This week is Anti-Bullying Week, and the theme this year is “Odd Socks”.
You might be thinking to yourself, “What does this have to do with entrepreneurship, or work readiness?”.
At first glance, you’d be forgiven for not seeing the connection, however on closer inspection, it all becomes clear. One of our key pillars, work readiness, equips youths with the skills they need to get on in the workplace. These include the ability to get on well with each other, being supportive, making space for new ideas, and avoiding undue conflict through proper communication as a team.
It might come as no surprise that entrepreneurs are go-getters, and with that comes considerable competitiveness.
Competitiveness can spur people on to achieve greatness, however an excess of this quality can result in a toxic environment, rife with bullying.
Here at JA, we take a strong anti-bullying stance, because we believe that every person should be treated with respect and dignity. Competitiveness should only be used as a vehicle to motivate and inspire us to reach higher. Our actions should never have a direct negative impact on others.
We encourage you to take a stand and be different, chart your own path – the most successful business people often do. That is why it is so disheartening to see people being picked on for their differences, instead of celebrating and embracing them. With this in mind, we encourage an atmosphere in which young people feel free to think outside the box, in which sensible risk-taking and innovation can flourish. This can only materialise if people have the strength of character to stand on their own two feet and be different. Bullying suffocates inspiration and extinguishes the spark of original, free thought. Creativity lies at the heart of progress, so it is imperative to facilitate alternative thinking, not stop it at every turn.