Today's graduates face daunting challenge

By Michael Jones

In February, thousands of Korean university students graduate. Parents are blessed as they watch their children dressed in gowns and mortarboards cross the graduation threshold. This achievement is vital to the growth of the nation.

Yet are they prepared? Has university equipped them to thrive in the economic and professional arena? In part, yes. The typical graduate graduates with useful knowledge for assisting them in their endeavors. Likewise, after sixteen-plus years of schooling, the graduating class of 2015 has learned the art of discipline, an important skill for struggling through the challenge of finding a job, as well as learning to do it well.

Many of these graduates will achieve great success. But is this the best definition of "prepared"? What is it that these graduates are actually "prepared" to do? Cynically, we can say they have been trained to dress well, shut up, do what they are told, not question authority, avoid thinking innovatively or critically, love money, buy fun things, consume media maniacally, and always respect elders.

In short, through a cynical lens, they've been trained to be properly adjusted citizens following those who've gone before them, committed to societal contribution through consumption. Is this, however, the key to Korea's future success as a nation? No. Today's students are entering into an economic social-system rife with corruption, silliness, and at times villainous ego-centrism.

The sinking of the Sewol ferry, corporations, politics, government, and a variety of additional society-leading organizations have all demonstrated capacity for idiocy. Watching current stories unfold, however, we notice that change is afoot. Whistle-blowing is becoming a trend. A courageous few have begun holding leaders to responsible ethical behavior.

However, it's only a tiny beginning. For every person risking their reputation and livelihood in the name of honor and integrity, a thousand remain close-mouthed for fear or financial gain. Thus, the hegemonic traditionalism maintaining the status quo remains largely unchanged. True change lingers distant. Obviously, this presents a challenge for today's graduates. If things remain the same, can Korea sustain growth?

More importantly, is merely sustaining desirable? Or, is Korea interested in achieving more? Of course it is! Today Korea sits on a unique precipice in which it can collectively ask itself whether to stay perched at mediocre, or risk a leap toward excellence. This is the question facing today's graduates: allow potential stagnation by parroting the actions of those before you, or push Korea into greatness by radically changing your social-economic environment?

Changing the social-economic environment would require a new way of leadership! A leadership driven by a new paradigm no longer seeking to serve self first and others rarely. Instead, a leadership driven by a desire for results that benefit all and thus self. The current leadership paradigm of one man leading the pack must stop! For the new to arise, leadership must become a collaborative, creative, emergent future-based process involving co-creation with others to produce results everyone enjoys.

The alternative: repeating the same old song and destructive dance. Money-lust, grandiose amounts of debt, consumerism that kills, and spiritual emptiness, are consequences of today's leadership. If today's graduates do not awaken to a new way of being, they will become carbon copies mimicking the current self-serving tomfoolery. The hope contained in this article is that graduates will avoid adopting the simplistic vision of themselves of becoming rich cogs within a corporate machine.

Rather, that they would adopt a vision and willingness to courageously enact a new way of thinking, communicating, and leading. I recommend they read theory on emergent leadership, begin creating a future that releases paradigms of the past, welcomes the new, and encourages the collective co-creation of an emergent future that radically alters the way Korea represents itself on the international stage. We can envy this year's graduating class for their youth and their potential.

But, we should not envy their unique challenge. For theirs is a choice to slavishly remain the same or struggle to create something far better. May they choose wisely!

Michael Jones is a professor of communication at a small university in Suwon. He's a proud and distinguished leader and communicator within Toastmasters International, an organization dedicated to making effective communication and leadership a worldwide reality. He can be reached at sevenethics@yahoo.com.

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