By Linda Fisher Thornton
How do we help young people become ethical leaders? This is an important question because our long-term future depends on how well we prepare young people to make positive ethical choices and respect multiple dimensions of ethical responsibility.
‘We can certainly no longer pretend that our children are growing up in a peaceful, safe and civilized world. We have reached the point where it is irresponsible to protect them from the irrational world they will have to live in when they grow up. …They are considerably braver than most adults. Our responsibility to them is not to pretend that evil will disappear when we are not looking, but to give them weapons against it.”
—–Madeleine L’Engle, A circle of silence
We have an obligation and an opportunity to help children and teenagers learn how to become responsible people and good leaders. What else can we do besides model what it looks like by living positive values? One of the most important things we can do is help them know themselves as ethical people. They are still learning and defining themselves. We can let them know that they are good people, and we should not deviate from that message, even when they make mistakes.
We can help our young people build a foundation for thinking about ethical challenges. We can help them learn that ethics is about positive actions, not about the ethical mistakes that often appear in the news. By helping them interpret what is happening in the world according to positive ethical values, they can make ethical choices.
We must remember that young people are adults in training.
Another important role that parents and teachers play is to encourage young people to realize their potential and be the best they can be. This support requires a growth mindset, not expecting perfection but encouraging their long-term growth.
“Treat a child as if he is already the person he can become.”
—- Haim Ginott
This support for “who they will become” can help give meaning to their lives as they navigate an education system that can seem burdensome and a society that is a work in progress. We must encourage young people to serve others and make positive and lasting contributions in their communities.
Young people need help learning how to succeed in living positive ethical values in a world full of distractions, conflict, and negative messages. Our job is to help them focus on positive ethical values and know themselves as good people. We can be a filter, an interpreter and a beacon for them as they find their way.
Unleash the positive power of ethical leadership
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