One of the most common is something is threatening or affecting them personally. The other part of leadership is communications skills. So, I utilize a lot of class time in communications skill building. The idea is to empower the students so that they will feel more comfortable about becoming a leader should they so desire. The Great Debate Both of these subjects are matters of considerable controversy in the U.S. today.
People often feel very strongly on many of the topics to be discussed in such a course.
Abortion is an example of a topics with very strong positions on each side. I think it is very important that each person be able to understand the arguments on each side of the issues. And, indeed, to be able to take either side and discuss and debate the issue with good information from that perspective. The period of several years of experimentation has produced the principles listed above. These have been utilized in a series of courses ranging from introductory to advanced undergraduate.