Leading in an EMERGENCY - Youth

As a parent I experienced first-hand my children following more intently what I did rather than what I said.?My behaviour far outweighed what I told them to do.?As we raise our children we need to ensure that our actions and words are aligned.?If not we create confusion. Most people default to what is modeled for them rather than what they are told.

During the past two months I have been sharing my experience of?governance and ethics, specifically what we as leaders can do to ensure that we do not create an EMERGENCY.?When leaders choose to ignore the basics when it comes to ethics, we end up with large scale challenges.

As this series comes to an end I would like to focus on what leaders can do with regard to the Youth.?

For the last eight weeks I focused on the following topics which related to the word EMERGENCY.?The topics defined Ethics as well as Morals which can be personal or cultural.?No matter what your opinion or approach, you need to Evaluate how you feel and what the situation demands. If we do not do this the Ramifications can be very serious.?We need to look ahead and understand what the impact of our decisions will be. Good Governance is required to ensure that organisations, whether profit or non-profit can sustain themselves.?An absence of good governance often results in an emergency and ultimately the collapse of the said organisation.?Leaders need to Educate their teams and organisations as to what is right and what is wrong.?Nepotism is also not good and can lead to challenges as friends and family are may not be the best choice. When organistions ensure that there is a set of guidelines called a Code of Ethics, this helps to control business ethics and governance.?

The word EMERGENCY ends with a Y which represents the word Youth.

8. Youth

Don’t underestimate the value of the Youth.?They generally have good energy and the benefit of time on their hands.?Leaders need to embrace what the youth can offer and not ignore their contributions.?As a 56 year old I have greater influence on the youth than on my own generation. The secret to good governance and ethics lies in the experiences we share and model to them. When I do this, I can ensuring that the next generation of leaders have a strong ethical mindset.

Call to Action

Are you mentoring someone who is way younger than you??If not you are missing out! Mentoring is such an enriching process and you learn as much as the mentee.?By modeling good governance and standing up for what is right, we instil good habits. Good governance is not only what is seen in public. It is what we do even when others are not looking!

Any risk manager will tell you that if you want to prevent or mitigate an EMERGENCY you need to plan ahead and take the necessary precautions.?I trust I have given you enough food for thought as we reviewed the word EMERGENCY.? We have a massive influence on our children through what we do rather than what we say. Let us live this out in the work place as well. When we do this we start to raise awareness about good governance, clarify our moral and ethical practices for generations to follow.?

That generation can then influence organisations and society to ensure fewer emergencies. This will also influence the quality of leaders going forward.?