Teach Your Children Well

Monday, Jan. 25, 2010 | 1:48 p.m.

In Clark County, Nevada, a fifth grade teacher assigned her students a project in which they were tasked to write about any winter holiday tradition other than the ones commonly practiced in the United States. The William Wright Elementary School teacher’s intention was to have her class research traditions different from those in which they already were familiar. The intent was that the students would learn about other cultures and therefore develop a greater appreciation of the rest of the world.

This innocuous assignment caused quite a stir with the mother of one of the students. She complained to the school board that it was not right to exclude the United States’ traditions from the assignment. Perhaps the assignment could have been phrased better (such as assigning the students to write on any tradition except the one you currently practice at home), but I fail to see any significant concern with this assignment.

The world is getting smaller each year and as adults, it is incumbent upon us to prepare our children for the global society that they will inherit when they grow up. It is amazing to me that someone from the United States (the melting pot of the world, after all) could be upset about an assignment geared to develop an appreciation of other cultures and customs.

So how does this tie to business?

Although it is already happening, the next generation of business executive will work in an even more diverse workforce. Many traditional “in-house” jobs will be outsourced and many of those will be sent to other countries where quality work can be obtained for a fraction of the cost.

I am an American and still believe the United States is the best nation on the planet, but in that spirit of greatness, we need to be ready to work and conduct business in a post-America-centered world. Both China and India are growing exponentially faster than the United States and their fastest growing sectors are the middle class--the people with whom we will be conducting business in the future.

There is no question that we live in a global society. For one of the first times ever, we are in a global recession, where global financial markets react to each other in ways never seen before. A better understanding of these global markets will be essential for future businessmen to be able to plan and operate their businesses.

Other countries have researched and studied the United States, its customs, and its problems in an effort to position their businesses to conduct business with the U.S. It is becoming increasingly important that we do the same. We are entering an age where the world has, according to Thomas Friedman, flattened. The U.S. needs great business relations with other countries, now more than ever.

So let our children learn about other customs and cultures. Let them explore. Teach them well. Their survival depends upon it.

Until next time…

Craig