill that many people don’t possess. Effective leaders must be able to understand and work with people from diverse backgrounds. By taking on leadership roles, teenagers can develop their empathy and cultural competency skills and learn to understand and respect others. The challenges that you’ll be working on in our Mentorship Programs may not be something that personally affects you but having the capacity to immerse yourself in global issues and working with diverse students and mentors to resolve them, will give you an advantage as a well-rounded leader.

Developing leadership can play a critical role in shaping teenagers and helping them to develop important skills and qualities and beyond your teen years. Whether through volunteering, student government, or other leadership opportunities such as the Lexicon Ambassadors Leadership Program, teens can gain valuable experience and build a foundation for success in the future.