By S. Hadi Abdullah                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
RECENTLY, we have been inundated with articles on social                                                                                              
problems especially those posed by teenagers. The role of                                                                                             
parents, teachers, the Government and the community at large                                                                                          
has come into question.                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
The emphasis on the need for guidance and leadership for the                                                                                          
young brings to mind a number of examples, including 8 study                                                                                          
done by the Harvard University. Prof John Kotter, professor                                                                                           
of Leadership at the university, conducted the study on 115                                                                                           
students who were in the MBA class of 1974. The students were                                                                                         
presidents of companies, running their own concerns, generally                                                                                        
holding very senior positions.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
The study, which covered the period 1973-1993, among other                                                                                            
things discusses the importance of early childhood in the                                                                                             
success of those studied. Attitudes with regard to career                                                                                             
progress and upward mobility seemed to have passed from                                                                                               
mothers and fathers to most-of the class of '74 children.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
The comparison used is the National Opinion Research Council's                                                                                        
ranking composed of 13 items which addresses the question                                                                                             
"What is desirable in a child?"                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
Kotter's discussion with the study group showed that there                                                                                            
were many similarities, but also some stark differences (see                                                                                          
table).                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
Parents of his group placed a higher value on "trying hard to                                                                                    
succeed" and a very much higher value on "being a good                                                                                      
student."                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
Being honest and being responsible had the highest value                                                                                              
placed on them. Obeying parents and being considerate to                                                                                              
others took a rather lower standing than the US Study, which                                                                                          
took the opinion of the population at large.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
The author notes that "this kind of value environment could                                                                                      
produce very self-centred individuals. But it could also                                                                                              
create highly motivated people who are willing to challenge                                                                                           
the rules of the game."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
The study showed that mothers were highly influential (paying                                                                                         
attention to details and everyday things) more than half of                                                                                           
the class said so. Some 50 per cent of the fathers fell into                                                                                          
this category, while 53 per cent of the class took their                                                                                              
fathers as role models.                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
All of them said that they learned from watching their parents                                                                                        
trying hard to succeed. In some cases -parents put up tough                                                                                           
standards for them when they were young. "I could never please                                                                                   
my father" was a typical comment of a sub-group.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
Parents also made it a point to emphasise that financial                                                                                              
independence was crucial in today's living.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
Alan Martin, a senior vice-president of the First National                                                                                            
Bank of Los Angeles, was quoted as saying that he had to be                                                                                           
better than his father, an account executive. "This idea was                                                                                     
communicated in both subtle and not so subtle ways."                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
His father was his role model, and he remembered clearly his                                                                                          
mother's reaction to his report cards. Both parents also made                                                                                         
him aware that he was fortunate and that he could not expect                                                                                          
to succeed by just coasting along instead, he had to work                                                                                             
hard.                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
His determined parents counted for much. As he became smarter,                                                                                        
they kept raising the bar. Talking of his success, he said: "I                                                                                   
do not completely understand where that comes from. But part                                                                                          
of it is clearly related to my parents and the way they raised                                                                                        
me."                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
Another interesting case is that of David Webber, president                                                                                           
and chief executive officer of Berringer Industrial                                                                                                   
Corporation, which grew over 1,000 per cent and had sales of                                                                                          
US$600 million (1992) under his leadership.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
He was influenced by his uncle George. On the death of his                                                                                            
father, his family moved close to where his uncle lived. The                                                                                          
uncle's influence was very pronounced in his family's                                                                                                 
development.                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
Webber himself was supposed to go to the University of Iowa                                                                                           
but went to Harvard instead. His sister, who was to enrol at                                                                                          
Michigan Uni versity, went to Amherst instead.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
His brother was planning to attend Calargo College but went to                                                                                        
Princeton. His youngest brother, who had some psychological                                                                                           
problems, not only overcame them with George's help, but went                                                                                         
on to join Yale as a student.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
"It is unazing how his zip got into all of us. I think it was                                                                                    
a question of traffic signals." Guidance, encouragement,                                                                                         
supervision, and role modelling were the factors that helped                                                                                          
in this case.                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
Nearly all the students were active in extracurricular                                                                                                
activities 87 per cent had been members of social or academic                                                                                         
clubs. A good number of them had been involved in editorial                                                                                           
work, music and drama at college level, partly to enhance                                                                                             
their resume.                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
Few students had background in subjects like history or                                                                                               
philosophy. Most studied engineering, business and economics.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
The Harvard University entrance form is said to be                                                                                                    
intimidating, asking for short and essay type answers.  Some                                                                                          
of these students took as long as 100 hours to complete the                                                                                           
form they wanted to do a really good job.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
We note that parents of this particular group of people had                                                                                           
spent much time and energy on their children. They were keenly                                                                                        
aware that them. There were instances of parents taking the                                                                                           
children to their place of work to show them how tough life                                                                                           
was.                                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
Kotter notes that the Class of '74 did learn much during                                                                                              
adulthood, too.                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
Another study, by Lawrence Steinberg, on American High School                                                                                         
students found that Asian students did better than white,                                                                                             
black or Hispanic students. Among the reasons given for their                                                                                         
success is that they work harder.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
Asian communities believe that success comes to those who work                                                                                        
hard, and likewise those who fail are said to have not put in                                                                                         
sufficient effort. For the Asian student, the study says peer                                                                                         
influence was very important friends who place a high value on                                                                                        
good academic achievement.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
Peer pressure is supposed to compensate for any weaknesses                                                                                            
that could be found in parenting. The writer and his reviewer                                                                                         
seem to say that peer influence may be more important than                                                                                            
parenting.  They have typically chosen to dissect the issue.                                                                                          
Responsible parents will still have some influence as to whom                                                                                         
their children mix with. Of course, this would require time                                                                                           
and effort on the part of the parents.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Norman Lear, writer and TV prorducer of All In The Family                                                                                             
fame, says that both his grandfather and father played an                                                                                             
influential role in his progress. He recollects that when he                                                                                          
was nine, his grandfather used to write letters to the                                                                                                
American President, agreeing discordies agreeing to policies                                                                                          
implemented.                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
Every now and then, "my 91/2,10 or 11-year-old heart would                                                                                       
miss a beat because there was a little white envelope that                                                                                            
said White but House se on it. I couldn't get over it. The                                                                                            
White House was writing to him."                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
His father, on the other hand, he says, kept bits and pieces                                                                                          
of paper in his pockets and on the brim of his hat. This was                                                                                          
how he kept himself organised. He believes that taught him to                                                                                         
be prepared and helped him to keep both feet on the ground.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
John and Rose Kennedy played an important role in the                                                                                                 
development and growth of their children. Rose Kennedy,                                                                                               
especially) put in much effort to instil good values and the                                                                                          
importance of education in them. She made it a point to cut                                                                                           
the most important and interesting articles from the                                                                                                  
newspapers and pin them on the walls around the dining table.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
The children were encouraged to discuss the articles during                                                                                           
mealtimes. This matriarch, besides encouraging them to save a                                                                                         
part of their pocket money, also encouraged them to hold                                                                                              
part-time jobs (earn their own money) in their teens. The                                                                                             
profound effect of this on her children is a well-known fact.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
Georgi Lozanov, known for his "suggestology" or Accelerative                                                                                
Learning Cycle, remembers his grandfather taking him to                                                                                               
different places, telling him interesting stories and making                                                                                          
him laugh. The walk in the woods would mean Grandpa pointing                                                                                          
out different trees naming them, including their Latin names.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
Because this was done in a secure, loving and fun manner, he                                                                                          
could recollect the names of these trees with ease. "Learning,                                                                                   
the kind that sticks, takes place when the whole person is                                                                                            
involved: mind, body, spirit," says Lozanov.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
Few can provide this better than one's Parents and ones.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
Recently, we read about the l2year-old girl (Sofia) with a                                                                                            
Malaysian mother who had been given a place at Oxford. It was                                                                                         
also noted that both parents had given their child hours of                                                                                           
coaching and encouragement. There would be many other such                                                                                            
cases in Malaysia too, where parental influence had shown                                                                                             
positive results. We have had our share of prodigies.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
Benjamin J. Stein, a writer, says that the years between five                                                                                         
and 15 are important when a child is articulate, insightful                                                                                           
and boundlessly affectionate. This period, he notes, goes by                                                                                          
astonishingly fast.                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
He continues: "No billionaire can turn his surly 10-year-old                                                                                     
into a devoted, hold-your-hand youngster. No corporate title                                                                                          
can replace the times when your son fell asleep on your chest.                                                                                        
No limousine or private Jets makes up for being there when                                                                                            
your son is growing from child into a young man. Time spent                                                                                           
with Tommy isn't a distraction from the main event. It is the                                                                                         
main event."