Bad Company

I was asked to speak with a group of young people recently. They were members of the youth leadership body of a prominent High School. The group consisted of Head Boy & Girl along with Deputies, Prefects, the Student Council Executive and supporting staff. I was briefed on a particular concern that the school had even among its youth leaders. They were concerned about ‘BAD COMPANY’. I was therefore asked to, while I spoke, encourage them to AVOID ‘BAD COMPANY’ and try not to get involved in negative behavior.

I was told that I had approximately half an hour and up to forty five minutes to speak. However, each time I am asked to speak, especially to teenagers, I remember that I too was a teen and I could not tolerate standing or sitting to listen to anyone speak for such a long time, except the speaker were Marcus Garvey, Nelson Mandela or Malcolm X. And I had the power to press pause at any time since I had control over the remote. I also tolerated the preacher, primarily because I believed then that I was honoring God by enduring the weekly repetition. I also endured the preacher because I too had my turn on the pulpit and required attention.

So I decided to speak for no more than ten minutes with these teens. I also decided that I would speak nothing of ‘WHAT TO AVOID AND WHAT NOT TO DO’, but instead I opted to challenge them to think on WHAT TO DO, WHO THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY WANT TO GO, as well as HOW THEY WANT TO BE REMEMBERED . I decided to do this by inviting a discussion, encouraging them to affirm ‘I AM’, ‘I MUST’ & ‘I WILL BE’ using the following keywords:

1. Respect

2. Responsible

3. Reputable

4. Role Model

I started them off by saying; ‘We have always been told to stay away from bad company – But, are you in bad company or are you bad company? Am I bad company?

The rest was history. Ten minutes were spent successfully, having the Youth Leadership Body re-energized about their roles and responsibilities and how they see themselves as reputable role models from whose company others will be positively impacted. They, from their own mouths affirmed that they will respect themselves and others both in the execution of their duties and their general deportment. They were not told by me what not to be or to do, but they affirmed what they will be – better today than yesterday and better tomorrow than today.

We cannot underestimate the intelligence of youth and their ability to define and answer some of the challenges they face. We should spend more time affirming their strengths and inviting them to identify and affirm the best in them; rather than often warning them against the many evils of youth, often proven to be an exercise in futility.

While we lament the negatives of PEER PRESSURE, let us affirm and publicize the positive youth role models who can be the positive peer pressure for their counterparts. When we seek to motivate our youth, let us demonstrate by example. Encourage them to dream of what they can achieve and challenge them, not with lofty speeches, but through engagement that allows them to question and answer themselves. And when we, as adults and leaders assemble to set agendas for our youth, let us ask ourselves each, ‘Am I bad Company’?