Racism - A reality and a challenge.

I have, in all my travels around the world, always prided myself on the ability that the people of our country have to talk about racial matters and issues.  Those of you you have had similar international experience will agree that this is generally something that is not discussed in polite company in most countries.

At work we have a culture of very open discussion, and over lunch we often handle matters that can shock outsiders who are visiting,  Race and religion are two favourite topics, and I am continually surprised at how the discussions reveal how little we understand about our fellow South Africans, their culture, understandings and viewpoints.  

For example, one of our Tsonga colleagues, admitted that when growing up he had always thought that when white people smiled at him when they walked past him, that this was them being condescending and even laughing at him. It was only years later at varsity when he saw them doing it to each other that he realised it was "just a crazy white thing". But imagine he never had that opportunity, and every time a white person walked past and grinned at him he took offence, how would that change his perception of white people over time?  

Likewise, during the recent #feesmustfall campaign, a discussion of how everyone's studies had been funded showed that everyone in the room, white and black, had been required to pay for their own studies by working, and at best been lucky to get bursary funding in their third or final years as their parents had not been in a position to fund their studies. No freebies or parental handouts for anyone!

Also understanding the expectations that the family have of a black graduate in South Africa was an eye opener for the white staff, most of whom had only been expected to assist their families after they were financially established if at all.

Taking this to a bigger picture, if we are ever to move forward as a nation, with one common goal that we all  can buy into, we first need to learn more about each other.  It doesn't mean we will all agree on everything, but if we take the time to understand other people's view it makes agreeing to disagree a lot easier.  It also means when we disagree on one point we have enough common ground to find a way to deal with the issue rather than throw up our hands in despair and walk away.

We have all of us, Black, White, Coloured and Asian, grown up with myths about the "other" South Africans, and unless we engage with those self same other South Africans to discuss what we understand, we have only those myths to work from, with all the misunderstandings they will cause.  

If, as Scouts, we are to be Messengers of Peace in our communities, we have a responsibility to learn and encourage other people to reach outside of their comfort zone and learn about our fellow citizens. It's tough and its uncomfortable at times, but the value of the fruits will speak for itself.

And in achieving this we have an advantage in that, as a youth based organisation,we can learn from the children who engage without seeing race, or the other petty divisions we use to artificially carve up humanity. 

In his closing address at the First World Jamboree in 1920, Baden Powell asked, "Brother scouts, I ask you to make a solemn choice. Differences exist between the peoples of the world in thought and sentiment, just as they do in language and physique. This (First World) War has taught us that if one nation tries to impose it's particular will on others, cruel reaction is bound to follow. This jamboree has taught us that, if we exercise mutual forbearance and give-and-take, then there is harmony. If it be your will, let us go forth from here determined that we will develop among ourselves and our boys that comradeship, through the world wide spirit of the scout brotherhood so that we may help to develop peace and happiness in the world and good will among men. Brother scouts, answer me- will you join me in this endeavour?”

Well will you.......

Garden of Character

First Harmelia showing some of the fruits of their Food for Life Garden

I was fortunate enough to be able to witness Mr Scott Teare's closing address at the 2015 Africa Scout Conference held in Kampala, Uganda.  In his very moving closing speech, Scott moved the audience with a visual description of his understanding of Scouting, which I would like to share with you below.  I hope you will be as inspired by my humble sharing of these words as we were by his sincere and frank presentation of them.

Mr Scott Teare (Secretary General, WOSM)

In Scott's own words:

"Scouting actually plants a "Garden of  Character".

No matter how small the space or the growing conditions - we can always plant a simple Garden of Character.

Here is my suggestion as a start of such a garden.

No garden would be complete without five Peas: Promptness, Preparedness, Politeness, Perseverance and Prayer.

I would also plant four Lettuces: Lettuce be Loyal, Lettuce be Helpful, Lettuce be Friendly and Lettuce love one another.

Perhaps some squash would be good too: Squash gossip, Squash criticism, Squash indifference and Squash prejudice.

And no garden would be complete without at least three Turnip's: Turnip with a smile, Turnip with new ideas, Turnip with real determination to do all we can to include as many young people as possible.

The harvest of such a garden will be tremendous!"

Scott finished his speech by reminding us all that:

"Today young people spell Love T-I-M-E.

They just want  a little of your time to help them feel love and have faith in them.

Thank you for giving TIME, for giving your love."

With inspirational leadership and a shared vision as encompassing as this, how can we but succeed in Scouting!

SSA Contingent prepares to head to Japan World Jamboree

Today we wish all the best to our 178 delegates who are heading off from all over South Africa to join over 32,000 scouts from around the world at the 2015 World Scout Jamboree in Japan.  For many of these participants this will be the first time they travel internationally and for some their first long distance flight. 

But this year’s contingent is also going to be experiencing another first.  This contingent are the first to be wearing the new South African national flag badge.    The badge, which is modelled on a beaded South African flag, is very representative of our South African Scouting Family.  

Each one of us, like the individual beads portrayed on the badge, brings our own personal splash of colour to the table, be it red, green, blue, black, white or yellow.  At first glance, we seem like a swirl on a palette, full of potential to be anything we can imagine.  But when we work together, we form the pattern of something meaningful, in this case the symbol of our incredible rainbow nation.

The badge is circled by coloured rings representative of the three branches of Scouting.  That is yellow for Cubs, green for Scouts and red for Rovers.   The rings bind the flag in much the same way as these branches of Scouting help prepare and contribute towards the growth of our members as contributing and constructive citizens of our country.

We know that our contingent will have an incredible experience and we are proud and grateful that they have been part of the launch of our new national SCOUTS South Africa flag badge as they take it out on its maiden trip to show the world the calibre and value of South African Scouting.

You left me no choice....

How often do we have people in authority (parents, scouters, bosses, government) talk about having no choice when announcing an unpopular decision?

This point has been on my mind a lot lately as I am in the process of dealing with a internal disciplinary matter.  The volunteer in this case has clearly violated a number of conditions of their service and the simple answer is to boot the individual out as they left me no choice.  Or did they?

We always have more than one choice in any set of circumstances.  I could ignore the offence and hope it goes away, but that has ramifications for both myself and the organisation that I am unwilling to tolerate.   I could throw the book at the person, kick them out and as a consequence lose their potential value and future contributions to the movement.  I could rap them over the knuckles and provide support to get them back on the team page but that will require work and explanation internally.   I am sure you can also think of many other options I could consider.

As a leader you have the responsibility to mentor, train and develop those in your organisation. When you state as a leader that you have no choice, what you are actually saying is one of two things, either you don't like the consequences of the alternatives you have considered in responding to the offensive action, or you haven't bothered to spend the time and energy to find an alternative.

Own the decisions you make!

I will have to make a choice between the options I have seen or thought up, but at the end of the day I am choosing an action deliberately to (hopefully) achieve a greater goal.  When you send the message that you have no choice you are actually just letting others decide for you or shirking the responsibility of your role.

No-one said the job as leader was going to be easy or all sunshine and roses, but the right call today - even the thorny ones that come with lots of pricked fingers - is off far greater value in the long run. And never forget that with a little work you can often trim the thorns off.

On International Woman's Day

Emma Watson, in addressing the UN on gender and equality said, “How can we effect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation?”

We are fortunate to live in a time when, in most of the world, discrimination on the basis of gender is, at the very least, frowned on.   Recent research by McKinsey, on the performance of listed entities is providing demonstrable evidence of the benefits of mixed gender boards, and show this effect to be true across many different cultures and economies.  As with all forms of discrimination, we still have a long road to travel before we can comfortably say that all men and women feel welcome to the table to engage on all topics, but we have the openness to realise a unique opportunity to build on the unique and often complementary leadership styles that woman bring to any given situation.  

So this International Woman's Day, let us celebrate the potential and contribution of the women who are all around us in our homes, organisations and everyday life.  

Be prepared!

When Benjamin Franklin woke he claimed to ask every morning "What good will I do today?" 

As  Scout, present or past, you are called on to be prepared everyday.  Having a plan and an objective for each day is part of that preparation.   

As an active contributing member of your family/company/community, what is your plan today and how will you make a difference?

The Rules or the Principles

Every organisation has one; the go to guy who knows all the rules backwards and can quote them chapter and verse.  But are they a good leader or a good library?

Many managers are measured., incorrectly I believe, for their ability to hold their staff to work within the rules of the organisation.  But is this the correct way to develop and grow their leadership and their team?

Often the rules are drafted to govern the lowest common denominator and are a attempt to codify the principles of the organisation.  But we all realise that, given the vagaries of language, that even the most carefully worded laws or rules are open to interpretation in their implementation.

If you understand the reason for the rule in addition to the letter of the law you are far better placed to guide your team and deal with issues as they arise.   A blind application of rules often leads to what can only be called a  miscarriage of justice and defeat the objectives of the movement.

So my advice is that you spend your time understanding the why rather than learning to merely recitng the rules

As We Celebrate Youth Day Remember the Power of the Youth

As the people in South Africa celebrate Youth Day today we are reminded of the ability and power of the youth to change the world.  Their efforts, passions and effectiveness as expressed on that June in 1976 were echoed by the impact of the youth in Tiananmen Square, Egypt and elsewhere in the world. 

The youth typically have two characteristics that made this possible, a total absence of fear of consequences and the ability to see the world in black and white.  The spread and functionality of the internet and social media allows people to leverage these characteristics to spontaneously organise a group or groups of people who see the world in absolutes and aren’t afraid to try and change the world when they see an evil.   

This, if anything, places a higher responsibility on those of us who are parents and role models for the youth of our society.  Not to attempt to direct their thinking, but to provide them with a moral and ethical basis that provides them the knowledge and competency to properly wield their power and authority in the world as it changes. 

We don’t have, and shouldn’t have, the authority to dictate the decisions they make, but we do have the obligation to give them a firm place to stand when they make those decisions. In doing so, we give them the ability to evaluate and assess ideas that are presented to them, allowing them the right to make the call.

If we do our job well they will make the right decision in that moment for both them and us and make the world a better place.         

Why you should Vote!

Walter Judd said “People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions (in a democracy) are made by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote – a very different thing.”  When you choose not to vote you are choice to give up your right to have a say in the way the country is run and the decisions that are made.

As representatives of an apolitical organisation, while not supporting any particular party, as Scouts and Scouters, we have  a responsibility to train our members in citizenship, of which voting is a critical exercise.   So while I do not advocate for any particular party I will encourage each and every one of our members to exercise their constitution right because we are fortunate enough to live in a democracy which means that we get a say in who runs our country and how our country is run.

The only way democracy works is if citizens, young and old, are active participants.  If we like what we see we should vote to show our support for the incumbents, and if we don’t, we should vote to express our dissatisfaction and if enough of us agree we can change things.

South Africa, spots and all is seen internationally as an example of an emerging democracy, if we wish to realize all that this means for the betterment of the lives of all South Africans, we need to stand up and make sure our vote counted!

Here are some reasons you should be voting tomorrow:

1.       If you don’t vote you really have no right to complain about government decisions you don’t like.  It’s a bit like not ever giving feedback to a person, how will they ever change to reflect what you want/need?  Your vote is your voice. When we vote, we are actually telling elected officials and lawmakers how we feel about education, public safety, social security, health care, and other important issues

2.       It sets a positive example to your children, your neighbors and your friends.   As a leader in your community you have a responsibility to demonstrate what it means to be a citizen.

3.       Voting means you believe in the democratic process.  It represents your right to freedom of speech and like any muscle if you don’t exercise it you will lose it in time.

4.       If you do not exercise your right to vote, you are missing out on a great national privilege and a significant personal freedom! Less than 20 years ago a large number of our country’s citizens went to great lengths and personal costs to secure the right to vote, would you give that up so easily?

5.       The reality is, your vote does count!  Remember: there is power in numbers, and when we vote and get our family members to vote, we can truly make a difference. If you don’t vote for what you believe in, others will – and you may not like the outcome.

6.       Our Youth are depending on us to represent their voices.  Because our children can’t vote, we have to do it for them. That’s how we make our concerns about schools, safety, housing, and other issues heard. When we vote, we are looking out for our kids, and their futures.

7.       Voting changes communities.  Do you ever wonder why one neighbourhood gets passed over for things it needs, while another seems to get it all? One big reason is voting. When we vote, we can get results that we can actually see and if you don’t then you should be voting for someone who will provide the changes.

8.       If you are old enough to drive, you are old enough to decide who makes the decisions that materially will affect your life! 

And remember the words of Franklin D Roosevelt when he said, “Nobody will ever deprive the people of the right to vote except the people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting.”

Do your bit and come 7 May join me in casting your vote, and if you didn’t register this time perhaps this might make you think about your reasons for doing so. 

Keeping your eye on the ball

I just had the pleasure of flying out of Shanghai International airport.  One of the most impressive thongs I saw was a change over of the immigration officers.   In good chinese order the new shift came on to replace the old en masse. 

Now standing in the queue the sight of the new officers marching in was somewhat disheartening.  However during the whole change over process the rate of checking passengers wasn't even slowed or hindered.

The new officer walked up and as soon as the current passenger was processed the new officer sat down and logged in while the officer being replaced stood and processed the next passenger manually.

Two minutes and all of the officers were replaced and not even a breath of delay for the passengers.  

There is a lesson in this.  They need to protect the interests of the country which include the perception of the efficiency of the airport staff.   By taking tbe effort of a little inconvenience to themselves by processing a passenger standing up they went the extra mile to ensure satisfaction for the client.

So when next you are tackling a task make sure you understand the entirety of the objective and work towards it.  Don't get so focused on one aspect (protect the country) so as to forget the bigger picture (market the country)  as so many other country's customs officials do.

Photoshop your life

Hi my names Brendon and I am an amateur photographer!

I am.very concious of my amateur status especially when my humble offerings are compared to those of friends and family with a somewhat more artistic and skillful bent.   

But the one thing we all do with the advent of digital photography is "pixel push".  For those of you not into photography, this is the act of importing the picture into a piece of software and tweaking it  to look better.  Sometimes better means more realistic and sometimes not.

Which is pretty much the choice we all.have on a day to day basis.  Life, not unlike your camera, presents you with an experience that can turn out dull, overexposed or just plain wrong.  Your choice, before saving it to memory, is whether to tweak it, delete it or let it stand.

Covey famously called this opportunity to edit an experience "the space between action and reaction." 

You cannot always control what happens in your life but you can control how you remember the event and the impact thereof on what you do going forward. 

So photoshop away! Sometimes while you tweak the picture you will notice something incredible that you didn't intend to capture but was there waiting to be found.

Have fun and enjoy 2014!

Transparent Passion

I have recently had the pleasure of renewing my acquaintance with an old scout master of mine.  This gent, has been at first glance been a rolling stone, working as game ranger, environmental engineer, project investment facilitator, and strategy adviser to some of the largest legal firms internationally.  All this while being a devoted husband and father.

Looking back at some.of my memories of some of the hi-jinks we got up to with him, from having blanks fired at him in a staged drive-by shooting to make a first aid incident, to hiking through the outlands of Lesotho in a region now covered by the Katse Dam, I can surely attest that any self respecting youth organisation in this over-cautious over-protective age would throw the book at him and slam the door behind his back. If we are to believe some of the modern pop culture and urban beliefs we should all be scarred and damaged by our experiences.

And despite that fact it is immediately apparent that even now, thirty years down the line he still has the respect of the men who he taught, mentored and led in his time as a scout master.  Why?

There are several reasons but what stands out is this. He always lived what he said. He had no double standards.  

He was larger than life and the role model all young men needed - the rough and tumble guy who was out there doing something that he believed to be meaningful to the greater whole.  He was human and undoubtedly made mistakes but he owned up to them.  Not as a martyr or victim but humbly acknowledging his role and accepting the consequences.  I believe that same transparent integrity is part of the reason he is now held in such high esteem internationally by his clients.  

If we look to the leaders we are exposed to today so many of them are afraid to just be who they are, and as a result they undermine their integrity with each and every action or statement they make, retract or reframe. As the leader no-one expects you to be perfect, but you are expected to stand for the statements you make. Next time before you make a statement or decision or assertion think this - Would I be willing to defend this in public? - and if the answer is no then perhaps consider not making it. 

Lighthouses and Lanterns

The Chinese have a saying about "Crossing the river by feeling the stones under your feet" (摸着石头过河).  It is not surprising that the sense of uncertainty that this describes scares most people.  You cannot see what lies ahead and your entire world knowledge narrows to the sensation of your feet and toes. 

As a leader in times of change we have two responsibilities, firstly to provide a vision of where to go,  a lighthouse if you will, that stands on the horizon and beckons to our people.  And while the air is clear that works well, but sometimes the fog settles in and while we still can see the diffuse glow on the horizon we can't see where to walk.  When that happens we can either let our people suffer the dips and turns of fate as they feel their way across  the river or we can be the lantern that shines and show them just that little bit further along the way.

 

Its hard to be the lantern though when you are only just feeling the stones yourself, but that is what you signed up for when you took up the challenge of being the leader.  And for all of us, at times we will stumble and fall and need someone else to bend and pick us up and help us relight out lanterns when we loose our way.  That's not a weakness but simply a good application of a little situational leadership

Don't be afraid to seek out that help when your can't see your way, and remember that however dark the night gets or how thick the fog is, the lighthouse is still there shining - it might just be a little hard to see at the moment.

Nelson Mandela - A Scout for the World

This blog is about a man who for me epitomises the spirit and essence of volunteering and offering of service to a greater cause.  Mr Nelson Mandela.  A little known fact is that Mr Mandela is the Patron of Scouting in South Africa, and for many of us around the world he is a living example of the ethos of Scouting.

Some time ago Madiba appear on Oprah Extract from the Actual show with editorial comment from Oprah and made several statements that just brought this to the forefront.

The first was when on arriving at the studio he asked the Producer what the subject of the show he was to appear on was to be so that he could be prepared.   The Producer was amazed and said "Nelson Mandela,  you are the subject of today's show."   As a man who gave of himself his whole life, he could not conceive that anyone would want to dedicate an entire hour to talking about him.  He was only doing what he saw as a task he undertook to do.  His humbleness should be an challenge to us all in giving service without seeking
or expecting recognition. We work for the goal, not for the kudos.

The second statement he made on the show was "You have a limited time to stay on earth, you must try and use that period for the purpose of transforming your country into what you desire it to be."  Can there be a higher calling for any person but to spend your life your time and your energy to do just that.  As volunteers working with the youth, we have the ability to change the hearts and minds of the nation and that is no small responsibility.

Pompeii

Some of you may have heard the lyrics of the song Pompeii by Bastille:

"But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?

But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like you've been here before?

How am I gonna be an optimist about this?

This resonates very well with most peoples experiences of large organisations and change.  The more you try to change things, the more you run into obstacles.  These obstacles might be structural, in that the rules don't permit the change needed, or they might be soft people issues.  The structural issues (rules) are generally easier to deal with as most organisation have defined protocol for the review of internal regulation.  The soft people issues are another matter entirely.

People resist change, and especially management imposed change, for a number of reasons.  Most of these reasons devolve down to a fear of the ramifications of change - What if I don't understand the changes? What if the changes take away my (real or perceived) power? Or worse what if it empowers me and makes me RESPONSIBLE?

Of course there is also the ostrich response of ignoring the change - I will keep doing it the old way and eventually the enthusiasm of the change champions will wear away and I will be left alone.

So as the leader how will you deal with these responses? How do you take the fear away and drive the team so that after the "change" has taken place you don't only notice how much the new is the same as the old.

Well, for starters, you need people to understand and be privy to the process.  When they understand the need to the change something, be it a rule or a process, it makes ignoring it or being fearful of the consequences harder to to justify to themselves.  Allied with that you need to be prepared to make the hard decision of pruning the branches that refuse to realign with the changes.  This is a challenge, as many times the people who want to ignore the change are the stalwarts of the organisation, those people without whom you simple cannot cope, or at least that's what they would like to believe. And yet if they are keeping you from moving for the benefit of the organisation you have little choice but to act or else abandon the change.

So next time you plan to change something in your organisation, be it from the bottom up or the top down make sure you are willing to carry it through - or anticipate a sense of Deja Vu.

Get out now!

When I look back at my days growing up in the scouting organisation I realise that while I learnt many technical skills in the Friday night meetings, the real life skills and growth experiences came when I was out in the bush, camping and hiking.

I can remember the nights under the starry African skies sitting around a fire as it burnt down talking and listening to others talk about life and their experiences.  There is something about a fire in the outdoors that encourages people to share their thoughts and lives in a way few other settings do. 

And in the rough and tumble of being away from home and the "restrictions" and excuses of modern snivelization we learnt how to stand up for ourselves, what mattered to us and what we actually were capable of - many's the kilometer I hiked when I was convinced in the morning I could walk another step. 

We also learnt independence and the strength of working as a team and how to balance them. And none of these lessons were learnt sitting being lectured to, they were learnt by getting dirty doing things and by emulating the role models we had.  Much of my personality today, and the parts I like, reflect elements that remind me of some of them especially the Rob Millard and Peter Wintermeyers of the world.

I often wonder how to recreate that openness to learn and safe place to experiment and grow in the workplace. What comes so naturally to children seems sometimes to be such a challenge to adults who are overly conscious of others' opinions.

As as the world grows and seems to be busier and faster, I wonder what our scouts (and more so other young people not fortunate enough to be involved) miss out on as we see less and less people making the time to get out camping and into the great outdoors. 

Whatever you do don't deprive your kids (and scouts) of this opportunity.  Make the time to give them the memories of smoke drifting up from a dying campfire between the leaves into a star speckled sky as you talk in hushed voices.  Those will be memories and lessons they will treasure all their days.

Leading in Crisis

Situational leadership dictates that you should employ the appropriate leadership style (or leader) for each context and group.

But in an emergency we all tend to fall back on our natural leadership style. You know, the one that we all have, like a favourite coat that we really shouldn't wear in public anymore.

So what do people you lead want in a crisis? They want to know you are there for them and that you have their backs.  Your team needs to understand that the solution is more important to you than finding a scapegoat to blame for the crisis. 

They need to understand that you will work with them to achieve the solution and take on any external pressure to shield them.  More than anything they need to believe that no matter how bad the storm.is that you see a way forward.  When they see you loose your way then they start to panic.

So how to acheive this?

1. Communicate the infomation you have about the situation clearly to them.

After all, anything you understand is far less scary than the unknown.

2. Have a plan and let your team understand the plan.

If they see a steady hand at the tiller they will be more.confident and trust you.   If you need to break down and rave about the situation do it elsewhere away from.the team.  And always have a plan b, c and d.  Only the very  simplest problems don't have unseen complications. Be ready for them when they arise.  And if you only see one choice you have blinded yourself to at least two others namely doing nothing and going crazy, and if you missed those what other options are there that you haven't seen?

3.  Never ever lie.

The only real currency you have in any crisis situation is your team's trust.  When you lie, even with the best of intentions, you undermine your credibility and everything further you say will be suspect.

4. Share the ups and downs

Keep the team abreast of the successes and setbacks in resolving the issue.  The openness adds to your credibility and the team may offer solutions you didn't see.

5.   Accept that you cannot solve all the worlds problems

Be open to the fact that some issues are bigger than you or your team.  Don't be afraid to seek support or input either from your team or from the right outsiders.

Ping.... Ping...... Ping......

That's the noise that has been heard every four minutes on one of the local radio stations (702).  Why you might ask?  According to the latest statistics every four minutes a rape is perpetrated in South Africa and this is part of a Lead SA Campaign to bring awareness to this horrific state of affairs.

So what does this terrifying statistic have to do with Leadership? The answer to that question is two tiered and speaks to the social context and the response and leadership exercised by people to these incidents. 

If we look to the social context we must acknowledge that most people, sociopaths aside, attempt to live up to the role models  that they see.  If the perception is that might is right and that the person with power (political, physical or psychological) has the ability to do and get away with anything, then what is the incentive to not take what you want and act without considerations for consequences that, in truth, are unlikely to arise. 

Underlying this perception and attitude is a sense of deep frustration.   It is often seen that in a group of people when they feel powerless to change their situation, and see no light at the end of the tunnel, they compensate by (viciously) exercising whatever power they can in their circle of influence.  The more disempowered the individual the smaller circle of influence becomes and the impact falls on neighbours, wives, children and those who randomly happen to be passing by. 

Consider how you would feel if you had no education, no money, no job and no reasonable way of changing any of those facts legally.  When society either directly or through its actions effectively tells you that you are of no value enough times you come to believe it and you no longer value other people.  The ramifications of that belief play a part in what we see happening with every ping.... ping ...... ping.

This context and frustration in no way excuses, exonerates or justifies any such heinous act. As a member of any society we have the obligation to stand for what we believe is right and value, and to speak out against the abominations that is signified by each lonely and intrusive Ping.

So how does social leadership come into play?   In stepping up to your responsibilities as a member and citizen of any society, you can display leadership in your daily life.  

When did you last treat every person you meet as a valued member of society? Not just because you needed something from them or because you felt sorry for them but because you truly believe they have a role to play and are of value?

   

And when you saw someone acting contrary to that belief how did you respond?  Did you turn you head and pretend not to have seen?  Did you close your ears to the cries and the scream and the condemnation?

To be a leader doesn't only mean standing on hill waving a flag, it means stepping up to your values and living them in your day to day life.    It means being an example, a role model - even in the small things.

If every one of us just impacted the lives of three or four other people in this positive way it would be incredible what could be achieved.   We all have the potential to be social leaders; it doesn't take any special skills or position, just self-belief and trust in your own values.

Every Ping on the radio is an indication of a opportunity to change things that didn't happen in time.  What will you do to stop the Pings? 

Do you treat your Members as Passengers in an Airport or as Family

I have the "pleasure" of travelling a significant part of the year for business and so have a unique appreciation of airports and their foibles.  Some of you who may appreciate some insights that one of Seth Godin's recent blogs triggered for me.

As a leader in an organisation that deals with youth in clearly defined age groups, there is a temptation to treat them as passengers passing through an airport, a necessary, but ultimately irritating temporary engagement.

So to paraphrase Seth, there are so many things we can learn from what they (airports) do wrong:

1. No one is (visibly) in charge. The airport doesn’t appear to have a CEO, and if it does, you never see them, hear about them or interact with them in any way. When the person at the top doesn’t care, it filters down to what the members / passengers experience.  What's worse is that when they get special treatment when they engage with the system they don't understand what everyone is complaining about.   Unless the management suffers the positive and negative ramifications of the rules they promulgate, how do they know if the changes they make are positive for the organisation.
2. Problems persist because organizations defend their turf instead of embracing and tackling the problem. The middle manager (DC) blames the operations (Group) people, who blame someone else, and around and around. Only when the member’s problem is the driver of organisational behaviour (as opposed to people attempting to maintain power or the status quo) do things change.
3. The organisational offering (think about all those little stores offering items no one buys in airports or in our case the Scout and Cub Programme)  is aimed squarely at the (disappearing) average of the market. People who like fancy luggage and expensive shirts never have a problem finding something to buy at an airport, but when can you find a package of panado’s or a toothbrush?   Apparently, organisations haven’t realized that we’re all lot more used to being able to get ultimate variation in offerings and have come to expect it from everyone.  The average Joe has gone and we have a million different people in his / her place all clamouring for what they need.
4.  Airports see customers, as sometimes does Scouting its members, as powerless transients. Hey, you’re going to be gone tomorrow, but the organisation will still be here, so your opinion is of less than any value.  Besides you are one of a hundred possible members/customers so why should we value you?
5. By removing spare capacity, airlines create failure. In order to increase profit, airlines work hard to get the maximum number of flights out of each plane, each day. As a result, there are no spares, no downtime and no resilience. By assuming that their customer base prefers to save money, not anxiety, they create an anxiety-filled system.  We take our volunteer base and try to minimise the people in our support structure and try to maximise the people who are supported by them.  We figure that a more efficient service support is “better” for the people on the ground, and sometimes lose sight of the comfort that is lost as we lost the visible people of the support structure for the groups on the ground.
6. The Organisational leadership is ruled by superstition and rumour, not fact. They often act without data and put on a quite serious but ultimately useless bit of theatre to support these. These rumours and beliefs become the reality of the organisation despite the glaring gaps between these and the facts on the ground.
7. The ad hoc is forbidden. Imagine an airplane employee bringing in an extension cord and a power strip to deal with the daily occurrence of travellers hunched in the corner around a single outlet. Impossible – it will never happen. There is a bias in most organisations toward the permanent and improved, not the quick and effective.  Why do we not delegate power to make changes and the responsibility for those changes that are made?  Could it be that we don’t trust the people we appoint?  These actions say more about the organisation than about the people who work in it.
8.  Everyone is treated the same. Effective organizations treat different people differently. While there’s some window dressing at the edges (I’m thinking of slightly faster first class lines and slightly more convenient motorized cars for seniors), in general, airports insist that the one size they’ve chosen to offer fit all.  We all believe in the fairness of dumbing down the system to provide the same standards to every member, but are the needs of a group that serves youth without parents the same as those of a group that has an active and committed parent body?  Does a group of members in the deep rural areas require the same support and systems that a group in a modern urbanised suburb does?  Clearly not and yet we insist on one size fits all.
9. There are plenty of potential bad surprises, but no good ones. You can have a flight be cancelled, be strip searched or even go to the wrong airport. But all possibility for delight has been removed. It wouldn’t take much to completely transform the experience from a chore to a delight.   When was the last time you were delighted by an organisation that actually made your life easier?  What have you done to delight and surprise the people who you support?
10. No one is having any fun. Most people who work at airports have precisely the same demeanour as people who work at a cemetery.   How often have you heard of adult members delighting in the programme they are going to run on Friday evening - it happens but its rare!   When did volunteering become a chore, a job that had to be done, instead of fun for both the adult and the youth members?  I would argue that this is partially that we have lost the community of scouting were we can share our joys and our successes – let’s take a leaf for the cub scouters – for most of them scouting is a game writ large.
11. Lastly Airports and many scout groups are sterile. Everyone who passes through leaves no trace, like every morning starts anew. There are no connections between people, either fellow passengers or the staff. No one says, “welcome back,” and that’s honest, because no one feels particularly welcome.   When a cub goes up to the troop, or a scout finishes and wants to come back either as a Rover or a Scouter, who goes out of their way to make that person feel like they belong and that their on-going committee and contribution is valued?

If we don’t take a lesson from this we as Scouting run the risk of mistaking our (one time and long passed) market domination for a you-have-no-choice monopoly.  And make no mistake there are hundreds of choices out there including people just staying at home.  If we are looking for merely reliable, predictable outcomes, we are losing sight of our actual goal which should be motivating and enabling our members to realise their full potential and excel.  

So next time you sit down to write that Friday programme consider this, when the kids go home will they have had an airport experience or feel like they are leaving a warm family environment.  The choice to make this a reality is in your hands.

Passionate leadership

With my recent run in with a burst appendix and subsequent septicaemia I was given a front row (bed) seat to observe teams and leadership in action. Almost to a person the nursing staff, despite poor salaries, are dedicated trainees and professionals who really care about the treatment they give their patients. But one thing become glaringly apparent; two of the head ward sisters made a point of going to speak to every patient every day to monitor mood and progress. These same sisters were not only window dressing but also available to coach and train and up skill and motivate their teams.

By comparison one of the glaring counter examples was a sister who I only saw once when she came in to dismissively tell the trainee nurse how she had botched a dressing. Her offence in this was compounded in that it was done In front of me, the patient, having previously refused to come coach the trainee in how to do the job despite being requested to do so

For anyone who has ever had an infected wound irrigated and packed can tell you if done correctly it is uncomfortable and if done wrong the pain will have you climbing the walls. And the difference between these lies predominantly in the confidence of the person performing the procedure and to much lesser extent their skills.

So what's the leadership lesson? Do you imperiously dictate instructions to people who are nervous and out of their depth in your organisation and then further undermine them by critiquing that work in from of their client? Or do you monitor the pulse of your organisation and step in, not to take over, but to support your team when they need it, thereby building confidence and comfort in asking for help.

I believe that we all need to step off our podiums to work with our teams instead of working off flawed assumptions of skillsets and competence and then blaming those who never had a chance in the first place. Otherwise we risk stifling ourselves and our teams potential for success in the rarified atmosphere of the ivory tower.