Thailand Lessons

I recently made a quick trip to Bangkok, Thailand, where we're interacting with a leadership training company about bringing young leader training to southeast Asia.  What a wonderful group of people I met.  They have found what I discovered that adults don't change very much or very easily.  I was delighted to see how Thai preteens and teens responded to the interactive learning events and how well they accomplished the tasks and lead each other.  As in the other cultures I've observed, certainly some students quickly display their leadership aptitudes, others hesitate a bit, and some just don't grasp the matter.  Young leaders have much in common globally.  I'm excited to work further with this company, in hopes of bringing KidLead's expertise and passion to Asian countries.  We have a certified trainer in Korea and are negotiating with an entity in Singapore and Malasia.  One thing this culture values is investing in the new generation and giving them a leg up.  At the same time, there is a strong value for respecting those with life experience, the mature and teachers.  This seems like a refreshing combination. 

Although I love America, I am sensing that KidLead's fastest growth may be outside of our culture.  I'm reminded how Alfred Deming introduced "total quality management" in the States with only modicum response, but the Japenese embraced it quickly.  The result is that years later, Toyota, Honda, and other companies from Japan where beating their American competitors with quality products.  Regardless of the culture, I applaud those who "get" the concept of investing in new generation leaders for the purpose of making long term impact on society.