Kids and Core Values

I am a member of the “Boomer” generation. We were raised in an era when America was changing from an agrarian based culture to an industrial culture where innovation drove the life-styles for most Amercans. The shifting of agrarian and industrial gears during and after WWII brought the United States into a leadership position in the free world. American innovation increased geometrically. Life styles changed dramatically with each passing decade from the 1940’s to today’s 2026 electronically enhanced life style. The ways in which kids are educated has changed dramatically with the availability of technology, the prevalent media resources, the normalization of two income families and the stresses that are common across all human age and development levels. With the very significant cultural changes that have occurred, we have experienced educational swings that are often confusing and frustrating to the parents and grandparents of today’s kids and grandkids. Are there basic educational elements that parents and grandparents should learn how to present to today’s kids in order for them to handle the America that they will inherit?

I have been thinking about what elements of a child’s development and education are most important in order for them to grow into the leadership that will be required going forward in America. My “take” on this topic has landed on identifying two characteristics that will form the basis of developing leaders for the next hundred years. Our leaders of the future must recognize and develop the understanding and importance of “Trust” and the concept of “Servant Leadership”. These characteristics are critical for sustaining a successful country in which individual freedoms permit each of us to grow and prosper within the context of a society that recognizes the value of the potential that all of us possess. “Trust” and “Servant Leadership” are characteristics that must reside as basic “Core Values” in tomorrow’s citizens and leaders.

In order to teach our families about “Trust” and “Servant Leadership”, we must fully understand the meaning and scope of these vital values. Years ago, a very good friend introduced me to a book that has served as a basic tutorial on trust. The book was written by Steven Covey and is entitled, “The Speed of Trust”. While the focus of this book is on trust within the world of business, the elements of trust are described in ways that can be translated to each relationship that we encounter in life. It enumerates and describes elements such as self-trust, relationship trust, organizational trust and societal trust. I recommend that each parent and grandparent consider how trust is taught, developed and valued in each of our homes. Trust is the foundation of building relationships within families, communities, nations and the world at large.

While I have read several definitions of “Servant Leadership”, my understanding has been developed primarily through the education that I received from my tenure in the U.S. Air Force. Servant Leadership consists of two fundamental co-located concepts, “mission accomplishment” and “welfare and development of the troops”. I have recently completed the reading of “Once Upon an Eagle” (required reading at each U.S. military academy), a huge novel about two officers as their careers unfold. One officer follows a track of political advancement while the other officer leads with the premise that, by taking care of, having empathy for, and developing the skills of his troops, mission accomplishment is vastly improved. The servant leader is developed by training, experience, making and overcoming mistakes, and continually focusing of the welfare of those in his/her proximity, command/organizational structure, community and family.

“Servant Leadership” and “Trust” are entwined and cannot exist without each becoming the “Core Value” of the leader. These concepts are taught, demonstrated, and developed first in our families, then in our nation. They form the basis of successful life transitions. They instruct each of us that we must “grow in order to teach” and that we must “teach in order to grow”. It is our duty as parents, grandparents, friends and fellow humans to hand these value down to our succeeding generations.

bill@safeharborpathways.com