People’s attitudes are fundamental to an enterprise’s, or country for that matter, success. The Badger’s experience from working with very talented and diverse people during a long career is that where people have personal pride, want to do things, want to be the best they can be, and have an inner resilience, then they will solve whatever problem is put in front of them and their enterprise will benefit by thriving. That doesn’t mean everyone needs to be a demanding leader or egotistic extrovert! Far from it. These attitude attributes come from upbringing, family ethos, education and culture rather than personality, privilege or wealth.
Maybe it’s a generational thing, but the Badger has wondered lately whether attitudes experienced over many years have evaporated in the modern generation. After all, the media seems full of why things can’t be done, tales of upset and woe, political doom and gloom, and Armageddon scenarios of one sort or another. The snowflake generation also seems less resilient and more emotionally vulnerable than the Badger’s generation, so it’s easy to feel that the ‘right stuff’ in today’s youngsters is very diluted. The Badger, however, is now more optimistic and encouraged that the right attitudes are still there! Why? Because the fog of negative media content and commentary is largely just that – fog. Under the fog there’s much cause for optimism, as illustrated by two recent items that caught the Badger’s attention.
One was an interview with Creative & Media Studies students who were asked if Brexit would negatively impact their prospects. No, they all said. They all passionately said they were – an intended to remain – the best anywhere, and that they intended the UK to be a global creative powerhouse come what may. The Badger felt a surge of pride!
The second was an interview with a professor representing the Royal Academy of Engineering who articulated with passion that UK engineers were – and intended to stay – innovative world leaders in Artificial Intelligence (AI) with a clear vision, direction and understanding of the future. The professor conveyed real belief that the UK is and will remain a powerhouse of capability regardless of Brexit. Engineers were, rightly highlighted as the miracle workers who take technology and put it into real use for society, and people who are not afraid to start businesses. The UK is, and will always be, at the forefront of innovation come what may. The Badger experienced another surge of pride!
The people in both items spoke from the heart. The positive attitude that the Badger is familiar with from times past shone through. They all conveyed determination and an inherent desire to be the best they could be, regardless of any constraints or boundaries in front of them. Some of the younger generation clearly still has the right attitude! Great stuff! Because any country whose people don’t have enough of it will decline, and it feels like us Brits, no matter what others might think, haven’t quit lost it yet.
