Leadership Starts Before The Badge.

Are We Choosing Future Leaders or Skilled Followers?

As schools prepare to select their 2026 student leadership teams, it’s natural to lean on the systems and processes that have served us in the past. These methods often reward students who are reliable, consistent, and engaged. But in today’s rapidly evolving world, we need to pause and ask:

Are we truly identifying future leaders—or simply rewarding excellent followers?

Four Questions Worth Asking

Before you begin your selection process, take a moment to reflect on these:

1. Leadership or followership? Are we selecting students with genuine leadership potential, or those who excel at following instructions?
2. Traits vs. depth. Do we assume visible traits—like confidence or polished communication—predict future leadership success?
3. Popularity bias. How much do peer or teacher preferences unconsciously influence selection?
4. Access and privilege. Are some students naturally groomed for leadership through family encouragement, while others with equal potential remain invisible?

What the Research Reveals

Emerging research, including my own doctoral inquiry (Geyer, 2023), shows that traditional school leadership models rarely translate into long-term leadership readiness—especially in entrepreneurial and unstructured contexts.

Interviews with successful leaders in South Africa and New Zealand revealed:

• Leadership roles were often assigned based on visibility, not potential.
• Students selected tended to be rule-abiding and compliant, rather than innovative or bold.
• Reflective, thoughtful students were frequently overlooked.
• Their leadership experiences felt disconnected from real-world dynamics.

These insights echo international studies (OECD, 2020; Day & Sammons, 2014), which highlight the need for leadership development rooted in identity formation, self-awareness, and complex decision-making—far beyond ceremonial roles.

A Practical, Inclusive Alternative

Schools have an opportunity to rethink leadership—not only to maintain functional systems but to intentionally develop changemakers, innovators, and resilient contributors.

That’s why we developed Leadership Mastery, a research-aligned, online course designed to equip all students—not just a chosen few—with the skills and self-awareness to lead.

What Leadership Mastery Offers

• 4–5 hours of engaging, self-paced learning
• Online access via the Leadership Literacy 4 Life (LL4L) platform
• Built-in quizzes with an 80% pass requirement
• Completion certificate for CVs, portfolios, and applications
• Affordable at under R300 per student

How Schools Are Using It

1. Whole-grade preparation: All Grade 11 students complete the course before leadership applications open.
2. Application requirement: Completion becomes a prerequisite for applying for leadership roles.
3. Post-election training: Elected leaders complete the companion course Elected Student Leaders to build shared vision and practical skills.

The Impact in Schools

Feedback from schools already using this approach shows a marked shift:

“The Leadership Mastery course helped me realise that I don’t need to be loud to be a leader. I just need to know who I am and lead from there.”
— Grade 11 Student, 2024

“We noticed an immediate shift in how our student leaders approached their responsibilities. They moved from managing to inspiring.”
— Deputy Principal, Gauteng

Let’s Rethink Leadership—Together

As your school looks ahead to 2026, consider how your leadership selection process can move beyond tradition—and toward future-focused, inclusive leadership preparation.

To learn more or bring Leadership Mastery into your school, visit https://enq.getlearnworlds.com/courses or contact me directly at sandy@enqpractice.com.