More than Student Government | Bruce Wilson | TEDxJeffersonU

Summary

The script reflects on the universal experience of leadership in our formative years, from elementary school roles to the presidency. It emphasizes the importance of student government as a training ground for essential life skills like visionary thinking, humility, and servant leadership. The speaker illustrates how involvement in student government can shape successful leaders across various fields, urging the audience to foster a culture of leadership in youth to prepare them for future contributions to society.

Takeaways

• 👧 Student leadership often begins at a young age, with traits like volunteering and taking initiative being evident even in elementary school.
• 👦 Everyone has had the urge to step into a leadership role at some point, whether it was in a small or significant capacity.
• 🏫 Student government serves as a crucial platform for students to develop leadership skills and traits that will benefit them throughout life.
• 🎓 Many successful people, including famous actors, politicians, and entrepreneurs, were once involved in student government or similar leadership roles.
• 🧠 The skills gained through student government, such as visionary thinking, accountability, and emotional intelligence, are essential for becoming a prosperous member of society.
• 🙏 Servant leadership, where leaders prioritize serving others, is a key principle taught and embodied in student government.
• 🌱 Encouraging leadership in youth helps to instill well-roundedness and prepares them for future responsibilities in society.
• 💡 Without student government, society risks losing a vital space for young leaders to grow, delegate, and thrive.
• 🤝 To foster a culture of servant leadership, we must actively support and invest in leadership development at all levels, especially for the younger generation.
• 🌟 Leadership opportunities, such as those in student government, can lead to lifelong service, excellence, and impactful contributions to society.

Q & A

What is the significance of the early leadership roles described in the transcript?

The early leadership roles, such as the line leader in elementary school or the team captain during recess, are significant as they represent the first instances where individuals exhibit a natural inclination towards leadership and taking initiative.

Why did Andrew Gilliam start a 'seventh great revolution'?

Andrew Gilliam started a 'seventh great revolution' because he wanted Doritos to be available in his school's vending machine, illustrating how even small-scale leadership can be a catalyst for change.

What is the role of student government in fostering leadership skills?

Student government serves as an outlet for students with a desire to lead, allowing them to develop and practice leadership skills such as delegation, motivation, and servant leadership, which are crucial for success in various aspects of life.

What are some of the tangible benefits of being involved in student government?

Involvement in student government provides tangible benefits such as the opportunity to hold positions like class representative or senator, which can help distinguish individuals and set them up for future leadership roles.

Why is it important to instill leadership skills in youth?

Instilling leadership skills in youth is important because it encourages well-roundedness, prepares them for a life of service, and equips them with the necessary traits to be prosperous members of society.

What are some of the intangible skills that can be acquired through leadership endeavors?

Intangible skills acquired through leadership endeavors include visionary thinking, humble presence, tenacious courage, high confidence, the ability to delegate, motivate, have a sense of humor, be accountable, exhibit high emotional intelligence, and embody servant leadership.

How does the transcript suggest we create a culture of servant leadership?

The transcript suggests creating a culture of servant leadership by encouraging leadership in youth, being active examples, and investing time, talent, and resources at the grassroots level to support the development of future leaders.

What would be the potential consequences if student government did not exist?

If student government did not exist, society would risk losing a platform for young leaders to develop and flourish, potentially leading to a lack of preparedness and initiative among future generations.

What is the connection between student government involvement and the success of notable individuals mentioned in the transcript?

The connection is that many of these successful individuals were once involved in student government, which provided them with the foundational skills and experiences that contributed to their later achievements.

How does the transcript define 'servant leadership'?

The transcript defines 'servant leadership' as a leadership philosophy where the main goal is to serve others, focusing on the growth and well-being of the team or community, which is considered a crucial trait for successful leadership.

What is the transcript's perspective on the relationship between leadership and contributing to society as an adult?

The transcript posits that being a leader is not only crucial for personal development but also for being a contributing adult in the world, as it fosters the necessary skills and traits for societal participation and impact.

Outlines

00:00

👥 The Journey to Leadership: From Childhood to Student Government

This paragraph delves into the innate desire for leadership that many individuals exhibit from a young age, such as volunteering for class roles or initiating changes in school. It highlights how these early experiences can translate into participation in organized leadership roles throughout life, including student government at the college level. The speaker uses the story of Andrew Gilliam to illustrate how student government can be a platform for those with a passion for leadership to develop and grow. The paragraph concludes with a game that introduces a list of successful individuals who share a common background in student government, emphasizing the importance of these roles in cultivating essential skills for societal prosperity.

05:02

🚀 Cultivating Skills and Traits for Leadership Excellence

The second paragraph expands on the idea that student government not only provides an opportunity for leadership expression but also serves as a training ground for developing crucial skills and traits. It outlines specific qualities such as visionary thinking, humble presence, tenacious courage, and high confidence, among others, that are nurtured through involvement in student government. The speaker stresses the importance of these skills for setting a foundation for a life of service, leadership, and excellence. The paragraph also contemplates the potential consequences of the absence of student government, suggesting that without it, society might lack a platform for young leaders to grow and develop. The speaker calls for the fostering of a culture of servant leadership among the youth and emphasizes the role of adults in actively supporting and encouraging young people to engage in leadership roles.

Keywords

💡Leadership

Leadership refers to the ability to guide, influence, and inspire others towards achieving goals. In the video's context, it is the central theme, highlighting the importance of developing leadership skills from an early age, as seen in the examples of students volunteering for leadership roles in school.

💡Student Council

A student council is an organization run by students at a school or university, which provides an opportunity for students to develop leadership and organizational skills. The script mentions running for a third-grade student council representative, illustrating the early introduction to leadership roles.

💡Line Leader

A line leader is typically a student who takes charge of leading a line of classmates, often in elementary school settings. The script uses this term to describe a student showing early leadership qualities by volunteering for this role.

💡Team Captain

A team captain is a leader chosen to represent and guide a group or team, often in sports or other group activities. The video uses this term to exemplify natural leadership tendencies in children, as seen in the boy who takes on this role during recess.

💡Servant Leadership

Servant leadership is a philosophy where the main goal of a leader is to serve others, especially the team or organization they are leading. The script emphasizes this concept as a crucial skill that individuals can develop through involvement in student government.

💡Student Government Association

The Student Government Association (SGA) is a student-run organization that represents the student body and works on their behalf. The script mentions SGA as a platform where students with leadership qualities can get involved and grow.

💡Visionary Thinking

Visionary thinking involves the ability to envision and articulate a path towards the future. The video script categorizes this as one of the key traits that can be developed through leadership roles, essential for setting goals and inspiring others.

💡Humble Presence

A humble presence refers to the quality of being modest and unassuming, even when in a position of authority. The script includes this as one of the traits that can be nurtured through leadership experiences, highlighting the importance of humility in leaders.

💡Tenacious Courage

Tenacious courage is the persistent bravery to face challenges and take risks. The video script describes this as a vital trait for leaders, as it allows them to push through obstacles and lead by example.

💡Delegation

Delegation is the act of assigning tasks or responsibilities to others. In the context of the video, it is presented as an essential skill for effective leadership, allowing leaders to manage teams and projects efficiently.

💡Motivation

Motivation is the drive or desire to take action towards achieving goals. The script discusses the ability to motivate as a key leadership skill, necessary for inspiring team members and maintaining momentum.

💡Accountability

Accountability is the willingness to accept responsibility for one's actions and decisions. The video emphasizes this as a critical trait for leaders, ensuring trust and credibility within the team or organization.

💡Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's emotions and those of others. The script includes this as a key skill that can be developed through leadership roles, important for building strong relationships and empathetic leadership.

Highlights

Introduction of the topic by recalling childhood memories of natural leadership traits, like volunteering to be line leader or team captain.

Emphasizes the universal experience of feeling an urge to take on leadership roles, such as running for student council or leading a school protest.

Mentions that student government is a common feature in colleges and universities across the country, serving as a platform for students to develop leadership skills.

Connects early displays of leadership (e.g., class line leader or team captain) to future roles like university senator or class representative.

Provides examples of notable individuals who were involved in student government, such as Halle Berry, Hillary Clinton, Hugh Jackman, and Ronald Reagan.

Highlights the common trait among these notable individuals: they all had roles in student government, showing a link between early leadership experience and later success.

Discusses how participation in student government helps develop essential leadership skills, such as visionary thinking, tenacious courage, and high emotional intelligence.

Emphasizes that student government helps students acquire traits like humility, the ability to delegate, motivate others, and accountability.

Argues that involvement in student government prepares individuals for a lifetime of service, leadership, and excellence.

Encourages fostering a culture of servant leadership among the next generation by instilling leadership traits early on.

Discusses the potential consequences of not having student government, such as the loss of a nurturing environment for young leaders to grow.

Calls for adults to be role models in leadership by investing time, talent, and resources in developing young leaders at the grassroots level.

Advocates for encouraging youth to take on leadership roles to build a strong foundation for future leaders.

Stresses the importance of creating opportunities for all students, including those who show leadership potential in different ways, to thrive and develop their skills.

Concludes by reinforcing the idea that cultivating leadership skills in youth through programs like student government will result in a generation of strong, capable leaders.

Transcripts

do you remember that girl in elementary

school who always volunteered to be the

line leader of class or that little boy

who designated himself the team captain

of every recess sport or that one

student who never failed to raise her

hand to answer every question the

teacher asked regardless of if she knew

the answer or not no matter where your

memory takes you we all remember the

first time we had to urge to throw

ourselves in the ring of leadership

whether you were like me and ran for

your third grade student council

representative and lost because your

opponent was smarter cuter and gave out

more fruit snacks than you or if you

were like Andrew Gilliam who started a

seventh great revolution because he

wanted Doritos in his school as vending

machine no matter where you fall in that

spectrum we are all inevitably going to

be a participant of some form of

organized leadership from third grade

student rep to the mother and the PTA to

the retired senior citizen in the

homeowners association all the way to

the Oval Office this type of organized

leadership is a part of every aspect of

our lives and if you were to travel

across the country to thousands of

colleges and universities you would find

that most if not all have a student

government association

that's because student government is an

outlet where students who have to urge

to throw themselves in that ring to fire

that we call leadership can it's the

place where that girl who always

volunteered to be the line leader of

class can go on and be a senator for her

University that little boy who made

himself the team captain of every sport

can be representative for his class and

that one student who always raised her

hand and that seventh grader who started

a Doritos revolution

can go on to be student government

presidents and then want to be

scientists thriving entrepreneurs and

award-winning actor and just even the

President of the United States so let's

play a game I'm gonna list off some

names some may be well known to you some

may be individuals who have never heard

of before and some of these people you

may have just named your pet out there

as I'm listening these names want you to

think what is it that all of these

people have in common

you ready Halle Berry Hillary Clinton

Hugh Jackman Rosie O'Donnell Will

Ferrell Alec Baldwin

Andrew Gilliam Justin Shafer john d

rockefeller Jesse Jackson Malcolm X

Ronald Reagan George W Bush and George

HW Bush now I know that list was all

over the place and the most obvious

answer would just be for you to tell me

that all these people are just extremely

successful in their respective fields

however that is not the answer that I'm

looking for you see the one unique thing

that ties all of these individuals

together is that they were all either

once class presidents student government

presidents or heavily involved in their

Student Government Association by now

I'm sure you're wondering why is it that

all of these individuals have this one

particular thing in common how did all

of these individuals go from student

leaders to where they are now it's

because when student government works in

its proper capacity one can gain all of

the skills and traits experts have

distinguished as crucial to being a

prosperous member in our society it can

set one up for a life of service

leadership and excellence so what are

these skills and traits I've categorized

them as visionary thinking humble

presence tenacious courage high

confidence the ability to delegate the

ability to motivate a sense of humor

accountability high emotional

intelligence and most importantly

understanding and embodying the meaning

of servant leadership this is just the

tip of the iceberg when it comes to

vital traits that one can acquire

through leadership endeavors at any

level of society instilling the level of

well-roundedness in our youth will

encourage them to pursue these traits

while student government does allow

individuals the opportunity to gain so

many intangible skills at the same time

it is also allowing individuals the

opportunity to gain some concrete

practices that will distinguish

themselves from the rest it is very

evident that the more you put into

leadership endeavors the more you get

out of it so what is our responsibility

to instill into our children that being

a leader is crucial to being a

contributing adult in our world so now

I've told you all of these great things

I mentioned all of these grand people

that are products of student government

but it wouldn't be fair for me to leave

this conversation without us talking

about what would happen if student

government didn't exist so let's take a

moment to think

if student government didn't exist as a

society we run the risk of having no

place for the line leaders to flourish

no place for the team captains to

delegate and for the proactive student

to thrive so what do we have to do we

have to foster a culture of servant

leadership amongst tomorrow's

next generation of leaders but how do we

do it how do we create a culture of

servant leadership at every level of

society is simple we must encourage

leadership to our youth we must be an

active example to our young people by

investing our time talent and treasures

at the grassroot levels with the strong

foundation and the presence of a support

system there will be millions of line

leaders millions of team captains

millions of hand raisers and dorito

revolutionaries and they will go on to

be student government presidents thank

you

[Applause]