Ten Leadership Lessons Your Teenager Must Learn

Ten Leadership Lessons Your Teenager Must Learn

With lessons on leadership from Dr Tim Hawkes, one of Australia's leading educators and the author of the bestselling Ten Conversations You Must Have With Your Sons, your child can learn how to bring leadership into their everyday life - and you can learn how to help them achieve this.

Over many years, renowned educator Dr Hawkes has taught thousands of students on the subject of leadership. He has learnt what's effective - and what's not - when talking to young people about leadership. Now Dr Hawkes brings that wisdom to the parents of teenage boys and girls, and to teenagers themselves.

This book includes chapters on:

- Making the right choices

- Following the right examples

- Finding a calling

- Working with a team

- Formulating strategies

- Learning discipline.

 

Dr Hawkes uses examples from ancient and modern history to illustrate his points about leadership and offers readers practical steps so that they can learn these leadership lessons.This book gives parents the information they need to instil leadership in their children, so they can learn how to take responsibility for themselves - whether to lead others or become the leader of their own lives. It is an essential book for any parent wanting to help their child navigate the many challenges that confront teenagers in the twenty-first century.

Dr Tim Hawkes is the author of several books, including the bestselling Ten Conversations You Must Have With Your Sons. He has taught in England and Australia for over 35 years and been a headmaster for much of that time. A highly regarded educational resource, author and social commentator, Tim Hawkes is in demand as a conference speaker around the world. He is married, has three adult children and lives in Sydney. For more information visit timhawkes.com

Ten Leadership Lessons Your Teenager Must Learn
Hachette Australia
Author: Dr Tim Hawkes
ISBN: 9780733635175
RRP: $32.99

Interview with Dr Tim Hawkes

Question: Why should parents read Ten Leadership Lessons Your Teenager Must Learn?

Dr Tim Hawkes: Ten Leadership Lessons You Must Teach Your Teenager was written to enrich the relationship parents have with their teenage children and to equip the next generation for an uncertain future characterised by change and complexity.

With many children living lives devoid of purpose and direction, we need to equip parents so they can be an encouragement and resource for their children. Depression is one of the fastest growing medical problems in children today. Add to this an addiction to social networking, gaming and other addictive online activities, and we are at risk of losing a generation to the cyber world and to a chemical reliance on anti-depressants.

Learning leadership skills starts with learning to take command and control of oneself. It also starts with recognizing that the leadership wanted today is servant-hearted leadership. The old style of leadership that saw an unhealthy pursuit of power, privilege and position, is wrecking families, careers and even countries.

Quite simply, we must do better. The world is crying out for authentic leadership. The new generation must be made aware of their strengths, and their obligation to use their gifts for the greater good. Everyone can be a leader at some time or other, and everyone should be a follower at some time or other. Wisdom comes from making the right choice at the right time.


Question: Can you tell us about the 'Making The Right Choices' chapter?

Dr Tim Hawkes: Growing up in a mature fashion is all about learning to make wise choices. These choices can be macro choices such as choosing a life partner, a career and so on. Other choices are more micro. Will I pick up that litter? Will I respect the honesty payment system when buying honey at a farm gate? Collectively, these small choices are just as important as the macro choices.

Every choice is a test of character. It inquires about our values system and asks us, 'What sort of a person are you?' In the end, we are defined by the choices we make. Tragically, too many children are not well-equipped to make the right choices. 'Ten leadership lessons you must teach your teenager' is designed to help solve this problem.


Question: At what age should parents begin teaching lessons in leadership?

Dr Tim Hawkes: Leadership should be taught from infancy onwards. However, it should be taught in an age-appropriate fashion. The early years can be useful to begin learning about boundaries and there being consequences for behaviour. A reinforcement of these principles needs to be extended throughout the teen years together with other lessons such as making good choices, setting goals and being able to work toward a deferred reward.

Much of leadership in the teenage years is about self-discovery, learning and developing one's strengths and deploying these strengths in a responsible fashion. It also involves accepting increased self-sufficiency and learning to cope without a continual reliance on others.

Some leadership skills are inherited, but most leadership skills can be taught. Indeed they must be taught if we want our children to fulfil their destiny and make a positive contribution to the world.

Interview by Brooke Hunter