In fact, research suggests that leaders who are self-aware succeed at a much higher level than those who are not.
Hope Collaborative works with emerging youth leaders. We consistently discover that insights of youth participants into advanced social-emotional concepts and skill building can be profound.
Young leaders' descriptions of the transformative power of leadership development can be our best record of success. In the Hope leadership video we feature today, Hope participants at Friends of the Children in Boston demonstrate critical understanding of themselves—and the broader concepts of self-awareness—with startling truth and clarity.
"Being open-minded means you're willing to change your mistakes...don't be afraid to ask questions," shares Kausu, who chose Being Open-Minded as his leadership development skill because it is one of the qualities he discovered in himself during the module. Kausu believes that open minds can change not only individuals but a world community. Younger children will follow in the footsteps of open-minded adults, he believes, when they see past violence to rebuild communities. |
Kiana, whose chosen skill is Honesty, talks candidly about how much her relationships have improved during the program due to practicing this core leadership skill. "I value what other people think of me," she says, adding that even though it can be difficult, "...when I started being honest with people, I felt like it helped more because...I got to learn and process what happens when I lie." When she's more honest with her mother, for example, her mother is more understanding of Kiana's needs. "A lot of rewards can come if you're honest." |
For Sebastian, learning the self-awareness skill of Patience has meant learning "how to control my anger, and talk to people with more kindness, and [more] respectfully." He emphasizes that being in the position of a leader means dealing with stress, and that patience can help leaders accomplish all of their goals. His best advice is to "use your talents in patience"—focus on things that you love in order to help you stay the course. |
Knowing and understanding yourself is a lifelong journey.
We wish each of these young leaders success as they learn from each other the powerful dynamics of a self-aware leader, and the kind of impact they can have.