The Youth Amidst Today’s Leadership Crisis
Various articles published in Reuters, Bloomberg and other news outfits have all reported about today’s leadership crisis in the United States. At this, there is a question regarding the efficacy of mentorship to our youth at present. Mentorship equals the command in our present education system towards the generation that is next in line to govern the nation. This is the generation that will care for us (the generation that they are taking over) and will nurture the next generation (the one that will eventually replace them).
A leadership crisis implies that there is a shortage of competent individuals to take over good governance as determined by credentials to prove their capacity. This is the reason why there are many leadership institute that endorse themselves through the internet and leadership training programs pioneered by both contemporary and conventional universities. Leadership training programs have been taught as short term courses or elective courses by most universities but since this leadership crisis occurred, many aspiring leaders, today’s youth, have enrolled themselves to these courses because there is simply a great demand for employees at the managerial line.
The youth, in general, are full of untapped potentials that may come from those good educational background or those who have yet to prove themselves academically. The truth is a good leader knows a good leader. The crucial part now is spotting the Joshua who will succeed Moses. While most say leadership starts at the heart, the good youth leader should not be bereft of skills. Of course while the youth’s potential maybe there, the skill may still be at the novice stage, after all experience is the best teacher. In this sense, it may be said that mentorship and guidance must be at its peak. For if that untapped potential is directed at the wrong causes or discourage at grass roots, that prospective youth leader may go through a series of detours before he reaches success.
In some, there should be effective mentorship and guidance with less selfish motives to help the youth of today take its stand to the good future that we all aspire.
Read MoreThe Value of Sports
To the youth, sports, music and art are extra-curricular activities that is born out of hobby but significantly creates a diversion from other unhealthy activities that fill the boredom in their time. The youth of today, like it has always been, have an insatiable drive for adventure and extreme curiosity for new things. There is simply no fear for trying out new things. The youth possesses so much energy for doing out many things that channeling these energy on the right activities would help them build a good future.
Sports is one of the healthy things many government programs indulge in to cater to their constituents at their youth. Sports create a strong ground for discipline and a foundation of self-control against many things. In the chaotic world that we are in at present, violence is around every corner and the issue of drugs, unsafe sex, unemployment, less value to education behest many homes. Sports are used by most educational facilities and most local government to divert the attention of their youth into fruitful activities that will help boost their confidence and make them achievers.
Sports can effectively stabilize the capsuled energy of the youth which if channeled to wrong avenues may lead to a series of indecisions and eventually regrets. Sports can serve as an avenue of trust for fellow youth and a sort of mentorship to their instructor. Other physical activities such as dancing and martial arts can serve as a tool for discipline as well. The essence of sports is discipline and integrity and not just excellence. These are virtues that ensure future success. Not only does sports ensure that time is well spent for the youth at present but they also ensure a good future. While the physical advantage is all but obvious when you indulge in sports but it gives emotional wellness as well.
Read MoreLife After Drugs: A Youth’s Confession
Addiction is not something I would normally understand because my life is surrounded with so much simplicities that I find myself only at the attempt of defining what a drug addict really feels. At this, I am a failure. I cannot accurately place myself in the place of a person who is addicted to drugs because I have never been on drugs and I will never feel their “high” when they are in it and their “’low”’ when they are not in it. I live with a teenage sister who has been into drugs and this has caused pressure on our family but I believe more strain on my sister.
When my sister was still 16 years old, she got up going through high school with the “wrong”’ crowd. I dislike quoting them as the wrong crowd because I know they’re just misunderstood. They are not quarrelsome people who bully others. They are teenageers who live under an unhealthy home. Drugs for them is not just a form of curiosity but an escape route from their troubled homes. My sister does not live in a troubled but she understands the lifelong longings of her peers and identifies with aspirations. This is where the camaraderie began.
My sister get not get hooked on drugs to the point where she needed intervention to stop it. Unlike her peers, she did not have enough reason or wanting to stay on drugs. What took a while for us in the weaning process of drug dependency was the re kindling of trust. Trust was not easily given by our parents as before. Thus, finances were limited on the part of my sister; time was also restricted for her. This closed certain opportunities for her such as studies outside of the town, where she would not be monitored. Drugs took a toll on her life not only physically but also emotionally. Confidence was at its low. My sister has now graduated with a degree in tourism and she is yet to prove to my parents that drugs did not stop her from getting a good future. For me, the fact that she said no, is a milestone in itself. And I’m proud of my sister whether or not she earns a million or not.
Read MoreA Good Youth Leader
The first impression that you get when you think of a leader must necessarily be veteran and experience in a lot of aspects. Another thing is that he should have been a good follower. Superficially you will that a good leader is someone who is a good speaker for being a leader implies a good grasp of command to a unified but diverse following. Track record is also another factor. With all these attributes determining a good youth leader is rather difficult for a good youth leader must necessarily be determined by a potential successor.
Identifying to the heart of a youth is a rather difficult task when you find yourself being surrounded by career driven people. Knowing that a youth is a generation that is resistant to commands and is tenacious to rules makes the task more tedious but once you get the youth’s attention the experience is worthwhile and rewarding. For you have now gained the respect and authority over a loyal breed. The generation of the youth maybe hard to tame, but once you have captured their attention and interest, you can execute with lesser doubts and increased flexibility.
If you have earned the interest of the youth, you have now put yourself in a good position to spot potential youth leaders. To a good leader, a successor is not threatening because a successor implies continuity and perpetuity of the causes which you, as a leader represent. What better generation to find a successor than among the youth, who is still conducive to learning and molding. Mentorship holds greater responsibility than just mere teaching. Basically, teaching may only involve a conveyance a set of learning skills and theology. However, mentorship acknowledges a sense of responsibility towards your successor and a feeling of accountability to his future actions.
If you have found yourself a good youth leader, there lies before you a holder of generation and your key to the future, your access to immortality; that, when you are no longer existing you can be sure that your legacy continuous.
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