Leadership Through Service: How Working With Youth Redefined My Perspective
Leadership is often described in terms of authority, strategy, and results. Yet some of the most powerful leadership lessons come from environments where titles carry little weight. Volunteering with young people reshapes how leadership is understood and practiced. Through real connection and shared growth, youth volunteering reveals that leadership is less about control and more about guidance, empathy, and consistency, especially when trust is built through shared experiences that influence growth on both sides. Working with youth removes the distance that often exists in traditional leadership roles. It places leaders in situations where authenticity matters more than expertise. Letting Go of the Need to Have All the Answers Many leaders enter volunteer roles believing leadership requires certainty. There is an expectation to instruct, correct, and direct. Youth quickly challenge this assumption. They are perceptive and responsive to honesty rather than authority. When leaders admi...