Whether you have children or not, I think we all have a responsibility to do whatever we can to help those who are the next generation. It's easy for us to talk about those who are not living up to their potential, but what are we doing to even help them realize what that potential is?
During a recent conversation via Facebook with Tanisha Rankins, President of Customer Service & Efficiency Solutions (C.S.E.S.) and author Omegia Keeys I realized that this was a topic I wanted to cover in a larger way: both on the radio and in the magazine. I invited Tanisha on the show to share her thoughts, and these are the three highlights of that conversation:
DON'T JUST IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. BRING A SOLUTION:
"I was a part of a forum recently where everyone was talking about the problems in the community," Tanisha says, "but no one was willing to take the lead in providing a solution." This led her to a form of self-evaluation where she found herself asking what she could to herself to not only identify what might be wrong but take steps to offer a solution.
CELEBRATE THOSE DOING WELL, BUT DON'T NEGLECT THOSE WHO AREN'T:
What typically gets more attention are the negative things. What can we do to change the public perception that all young people are on the wrong track? "We can celebrate it (the good) and speak about it," says Tanisha. "In customer service you always hear about the negative. You have to look for the opportunity to celebrate those who are doing good." By doing this, however, she doesn't believe we should just ignore those who might not be doing their best. Tanisha says we have to work with them and do our part to pull out the good that they might not even realize is inside of them.
BE WILLING TO PUT IN THE WORK:
We live in a society where people want things quickly, but the change we want to see in our youth might take some time. "People want a quick fix," says Tanisha. "They are looking for the solution as quick as possible with as little work as possible." This is not always the way it works. Sometimes it is going to take time to cultivate the individual before you see the growth that is possible.
There is no easy answer as to how can consistently bring out the best in young people today, but by following the model of individuals like Tanisha and others, we can begin to see a difference in our area and use that to spread abroad.
Have your own ideas as to how to save our youth? We want to hear from you! Email me at cawebb4@juno.com or post on this article at www.conversationsmag.com. You can also stay in contact with Tanisha Rankins at www.tanisharankins.com.
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