I attended a great lecture this evening on leadership and visionaries that was very inspiring. It was given by the CEO of a consulting company (our teacher's buddy) and when she described what they do I was thinking "I'd love to work for you!" Well, still have a ways to go before I get there.
One of the more immediate tasks is rewriting a paper on policy. It's a group thing: one dude had written it previously but refused to listen to our feedback and didn't incorporate the research I'd worked on. We were running out of time, so we decided to just hand it in. Big mistake, 'cause now we have to redo it. This dude just doesn't understand why the paper was a disaster and furthermore wants to rewrite it. I handed him the old paper with the teacher's comments so he could see it for himself, and then the new outline I've worked on. There's no way I'm getting a bad grade because somebody with poor writing skills and grammar refuses to listen. The rest of us group members have split up the tasks but he's the only one who's out of line. What bothers me more isn't just the skills (or lack thereof) but the attitude. I will respect people for their work skills and life experience (you've gone through a lot by the time you're twice my age) but when we get to class, we're all students trying to learn.
I've been reading about a visionary: Ella Baker, a cofounder of the Young Negroes' Cooperative League in New York which believed that youth were essential to social change so the members were 35yrs old and younger. If someone older wanted to join, they had to get a majority vote from the current members. I like this idea! In fact, if I were to found a party or organization, I'd adopt the same rule: 35 and younger only. Of course, if you're older than that, but have similar values and goals and the members approve, you can join and be consulted for your expertise. Wouldn't this be brilliant?
(a few minutes later...)
Well, looks like somebody else beat me to it: the Madaraka Party of Kenya just got registered this month. I just found out about them a few minutes ago. Let me read up on them.
13 comments:
I saw that Madaraka Website, got to read about it.
I love your mojo for reading visionary stories, i should get it too.
That dude in your class should style up!! Dont let him mess you guys up
You do have a good habbit of learning through success stories, be it by reading or listening to them. I should probably do that too.
It's great your group is doing the wise thing and intelligently by-passing Mr. non-listener. Do your stuff and get that good grade!
Thanks for the 411 on MPoK.
eeeeeeeeeeeeh group means group effort thus everyone's intelligent (hopefully) input...woi please don't start me on groups...do what you gotta do doll
shall look up the website
@ Shiroh,
I'm curious about how Kenyan youth will react to Madaraka. The info on the site sounds exciting.
Those stories give me something to aspire to. Our group is moving forward with or without this dude.
@ Egm,
Learning about successful people makes things more real and achievable.
I'm glad the rest of the group is on the same page.
@ Quintessence,
Thanks for your sympathy. I'm just thinking about how this group project is an analogy for politics and life in general. People have to listen to each other--all individuals also have to operate in groups--and when they mess up they should learn from their mistakes.
girl next door, u c some pple want to prove that they are smart asses, but end up being the losers.
What of considering forming a party 35 and below and appoint someone to contest for prezzo seat in next year's general election. I this is a bright idea of scouping out this old idiots in the parliament.
@ Pekiro,
We'd all like to be part of a political party that represents our interests as youth. Next years elections are rather close, but there are so many possibilities for the future (especially if we get a new Constitution) =)
A constitution that is constituted by the common mwananchi esp. the youth.
@ Pekiro,
News reports say we may actually have a new constitution before elections next year--I guess we'll see.
sweet memories of when i was inschool and we had group assignments - there was always that one odd person the rest of the group had difficulty dealing with.
glad to know nothing has changed!
good luck anyway in your group work!
time really flies
@frugal african-kenyan,
I guess some things never change! I'd hate to be the person holding the group back but at the same time it's frustrating trying to work with difficult personalities. I need all the luck I can get.
I heard of that madaraka party but it just looks crazy.Am yet to go for my home work on it ...
But with the serge of new parties like this,i think its up for a beating...
@Eddie,
Madaraka seems to be the only youth focused party; I'm interested in how the youth respond to it.
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