The Leader in Me How Schools and Parents Around the World Are Inspiring Greatness One Child At a Time
The world has entered an era of the most profound and challenging change in human history. Most of our children are not prepared, and we know it.
Parents around the world see the change and know that the traditional three R’s — reading, writing, and arithmetic — are necessary, but not enough. Their children need to become far more responsible, creative, and tolerant of differences. They need to increase their ability to think for themselves, take initiative, get along with others, and solve problems.
Business leaders are not finding people whose skills and character match the demands of today’s global economy, including strong communication, teamwork, analytical, technology, and organizational skills. They need young people who are self-motivated, creative, and have a strong work ethic.
How will we bridge this ever-widening gap? The Leader in Me is the story of the extraordinary schools, parents, and business leaders around the world who are preparing the next generation to meet the great challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century.
In 1999, the A.B. Combs Elementary School in North Carolina was on the verge of being cut as a magnet school and needed to find new ways to educate its students. Teachers and administrators began teaching practical, principle-based leadership skills — with remarkable results. In a short time, the number of students passing end-of-grade tests vaulted from 84 to 97 percent. Simultaneously, the school began reporting significant increases in students’ self-confidence, dramatic drops in discipline problems, and striking increases in teacher and administrator job satisfaction. Parents, meanwhile, reported equivalent improvements in their children’s attitudes and behavior at home. As news of the school’s success spread, schools around the world began adopting the mantra to “develop leaders, one child at a time.” Business and civic leaders started partnering with schools in their communities to sponsor teacher training and student resources. Each school and family approached the principles differently, but the results were the same — attentive, energized young people engaging in the world around them.
The best way to prepare the next generation for the future is to emphasize the value of communication, cooperation, initiative, and unique, individual talent — for nothing undermines confidence more than comparison. Whether in the classroom or at home, it is never too early to start applying leadership skills to everyday life. Drawing on the many techniques and examples that have already seen incredible success around the world, The Leader in Me shows how easy it is to incorporate these skills into daily life. It is a timely answer to many of the challenges facing today’s young people, businesses, parents, and educators — one that is perfectly matched to the global demands of the twenty-first century.
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Better Students Leads to a Better Country
This book begins with 8 pages of testimonies from Teachers, Community leaders, School Principals, and other Administrators all praising Steven Covey and his effective methods of success. The man is also the grandfather of 50 children and has trained heads of states and CEO’s all over the world. What more reasons do you need to read the book? Let me give you some.
The book instructs you put your children in mind stimulating environments. Covey praises this elementary school in North Carolina called A.B. Combs Elementary throughout the book. He considers this school a role model for all schools in America as it is known for its great teachers who teach leadership skills to kids when they are still in kindergarten. It teaches them to be responsible and respectful children and prepares them for greatness by teaching them the 7 habits.
The 3rd chapter titled Crafting a Blueprint is probably the most important one in the book. It talks about the approach called “the ubiquitous strategy” which is designed to motivate students to reach their true potential. Schools must go beyond teaching academic skills to instilling in children leadership skills that prepare them for life’s challenges. The chapter ends with a quote from Booker T. Washington that I think should be memorized: “Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him, and to let him know that you trust him.” The earlier a child learns to be responsible, the sooner he or she will mature and develop into a confident person with a strong work ethic.
Children these days are pampered and spend way too much time in front of the television. If they are not challenged in school, they will not be prepared to stand on their own two feet when the time comes for them to be independent. We can prepare kids to be adults by allowing them to participate in adult activities and do the things that we expect grown people to do. When I looked at the picture on page 83 of a boy in the fifth grade giving a speech to 140 adults, I thought about how valuable public speaking skills can be and how it is never too early to teach them. At the end of the book, he mentions the story of Helen Keller and how she was blind and deaf and had animal like behaviors but still ended up a successful student and person with the help of her mentor Anne Sullivan. Mr. Covey wants more Anne Sullivan’s who will go out of their way to get children to learn and not just view teaching as a way to collect a paycheck.
The criticism that I have of this book is that it does not even mention teachers such as Rafe Esquith who has turned underprivileged and at risk youth of central Los Angeles into some of the highest achieving students in the nation. He could have at least taken some tips from him and incorporated it in his book. He also could have mentioned Ron Clark, a teacher who inspired students in Harlem and raised their test scores and self-esteem to incredibly high levels. Both teachers have written bestselling books about their teaching methods and I am sure they would not have minded if Mr. Covey used their names in his book. I recommend you read their books as well as this one and you will have the formula for producing excellent students and productive citizens of society.
5 Stars Every parent must read
I picked up this book in a Toronto book store. I started reading and could not stop!! This book is eye opening to what a real child’s education should be all about. I am so excited and looking forward to incorporating these principles in my daughters’s daily routine.
4 Stars Elementary, My Dear Watson
With THE LEADER IN ME, audience is everything. Obviously it’s pitched toward schools in search of an ethics program, but parents might find it of interest as well. Still, to my mind, the book’s true target audience is the elementary school crowd. As over half of the book is devoted to elementary school case studies in general and the A.B. Combs Elementary School in North Carolina specifically, principals, teachers, and parents of elementary students will glean the most from this book. Yes, there are examples of middle and high schools thrown in — but they’re just that: “thrown in” to prove the universal appeal of the 7 Habits.
Speaking of, the 7 Habits are the foundation of the book (and, it would appear by the frequent plugs to a 7 Habits website, an entire industry). Covey encourages students to 1.) Be Proactive, 2.) Begin with the End in Mind, 3.) Put First Things First, 4.) Think Win-Win, 5.) Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood, 6.) Synergize, and 7.) Sharpen the Saw. Ample explanations (in layman’s terms) and examples are provided. Covey takes care to map out an approach, complete with suggestions and cautionary tales. It’s all good, but part of me was wary of the “training” which involved contacted the 7 Habits “people” (operators are now standing by).
Still, I like the message of the habits and am convinced that, with all hands on deck and complete acceptance by a willing school, this program could really turn an elementary school around. It is a positive and affirming approach — one that all in education know works — so there’s much to be said for embracing it. Perhaps it could be done without the training? You decide. If you’re researching approaches that can instill respect and responsibility in your school, reading this treatise on how schools can rally round the banner of “leadership” should be, at the very least, part of your research.
5 Stars The Best Book of Covey in Years Since First Things First
This is a great book about institutionalizing 7 Habits in Kindergartens and Primary schools. It is far better written than Living the 7 Habits, the 8Th Habit, and the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, since this is a real case book on how the 7 Habits paradigm was applied in teaching leadership to kids. The book is well written because it is written in plain English and less pretentious than Covey’s the 8Th habit (which is poorly written and filled with theoretical jargons).
Covey shows a lot of passion in educating future kids with correct principles that ignite their “primary greatness” like integrity, honesty, and responsibility. Many schools these days focus on developing kids’ competence in many academic subjects, but not necessarily developing their character.
This book is not only a good read for parents, teachers, and educators, but also for 7 habits lovers. Looking forward to reading more books written by Covey on 7 Habits real case histories and applications in the real world, especially in the business setting. Many of his previous books are too theoretical and focusing purely on principles (Living the 7 Habits is more like a “customer testimonials” book which is too much of a PR exercise!). This book certainly helps Covey break new ground in his book authoring approach.
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