Tiffanie Drayton - Developing Political Leadership Skills

Published in 2020 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010

Copyright 2020 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Drayton, Tiffanie, author.

Title: Developing political leadership skills / Tiffanie Drayton.

Description: New York: Rosen Publishing, 2020 | Series: Be the change!

political participation in your community | Includes bibliographical

references and index. | Audience: Grade 7 to 12.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019009962| ISBN 9781725340787

(library bound) | ISBN 9781725340770 (pbk.)

Subjects: LCSH: Political participationUnited StatesJuvenile literature. | Political

leadershipUnited StatesJuvenile literature. | Political candidatesUnited

StatesJuvenile literature. | Political activistsUnited StatesJuvenile literature.

Classification: LCC JK1764 .D73 2019 | DDC 303.3/4dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019009962

Manufactured in the United States of America

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A POLITICAL LEADER?

CHAPTER TWO
INSPIRING AND CULTIVATING THE LEADER IN YOU

CHAPTER THREE
THE SKILLS OF A POLITICAL LEADER

CHAPTER FOUR
GET TRAINED, GET INVOLVED!

INTRODUCTION

M ost stories about great leaders focus on the remarkable impact they had on the world. Sojourner Truth escaped from slavery to become one of the most influential speakers on civil rights and abolition. Abraham Lincoln courageously took a stand against slavery and steered the United States through the trauma of the Civil War, ultimately ending slavery and forcing the country to stand on the right side of history. Barack Obama became the first black president of the United States after serving as an Illinois state senator and working as a grassroots community organizer in Chicago. But what is often left out of these remarkable stories is how these great women and men developed the key skills they needed to become inspiring leaders and make a change.

The truth is that leaders are made, not born. Everyone is born with the capacity to become a great leader, but not everyone gets the opportunity to develop his or her natural-born talents. This is especially true for those who have limited access to political education and economic resources. Although there are millions of young people in America, the voices of youth are among the most excluded in politics. Young people often struggle to gain the respect of older politicians, who may view them as uninformed and lacking necessary leadership skills. As a result, they are left out of political conversations and not allowed to take part in decision making, even when they will be directly affected by the outcomes.

Sojourner Truth was born into slavery and escaped to become a prominent activist in the civil rights movement. She was a skilled and inspiring leader.

Young people who are interested in making their voices heard in the political arena can take a stand to change this situation. By understanding what it means to be a political leader, developing leadership skills, and becoming more aware of political issues, young people can break down the barriers to their political involvement and demand to be heard. Whether it be by running for student council to ensure schools hear and respond to the needs of their student body, starting a campaign to raise awareness about a particular issue, or working toward a bigger goal, such as running for office or even becoming the president of the United States, there are many ways that savvy aspiring leaders can sharpen their skills, participate in the political process, and have a real impact in their own communities and beyond. As Harriet Tubman once said, Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.