In recent weeks, commencements have been held around the country. It was encouraging to hear words of wisdom shared by noted scholars, politicos, and celebrities. Well, not exactly.
The idea is that graduates will go forth and help change the world. We all know that most graduates, and participating family members for that matter, are busting with excitement and possibly the jitters. But, we all know that most probably will suffer during the graduation ceremony from possibly a strong dose of boredom.
Most graduates are really too dazed to even compute “act now” and “change the world” and “be prosperous” on such momentous occasion. I know that happened to me at more than one graduation ceremony. The message? The keynote speaker? The special musical performance? Most of it just goes in one ear and out the other.
Rather than long-winded speeches and all that pomp and circumstance, how about if we just slip graduates a list of 10 ways to make a change in their communities? Don’t print anything fancy or even waste putting in inside those fancy graduation programs. Programs just end up on the ground, in the trash, or in a dusty scrap book. Again, graduates too dazed to make a real difference.
So, if you agree with me that we should just offer graduates a good old fashioned “David Letterman” top 10 list of ways to “go forth into the world,” then here goes a small dose of advice from my book Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success:
10. Explore creative ways to fill your idle time or unexpected gaps in your schedule
9. Get yourself organized, the faster you will maximize your time and energy
8. Carefully weigh the pros and cons of situations and associations
7. Deal with negativity head on and persevere
6. Honor your commitments within your community
5. Depend on both your innate and learned skills
4. Draw upon your prior leadership roles to become astute
3. Ask questions, but be appropriately inquisitive
2. Manage ambiguity or else it will manage you
1. Courageously chart your own path
