THE question of developing children and moulding them into                                                                                            
responsible citizens crosses many a parent's mind. The rapid                                                                                          
pace of change has resulted in the changing roles of teachers,                                                                                        
parents, students and the community at large.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
Some two decades ago, children looked for guidance from                                                                                               
teachers when school extra-curricular activities developed                                                                                            
youths Pinto budding leaders. It could be the Boy Scouts or                                                                                           
Girl Guides, the Red Cross, the St John's Ambulance the                                                                                               
debating or drama society, and the like.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
Many students used the school field for games other than                                                                                              
sporting activities in their kampung. The environment at that                                                                                         
time was very challenging, with economic development at the                                                                                           
embryonic stage.                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
The situation was not as comfortable as it is now, which acted                                                                                        
as an impetus to try all the more to succeed in life.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
With development, children can watch television, play video                                                                                           
games laze around the shopping malls, surf the Internet and be                                                                                        
"cool." Along the way, they could also acquire some unhealthy                                                                               
habits like smoking. Time for a modern student Seems to be                                                                                            
spent in school, engaging in the above activities, tuition,                                                                                           
telephone calls, cinema* and thrills. Some of these activities                                                                                        
do have a positive effect on the student, but most tend to                                                                                            
make them loners or confined to a select, small, social group.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
Few seem to be interested in school-organised movements                                                                                               
although schools have made some effort to make these                                                                                                  
activities compulsory.                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
With this changing environment, where do our children go to                                                                                           
experience elements of leadership, followership, honing of                                                                                            
interpersonal skills, and role modelling?                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
Certain characteristics surface among participants who attend                                                                                         
interviews to qualify for programmes organised by the                                                                                                 
Malaysian Institute of Management (MIM). Some students from                                                                                           
the Klang Valley come well-prepared. They have good                                                                                                   
communication skills, carry themselves well, and possess good                                                                                         
leadership qualities.                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
Unfortunately, the majority is not so confident. They fumble                                                                                          
when answering questions; their body language does not show                                                                                           
confidence. Many prefer to give oneword answers.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
Talking to the "better" students, one inevitably finds that                                                                                 
they have been exposed (by their parents) to extra-curricular                                                                                         
activities, organised movements, sporting activities and                                                                                              
training programmes.                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
Studies conducted at renowned universities tell us that                                                                                               
children need to be given the right "traffic signals" at an                                                                                 
early age. Parents, teachers, uncles, aunts, local "captains"                                                                               
- they all influence the development of a child. Children who                                                                                         
experienced this early coaching, abidance and training tend to                                                                                        
excel later in life.                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
A student tends to model himself after somebody he admires.                                                                                           
One famous person who went through this was the former US                                                                                             
Joint Chief of Staff (Rtd) General Collin Powell. He had a                                                                                            
tough childhood, role-modelled himself after his school's                                                                                             
sergeant, underwent much training, disciplined himself and                                                                                            
rose to great heights. Now, Powell is very active in community                                                                                        
work, helping to "uplift" kids from urban slums.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
Developing people into leaders and good citizens is not an.                                                                                           
overnight endeavour. This brings us to the age-old question of                                                                                        
whether leaders can be trained and developed or whether they                                                                                          
are born so.                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
The majority of management gurus and we at MIM-are positive                                                                                           
that there are training packages that address issues that a                                                                                           
modern parent is grappling with. For example, topics-of                                                                                               
concern include the value of money, peer pressure, the                                                                                                
importance of having a life goal, role models, managing time,                                                                                         
leadership and followership.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
* MIM has trained thousands of participants in leadership                                                                                             
development-related activities. It ran a four-day programme                                                                                           
called the Leadership Development Programme (LDP) in which                                                                                            
almost all MIM staff participated. By exposing participants to                                                                                        
challenging outdoor and indoor activities, it endeavoured to                                                                                          
build a cohesive team.                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Over the last decade, MIM has drawn from its vast resource of                                                                                         
programmes and activities to develop its young peoples                                                                                                
programme which involves people from all walks of life:                                                                                               
executives, CEOs, youths, children and even grandparents in                                                                                           
their 70s.                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
* MIM's leadership programmes: These have been running for                                                                                            
more than three decades, exposing participants to the theory                                                                                          
and skills involved in leadership.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
Mainly confined to the classroom, the programme involves                                                                                              
role-playing, case studies, psychometric testing, group                                                                                               
discussions "style identification" and the like.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
From time to time, many renowned speakers like Professor John                                                                                         
Kotter of Harvard University have been invited to conduct                                                                                             
seminars.                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
* The Tun Razak Youth Leadership Awards Programme: This has                                                                                           
been an annual affair for seven years now, and it draws from                                                                                          
the experience of conducting leadership programmes combined                                                                                           
with some "military-like" discipline.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
Participants, aged between 21 and 30 years undergo morning                                                                                            
drills, case studies and community projects (quick studies on                                                                                         
the environment, care for the aged, drug abusers).                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
They undergo jungle trekking and "survival" activities that                                                                                 
call for a copious amount of team spirit and commitment.                                                                                              
Working with 50 or 60 others like themselves, the environment                                                                                         
they are in is both challenging and rewarding, and at times                                                                                           
leading to strong friendships.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
Adventure learning                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
The young people's programme also involves outdoor activities,                                                                                        
albeit not too strenuous. The facilitators often adjust the                                                                                           
level of difficulty pit challenge according to the group.                                                                                             
Elements of trust, creativity, teamwork, sacrifice, challenge,                                                                                        
fun and communication would play an important role. In short,                                                                                         
a participant is involved in what is called experiencing,                                                                                             
learning and applying.                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Local universities are often chosen as venues to instil a                                                                                             
subtle feeling that they may want to go back to such a place                                                                                          
in their educational progress. The children are put together                                                                                          
to undergo various elements of group dynamics, problem-solving                                                                                        
and decision-making exercises.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
They also indulge in what is called "fun learning", resulting                                                                               
in education and "entertainment." The participants are taken                                                                                
through activities that deal with interpersonal skills,                                                                                               
challenging their spirit of caring and sharing, creativity,                                                                                           
discipline, time management.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
Of course all their activities are performed by what is called                                                                                        
"challenge by choice" - participants are not forced to take                                                                                 
part, they do so willingly. In our experience, we have found                                                                                          
that many participants who are initially "afraid" or reluctant                                                                              
finally participate in the activity because they do not want                                                                                          
to let their peers down.                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
Some adults have performed certain activities with tears                                                                                              
flowing down their cheeks, only to laugh at themselves and                                                                                            
feel a sense of achievement at the completion of the task.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
Much thought has been given to this youth programme, which was                                                                                        
the result of a vast resource of experience. In running a                                                                                             
programme like this, MIM hopes to contribute to the                                                                                                   
development of the nation's future leaders.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
Throughout the course, the element of safety is stressed. The                                                                                         
facilitators do not compromise on safety and all of them have                                                                                         
basic training in first aid. Besides, the youth programme also                                                                                        
"tackles" a participant's stage fright - they are given topics                                                                              
long before the commencement of the programme to make a                                                                                               
presentation to their peers.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
They are deliberately made aware of indicators that can act as                                                                                        
a guide for those seeking to develop themselves. Among the                                                                                            
many aids would be training and retraining, role modelling,                                                                                           
undergoing psychometric testing - followed by adjustment to                                                                                           
one's behaviour, training, career goal-setting - in the quest                                                                                         
to develop the nation's future leaders.