Fresh Perspectives on Leadership

I recently watched a class of kindergarteners making their way down a long path on their way to dismissal. As the students fell into line, classmates assumed their various roles as line leader, caboose, door holder, etc. The second child in line declared, “I want to be the line leader.” The designated line leader exclaimed, “that’s my job.” As I braced myself for escalated emotions, and the possibility that I would need to intervene with a reminder of expectations, our leader at the front of the line turned to her classmate in the #2 spot and said, “how about if we hold hands?” Problem swiftly and deftly solved. It warmed my heart to see six-year-olds not miss a beat in finding a creative, win-win outcome. What more could we learn from these young leaders who bring fresh perspectives and creative solutions to age-old challenges? How might we think differently about what it means to lead effectively? And, how might we lead better together?