What are the key ingredients needed for a leadership development framework?

Can any youth leadership development framework be filtered down to something as simple as ABC? Not really. Leadership development is a fairly complex undertaking. There are, however, some basics to bear in mind when reviewing any leadership programme or framework; these five things are as easy as ABCDE.

A is for Ability

Any leadership programme must develop a young leader’s different leadership competencies. We all look to leaders who have the ability to manage difficult situations, resolve team conflicts or articulate clearly the objective of any project or task. These are competencies and abilities that can be learned and should be nurtured.

B is for Belief

Each young leader should build an inner compass, or as Stephen Covey, the author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, puts it, an inner voice which guides their actions and mission. Our beliefs are core to how we see ourselves as persons, and how it influences us as leaders. The more a young person knows his or her beliefs, the more confident the leader will be about himself and his abilities.

C is for Character

Character is of utmost importance in a leader. An incompetent leader may run a company into losses but a leader of bad character will run a company into ruin. Every leadership programme or framework should aim to build character and values in young leaders so that they can lead both themselves and others well.

D is for Direction

Leaders must take people forward. The ability to show the way is a hallmark of great leaders. They must know the direction where the team or organisation should go. The ability of a framework to help each young person learn how to set those directions and lead people there will help build better young leaders in the long run.

E is for Empathy

Leadership programmes should not only build the minds and hands of young leaders, it should also build their hearts to feel for those around them. Leaders lead people and the more leaders care for their followers, the better leaders they become. Being able to nurture a heart for the needs of the world will set our young leaders apart in our schools, for the benefit of society.

These five components are what Halogen believe wholeheartedly that any leadership development framework or programme should include. Our goal is not to provide just another programme, but rather to facilitate life changing experiences in building young leaders who will practically change the world in issues they believe in.

ABCDE. Developing a framework may be complex but its core should be foundational. For us at Halogen, it serves as a structure in working with schools. But we also add one more letter—F.

Because we think that aside from having ABCDE in a framework, we should also have FUN.—

Article by Martin Tan