End of the year: The 5 C's of Leadership

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The 5 C’s

Confidence – belief in oneself and one’s powers or abilities; self-confidence; self-reliance; assurance

Competence – having suitable or sufficient skill, knowledge, experience, etc., for some purpose; properly qualified

Courage – the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery

Character – qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity 

Consistency – steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, form, etc.

These are some of the basic principles that are infused in the various lessons that I teach in my leadership academy. The program is designed to build confidence in the students’ abilities through reinforcement of the things they are currently learning in their classrooms. I believe that it takes courage and character to face the challenges of today’s urban high school student. There are various cultural and societal pressures that in many ways go against the philosophies and principles of academic institutions today. I am hoping that my involvement with these kids helps assist them as they progress towards their destiny. If at the end of the day these kids are not better off after being a part of this program I will have to investigate why we were not successful in what we were doing and call into question whether or not I did all I could to help these kids be successful.

I am glad to say that this was not the case for me. There were significant improvements in the academic achievements and behavioral expectations of the students I was directly involved with. I must also add there is plenty of room for improvement in the way I engage students and challenge them to do better. I did not meet all the goals I set for myself but that shortcoming makes me strive all the more harder to be better the next time around. I believe in my abilities to motivate and draw out the best in people. This confidence leads me to be optimistic about the next school year. This summer I will be working with the leadership team of KDCA during the summer as they conduct their character development course for kids that are at-risk of allowing their behavior tendencies to impact their academic achievement. I’m hoping that me working alongside some more experienced professionals will help me improve my skills in this area.