Do you find it sometimes striking the important dimensions that we miss as human beings?rnPeople who live in free, relatively stable societies get a daily dose of peace and regularity that citizens of war-torn regions around the world rarely, if ever, experience. Do you walk out into your world at least once a week and remind yourself of your own special circumstance?rnWhen you’re consistently angry in your home, it’s likely that you’re missing the warm, loving supportive moments that your spouse or partner could bring, or the excitement and goodness of your children. It is, in fact, our capacity for receiving that allows dimensions of the world around us to happen: you bring with you a receiver set that either encourages certain aspects of the world to come, or puts real limits on those things when your receiver set is broken—every day and in real time.
What I think is also notable that adults can miss is the wisdom and spirituality of young people. There are new theories of development that suggest that children have very dynamic spirit lives, more than we regularly imagine. (The success of such spirit-driven classics as C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia and J. K. Rowlings Harry Potter series is ready evidence that young people rally to the delights of spirit energy and ancient wisdom delivered in great storytelling.) In some ways, it isn’t exceptional that we miss the wisdom and spirituality in our young people, as we can often miss the wisdom and spirituality in ourselves.
I authored a book about leadership for a new generation called A Leader Becomes a Leader: Inspirational Stories of Leadership for a New Generation. One of the joys in the process of publishing is that authors get to meet the readers of their books in the years that follow the publishing. Imagine spending passionate engagements with young people who have terrific insights and ideas about the book that you’ve written.
What has been truly remarkable to me about discussing leadership with groups of teens and tweens is how committed and passionate they are about the subject. I was fortunate to have the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston sponsor visits to several of their clubhouses around the Greater Boston area. From Chelsea to South Boston, the vibrant interactions and passionate engagements that lasted some 90 minutes with rooms full of teenagers at the end of a long day were extraordinary human experiences. The young people sat on the edge of their seats, describing what they would do for their communities as leaders, based on the conversations that we were having. They were ready for action, and engaged in the potential of their own leadership visions and solutions.
Polycom, Inc, (
www.polycom.com), recently sponsored a three-state leadership education program with middle schoolers around the United States over their telepresence network. It was an extraordinary experience, teaching and learning with young people in real time in three different states.
After an hour of presentation and questions, one young seventh grader astonished me when she asked a particularly moving query: “If you were able to meet Dr. Martin Luther King, what would you ask him about leadership?’rnThe question’s rich nature knocked me back as a presenter, and I, frankly, had to gather myself before I answered.rnAnother young gal named Olivia was so poised and informed in her responses that we did a follow-up interview with her. As you watch Olivia present, remember a few things. The interview was live, and this seventh grader’s responses to my questions about leadership were spontaneous.
I worked to move the conversation to the most important aspects of leadership. There was never a time when she wasn’t right on subject—able to respond to conceptual issues around becoming a leader and the work that matters in developing the right stuff.
At one point I asked her what she would do as a leader—either now or after high school–with all that natural talent. She said that she hadn’t considered leading at all, until she had read my book and had the conversation. rnAmazing the dimensions of our young people that reside just below the surface.
I write this as the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear catastrophes in Japan unfold to our mutual horror. It has been reported that the coordinated response of Japan’s young people: their ability to lead, self regulate, and support the lifesaving efforts around them have been instrumental in helping save many lives.
Do you miss or remember the leadership, wisdom and spirit of the young people around you? They are becoming leaders as we speak, whether you do or not.