In a time where leadership theory and tactics are more important than ever, why aren’t colleges at the forefront of teaching these concepts?
What does it mean to be a leader?
Sociologists define a leader as a person capable of influencing others, often to complete a unified end goal. Some contemporary definitions include roles like parenthood and group projects as being under the umbrella of leadership.
However you categorize it, there’s no denying the impact a leader can have on an individual, positive or negative.
Everyone would remember if someone in charge made them feel unimportant or belittled; equally, the memory of a leader who uplifted or inspired would also stick with them.
Though the idea of a “natural born leader” is well-known, Leadership is a skill that can be learned. So why do colleges not offer more classes on leadership theory as general education?
That’s not to say that college leadership training doesn’t exist. A recent student survey by Inside Higher Ed and College Pulse concluded that 34% of respondents had held leadership positions in a college club, group, or sports team. However, the same study revealed the inverse relationship between economics and leadership: only a quarter of low-income students had ever held a leadership position compared to a third of their middle and upper-class peers.
There are many opportunities to lead during the general education courses taken at the beginning of college.
Group projects allow students to practice peer mediation, work division and deadline skills, while participating in clubs can allow new students to practice group leadership.
However, employers today are searching for more than just the ability tolead—they want leaders who harbor a knowledge of emotional intelligence, communication and leadership theory. According to the LEADx Leadership Benchmark Report, employers value leaders who can engage and connect with employees beyond the metric of returning investments. So, how do we teach these skills to the next generation of leaders?
Dr. Nicholas Ellwanger is a Faculty Lecturer of Anthropology at Kennesaw State University, though he also serves the unique role of directing the university’s President’s Emerging Global Scholars honors cohort. This cohort, colloquially referred to as PEGS, gives honors students the chance to experience and learn leadership theory firsthand through volunteering and study abroad programs.
“I certainly think there’s been a movement towards group leadership, empathetic leadership, and supportive leadership,” said Dr. Ellwanger. “I feel like that’s kind of where leadership is heading and what people expect of leaders.”
I am a proud member of the FLIGHT28 class of the PEGS cohort. Through this program, I have opportunities to learn leadership that others do not. It is a privilege that I am grateful for, but I often find myself wondering how leadership skills can be taught to allincoming college students. Since Dr. Ellwanger teaches Intro to Service and Leadership—the first course all PEGS students must take—I asked him how he thought these concepts could be brought to the student population.
“I think that group learning and service in groups together can be two ways that universities can really implement a lot of responsibility towards one another,” he said. “[This allows students to] practice leadership. Not just the theory, but also the implementation.”
Whether through connecting students to more extracurricular activities or beginning to offer a general-education course teaching leadership theory, leadership skills need to be a core element of the university class experience. The future of industry begins in the college classroom—the leaders of tomorrow are the students of today.
