Every high school has students in leadership positions–student council presidents, yearbook committees, and editors of the school papers. But you don’t need to have a leadership position to be a leader. Leaders rally people towards a better future together, and you don’t have to be elected to do that.
Here are five examples of ways you can be a leader in your club or organization even if you haven’t been elected to lead.
1. Unstick a project.
Maybe your club, organization or team has a project that’s been stuck, something that the group has been slow in accomplishing. Why not make it your job to unstick it and get it done? If it’s too big for one person to do, be the one who takes on responsibility for driving the project forward and solicit volunteers to help you.
2. Grow the group.
A lot of organizations need more members to really be successful. Make it your mission to find and recruit new members and help the group grow. Come up with creative ways to get the word out. Organize activities designed to allow potential new members to learn more about what you all do, like a “Get-to-know-us” barbecue. Approach people who you think might enjoy what your group does and invite them to come to a meeting.
3. Solve a problem.
What’s something that’s slowing down your group’s progress or inhibiting your success? Make it your project to find a solution for the problem. If your choir needs more sopranos, or your school newspaper needs more advertising, or the French club needs money for its annual luncheon, you could be the leader who solves that problem yourself (or organizes the team effort to do it).
4. Organize all-star teams.
In a lot of clubs and organizations, teams of people come together based on who is interested in the project. But those teams may or may not have the right people needed to get the project done. What if you put a team together for a project based on the relative strengths of the members? For example, if you’re planning the homecoming dance, put an all-star team together. The best math student can be in charge of keeping track of the money. The most organized person can keep track of all the project’s details. The funniest member can actually have a job of doing comic relief and keeping peoples’ spirits up when the stress builds. And here’s a bonus tip. When you’re putting together an all-star team, ask the quietest person in the group what they would like to do and encourage them to join you. Sometimes it’s the quiet people who have the most to contribute–they just haven’t told anyone yet.
5. Put one of your own skills to use.
If you know how to make good websites, offer to make one for the drama club and put up clips of each of the members’ best performances. If you love to write, start an email newsletter for the student council and write articles so useful and interesting that the student body will want to opt-in and read them. If you can play guitar, put a small band together to play at the next club fair. You’re not leading a group, but you’ll be leading by example as someone who’s enthusiastic and committed to the group.
You don’t need the title to be a leader.