Skills for Success

Leadership is the process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.

Leadership is not magic that comes out of a leader's head. It's skill. The leader learns how to get the job done and still keep the group together.

What is Teamwork?

Teamwork is defined in Webster's New World Dictionary as "a joint action by a group of people, in which each person subordinates his or her individual interests and opinions to the unity and efficiency of the group." This does not mean that the individual is no longer important; however, it does mean that effective and efficient teamwork goes beyond individual accomplishments. The most effective teamwork is produced when all the individuals involved harmonize their contributions and work towards a common goal.

While there are many skills that are necessary for success, communication skills are among the most important. Your communication skills can make or break your career. If you are good at communicating, there is a good chance that you will quickly advance in your career. On the other hand, if you are bad at communicating then it would be difficult for you to move higher in your career.

Time management is a key to successfully balancing all of the activities that are a part of your life. This is a skill that only becomes more valuable as you get older and have increasing levels of responsibility, more activities to participate in, and a career that translates your time into money. Still, it is never too early to begin managing your time wisely. Just think of the benefits - among others, doing more in less time (by getting organized), taking care of tasks before the last minute (beating procrastination), and making sure that the things that are a big deal to you get done (prioritizing), among others.

Saving money may not be as much fun as spending money, but it's still important to do. When you save your money, you can use it later to buy fun things (DVDs, video games, clothes) as well as pay for serious things like college or a car. The FDIC (a government agency best known for protecting bank accounts), has produced a guide to help teens get a better understanding of money management, including saving, spending wisely, deciding where to keep your money, borrowing and more. Check it out at http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news/cnsum06/index.html

Going to school, doing homework, working after school, completing college applications, joining clubs, doing chores, helping parents, and watching siblings are just a few of the things that many teens have to do everyday. With all this and more going on in your life, it is no surprise that you may feel stressed from time to time. In fact, 39% of American teens report feeling stress during a normal day (Fitzgerald, 2004).