What it takes to lead

Leadership is defined as a person who leads or directs a group for a productive purpose. To lead, you must know your goals and the path that you will take to reach said goals. You have to blaze the path for those you are leading to follow.

Kirstin Johnson, a senior at Wheatland Union High School, volleyball captain and Associated Student Body president, said, "To be a leader, I have to dedicate my time and make executive decisions to help everyone as a whole. Most important, I have to encourage others to set up and achieve goals."

Leadership is vital in executing tasks because without a leadership figure, many might not know what to do or how to do it.

Leadership can be found in many different areas and settings, anywhere from sports to charitable organizations. Some leaders are easier to spot than others, but leadership truly is everywhere.

In sports, the leaders are obvious because as team captains, they are easily identifiable. The less obvious leaders are those who facilitate events and those that come up with the plans to achieve their goals or tasks.

These are the leaders that are almost never noticed but are of great importance. They make your life run easier, and you probably don't even know who they are or realize what they've done.

WUHS senior class president Andrew Lit said, "Anyone can be a leader. You just have to be bold, courageous and have a lot of spirit."

These facilitators are the most important members of a team; they keep the rest of the team well-oiled and ready to complete any task that arises. To run so smoothly, many things need to happen.

Usually, each member of the team needs to be trained so that they can complete their job to the highest level of excellence possible. Then a plan is made and set into motion so that each member knows exactly what they need to do and exactly how they have to do it.

Finally, the event comes around — everyone should know where they are supposed be and what they are supposed do, and the leader will also make sure that everything flows. If a problem arises, the leader makes sure that it is dealt with as effectively as possible.

Leadership has no age limit. Though usually the older students or group members step into leadership roles, anyone has the ability to be a leader. Every group or team needs a leader regardless of size, skill or age.

WUHS junior varsity football captain Jordyn Jones said, "Leadership isn't easy; it takes character to be a leader. A leader has to be able to push others around themselves to make better decisions and to display behavior that should hold others to a higher standard. A leader has to do the right thing, especially when no one is looking at them."

Rafe Smith is a senior at Wheatland Union High School. His column appears every six weeks in Education.