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.