The need for raising world-class leaders who build bridges, those who refrain from erecting walls and creating divisions

In the 20th C, the global socio-political atmosphere was tense, especially immediately after WWII.

• The world was divided into two camps.
• The arms race was at its peak.
• Humanity lived with constant terror of possible nuclear annihilation.
• The scarce resources of humanity, including intellectuals, were spent on how to destroy the other camp.
• It was ugly and counterproductive. No one benefited from that state of existence.

Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, it seems the next COLD WAR is in the making, if not already formed.

It is unfortunate that history is repeating itself. It is frustrating to see that we don’t learn from our past…

In this Century, by now, we should have cool-headed leaders from both camps who could take the lead and tone down the tension and, in the process, save humanity from potential extinction.

At this stage of human evolution, it is embarrassing to lack leaders who understand that no one will benefit from a nuclear exchange… No one will come out as a winner and unscratched…

• How did we get here?
• Why are we having unthoughtful leaders who are comfortable crossing red-lines?
• Why are these leaders push some boundaries carelessly and play with fire???

Anyways, at PRO Leadership, we are neutral. We don’t take sides. In this matter, we don’t think anyone should take sides and fan the flame. Both camps are equally vulnerable…

We’re also a small non-profit organization with limited scope. Resolving this conflict is beyond our pay grade 🙂

However, we call upon leaders in the west and south/east to remember those wise leaders who tamed their personal egos. Leaders like John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Nikita Khrushchev, and Mikhail Gorbachev, who stepped up to the plate when the hour called for cool-headed leaders. They took LEADERSHIP and acted responsibly during that scary time where humanity was so close to experience a devastating nuclear war, and self-destruction.

We also call upon the UN and other continental and regional institutions to continue to play constructive roles in resolving the conflict FASTER and through dialogue. This bloody conflict must stop. The death of young Russians and Ukrainians must stop NOW.

That said, our scope is limited. We’re committed to bridging the leadership gaps in emerging economies one community at a time.

We are highly concerned about this conflict because of two reasons:

1. First, we are human beings and deeply feel the pains our brothers and sisters at war are experiencing.
2. Second, the conflict has created global divide and led to another COLD WAR, affecting our mission and many other critically important undertakings in emerging economies.

The conflict is coming in the way of raising world-class leaders who may transform their communities by tackling the dire challenges their respective communities are facing such as the lack of:

• Quality infrastructures like hospitals, schools, roads, transportation vehicles…
• Adequate clean water,
• Enough nutritional foods, and so on.

Emerging economies now have to divert their resources, attention, and focus away from the dire needs of their communities because of this emerging COLD-WAR tension among big dogs.

Remember:

• Emerging economies are victims here.
• Even if they’ve not played any role in what is happening, they can’t escape the consequences.
• They’re forced, directly or indirectly, to take sides.
• They’re paying dire prices because of high inflation, consumer prices, and demand-supply route disruptions.
• And more…

It doesn’t look good for emerging economies… They had to overcome so many chronic challenges. And now, they’ve to deal with this HUMAN-MADE divide, which isn’t their own making?

We strongly believe that there are lots of things both the West and East/South commonly share. What units us outweighs what divides us.

The stake is high. The challenges we all humans face demand us to set aside our differences including how this conflict should be resolved, BRIDGE the GAPS, and work together on those common agendas that affect all of humanity.

That is why we at PRO Leadership create programs that raise world-class leaders in emerging economies who create synergy with other leaders by focusing on what units us. Leaders who refrain from erecting walls and burning bridges…

Our programs are also designed to empower leaders who are skillful in negotiating win-win deals on those issues we have differences. Leaders who avoid war and conflict by employing skillful diplomacy.

Unfortunately, long-term initiatives like ours take the back burner whenever communities deal with pressing issues like the one we are now facing. It seems every essential and long-term project has been frozen, both in the west, and east/south and everything is centered around this conflict and the cold war in the making.

This is the 21st C. Humanity has come a long way.

We should continue to evolve mentally and spiritually to defeat humanities common enemies:

1. Poverty,
2. Conflicts,
3. Diseases,
4. Environmental degradation,
5. Terrorism,
6. Corruption, and more.

This isn’t the time to reverse gear, slow down, take the down spiral path, and self-destruct.

Of course, we’re mindful that we’re a non-profit. We help communities raise extraordinary leaders. We don’t have the mandate, abilities, influence, or resources to play any meaningful role in bridging the global political divide.

However, we firmly believe that small organizations like ours, community organizations, and individuals like you and I can make a difference if we use whatever little influence we have to play our fair share in promoting tolerance, peace, unity, synergy, and collaboration… If we act as BRIDGE BUILDERS…

Of course, we don’t give up. Even if our journey is slowed down and taking a back burner, our long-term vision is to see LEADERS in emerging economies who:

• Transform their respective community once and for all.
• Defeat poverty, conflicts, and corruption.
• Learn from those leaders who have already achieved economic development.
• Share the leadership wisdom they gained that worked in their respective communities with other leaders in the West.

As you can imagine, this goodwill, collaboration, and exchange of wisdom can only happen if there is peace. It can only happen if leaders in the west and south/east see each other as strategic partners, not as rivals. While the cold war is waged and the political atmosphere is tense as it is now, it is hard to build bridges and learn from one another.

What is worst? While we’re in this COLD WAR mentality,

• Chances are, we may all DIE if someone crosses the proverbial red line.
• Even if we SURVIVE for now, the fight against poverty, corruption, and environmental degradation takes the back burner.
• Our civilization stalls, if not goes backward decades, as creative minds and resources are invested in creating weapons.
• It takes us decades to trust, reengage, and collaborate again, wasting precious time and opportunities that could have advanced our collective human evolution and civilization.

As you can see, leadership makes or breaks. Leaders can lead us into WAR and DESTRUCTION or into PEACE and PROSPERITY.

The problem is severe when the leadership gap is at the national and global levels. It tricks down…

Though our programs and initiatives may not dent the direction of this conflict or what is happening globally, if PRO Leadership and other stakeholders continue to raise world-class leaders at family and community levels, chances are these leaders one day will become national and global leaders. That is our mission and mandate, and that is our vision and what we see… Raising leaders who will bring a lasting transformation in emerging economies playing their parts for a better world!!!

• If you share our cause and vision, why don’t you join us?
• If you would like to see world-class leaders in your community who build bridges rather than erect walls and create barriers, why not join the movement?

Reach out via [email protected]

We look forward to chatting with you and seeing how you may involve according to your passion, talent, and experience.