An overview: The Student Leadership Challenge by Jim Kouzes & Barry Posner

This leadership program is about the practices that student leaders use to transform "values into actions, visions into realities, obstacles into innovations, separateness into solidarity and risks into rewards".
You may wonder, is this program really effective? My answer is definitely YES. But I amm here to tell you my experience so that at the end of this article you can have your own opinion about it.

The reasons why I think this program worked for me and works for everyone: it is a three dimension program. It is practical and inspirational.

It is practical because it showed me that though each student is a unique individual, there are shared patterns to the practice of leadership, and these practices can be learned. By engaging in those five practices I could improve my performance, and not only mine, the performance of my team as well. Also, along the way they suggest steps, steps that I took, to build specific skills in becoming a better leader.

It is inspirational as it was not only written to strengthen your skills but also to uplift your spirits. It made me understand that I have within myself the ability to accept, to embrace this challenge and make a difference in my world neighborhood, university house because in the end it is who you are and what you do that actually matters.

The first dimension of the program is the behavioral one. Leadership is not about personality, it´s about behavior. So, let´s talk about those five practices, which are available to anyone that accepts the leadership challenge.

The first practice is Model the Way, which is the foundation of leadership. I learned that if I want to gain commitment among my constituents and reach the highest standards, I must be a model of the behavior I expect of others. You cannot expect anyone to do something that you wouldn´t be willing to do yourself. To be a role model, leaders must first be clear about their own guiding principles. That means I had to clarify my values and give voice to them, being as authentic as possible. Once I knew what my values were, what I believed in and found my own voice, the next step was: setting the example trough daily actions, which means your words and deeds, must be consistent.

The values I say I hold must be aligned to my actions. Always remember: practice what you preach and you will gain credibility, which is essential because people follow first the person, then the plan, and actions speak louder than words. This practice is about earning the right and respect to lead through direct involvement and ACTION, your example.

The second practice is Inspire a shared Vision. Every project, every organization, every social movement begins with a dream of what “could be” and this is the force that invents the future, and leaders envision that future.

Now, I know that I need to be clear on what I want to accomplish, where I want to go and focus on that. Having a clear and ideal image of the future is what pulls people forward. Leaders have a desire to make something happen, to change the way things are, to do something that no one else has ever done before, but to do all of that on their own, are insufficient. They must enlist others in a common vision by getting to know their constituents´ hopes, dreams, aspirations and values. From this practice I also learned that I must make people see that the goal is for the common good and the results will be worth the effort.

This practice is about igniting the flame of inspiration through the strong belief in the vision and the enthusiasm, the passion for it.

The third practice is Challenge the Process. We, as leaders, are always on the lookout for change, for ways that things could be better than they are. But I learned that leaders don’t simply sit and wait for fate. To be a leader, I must stand up and search for opportunities, for innovative ways to change, grow and improve. Leaders create an ideal climate for experimentation, they recognize and support good ideas and are always willing to challenge the system, whenever necessary, because they know that innovation and change involve experimenting and taking risks.

I used to be afraid of making mistakes. Thanks to this program I got rid of all of those fears and I know that failing is okay, as long as I learn from my mistakes. It´s part of the process. Experience is the best teacher ever and if I am not making any mistakes, it may mean that I´m doing what I already know how to do. This practice is about learning from your failures as well as from your successes and making it possible for others to do the same.

The forth practice is Enable others to Act. My favorite! I used to be a control-freak and think that if I wanted something well-done I had to do it by myself and the truth is that every big project requires a team effort, strong relationships and individual accountability. Good leaders foster collaboration and build trust among their constituents. I learned that I have to make people feel strong, capable and committed by giving away the power, the knowledge, the information I have, because the people that are expect to produce the results must feel a sense of personal power and ownership. Now, I try to strengthen my teammates so that they feel empowered, give their all and exceed their own expectations.

This practice is based on trust. The more people trust their leader, the more people trust each other in a team, the more they are going to make changes, take risks, and get results.

The fifth practice, omg I love this one, is Encourage the Heart. Sometimes, the road to the goal gets tough and people are often tempted to give up and this is when leaders encourage the heart of their constituents, usually with genuine acts of caring that draw people forward. I know who important it is to recognize contributions in a team, as it creates a climate in which everyone feels cared about, appreciated and therefore, motivated. I also love celebrating values and victories, small wins because that creates and sustains a team spirit that makes it more cohesive.

This practice is about building a strong sense of collective identity, knowing that I´m part of a team, and a spirit of community that can carry the group through difficult times.

NOW, YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO LEAD BY ENGAGING IN THESE FIVE PROVEN LEADERSHIP PRACTICES. What are you waiting for? I highly recommend you to read that book. It changed my life and it might change yours too.