Campus Reform: George Washington University

This May hundreds of conservative clubs will die or become inactive due to the graduation of a leader.  Attrition of leadership affects every group on the planet and it is the leader’s responsibility to solve this problem. 

Some leaders may think a group dying after their tenure is a testament to their wonderful leadership skills.  They may say, “Only I could lead this group and when I’m gone, no one can live up to the high bar I set!”  This person is dead wrong and not a real leader.  A real leader should not be judged solely on what they accomplish during their time in charge, but also their effectiveness in the long run.     

A leader should always work to expand the number of leaders within an organization.  Here are two ways to expand the leadership. 

1.     Identify individuals who could potentially become effective leaders.

There isn’t a full proof formula to identifying leaders, but there are a few characteristics that are far more important than good looks, intelligence, wealth, or popularity.  Students who show sustained enthusiasm, the ability to work with others, and a strong work ethic are the people you want to lead.

·       Sustained enthusiasm:  Consider people with sustained enthusiasm the Minute Men or Paul Revere’s of your organization.  They will volunteer and work for your cause at a moments notice; they can be reached at any hour of the day, and are willing to work past 3:00 am to finish an assignment or project.   

·       Ability to work with others:  Being a team player and balancing various personalities with the group is a valuable asset in a potential leader.   

·       Strong work ethic:  A good leader should be willing and excited to work “in the trenches” to help any organization succeed.  It is very difficult to teach this trait. 

2.     Provide them with training and experiences to help them mature as leaders.      

Once you have identified students with the above characteristics, you need to train them to become leaders.  It is essential that your future leaders attend philosophical and technological training.   

Send potential leaders to as much philosophical training as possible.  Examples include: 

·       Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)

·       The American Dream Summit hosted by Americans for Prosperity

·       Values Voters Summit hosted by the Family Research Council

·       Making of America Seminar hosted by National Center for Constitutional Studies

·       Southern Republican Leadership Conference

Many of the groups that hold these conferences are always looking to boost attendance.  Be sure to ask for student discounts. 

Encourage your future leaders to take as much technological training as possible.  The Leadership Institute (LI) offers 40 different types of training courses that teach a wide variety of skills and tactics.  LI’s flagship program the Youth Leadership School.

The success of future leaders is directly related to the amount of knowledge they have. 

Think of Randy Rhoads, the legendary guitar virtuoso who played with Ozzy Osborne.  While on tour Randy Rhoads would check the local yellow pages to find guitar teachers.  Pretty odd for a so called guitar god, right?  Rhoads was always looking to learn more and incorporate many different styles into his playing, though the lesson normally ended with him teaching the guitar teacher how to play the solo of Crazy Train.  Before he died in a horrific plane crash, he planned to leave the rock n’ roll life style to study classical guitar at UCLA.

Future leaders should follow Randy Rhoads’ path and seek more training to develop a competitive advantage over their political opponents.  It’s the amateur who always knows everything and the expert who is always looking for more. 

Don’t let attrition and lack of leadership development kill your conservative group.  Current leaders, you still have time to mentor and prepare future leaders. 

For those graduating, will your group go by the wayside because you failed to develop a new crop of leaders, or will it flourish for years to come because you identified quality individuals with sustained enthusiasm, the ability to work with others, and a strong work ethic and provided opportunities to enhance their skills? 

Underclassmen, take initiative and prepare yourself for a leadership role.  Are you attending political and philosophical training to become a more effective advocate of liberty?  If not, contact your Regional Field Coordinator and check out a Leadership Institute training this summer.