I spent this past weekend up in Payson, Arizona the current students of the ASU Leadership Scholarship Program. It was a great experience (I should even have another video entry up soon that I shot while I was up in N. AZ). As an alum of the program, I’m always excited to see the current students in action, watching them work together as leaders. Again, I’m a fan of these students.
But I must admit I was also a bit disappointed.
Quite simply, it was the lack of garbage can management.
It’s not just with this group. I’ve seen it at tons of leadership conferences all across North America.
The problem? A garbage can is full, there are other empty garbage cans nearby, but rather than walk the 10 feet, students stack up precarious piles of trash until they ultimately fall too the ground. There might be a bin for recycling, but students don’t use it, or they’ll toss garbage into the recycling can.
Several of the current students in my scholarship chapter fell into this trap. As they left for the next activity, I ended up helping out the coordinator of the program clean up some of their mess. Yes, we could have left it for them to do, but we didn’t want the weekend to be about trash cleanup.
I honestly don’t think the students noticed. I honestly don’t think most students who exhibit this behavior really think about what they are doing. I don’t believe they are bad people. I don’t believe this was done in spite. I don’t believe there was any ill intent.
I just don’t think they noticed.
And that’s where I have trouble with this…
I WANT leaders to notice. I NEED them to notice.
I think we need to live in this world and serve in this world as if we are stewards, caring for something entrusted in our care. I strongly believe we need to see how our actions or our lack of action impacts others.
Many would agree that the mess that BP caused in the gulf or the mess caused (at least in part) by Wall Street Executives are indeed “messes” linked in part to a lack of consideration for others or the impact of decisions on others.
We look at these big picture examples and we paint pictures of villains…
…but do we ever look at ourselves in the mirror to see how we’re doing?
Sure garbage cans aren’t life or death. In all honesty, I probably made the same mistakes when I was a student. I may even make the same mistakes today (after all this is a problem of people not noticing), but still, I think we can attempt to hold ourselves to a higher standard.
I think we can attempt to be more aware.
I think we can attempt to be more proactive.
I think we can attempt to hold our friends to a higher standard as well.
Every now and then, a student catches my eye as an incredible steward. They aren’t the loudest person during the cheer. They don’t always have the best spirit gear, but I see them, working quietly behind the scenes. They are the ones who take the initial and begin a recycling bin when one isn’t already present, or pull out recycling from garbage cans, or stay later in the gym to pick up after the mess made from a huge rally. They don’t get a lot of recognition, but there they are..
serving…
just like the Boy Scouts told us to…
leaving the world better than the way they found it.
Can you?