How to Be a Leader

Every group needs a leader, including in your cabin, at your table, and in your classes. It is important for you to establish your role as the leader from the beginning. If you don’t, we assure you, a camper will. Here are some pointers for successful leadership.

Boundaries

From the beginning of camp, you should let the girls know what is expected and what the rules are for each situation. Just as you will go over the rules in your department area at the beginning of the 1st class, you should also make your expectations clear in the Dining Hall, cabin, and wherever you are with a group of girls. If you make the boundaries simple and clear from the beginning, you will avoid unneeded frustration later. All boundaries should be consistent with Greystone rules and should be reasonable.

Be Consistent

Once you establish the boundaries, you should follow through with them. For instance, if you tell the girls that they will help pick up the balls at the end of each Tennis class, then make sure that you have them all participate. If you get slack on a rule (like letting the girls talk during Rest Hour) they will take advantage of it the whole session. Likewise, if you let one girl get away with not participating, the other girls will get slack too.

Follow the Rules

You should follow all the rules too. When campers need to be quiet for announcements, you should be quiet too. Girls do what they see! Remember “Model” from CAMP? This is where that comes in!

Motivate

This begins with enthusiasm! Be excited about your class, table, or cabin being the best! Encourage the campers and point out what they are doing well. Be specific; for example, instead of saying, “Great job” you could say, “Cat, you did a great job sweeping today!”

Be Fair

Girls are excellent scorekeepers! If you give one a nickname, be ready to give them all a nickname. If you braid one girls hair…you don’t have to braid them all everyday, you can take turns. Just make sure that they each get a turn.

Focus

Focus on the campers, ask them questions, find things you all have in common. Paying attention to and getting to know them will show them that you care. They will follow your leadership better when they know you care about them.

Be Loyal

Be loyal to the girls and to camp. If you talk badly about campers behind their backs, all those who hear you will lose respect for you. If you have a problem with a policy at camp, bring it up with the directors. Complaining about campers, counselors, and camp will only bring people down.

Privileges

You will have privileges that the girls don’t. You should not talk about them with the girls. They don’t need to hear that you talked on your phone and drank a Coke at night. Remember, keep the focus on the girls, not yourself.

Show Love

Love the girls and each other the way you want to be treated. Respect, kindness, and focus will go a long way in establishing great relationships and having the most positive influence on the girls.