Pulling Together: How to Raise a Leader Who Can Win Without a War

Ever feel like your child is locked in a constant tug-of-war with classmates, teammates… or even siblings? What if you could teach them to drop the rope—not by giving up, but by pulling together?
🎙️ In this episode of KidLead Academy, Dr. Alan E. Nelson explores a rarely taught skill that sets future leaders apart: Lateral Leadership—influencing peers as equals without needing a title, rank, or authority.

Most leadership programs focus on leading down (managing others) or up (influencing authority figures). But few talk about leading sideways—and yet that’s where kids live every day. Whether it’s on the playground, at school, or during family projects, your child’s ability to lead their peers is a game-changer.
📌 Inside this episode, you’ll discover:
✅ Why “The Tug-of-War Rope” is the perfect visual to teach lateral leadership
✅ A brainy-but-fun Co-Leader Strategy Game to help your child align goals with a friend—even when they disagree
✅ A Consensus Challenge that builds fast-thinking, peer negotiation skills (great for siblings!)
✅ How to run a simple Peer Coaching Circle that makes giving feedback feel safe and productive
✅ And the magic of Leader-to-Leader Shout-Outs to build mutual respect after any shared task
✨ Plus, we unpack research from Stanford, MIT, and the APA that shows how peer collaboration accelerates problem-solving and predicts long-term leadership success.
For more info on KidLead Academy training course for parents, go to www.kidlead.com/kla
For free resources on young leader development, go to www.leadyoungtraining.com