Trapped in Perpetual Peripheral Participation: Unseen and Undiscovered Leadership Potential

The present study is focussing on the leadership potential at schools that goes unnoticed, unacknowledged and un-nurtured. Traditionally, schools focus on children/learners whose leadership traits are encouraged and developed through conventional structures such as the prefect system and the leadership schools/camps that selected candidates are sent on. By developing the concept of Leadership Cocoons, this study is drawing attention to individuals whose potential for leadership lies hidden in a chrysalis form that is masked for leadership selection by pervasive, generic, norm-generated criteria. Such individuals are trapped in a situation of Perpetual Peripheral Participation around communities of leaders. As a means to explore the above issues, the paradigm of Cultural Psychology has been selected.