Nurturing leadership skills

The University Exchange Programme UEP India-Europe, recently held in collaboration with Vatsalya Cultural Centre a conference on Nurtur...

The University Exchange Programme UEP India-Europe, recently held in collaboration with Vatsalya Cultural Centre a conference on Nurturing Leadership Skills for 12th grade students of St Anthony8217;s School. Dr Margriet Krijtenburg, researcher and liason officer of UEP explained that the conference followed an earlier workshop on A leader is not born, but made,8217; through which the participants from not considering themselves potential leaders changed into enthused students for having acknowledged a better concept of what a leader is and the ways to strive toward it.

Both the workshop and the conference offer material for the research on ho to prepare youngsters to become good leaders of tomorrow. The research is carried out by students in preparation of International Student Conference on Solidarity and Citizenship that will take place in Rome, Italy on march 29 to April 4, 1999.

Speakers at the conference gave informative and encouraging insights to the 12th graders, stressing leader qualities that they could start practising from that very moment in school, at home and among friends.

Professor Borges, professor of French at the Jawaharlal nehru University, developed the theme around micro-leadership. He introduced the concept of micro versus macro leadership, inviting each student to act responsibly and with and the eye for others and for detail there where they are, becoming in the first place a leader of their own actions.

Durgadas Gupta, joint secretary, Ministry of Justice and former director, Department of Education, challenged the students to identify their qualities as a Picasso, a Tagore, a Gandhi and be fully committed to their cause.

8220;Partial commitment gives no leader,8221; he said and added that by being fully committed to one8217;s cause and with sufficient acquired ability, courage and enthusiasm a person is able to become a good leader and has the capacity to lead others as well. 8220;Identify your good qualities, have them grow, go toward your goals with long-term objectives, plan well, and you will achieve them, and will be a good person to influence people and direct people working together with them and acknowledge their capacities,8221; he said.

Kanika Thakar, president of AIESEC, an international student organisation and a BCom student of Jesus and Mary College, centered her talk on You, a leader8217;. A leader is a normal person, she believed, 8220;be always confident, don8217;t let anybody ever tell you that you8217;re useless, because you8217;re not! God has made you for some reason, try to figure that out.8221;

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Professor Mamkoottam of the Faculty of management Studies, Delhi University, started a lively interaction with the students. His talk revolved around the current concept of a leader as a captain of a team, and no longer as a captain of a ship where he is the only one who commands. He also stressed the need of knowledge in order to be able to lead in theory. He mentioned three skills a leader needs in a fascinating way, capturing the student8217;s attention fully.

Principals, teachers and students interested in a leadership programme can contact Dr Kritenburg on telephone number 011 6222951.