As someone who is involved with teens, you’re in a unique position. In this shaky world we live in, young people today need positive influences more than ever. Helping young people cultivate leadership skills ensures their success as they learn to work well with others, grow in self-confidence, and become better equipped to handle life as an adult.

Whether you’re a parent, teacher, mentor or another adult who interacts with adolescents, dig into these four resources that can help you mold a young person’s leadership abilities.

Leadership Qualities

There are many words that come to mind when we think about leadership, but a handful of qualities stand out. Let’s take a look at these four:

• Demonstrating trustworthiness is an essential aspect of leadership.
• Nobody will follow someone willingly if they feel that person can’t identify with them, so leaders must remain open and compassionate.
• Kids must learn to not only make plans, but to have the wherewithal to follow through in spite of risks.
• Being aware and being able to adjust accordingly when circumstances shift is a must.

Demonstrations By Adults

It’s one thing to talk about leadership, but it’s another thing to demonstrate it to youth. Consider your own actions in light of these ideas:

• Embrace Failure. Failure is just a part of life, so demonstrating this fact helps kids with their own recovery from failures.
• Teach Patience. Participating in activities like fishing, hunting or gardening teaches children that remaining patient can yield desired results.
• Negotiating with young people helps them to understand other viewpoints.

Original Thinking

Being able to think outside the box is a must for effective leadership. But how do you encourage that trait in adolescents?

• Give Responsibility. Sharing with kids about why something is important, such as household chores, helps them to embrace the responsibility of the related actions.
• Encourage Risk-Taking. While rules are important to a point, kids should be allowed to let their curiosity lead them and to follow that journey confidently.
• Instill Core Values. Teaching young people the reasons behind rules helps them to shape decisions that reflect those rules, rather than simply follow them.

Acts of Service

Teaching young people to be active members of their community lays the foundation for taking an interest in making a difference as an adult.

• Encourage youth to contact local organizations where kids could volunteer, such as hospitals or churches.
• Feed the Hungry. Understanding that others in their community struggle with basic needs—and taking actions to meet those needs—are invaluable lifelong lessons, so help them connect with a local food pantry or host a food drive.
• Senior Living Centers. Reach out to an area senior center to see how youth could lend a hand, in turn encouraging their appreciation and respect for older adults.

These four simple concepts can help adolescents become better leaders, both now and as adults. Reinforce leadership qualities, demonstrate those characteristics, encourage original thinking, and participate in acts of service. Ultimately, you’ll not only be shaping a young life, you’ll be shaping the future for our world.