Help students understand what leadership really means—and recognize that leadership is demonstrated through action.

This ready-to-use leadership lesson introduces students to the foundations of leadership through discussion, reflection, real-world scenarios, and interactive activities. Students will explore what leadership means, identify leadership behaviors, analyze everyday situations, and consider how small choices can demonstrate leadership.

Rather than focusing on titles or positions, this lesson helps students begin looking at leadership through actions, behaviors, impact, and influence. Students will use the Leadership Lens to examine what someone does, who their actions affect, and how those actions demonstrate leadership.

Designed for grades 6-12, this flexible lesson works well in leadership classes, advisory, SEL, character education, CTE, student leadership programs, youth programs, workshops, and other settings where students are developing leadership skills.

What Students Will Learn

Define leadership in their own words
Identify behaviors that demonstrate leadership
Recognize leadership in everyday situations
Analyze real-world situations using the Leadership Lens
Describe qualities and behaviors of effective leaders
Recognize how small choices can demonstrate leadership
Identify opportunities to practice leadership in their own lives

What’s Included

Complete PowerPoint lesson
Facilitator Guide
Student Reflection Worksheet
Three Interactive Leadership Activities
Student Assessment
Answer Key
Discussion Prompts
Reflection Questions
Leadership Lens: LOOK → THINK → CONNECT

Activities Included

What Is Leadership? — Student Reflection Worksheet

Students explore their existing understanding of leadership, consider examples they have observed, and begin developing their own definition of leadership.

Leadership Behaviors — Scenario Analysis

Students analyze real-world situations, identify the behaviors being demonstrated, and determine whether those behaviors demonstrate leadership. Students explain and defend their reasoning using the Leadership Lens.

Leadership Signals — Behavior Sort

Students work together to sort leadership behaviors into Leadership, Not Leadership, or It Depends, encouraging discussion, critical thinking, and respectful disagreement.

Build a Leader

Students create a visual model of an effective leader by identifying leadership qualities, behaviors, examples, and the characteristics that make those qualities important.

Perfect For

Leadership Classes
Advisory Programs
SEL Instruction
Character Education
Student Council
Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO’s)
Youth Leadership Programs
Middle School
High School
Leadership Workshops
Youth Development Programs

Flexible Implementation

This lesson is designed to be flexible and can be used as:

A complete 45–90 minute leadership lesson
A workshop session
Advisory or homeroom instruction
SEL programming
Leadership club activities
Small-group leadership development
Youth leadership programs

Low Prep • Ready to Teach

Everything you need to teach the lesson is included in one ready-to-use resource.

Simply open the PowerPoint, print the student materials, and facilitate the activities and discussions.

Foundations of Leadership

This resource is part of Wylde Leadership: Lead for Life, a growing leadership curriculum designed to help students develop practical leadership skills through self-discovery, reflection, discussion, practice, and real-world application.

What Is Leadership? serves as the foundation for the series, helping students establish a shared understanding of what leadership is before exploring how leadership works in practice.

New leadership lessons, activities, assessments, and classroom resources are added regularly to support students as they develop the skills to lead themselves and others.

Follow our store to stay informed about future releases and new leadership resources.

Leadership isn’t just a position you hold. It’s something you demonstrate through the choices you make.

Lead for Life

What Is Leadership? FULL Lesson | Leadership Activities & SEL | Grades 6-12