Education in Gilgit and Baltistan

By Prof Dr Hafiz Muhammad Iqbal

Dawn-October 18, 2009 Sunday.

E DUCATION plays a very importantrole in the socio-economic development of a society. It enables individuals to makeinformed decisions, improves their choices and develops their potentials toplay productive roles in society. It also provides employment opportunities tolow-income families and serves as a vehicle for social mobility, particularlyfor those who do not have other means of earnings. Experts believe that aminimum 70 per cent literacy rate is essential for initiating and sustainingeconomic growth and development in a society.
According to a Pakistan Social and LivingStandards Measurement (PSLM) Survey 2006-7, the literacy rate of children aged10-plus in Pakistanis about 55 per cent while the adult literacy rate of 15-plus population isabout 52 per cent. The figures become disturbing when we see larger disparitiesbetween the rural and urban population and between males and females. Theliteracy rate remains higher in the urban areas than what it is in the ruralareas and much higher in men than in women.
The adult literacy rate (15 years and above)in males is 65 per cent as compared to 38 per cent in females. Correspondingfigures for urban and rural population is 70 per cent and 41 per cent,respectively. If the situation is compared with what it was a few years back,it can be seen that the literacy rate in Pakistan has increased at the rateof about one per cent per annum.
In the Northern Areas of Pakistan, theliteracy rate seems to be increasing at a relatively faster pace. The NorthernAreas of Pakistan constitute a single administrative unit, which was formed bythe amalgamation of the Gilgit Agency, the Baltistan District of Ladakh, andthe States of Hunza and Nagar in 1970. These areas or territories were underthe administrative control of the Federal Government of Pakistan and hencecalled Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA). The Northern AreaLegislative Assembly (NALA) was managing affairs of these areas since 2002.
While honouring the sentiments and demands ofthe local people, the government of Pakistan recently awardedindependent status to these areas and their nomenclature has also been changedto Gilgit and Baltistan. This is not just a change of the name, rather givingan identity to the local people. Northern Areas are comprised of six districtsnamed Gilgit, Ghizer, Astore, Diamer, Skardu and Ghanche. The population of theregion is about 1.5 million. Approximately 86 per cent of the population in theNorthern Areas lives in the rural areas as compared with an estimated 66 percent for Pakistanas a whole.
Although education is a provincial subject,but as the Northern Areas were administered by the Federal Government, hencethe Federal Government itself was responsible for making provisions foreducation of children in these areas. According to a 1998 census, the adultliteracy in Gilgit and Baltistan was about 38 per cent, which has now risen to53 per cent in 2005-6 (males 64 per cent and females 41 per cent). This figureis slightly higher than the national figure of 52 per cent in 2006-7 (PSLM,2006-7). At present Gilgit and Baltistan have a system of education comprisingabout 2,100 schools or educational institutions, including schools set up bythe Federal Government, community-based schools, schools set up by Aga KhanEducation Services (AKES) and other NGOs.
However, due to the physical features of theseareas the provision of educational facilities in these areas has been adaunting task. Gilgit and Baltistan are isolated and happen to be mostinaccessible mountainous regions with a harsh physical environment and severeweather conditions.
The first three primary schools in theNorthern Areas were established by the Political Agent in as early as1893 inGilgit, Astore and Gupis. Until the 1940s, the government was the sole providerof formal education in the Northern Areas. In 1946, the first 17 Diamond JubileeSchools were established by the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), which can be citedas a first community intervention in the field of education in these areas.
The history of female education in these areasis even more disheartening. Because they are far-flung and much at a distancefrom the rest of the country, there has been less awareness among the peopleabout female education there. Consequently, female education has remained lessin focus till about the 1970s. Gradually the local communities became aware ofthe importance of female education and a struggle for female education beganmostly in Ismaili communities, particularly in the Hunza and Ghizer regions. In1981, female literacy rate in the region was estimated under three per cent ascompared to the 16 per cent total literacy rate in Pakistan. Even in the late‘90s the educational indicators in the entire Northern Areas werereported to be among the worst in the country, and were especially low forgirls and women. In 1994, the enrolment rate for girls was just 29 per cent ascompared to the 60 per cent for boys. According to a 1998 census, the literacyrate was reported to be 37.85 per cent (male 52.62 per cent and female 21.65per cent) in the Northern Areas. Female literacy rates in certain areas such asBaltistan were reported as low as 13 per cent.
However, there has been a drastic improvementin the recent years as a result of two interventions. Firstly, about 500schools were opened under the Social Action Programme in the remote areas inmid-1990 and secondly, a 10-year-long Northern Pakistan Education Project wasimplemented by AKES with support from the European Commission.
It is because of such interventions, thateducation facilities have reached almost in each and every corner of the region.I have had the fortune to visit these areas very extensively and I have beenamazed to see the establishment of two schools in a village very difficult toaccess that was situated within half a kilometre of the boarder adjoiningIndian occupied Kashmir.
In another village I had the chance to visitan adult literacy centre, which was being wrapped up because of the end of theproject and I was impressed by the level of awareness that the village femaleshave developed regarding education. They were worried about the closure of theadult literacy centre and demanded for the continuation of education facilitiesin the region.
The current enrolment of boys and girls indifferent publicsector schools is given in the table below, which shows thatthe gap between enrolment of boys and girls is narrowing with the passage oftime. The total enrolment of girls in both public and private schools is about90,000, which is not much less than the total enrolment of boys. ¦

Interviews with Kids on Gender Roles 

[Opinion] Fostering a Human Sensitive Society

Muhammad Ali and Reshma Parveen

Violence against women is increasingly becoming one of the major challenges of our society. It is alarming to note that the incident of violence against women is increasing with the passage of time. For instance, according to the report of the Aurat Foundation (2010) within the period of 6 month almost 4069 cases violence against women were recorded. However, many of incidences are not recoded/ reported due to different reasons such as pressure for the influential segments, fear of exposure, lack of awareness and so on. According to another report one woman out of five faces domestic violence in Pakistan. The violence is at times in the form of karo-kari, honor killing and/or sexual harassment and at times in the form of physical/mental torture and/or social discriminations.

It is ironic that some segments of the society justify the brutality against women under the shadow of culture, norms or religion. Such an attitude indicates that our society is suffering from chronic ailments and ignorance of the core human values. Hence, the increasing intensity of such a disease demands a serious reflection for diagnosing the causes and requires conscious efforts to response such human issues.

Understanding the phenomena of violence against women is not simple. Violence/discrimination does not take place accidentally rather it is developed consciously or unconsciously in a society and gradually manifests in the actions of the people. Different factors contribute in developing such attitude in society. However, the prevailed stereotypes against women and ill-informed practices in the societies are potential reasons in forming the culture of violence and discrimination. For example, the stereotypes that man is stronger than woman therefore man protector the woman. Woman should obey man and should respect his views in any case. Woman is less intelligent than man, so every decision should be taken by man. Above all, in some contexts of our society woman is considered as commodity and so is treated inhumanly. In short there are several ill-informed perceptions which are becoming part of the beliefs of people and consequently manifest through their actions in the form of violence and discrimination. Furthermore, the strong attachment to the tradition and lack of reflective thinking doses not allow the society to critically examine its beliefs and actions.

It is crucial to understand how such attitude and stereotypes develop and perpetuate in the society. There are some forces and institutions which are considered crucial either in perpetuating or in challenging these stereotypes. Some of the important institutions are family, education, media, religion and state. These institutions are not working in isolation rather they function very interactively and influence each other. Here the role of these intuitions is discussed in perpetuating or challenging the stereotypes against women.

Family/home as a social institution play a significant role in shaping a person’s attitude towards people and the world. It depends how the elders of family treat each other or value male and female family members. Particularly, the distribution of work at home shapes the perception of gender identity. Sometime the parents consciously or unconsciously, treat their male and female children differently. In most of the cases male child is given preference over female child during different decisions or actions. These actions color the image of male as well as the female about their personality. Such attitudes develop the perception that male is important then female. Consequently in their daily life they exercise such perceptions and beliefs in the society. Hence, there is need to educate the family/ parents to sensitize them regarding their beliefs and practices about general balance in their home.

Educational institutions are also responsible for developing the stereotypes against women in the society. Generally it is expected that educational institutions

 should challenge the ill-informed practices of the society. However, people working in school come from the larger society with their baggage of perception and beliefs and they try to indoctrinate their own experiences and beliefs to the students. Hence, sometimes educational institutions are not able to challenges the stereotypes of the society rather they play their role in perpetuating them. Therefore, educational institutions need to transform their leaning environment by reviewing their policies, curriculum, teaching learning process.

Today media is emerging as a powerful institution influencing the society in many ways. Being part of our daily life media’s role is crucial in forming the beliefs and perception of the people in terms of gender. Media had two edges as on one hand its role is considered important in highlighting the gender discrimination in society, on the other hand it shapes the imaginations of the people by reinforcing the prevailed stereotypes in society. Therefore media needs conscious effort in highlighting the issues related to oppressed group and women. Media can be powerful medium to educate the mass by bringing into the surface the gender related issues and discussing them in an educative manner.

Religion is another significant institution playing its role in socializing people of a society. The interpretation of religious values strongly influences the belief and practices of people in a society. Therefore, religion is considered one of powerful vehicle to bring changes in the society. Although Islamic teaching gives equal importance to man and women as human being, however, sometimes the religion values are interpreted in such a way that affects some segments of society negatively, particularly women. Such narrow interpretation of faith restricts woman from actualizing their potential by not allowing them taking part in different social and economic activities. As a result some people justify violence against women by using such interpretation of religion. Hence, there is need to reflect and review such interpretations in light of Islamic teachings and by providing opportunities for women to get education and participate in societal activities.

The state’s role cannot be overlooked in shaping its citizens’ imaginations and culture in terms of gender. State policies influence the people directly or indirectly. Sometimes the policies seem gender balanced however, at practical level it discriminates among different people particularly between man and women. For example, at policy level there seems no discrimination for women in participating in the economic activates. However, practically there is less space for the women to enter in market due to the dominancy of man. Hence, only making law and policies will not change the condition of women rather it requires serious effort to implement those policies at grassroots level to enable the environment for women participation.

 In short, violence and discrimination against women is a complex phenomenon therefore it demands a multi-dimensional response to cater this issue. All institutions need to work together to challenge the stereotypes and ill-informed practices in the society. To nurture a human sensitive society, as a nation, we need to transform our views and beliefs about women. We also require fostering such practices which promote equal opportunity for man and women. As a result they can become an active participant, playing their role, in the development of the country.

PAKISTAN is no exception to the generally abysmal state of gender equality the world over. About 50 per cent of Pakistani girls drop out of school and our literacy rate for women is amongst the lowest in the world.

As of 2005 only 16 per cent of Pakistani women were reported as economically active while a 1996 study by the women’s division of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan showed that domestic violence takes place in about 80 per cent of Pakistani households.

Perhaps the most widely cited reason for gender inequality in the Pakistani context relates to the social custom of exalting sons above daughters. But is the difference in the treatment of sons and daughters the reason or merely a symptom of our present predicament? A meaningful answer to such a question
requires an examination of not just cultural norms and traditions but the economic situation as well.

Although women’s inferior status to men exists in all strata of Pakistani society, the reasons and manifestations of the inequality differ quite substantially as we move from one socio-economic class and region to another.

While women of high-income urban families are more apt to receive higher education, they may still face restrictions in terms of labour-market opportunities.

According to the 1990-91 Pakistan Integrated Household Survey (PIHS) the female labour force participation rate in urban areas was 17 per cent.

The average literacy rate of women in Pakistan’s rural areas has been estimated as approximately one fifth of female literacy rates in urban areas, yet the PIHS indicated that the female labour force participation rate was 45 per cent in rural areas.

Looking at the economics of gender inequality, one aspect that is particularly striking is the link between gender discrimination and the traditions surrounding marriage in Pakistani society. Particularly in the case of poor families, the joy associated with the birth of a daughter is, to some extent, tempered by the substantial financial burden that it places on parents.

Despite government-issued mandates aimed at curtailing wedding expenses, nuptials remain extravagant and parents of daughters continue to face
considerable costs especially due to the custom of dowry giving. The marriage of a daughter also signifies a drop in household earnings. Hence it is no surprise that poor households are loath to allocate meagre resources as monetary investments in their daughters given that they are unlikely to see much return on the said investment.

The large gender-wage gap in the labour market along with the expectation (and practice) of girls helping out with household chores and childcare means that if faced with a choice between their sons’ and daughters’ education, parents are more likely to send their sons to school.

So how can we help families escape this poverty-inequality trap? There are several measures that can be taken at the state and household levels.

At the state level there is dire need for better provision of public safety nets, particularly support during old age, as well as improving labour market conditions for women. While the Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Bill 2009 is a meaningful step, its enforcement is yet to be seen. Some other areas that the government can focus on include the establishment of technical and vocational training institutes for women, provision of childcare facilities at the workplace and equal pay acts directly aimed at tackling issues of discrimination against working women.

Within the household itself empirical evidence suggests that mothers, more so than fathers, spend resources to close any existing gaps between sons and daughters. Thus, providing cash transfers to mothers or enhancing their income through greater market returns on female occupations and/or female-owned farms has a higher probability of improving the achievement levels of the female child.

The major issue in this regard is that access to income by mothers does not imply control over these resources and that control in turn is a function of the position of the mother within the household. The solution lies in the educational achievement of mothers since this has been shown to significantly impact women’s say in household decision-making as well as their ability to control their own income.

Thus a concerted push towards better educational outcomes of girls is imperative. This can be achieved by making cash-transfer programmes conditional on school attendance of daughters, the establishment of easily accessible all-girls’ schools that allow students some flexibility in hours so that they can still help with housework as well as the introduction of small cash rewards to all students who pass a grade.

Cash-transfer programmes, improved access to education and even asset redistribution policies in favour of women are all examples of investments in individuals. On the other hand an overhaul of public safety nets and labour markets represent investments in systems.

While there is need to devote resources to both individual and systemic aspects, developing economies such as Pakistan are pressed for funds. Furthermore, the lack of a clear mandate means that any available funds are ill-utilised, resulting in little or no progress on either front.

Looking at countries that have exhibited progress in eliminating gender inequality, the one thing that they all have in common is an expansion in the set of labour-market opportunities for women. Once women’s earning capacities improve, not only is the economic imperative driving parents to spend resources in favour of boys removed but women also have substantially more freedom with regard to decision-making.

Thus, if Pakistan must make a choice about where to invest its development funds, it should choose in favour of fixing labour-market inequalities. After all, it is the inability of women to make their own life choices that is the root of many of the injustices they suffer.

By Hadia Majid

The writer is pursuing a PhD in development economics at Ohio State University.

hadiamajid@gmail.com

Motivating boys and motivating girls: does teacher gender really make a difference? Publication: Australian Journal of Education Publication Date: 01-NOV-05 Format: Online Delivery: Immediate Online Access

Article Excerpt We explore the impact of student gender, teacher gender, and their interaction on academic motivation and engagement for 964 junior and middle high school students. According to the gender-stereotypic model, boys fare better academically in classes taught by males and girls fare better in classes taught by females. The gender-invariant model suggests that the academic motivation and engagement of boys and girls is the same for men and women teachers. We also examine the relative contribution of student-, class-, and school-level factors, finding that most variation was at the individual student level. Of the statistically significant main effects for gender, most favoured girls. In support of the gender-invariant model, academic motivation and engagement does not significantly vary as a function of their teacher's gender, and in terms of academic motivation and engagement, boys do not fare any better with male teachers than female teachers. Introduction Do boys fare best in classes taught by male teachers? Do girls fare best in classes taught by female teachers? In recent years, there has been considerable popular debate around these questions. A recent media release by the Attorney General's Department reported, 'The Government is extremely concerned about the decreasing number of male teachers and male role models, particularly in primary schools and the possible effect on learning and development of both boys and gifts in schools' (Ruddock, 2004). An Australian Labor Party (2004, p. 14) policy document leading up to the 2004 federal election stated: 'now, more than ever, young boys need contact with men who can offer positive role models and mentor them in the right direction ... Labor wants to see many more male teachers teaching and making a difference to the lives of young boys in our schools'. There have also been a number of reviews commissioned by government (House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education and Training, 2002; Lingard, Martino, Mills, & Bahr, 2002; Martin, 2002). The present study seeks to address this debate by specifically examining the impact of student gender (the term 'gender' rather than the term 'sex' is used throughout the article) as a function of teacher gender on academic motivation and engagement. Essentially, it assesses two competing models. The first model can be considered a gender-stereotypic model which suggests that boys fare better in classes taught by males and girls fare better in classes taught by females, extended perhaps by the gender intensification principal suggesting that gender-role stereotypes becomes increasingly important with age. The second model can be considered a gender-invariant model which suggests that the motivation and engagement of boys and girls does not significantly vary as a function of their teacher's gender. Over the past two decades there has been a great deal of research investigating student motivation and engagement. Most of this research (but with important exceptions--Roeser, Eccles, & Sameroff, 2000) is conducted on the assumption that motivation is primarily a student-level construct and does not account for the fact that there is also variation at other levels such as at the class and school levels. To date, it appears that most of the multilevel research has been directed towards academic achievement. In terms of academic achievement, there is existing evidence that a good proportion of the variance is explained at the student and class levels (Hill & Rowe, 1996; Rowe & Rowe, 2002). To complement the existing body of research into the multilevel nature of achievement, the present study applies multilevel statistical procedures to determine the relative contribution of student, class, and school factors in boys' and girls' academic motivation and engagement and, in the same model, determine the relative contribution of student gender and teacher gender across junior and middle high school classes. The findings hold not only pedagogical implications for practitioners and researchers, but also have potential to better inform popular debate surrounding boys' and girls' educational needs and how these can best be met. Gender and educational outcomes There are gender differences on key educational outcomes. For the most part, these differences are not in boys' favour. Indeed, given this, the education of boys has been an issue of ongoing debate, research, and policy implementation over the past decade (Weaver-Hightower, 2003). On average, girls outperform boys in a greater number of subjects and there are more girls among the higher achieving students (Collins, Kenway, & McLeod, 2000). More females complete school (Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, 2000). According to Marks and Fleming (1999), the ratio of early school leaving is 3:2 (males: females), although it needs to be noted that many boys leave school to take apprenticeships and when controlling for this factor, the gender gap in early school leaving is smaller. There are markedly higher rates of suspension for boys (Ainley & Lonsdale, 2000). Boys are more negative about school, see homework as less useful, are less likely to ask for help, and are more reluctant to do extra work. Moreover, teachers believe that boys are less able to concentrate, are less determined to solve difficult problems, and are less productive. The interaction of student and teacher gender There has been substantial anecdotal evidence pointing to the need for more male role models in boys' lives. This expressed social and emotional need has filtered into the academic domain and translated into the need for more male teachers in boys' lives. Indeed, in interviews with teachers as well as key researchers and policy makers in the boys' education debate, Martin (2002) found that participants consistently endorsed the need for more male teachers in boys' lives. This, it was considered by participants, was a key element to the success of any boys' education strategy. However, in the same study, focus groups and interviews with boys themselves indicated no particular preference for male or female teachers on the topic of teaching and learning. Focus groups and interviews with girls derived similar findings. When asked about their most effective teachers, boys and girls were able to identify a solid list of key characteristics reflected in educational research (Hill & Rowe, 1996; Martin, 2002). The gender of the teacher did not emerge in any consistent fashion. Boys and girls were more concerned that their teacher could teach well than whether their teacher was male or female. Interestingly, there was a marginal preference for one gender over the other in relation to personal and emotional issues with boys preferring the involvement of male teachers and girls preferring...

Islam and Feminism

OFTEN people object to the term ‘feminism’ as being a western one. One maulana when invited to speak in a workshop of this title refused to come as he considered feminism un-Islamic. Is the use of this term objectionable from an Islamic viewpoint? Not at all.

In fact, Islam is the first religion which systematically empowered women when women were considered totally subservient to men. There was no concept of a woman being an independent entity and enjoying equal rights with dignity. What is feminism? Nothing but women’s movement to empower women and to consider them full human beings. Thus we see in western countries until the early 20th century that women did not enjoy an independent status. It was only after the 1930s that women won equal status legally and various western countries passed laws to this effect. Yet patriarchy still looms large in many societies.

Though the Quran empowered women and gave them equal status with men, Muslims were far from ready to accept gender equality. The Arab culture was too patriarchal to accept such parity. Many hadiths were ‘readied’ to scale down the woman’s status, and she, in most Islamic societies, became a dependent entity; often Quranic formulations were interpreted so as to make her subordinate to men. One such hadith even said that if sajdah (prostration) were permitted before human beings, a woman would have been commanded to prostrate before her husband.

This is totally contradictory to the Quran, but no one cares. It is patriarchy which influences our laws, not the Quran. In fact, when it comes to patriarchy its jurists make it prevail over Quranic injunctions. Either Quranic formulations were disregarded or interpreted so as to have them conform to patriarchy. The time has come to understand the real spirit of the Quran. But the Islamic world still does not seem to be ready. What is worse, due to poverty and ignorance Muslim women themselves are not aware of their Quranic rights. A campaign has to be launched to make women aware of their rights.

Another important question is: what is the difference between Islamic and western feminism or is there any difference at all? If we go by the definition of feminism as an ideology to empower women, there is no difference. However, historically speaking, Muslim women lost the rights they had due mainly to the tribalisation of Islam, which was dominated by patriarchal values.

In the West, on the other hand, women had no rights but won them through a great deal of struggle known as ‘feminism’. But there are significant differences between Islamic and western feminism. Islamic feminism is based on certain non-negotiable values, i.e. equality with honour and dignity. Freedom has a certain Islamic responsibility whereas in the West freedom tends to degenerate into licentiousness, not in law but certainly in social and cultural practices. In western culture, sexual freedoms have become a matter of human right and sex has become a matter of enjoyment, losing its sanctity as an instrument of procreation.

Though the Quran does not prescribe hijab or niqab (covering the whole body with a loose garment, including the face), as generally thought, it lays down certain strict norms for sexual behaviour. Both men and women have right to gratification (a woman has as much right as a man) but within a marital framework. There is no concept of freedom for extramarital sex in any form. In a marital framework, it is an act of procreation and has much sanctity attached to it.

It is important to emphasis that in a patriarchal society men decided the norms of sexual behaviour. It was theorized that a
man has greater urge for sex and hence needed multiple wives and that a woman tended to be passive and hence had to be content with one husband at a time. The Quran’s approach is very different. It is not a greater or lesser degree of urge which necessitates multiple or monogamous marriages.

There is emphatic emphasis placed on a monogamous marriage in the Quranic verses 4:3 and 4:129. Multiple marriages were permitted only to take care of widows and orphans and not to satisfy man’s greater urge. Verse 4:129 gives the norm of monogamy and not to leave the first wife in suspense or negligence. Thus, as far as the Quran is concerned, sexual gratification is a non-negotiable right for both man and woman tied in wedlock. Hence a divorcee and a widow are also permitted to remarry and gratify their urge.

In western capitalist countries, woman’s dignity has been compromised and she has been reduced to a commodity to be exploited. Her semi-naked postures and her sexuality are exploited commercially and unabashedly. It is totally against the concept of woman’s honour and dignity. Unfortunately, many western feminists do not consider this objectionable but accept it as part of women’s freedom. Some (though not as many) even advocate prostitution as a woman’s right to earn a living.

This is against the concept of Islamic feminism, which while sanctioning sexual gratification to be as much of a woman’s basic right as a man’s prohibits extramarital sexual liaison. This, on one hand, upholds a woman’s honour and dignity, and on the other, exalts marital relations to the level of sanctity, restricting it for procreation. Islamic feminists have to observe certain norms which western feminists are not obliged to.

The writer is an Islamic scholar who also heads the Centre for Study of Society & Secularism, Mumbai.

Vision

“Vision without action is merely a dream.

Action without vision just passes the time.

Vision with action can change the world.”

Joel Arthur Barker

Practical Leadership: Use This Checklist for a Ten Point Management Team Check Up

Last month I posted a blog on Use This 10 Point Checklist for a Leadership Check Up. This was developed as I prepared for this year’s only open/public Leading @ the Speed of Change  workshop here in the center of the universe – my hometown of Kitchener, Ontario (just 45 minutes west of Toronto airport).

Past workshops clearly showed that management teams working together on developing their leadership effectiveness is especially powerful. Here’s a team checklist to assess your strengths and gaps:

1. What percent of your team meetings are spent in Leading (optimistic, courageous, visionary, innovative, possibilities), Following (waiting, wondering, cautious, passive, wavering), or Wallowing (complaining, blaming, pessimistic, cynical, helpless) modes? What percentage of time would you like to spend in each area?
2. What percent of your team time is spent on Technical (dealing with technical issues, product/service reviews, applying expertise), Management (operational reviews, information updates, analysis and planning), and Leadership (people discussions/decisions, vision/values/culture, “soft skills” development)? What percentage of time would you like to spend in each area?
3. Does your team have a clear and compelling picture of your preferred future that’s emotionally engaging? Do you have 3 – 5 core values that actively frame your behaviors with each other and the rest of your organization? Is there a deep sense of purpose energizing you into a highly bonded team?
4. Does your team actively set strategies and develop leadership skills to influence upward and outward?
5. Are there touchy issues that aren’t openly discussed and debated in team forums but team members talk about them to each other outside the meeting?
6. Does your team regularly seek feedback/perceptions and probe to understand what’s engaging and disengaging everyone else throughout your organization? Is there a tendency to minimize negative feedback/survey data (“that’s not reality, that’s just their perception)?
7. Does your team clearly model and actively build purpose, pride, and team spirit throughout your organization?
8. Is coaching and growing people throughout your organization a defining role and central focus of your team?
9. Does your team have a good balance of using one-way information tools like e-mail, reports, and presentations with two-way conversations, open meetings, and bottom up discussions?
10. Does your team use healthy amounts of celebration, recognition, and appreciation to maintain a positive, can-do spirit, and highly energize your organization?

How are you doing? Which are your team’s greatest strengths? How could you use those strengths to move your leadership from ordinary to extraordinary? Do you have any fatal flaws that need to be addressed? Use this checklist with your team to stimulate discussion and set development plans. You could have each person anonymously rate each question on a scale of 1 – 6 and hand or send them in to a neutral facilitator for tallying.
I’ll be covering these points in my two-day Leading @ the Speed of Change workshop on June 5 – 6. Bring your management team for maximum development. There’s nothing like a few days away to reflect, renew, energize, and gain a fresh perspective. To get out of the acceleration and busyness traps your team needs a progress check. You need to slow down to go faster. Click on the title for more information and to register.
I’ll also be covering these points in a one day Leading @ the Speed of Change public or open workshop in Winnipeg on May 29 sponsored by the Manitoba Quality Network (QNET). Click here for full details and to register.

A Practical Example of Trail and Error Theory

The 7 Keys to Success

by Will Edwards

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The 7 Keys to Success                                                              Will Edwards

Your Wake-Up Call

When I was quite young, someone told me, “If you want to be really successful, find out what God wants to you to do with your life and then dedicate yourself to achieving it”.

At the time, I didn’t really like that idea; I did not believe that my life could have any particular purpose; and I did not think that anything God might have in mind would be of any interest to me in any case. Gradually, I have come to believe that what that person said to me, all those years ago, is true.

As human beings, we all share certain basic wants and needs: we have need for food, water, shelter, safety, love, respect and self-esteem. We all share an in-built tendency, as Freud stated, to want to move away from pain and toward pleasure. This tendency is part of the human condition for our own good; it keeps us away from harm and generally helps us to make good choices. Most people settle for pursuing a career that satisfies these basic human wants and needs; and never really think beyond them to what their life could be about.

Somewhere along the line, I came to realise that what God wanted for my life, and what I wanted, were one and the same thing. This understanding came after I had determined to find out what God actually wanted me to do with my life.

It was a profound moment for me. I gradually came to understand my inner hopes, dreams and deepest desires as being implanted by God. So pursuing God’s purpose for my life was, in fact, also pursuing my own purpose. When it really came down to it, I finally realised that I needed to look within to discover my own purpose; and once I had found out what it was, it then became possible to dedicate myself to fulfilling it.

So my message to you is simple: it is time for you to wake-up! It is time for you to start thinking of your life in a different way. It is time for you to fulfil your dream - whatever that may be. That is why you are here on the planet right now. By finding and fulfilling your own unique purpose in life you will be living your life to the full.

It is my hope that you will begin to see yourself as a special person, with a truly unique purpose in life - because that is the truth!

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The 7 Keys to Success                                                                        Will Edwards

Commitment

Committedness: the trait of sincere and steadfast fixity of purpose.

Commitment: the act of binding yourself, intellectually or emotionally, to a definite course of action.

1. Commitment

2. An Open Mind

3. Persistence

4. Flexibility

5. Faith

6. Thankfulness

7. Passion

What are you doing with your Life: would you say you are living your dream; or are you living from hand to mouth, making the best of things, just getting to the next week - what we might call: existing rather than living?

If you are living your dream, then well done: you are truly on the road to success. If you are not living your dream - or even if you have no dream at present - then do not despair because this little book was written for you. We are going to help you to find your dream, develop it and then to actually achieve it!

To live a truly successful life, you do need to first have a dream. As Carl Sandburg, American historian, poet and novelist put it, "nothing happens unless first a dream".

If you think about it, nothing at all now exists within our experience of physical reality that did not first exist in the mind of the person who made it or brought it into being. In all cases, everything is created twice: the physical creation follows the mental creation.

To succeed, you must have a dream, or you may prefer to call it a vision - and you must completely commit yourself to its ultimate fulfilment - that is the essence of the mental creation.

Here is one of the real secrets of success: you should dream big dreams, because you can have anything you want! Read that statement again and let it really sink in because it is true that you can have anything you want; you can be anything you want to be; and you can do anything you want to do. This may at first seem self-indulgent, but remember, your deepest desires were implanted by God.

What does it mean: to commit yourself to your dream? To illustrate, let me tell you a little about the story of Charles Lindbergh. You know, of course who he was - he was the first person to fly the Atlantic solo - non-stop all the way to Paris. An incredible feat which he eventually accomplished in May 1927.

He used to dream of flying the Atlantic during his long-haul flights delivering mail. Once he had imagined the possibility of being the first person to do this, he completely committed himself to its achievement overcoming all kinds of set-backs. He did not allow the negative opinions of the doubters who surrounded him to influence his resolve.

When he was unable to purchase the single aircraft in existence that he calculated would be capable of making that momentous journey, he had his own airplane designed and built. He didn't have the money, but he got a group of St Louis businessmen to sponsor him - that's why the plane was called The Spirit of St Louis - now that's commitment!

Once you have your dream. you too need to demonstrate that kind of resolve - and let me tell you plainly - you are capable of it!

It requires you to take actions that are congruent with your wishes in order to translate them into reality, but the first step is to have that dream - your own dream, not anyone else's ideas about what is best for you in life - and then absolutely commit yourself to its achievement.

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The 7 Keys to Success                                                                    Will Edwards

An Open Mind

Openness: characterized by an attitude of ready accessibility about one's actions or purposes

Receptiveness: willingness or readiness to receive - especially impressions or ideas

1. Commitment

2. An Open Mind

3. Persistence

4. Flexibility

5. Faith

6. Thankfulness

7. Passion

Once you have committed yourself to achieving your dream, you should begin to notice something rather odd starting to happen in your life: the universe actually begins to help you to achieve it!

You just need to be Open-Minded - that is, you need to be ready and willing to receive what the universe (you might prefer to say God) has in store for you. Some people call this principle the Law of Attraction, but whatever you call it, it is quite true that you will absolutely set in motion unseen forces which will definitely assist you with the manifestation of your dream.

People, events and circumstances will be drawn to you that will actually assist you in the achievement of your dream. You can probably only fully accept this truth when you experience it for yourself; and once you have committed to your dream, you will begin to experience it. Things will start to happen: they may seem like co-incidence at first, but you are now living in an altered reality.

As an example of this principle in action, let's take a brief look at the true story of Rudy Ruettiger. You may know that Rudy had a dream. His dream - now the subject of a truly inspiring movie - was to play football for Notre Dame. Everyone told him it couldn't be done. But this is how the universe helped him to achieve his dream.

When he was 22 years old, a friend bought him a Notre Dame jacket for his birthday. When he presented it to Rudy, he commented, 'Rudy, you were born to wear this jacket!' These words resonated with something deep within him and he resolved, there and then, to do something about it. So he took a bus bound for South Bend, Indiana with the specific goal of meeting the Notre Dame Championship football coach, Ara Parseghian to discuss the matter further.

It turned out that Rudy needed to get his grades up prior to ever being considered for Notre Dame which he did by attending Holly Cross Junior College. With nowhere to live, he slept in the maintenance room; and after numerous applications and trials, Rudy was finally accepted to Notre Dame and eventually made the football team as a walk-on.

Rudy was not really considered good enough to make the team, but he never missed a practice match and was there suited-up during the final game of his senior year. Now many people in the crowd knew of Rudy's goal to play for the team; and in the final minutes of the last game, the crowd started chanting: Ru-dy! Ru-dy! Ru-dy!

Coach Dan Devine was so moved that he put him into the game in the last 27 seconds and in the final play, he sacked the quarterback. Rudy was carried off the field in triumph on the shoulders of his team-mates.

When you carry your own dream within, you too will be able to touch the hearts and minds of the people around you in much the same way; and it is a truly wonderful and uplifting experience when you find out for yourself that the universe does indeed help you to achieve your goal.

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The 7 Keys to Success                                                                 Will Edwards

Persistence

Persistence: refusing to give up, especially when faced with opposition or difficulty; continuing firmly or steadily

Persistence: the act of continually pursuing something in spite of obstacles

1. Commitment

2. An Open Mind

3. Persistence

4. Flexibility

5. Faith

6. Thankfulness

7. Passion

If having a dream and committing to its ultimate achievement is something like plotting your final destination ahead of an exciting journey, then persistence is rather like the engine you need in order to get there.

Persistence is what drives you on to take the next step in your journey; persistence is what prevents you from getting discouraged by what may have happened in the past; persistence is where the rubber meets the road!

Here is a story, of unknown origin that illustrates what persistence is all about ...

There was a certain young man who went to meet a famous guru to ask the question: "which way is success?"

The wise old sage did not speak but instead pointed to some place far off in the distance. The man, delighted at the thought of quick and easy success, took off in the appropriate direction. Suddenly, there was a loud "splat!" Eventually, the man staggered back, bruised and stunned, assuming he must have misunderstood the message. He repeated his question to the guru, who again pointed silently in the same direction.

The man walked away once more. After some time, there was another “splat!” and, this time, the splat was deafening. When the man crawled back, he was broken, wounded, and angry. "Hey, I asked you which way is success," he shouted at the guru. "I followed your directions and all I got was splatted! No more of this pointing - talk!" Only then did the wise old guru speak, and what he said was this: "Success IS that way, just a little further on than splat!"

Translating your dream into an action plan and then constantly taking actions, each and every day, that will move you in the direction of your goal is what will get you there in the end. No matter how big your goal, you can get there if you will keep your destination in mind and then continually take actions that move you toward the goal.

When you meet an obstacle, as you inevitably will, persistence determines what you will do; whether you will give up or keep going. Persistence is what gets you back on your feet, dusted down and ready to go again.

Persistence is what gets you past SPLAT!

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The 7 Keys to Success                                                                   Will Edwards

Flexibility

Flexibility: the quality of being adaptable

Flexibility: a measure of the ability to respond to changes in demand

1. Commitment

2. An Open Mind

3. Persistence

4. Flexibility

5. Faith

6. Thankfulness

7. Passion

It is a sound NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) principle that to become successful, we need to notice what is working and what is not; and be prepared to change our approach in order to get what we want - that is the essence of flexibility.

A wise person once said, "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got". That is a wonderfully true statement - in other words, if you continue doing exactly what you are now doing, then don't be surprised when you don't see any increase or change in your results.

It is the law of cause and effect in operation. The results you are now getting (effects) are the product of the causes (efforts) you have made in the past. To get greater benefits in the future, you need to change what you are doing in the present in order to produce them.

Whilst persistence is an important quality, persistence without flexibility can indeed be futile because, without some flexibility in your approach, you could end up trying to move an immovable object for the rest of your life. The willingness to constantly change what we are now doing and to also demonstrate persistence is what gets us around seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

So notice exactly what is working for you; and notice what is not. Change your approach in some way - you will need to brainstorm various approaches - then continue to observe. By continually changing your approach and finding what works and what doesn't, you will literally become unstoppable.

As an example, consider the story of Kevin Keegan, famous English footballer (soccer) and eventually manager of England. Kevin was told that he would never become a footballer because he was not talented enough, he was not strong enough and he was too small.

It would have been easy enough for him to just give up; after all these people telling him he would never make it were all professionals - surely they should know what they were talking about! What did Kevin actually do? Well there was nothing he could do about his height, so he worked on what he could do: he worked on his physique until he built a strong, powerful frame; and he worked on his basic ball skills.

After several tryouts, he was eventually signed as an apprentice for Scunthorpe United in 1967. He became a full professional 12 months later; and in 1971 moved to Liverpool where he played on the winning team in the FA Cup 1974, the European Cup 1977, the UEFA Cup 1973 and 1976 and the Football League 1973, 1976-7.

Kevin eventually became the captain of England winning 63 caps between 1972 and 1982; and he became European Footballer of the Year 1978 and 1979. He did it all by being flexible in his approach and persistent in the face of unfavourable odds.

Sometimes, I tell Kevin's story at my Workshop events; and sometimes people will say something like:

'What about all the people who tried and tried but still never made it?'

My answer is that Kevin would also have just been another statistic along with the rest of them if he had not demonstrated these qualities. Kevin was a winner; and you too can become a winner. To become a winner, you simply need to internalise these qualities.

If you really want success, in whatever field of endeavour you are pursuing, you can have it - yes you can! But you need to be prepared to work for it - to do whatever it takes. Finding out and then doing whatever it takes is the quality of flexibility.

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The 7 Keys to Success                                                                 Will Edwards

Faith

Faith: acceptance of principles which are not necessarily demonstrable

Faith: strong belief in something without proof or evidence

1. Commitment

2. An Open Mind

3. Persistence

4. Flexibility

5. Faith

6. Thankfulness

7. Passion

There will be many people who will tell you that you will never, or simply cannot, achieve your dream. They are the 80% of people who once had a dream but have now settled for something less. They are the children who once stood in line at school, believing they would one-day become pilots, doctors, actors, singers, ballerinas, missionaries, air-hostesses and so on.

But their experience of life gradually ground them down; and their dreams were reluctantly put away. Those dreams still live somewhere, deep down within their hearts, but they no longer believe that they are achievable.

First, their parents worked on them: questioning their abilities, doubting their chances and telling them that they once had the same dreams. Their parents told them they needed to grow-up, be more responsible and life would work out just great.

Then their teachers worked on them: saying that we all have such ambitions, but in the real-world, you needed a trade, a job, a career - and that life had so very few of these exciting opportunities. They ingrained the attitude of the 'scarcity mentality' into their charges - rather than the 'abundance mentality'. They told these children that there just wasn't enough good stuff to go around.

Finally, their friends worked on them as they also settled for the jobs on offer, they questioned: what was so wrong with being a sales-person, a plumber, a secretary or a brick-layer? The world needed these trades-people (and so it does) and there was nothing wrong with making an honest living by providing these services. That was how, gradually, their beliefs about the world were changed - they no longer believed that it would be possible to reach the heights they had once dreamed of - and they made the decision to settle for less; much less.

After all this negative conditioning, only a few of those pilots-in-the-making believed they could still learn to fly aircraft; only a few of those singers still believed they were destined to sing for their supper. Many people had their dream literally strangled out of them. And when you are once again ready to pursue what is in your heart, you need to be aware that you are still not immune to this negative conditioning: there will still be very many people ready to tell you why what you are now doing, or about to do, is hopeless!

But, do you know of the work of Masaru Emoto - the scientist who freezes water and takes photographs of its crystal structure? Well, I don't think you could get a more powerful demonstration of the power of faith to impact our physical reality. He has tried a number of experiments which really challenge our conventional ideas about the power of our thoughts. Amongst other things, he found that water which was frozen when offered a prayer, formed better, more perfect crystals than water which was cursed before freezing.

It sounds bizarre doesn't it, but if our thoughts can do that to water, imagine what they can do to us - we are after all, 75% water! If your thoughts are positive, affirmative and full of faith, then they are transformational. You become literally changed and therefore better able to achieve your purpose - the goal that other people don't think you can possibly achieve.

That's why you need faith - a deep-down belief that, regardless of the evidence, you are going to make it! You are going to achieve what you have set out to accomplish. You are going to make a difference in this life.

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The 7 Keys to Success                                                              Will Edwards

Thankfulness

Thankfulness: a virtue and a dynamic - activates the Law of Attraction

Thankfulness: a positive emotion involving a feeling of indebtedness

1. Commitment

2. An Open Mind

3. Persistence

4. Flexibility

5. Faith

6. Thankfulness

7. Passion

Attitude affects so many things in life. Sales-people are told to maintain a positive mental attitude because it ultimately affects their sales, sports-people are told to cultivate a winner's attitude because it affects their performance. The laws of success tell us to cultivate a grateful attitude but why should thankfulness affect our success?

It may be difficult, at first, to see exactly how thankfulness, or gratitude, can be such an important key to your success, but by seeking to maintain an 'attitude of gratitude' you are indeed tapping into the timeless laws of success.

Thankfulness is fundamentally related to positivity and negativity. It is so much easier to be positive about your life and the things that are going on in it right now when you are grateful. As A. W. Tozer once commented, „a thankful heart cannot be cynical‟.

The work-place is full of people who are cynical - ready to run the company down, run the boss down and run the industry down; and do you know something, they can, and do, actually produce the evidence that supports their beliefs. Such people are also employing the laws of success; but by talking about what they do not like, they are using the principles to attract what they don't want. Their reality simply reinforces their views about the company, the boss, the industry and whatever else has been the subject of their negativity.

On the other hand, having an attitude of gratitude impacts your countenance and your general outlook on life; and people generally will prefer to work with happy, cheerful, grateful people than miserable, down-cast, merchants of doom and gloom. As a consequence truly grateful people, literally attract opportunities that others miss or even possibly repel.

To help acquire this positive attitude, consider the idea of keeping a Gratitude Journal. Would you, every day for a period of one month, be prepared to actually write down all the things for which you are grateful? You know: count your blessings, the way you were taught as a child. What do you think might be the result of engaging in such an exercise? Consider the results of this scientific study into the subject.

Two psychologists, McCollough and Emmons, conducted a study on the subject of gratitude and thanksgiving. In the study, three different groups of people were required to keep daily journals. The first group kept a simple diary of all the events that occurred during the day, the second group kept a record of only their unpleasant daily experiences. The final group made a daily list of everything for which they were grateful i.e. the kept a Gratitude Journal.

The results of this amazing study suggested that the exercise of daily gratitude resulted in higher levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, optimism and energy. So let it really sink-in ...

 A Grateful Heart Cannot be Cynical.

 Gratitude is Fundamental to Maintaining an Optimistic Outlook.

 The Exercise of Thankfulness activates the Law of Attraction.

Additionally, the gratitude group experienced less depression and stress, was much more likely to get involved in helping others. They also exercised more regularly and made more progress toward their personal goals. Isn't that amazing: just by keeping a Gratitude Journal, the study suggests they were able to positively impact their chances of achieving their goals!

Thankfulness is an attitude and an important key to success. It is an attitude we all need to learn to acquire - particularly when we feel we are in difficult circumstances.

So learn to be grateful.

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The 7 Keys to Success                                                                       Will Edwards

Passion

Passion: strong, enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal

Passion: your heart's one true desire or the deepest desire of your heart

1. Commitment

2. An Open Mind

3. Persistence

4. Flexibility

5. Faith

6. Thankfulness

7. Passion

It is impossible to think about passion without reference to the heart. Deep within your heart, there is a desire, the pursuit of which will bring you all the happiness, success and fulfilment you really want. To find your passion is to identify your own unique purpose in life; to live your passion is to achieve the Deepest Desire of Your Heart.

You can achieve whatever you want. You can be the person you were meant to be; and you can really live the life of your dreams. Those are bold statements but they are true; and more and more people are discovering this wonderful truth for themselves. But if this is indeed true, then why is it that so many people - we think the figure is around 80% - are pursuing jobs and careers they don't really care about?

For our parents and grand-parents, growing up in a world with comparatively few opportunities, it is true to say that their lives were consumed with the whole business of 'making a living' - looking after what Abraham Maslow called their physiological and social needs. They worked hard and never really enjoyed the luxury of considering what might be termed the 'higher needs' of the human condition.

Many people in today's workplace are indeed seeking to reach higher and often people think they have reached their peak when they have started to meet their 'esteem' needs, that is, the basic human need for respect, recognition and responsibility. For many people, this means pursuing an interesting career; rather than just getting a job.

However, for very many people, there is still an inner emptiness. Often, this emptiness is experienced more starkly when they have actually  become successful in their chosen careers. They start to wonder exactly what life has been about. The trappings of success: promotion, automobile, house did not bring about the happiness they anticipated. This is a consequence, as Stephen Covey puts it, of climbing the ladder of success only to find when they reach the top that, all along, the ladder has been leaning against the wrong wall. To really achieve success in life, you must be bold enough to go even higher: to consider what Maslow called. Self Actualisation. This means becoming the person you were meant to be; and living the life you were meant to live. Only by doing this, can you possibly hope to find the true success you really desire.

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The 7 Keys to Success                                                              Will Edwards

The Rest of Your Life

You are a truly unique person: you can tell this simply by taking a moment or two to look at your thumb print. Do that now – go on, humour me – take a look at your thumb print and know this: you are the only person who has ever lived who has had that thumb print! Isn‟t that truly amazing? In fact, it is even more amazing than that because, as it turns out, you are the only person who will ever have that thumb print.

So you already know, in your heart that you are unique. But also know that this uniqueness extends to your purpose in life: you are called to achieve something significant with your life! Do not make the mistake of believing that life holds no purpose for you. Remember that you are here only once. This is your life - right now! So make sure you live the life you were born to live.

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The 7 Keys to Success                                                                        Will Edwards

A Message for Our Time

Our mission is to help people to develop their own unique talents, abilities and passion in order that they may lead more meaningful, joyful and fulfilled lives. We can achieve this if you will help us to spread our message.

This humble little book contains an important message for the people of our own time. Just imagine for a moment what would happen if millions of people were to decide to start living the lives they were born to live - just think of the amazing transformation that would result. The most astonishing power, operating for good, would be unleashed within the world if a substantial number of individuals committed themselves to finding and achieving their unique calling.

Now is it really possible that millions of people could be so affected? Well, with your help, I believe we can indeed reach the world with this important message. For the first time in our history, we do have a method of achieving this: the internet is truly an amazing place.

To achieve this goal, all that is necessary is for you to recommend this book anyone who you think would benefit. That really is all that is necessary because this message will naturally multiply if you will help. Eventually it will reach the right people and touch the hearts and minds of those people who need to hear its message.

So, if you have enjoyed reading this book and would like to help us to achieve our mission, please Click Here to send the download link to a friend. Isn‟t it exciting to be a part of something that can actually change the world?

Will you help us?

Thank You,

Will Edwards.

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The 7 Keys to Success                                                                      Will Edwards