Young leaders urged to display strong values

SEVERAL YOUNG leaders across high schools in Jamaica were on Wednesday urged to uphold the fundamental values of leadership and excellence as they seek to elevate themselves while also helping to uplift those around them.

This view was shared by Dr Dana Morris Dixon, minister in charge of skills and digital transformation in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), who was guest speaker at the Targeting Educational Achievement in Caribbean High Schools (TEACH) Caribbean inaugural leadership and values conversation summit held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

Morris Dixon shared with the youngsters her own personal values, which she said have helped in guiding her daily life.

These values, she listed, are self-belief, service, setting vision, excellence, accountability, and learning (S.S.S.E.A.L).

“I know them deeply, and one of the things is no matter what job I do, those are consistent,” she said, noting that they have guided her in whichever position she has taken on whether in the private or public sector.

Reflecting on her own journey, which included various obstacles, Morris Dixon talked about how important it is to walk boldly in one’s purpose; understanding that there is an opportunity to learn something new everywhere and every day; taking pride in finding success in the small things such as being prepared, on time to functions, or ensuring to give of one’s best.

“Remember, leadership is not a solo journey. You’re not alone, you are on a path ... together, lifting each other up, learning from our failures and celebrating our successes and the successes of those around us,” she stated.

She further stated how crucial it was to remain accountable, to give back to society through service, setting a vision board or writing down one’s life’s goals, and to establish one’s own personal mantra.

“Sometimes you set your vision, and I want you to be very strong in that vision. But know that sometimes, circumstances change, and you must be ready to roll with it, and that’s important – that you are flexible,” she explained.

Senator Morris Dixon continued that to be a leader meant that one not only had to have intellect, but one also needed a heart guided by integrity, openness, resilience, excellence, and respect. She said that leaders were also individuals with a vision to drive outcomes that are principled, consistent, and value driven.

“It is widely recognised that for a country to reach its height, our next generation must embody leadership that is not only effective, but also routed in values such as dependability, diligence, and honesty,” she said.

‘Challenge yourself’

Morris Dixon encouraged the youngsters to apply all that they learnt from the summit and to also apply the lessons to their lives and “the most pressing issues” in their communities.

“I need you to challenge yourself to be the leaders that don’t just know the way, but go the way and show the way forward. It is your actions that will define the landscape of our future. Our future is in your hands,” she said, noting the importance of hard work, perseverance, curiosity, and a personal drive to excellence as they are the “life [and] blood of our nation [and] have carried us through the challenges of the past and will continue to light our path towards a brighter future”.

TEACH Caribbean is an educational, non-governmental organisation that was established by Jamaican Rhodes Scholars.

The summit was hosted in collaboration with the Office of the Children’s Advocate with the objective of helping to increase the consciousness of emerging student leaders on the importance of values in guiding their leadership.

Mariame McIntosh Robinson, co-founder of TEACH Caribbean and current national secretary for the Jamaica Rhodes Scholarship, shared that “outcomes are heavily influenced by leadership, and our goal is to support, educate, and have a conversation with the next generation of leaders on the importance of having values at the centre of leadership and decision-making”.

The summit targeted 100 high school student leaders and their chaperones from across the island who engaged in thoughtful discussions with a line-up of accomplished leaders from the public and private sector.

Shawn Palmer, a grade 13 student at St Mary High School, told The Gleaner that he learnt from the day’s session that “as youth [and as] young leaders, we need to go into spaces and to take up space, to add value. We need to go out there and to understand that we have the ability to do great things and to change the world.”

Palmer continued, saying that he also learnt the importance of networking and cooperating with others to achieve an overall goal that would be beneficial to others.

He said the summit was extremely helpful and said he was pleased with its organisers in targeting more rural schools as they didn’t often get the kind of attention regarding hosting youth-development events that schools in the Corporate Area are privy to.

“So, I’m really grateful that they were intentional in inviting us and having us here, and the speakers were very dynamic – they weren’t boring – and what they shared was relevant and impactful to me,” he said.

Demelia Gordon, a student at Mile Gully High School in Manchester, shared with The Gleaner that the summit went well and that she was pleased to have got the opportunity to be informed by highly accomplished leaders of society.

“For me, personally, I have learnt a lot about leadership because I do business, and so one day I want to establish my own business and lead, so I have learnt a lot,” she said, adding that this summit had encouraged her to build on her own character and to work towards overcoming her shyness.

asha.wilks@gleanerjm.com