1. How to be an effective peer leader
Leadership Training
How to be an effective peer leader

2. Three Steps to Success Step 1: Know the Destination
Step 2: How do we lead?
method and framework
Step 3: Best Practices
Practical Leadership Advice

3. Step 1: Know the Destination
A leader is someone who guides or directs others
A leader should know where to go and what to do
A good leader will set an achievable goal for those who follow
They will know how to assist others in achieving this goal
It should not be the blind leading the blind

4. So, Where are we going?
St. John Bosco used to stop boys and ask, “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to heaven.”
Everything we do as a leader needs to be directed towards helping others to become living saints and to get to heaven.
This means that we need to do all things to strengthen the part-icipant’s relationship with God.

5. The blind leading the blind
This means that if we are going to be good leaders this week, we too must be focused on that same relationship with Jesus Christ
We need to lead by example and fully invest ourselves into this retreat
We should bring life to every activity and remain focused on the retreat.
You will set the environment by your own enthusiasm.

6. Leading towards Leadership
The goal of the Leadership Retreat is to make the participants better leaders
We also want them to be better Christians
It is important for us to seek and nurture the leadership of others
This means that our goal in this retreat is to become unnecessary
I must decrease so that they might increase

7. The Analogy of the Lamp
We want the participants to shine - they are the bulb
The retreat is the body of the lamp which holds the bulb up high & gives it structure
The adults are the base offering sturdy support for the lamp
You, the young team, are the power cord meant to feed energy into the system.
You empower them to shine!

8. Step 2: How do we lead? First and foremost, by example
By becoming a humble servant of the retreat director and the participants
Young Team should be the least of those on this retreat, your reward will be great in heaven
By sticking to the path that is laid out for us
By being aware of the needs of others
By positive attitude and Christian Love.

9. Salesian Accompaniment
The method of leadership we use with the Salesians is called accompaniment
This means that we do everything with our participants!
Nothing is too cool for us, nothing is beneath us, and we don’t ask another to do what we would not.
Sharing the experience allows us to lead from within, where we can gently correct and powerfully encourage the participants

10. Be Preventive! Our method is called the Preventive System
This means that we create the environment where we make it easy for the participants to do what is right
You don’t have to do bad things to have a good time
We use accompaniment to redirect behaviors toward the goals of the retreat

11. Preventive in Practice
Be aware
Look for objects, activities, or situations that may lead to trouble
Remove those objects, and change or redirect those activities or situations to more positive ones.
Know where the participants are
Look for participants who are left out, sad, not fitting in, etc. and accompany them

12. Preventive in Practice
Be Proactive
Young team MUST anticipate!
Anticipate the needs of the participants
Anticipate the needs of the director
Seek to be helpful
Prevent drama! Don’t cause or magnify it!
Intervene early
Bosco’s prison ministry was in the playground
The best way to help a prisoner, is to see to it that he never becomes one.

13. Preventive in Practice
Reason, Religion, Kindness
Lead and direct with gentle kindness
Give reasons for corrections
Keep God at the center of all your interactions
Encourage and complement participants
Be Joyful! It’s contagious!

14. The Analogy of the Egg The preventive system is like an egg
The team is like the shell, it keeps bad things out and it provides a safe environment for the yolk to grow
The egg white is the retreat itself, it nurtures and strengthens the yolk
The yolk would be the participants
If done correctly the yolk will grow, the participants will leave the retreat (egg) and will multiply the effect in other places.

15. Step 3: Best Practices
In this final step we will take a look at some very practical ways of being an effective leader
Ultimately your leadership is based on your own commitment to the cause
If you break the egg the whole thing dies and becomes corrupted
However the miracle of “New Life in Christ” will happen to you and them if you preserve the egg.
Here are some practical tips to help you be an outstanding leader.

16. The “oi!” Method
When you enter a room with the participants you should think, “oi!”
This means that you should “Work the room” from the outside -> In
Your first inclination will be to go where the action is, or where your favorite people are.
However, we are not here to satisfy that desire for games and friends
We are here to accompany everyone into positive growth through the community

17. The “oi!” Method
Look for the wall flowers and encourage them to come and join the fun
Look for the downcast and ask them if everything is ok
Look for the shy and encourage them to accompany you into the mix
Be patient and always inviting
Work in pairs! This helps.

18. The Wall Flowers We can’t fix the awkwardness of others!
Be gentle and inviting - don’t nag
Learn their names and use them!
Personal invites and group invites
Some things like dancing make people feel uncomfortable
You might offer to teach them
You might invite them over saying “come on over, you don’t have to dance.” etc.
You might sacrifice the dance floor to accompany them (Bring friends, its no pity party)

19. The Tough Guy/Gal
There are some people who are too tough or cool for everything less than their own super-coolness
You might break the ice by asking, “hey did you get tricked into coming?”
If they say, “No,” then you say, “C’mon we’re doing…x”
If they say, “Yes,” then you might strike up a conversation about it.
If they want to bash the retreat that’s fine
You should encourage them… “it gets better”
Stay positive and share some of the benefits you are gaining from it.
Chances are its only an act.

20. Prince Potty Mouth
This retreat is for God’s word to be heard in their hearts
We should encourage positive talk and and good language
Discourage swearing, complaining, and negative talk (don’t do it yourself)
Use humor
Use optimism
Use each other for support

21. Small Group Success Attitude is everything
Don’t be shy, ask the question, expect the answer!
When you give up, they give up!
Silence is Golden and Awkward
Don’t panic at silence if they’re not brewing up genius, let the awkwardness of silence provoke an answer.
Take your time, enjoy the conversation
Read everything before you start, know the gist of where you are going.
Then go fishing!

22. Small Group: Fishing
Start with a nice easy question, “Having fun yet? What did you like?”
Then follow your guide
Some questions get dismissive answers, those are nibbles on the fishing line
Some questions will evoke some enthusiasm, that is a bite
Don’t cut the line and recast a new question
Let the conversation flow until they become tired
Then reel them in with the next question

23. The Soap Box Star
Remember the lamp, empower them to do all the shining/talking in the group.
Some people have an answer to everything and can overpower your SG
This can reduce the rest of the group to “I agree… I agree… I agree…”
Try to spread around who answers the next question first
If you have a soap box star, ask if anyone disagrees or ask what the opposing argument is (unless its brutally obvious)
Be kind and encouraging, call on people who are not talking
Before asking “the next question” you might say, “Jack what’s on your mind?
You can also politely acknowledge a soap box star and suggest to them, “let’s encourage some other opinions.”

24. Personal Success Don’t forget that you’re on retreat too!
Immediately begin praying for the people you meet.
Stop into the chapel and pray for those who are struggling
Ask God to help your small group
Be a servant and invest yourself
You will learn a deeper self-less joy
Hopefully you will pass that same joy to others this same week.

25. Use the Adult Team Finally, you are not alone.
This week you have an amazing adult team to help you out.
The priests
The Director and Assistants
The Pre-Novices
Don’t try to solve every problem yourself, use these people for both advice and assistance!
Thank you for your sacrifice and your hard work!

26. Why do cows dress differently? They have their own brands!
Any Questions?
Why do cows dress differently? They have their own brands!