Learn the Best & Effective Leadership Lessons from Kids

‘A child can always teach an adult three things: to be happy for no reason, to always be busy with something, and to know how to demand with all his might that which he desires’. -Paulo Coelho As kids, we have always been told to look up to other successful adults and get inspired by them. But, what if we told you that kids can actually teach adults some of the best effective lessons on leadership! From creativity hacks to working in a team, kids can help us learn many meaningful life lessons and hacks! Get ready to take a trip back to your childhood and let your inner child shine as we take you through the best leadership lessons from kids!

Be Honest

Kids follow the motto of ‘Honesty is the Best Policy’ better than anyone else. Kids are brutally honest most of the time. They do not sugar-coat things. Adults say white lies that the other person wants to hear but on the other hand, a kid will tell you whatever they feel. Sometimes the conversation is embarrassing for the parents of the child but then whatever the child has communicated is very genuine. Amongst the best leadership lessons from kids, honesty and integrity are at the top because through these two traits, you can build trust in your team. If the leader propagates dishonesty, the employees who work under him normalize that behaviour and are more likely to copy it. 

Be Attentive and Curious

“There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven billion” – Walt Streightiff

Curiosity fuels the desire to learn. Kids are always aware of whatever is happening around them. They are always listening even when you think that they do not listen. The ability to listen along with their knack of asking endless questions is such a powerful combination. This is also one of the various leadership lessons from kids that adults should learn. In order to become a leader, you should always listen to your peers and be curious about whatever is happening around you. A leader should also be curious and should never stop asking questions. We tend to evade our child-like wonders and start acting like an adult as we grow. 

Start Every Day on a Fresh Note

Children are always excited about tomorrow but they don’t give much thought about it. If a child had a school picnic tomorrow, they would be very happy and excited the previous day. Even if someone bad did happen to them, they would forget all about it and wake up with happiness the next day. Kids don’t carry their baggage from one day to the next. Leaders should also follow this important leadership lesson and should always start their day fresh. Thus, one of the most important leadership lessons from kids is starting your day afresh gives you a new perspective of your day and helps you stay focused on the goals of that day. 

Be Highly Creative 

Kids are never afraid to try new things. If you give a child some building blocks to play, they would try to make models of houses with it. After a few days or months, they would try to create new objects by using the blocks instead of homes or buildings. Children often look at risk from a different perspective. For them, it is never a risk because, in their minds, it is an opportunity to try something new instead of always being in their comfort zone. This is one of the best leadership lessons from kids that other adults should learn. They should always try something new. Sometimes the outcome is better than the risk itself and you shouldn’t have any regrets. 

Don’t Let Failure Stop You 

“Hold the hand of the child within you. For this child, nothing is impossible” – Paulo Coelho 

Kids are very resilient. They always have the grit to succeed no matter what. If you give a child, the same blocks that I was talking about earlier and tell them to stack one on top of another, they would do so. Even if the blocks topple and fall, they will not lose hope and try it again. This cycle continues for a dozen times and they would have finally figured out how to stack the blocks without it getting toppled. Similarly, the desire to succeed is like the building blocks. Only if you try, try and try, you’ll succeed. Failure may shatter you many times but you should always pick up your building blocks and start over. This is one of the most underrated leadership lessons that one must learn from kids.

Do not Limit Yourself

A teacher, an astronaut, a doctor and what not! Every day, children believe that they can be anything they want because they do not limit themselves to one specific thing. It is their primary skill to be highly creative and think out of the box. It is also one of the most important leadership lessons for an adult. Adults should never limit themselves to one thing all their lives because limitations do not allow us to become successful. You should always get moving and emerge out of your comfort zone. Experimentation will help you understand what you really want to do. So, adults should remember to never limit themselves and always be innovative. 

Kids have the ability to teach us about various little things in life more than any adult ever could. So the next time you see a child being creative or curious, take a moment to learn the valuable leadership lessons that you can learn from kids! Whether you are struggling with your career choices and confused at any stage of your academic quest, our Leverage Edu experts are here to provide you with the best guidance! Sign up for a free session with us now and get all your academic and career-related queries answered!