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| Lessons for a life well-lived: set your moral compass and follow your vision - a speech by Lindley Edwards | ||
| 10-Oct-2011 | ||
| Below is an extract from a recent graduation address at Macquarie University by AFG Venture Group CEO Lindley Edwards. It was reproduced in today's Australian Financial Review: It has been twenty years since I graduated from my first degree and my constant companion has been change at micro and macro levels. Through everything that I have experienced, I hope that throughout my life I can demonstrate that I have earned some wisdom. The truism is that all of us in the future will face moments and times that are thrilling, and others that are downright hard to deal with, with many moments in between. What I am most interested in today is that we consider “How Might We Live a Life Well Lived”? On that basis, I would like to explore the following themes: Vision The ability to have a vision is critical as this is what sets the tone and creates the container of possibility. By setting a vision you are in effect saying that you believe in a future that is different to the one you currently have. As a teenager I was very unhappy in both my family situation and in the life that was forced on me in a small country town. It was all very claustrophobic. But through this time I held a vision that one day I would be able to leave, which came true when I was 17. It was this vision that sustained me through some very difficult times and is what assisted me to engage in the actions that allowed me to move to Melbourne and follow a very different course. If we look at history, the truly great and memorable leaders were able to paint a picture and create a vision of something bigger and better that seizes the imagination of the collective. Think about this in terms of Churchill and Britain during WW2, or Gandhi and India in the 1940s, or Martin Luther King and the US in the 1960s. These leaders not only set their own personal vision, but were able to create a vision that enjoined others into action to fight injustice and oppression. I would encourage you, now that you have finished your course, to spend some time setting a vision for the next stages of your life. The famous homily from the Old Testament is “without a vision the people perish” and having a vision for a better future ensures you can sustain the ability to be enthused, engaged and truly alive. It is worth remembering that you cannot effectively set a vision for others unless you have a vision for your own life. Narrative Human beings make sense of situations via story or narrative. We have been sharing stories since the beginning of our species and it is also a way in which we transfer knowledge and wisdom. Our thoughts, beliefs and ideas shape how we make meaning or create a narrative in our life situations. As Thomas Berry, the American writer, philosopher and theologian eloquently put it “narrative is the basic modality in which human mind functions. We come to understand things through the sequence of changes that take place and are best presented in story form”. It is therefore important that we create the most empowered stories or interpretations that we can, so we have room for larger possibilities. Often when I am faced with a very difficult situation, I find it very useful to ask myself the following question – “If in the future I could look back on this event or situation and say that it is the best thing that could have happened, what would need to be true for this to apply”? Framing a difficulty in this way creates a bigger canvas in which to explore alternative solutions. A key skill for leaders is to create narrative structures that provide positive impetus for creating the present and investing in the future. I cannot but help but notice the lack of compelling narrative that exists in much of our political and civil discourse. I hope that all of you are busy working on bigger, better and more life affirming stories about our future and some of the environmental, social and justice issues we need to address. Questions The ability to ask quality questions is a key skill of life. As the Irish Philosopher, John O’Donohue, posited “The Question Holds the Lantern”. So really good questions become the beacon lights, guiding and propelling us to new discoveries and can guide us to our future. If you wish to be an innovator, an entrepreneur, a good leader or a good strategist, the key skill is framing good questions. Good questions look for undiscovered patterns and relationships, and are critical to robust discovery processes. It takes courage to ask the difficult questions and live with questions that don’t have the easy answers. The world right now needs people prepared to frame and ask new questions that are capable of creating different pathways out of some wicked problems. The poet Rainer Maria Rilke probably put it the best when he said “And try to love the questions themselves”. Risk The well lived life involves taking risks. I believe that much of modern life, including some of our corporate, social and educational experiences, can discourage us from taking risk. But to live a well lived life we must resist taking only the safe options and we must have the courage to do the things that we can and should do. I am not talking about taking risk for the sake of taking risk, but I am encouraging you to take the paths less travelled and do things that make you regularly uncomfortable. Fear is not to be avoided and is part of the human condition; learn to make it your friend. Great returns come from taking the great risks. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got came from a function that I attended with the late Dame Anita Roddick of Body Shop fame. She said that ‘there is no such thing as a mistake, only if you keep doing it”. So good risking is not an all or nothing game and it requires that you are also able to not just take the risk but modify, adjust and change as you receive feedback and incorporate it. Some people admire my ability to risk, but actually I take a very straightforward and de-risked approach. I look at what is the downside of doing what is proposed and work out a way of living with this. When I started as an entrepreneur my downside risk was that I would have to stop my own activity and go and get a proper job in a financial institution. That position, years later is still my fall back and allows me to continue to risk. Learning The only constant that we can predict, is that the world will continue to change. Therefore it stands to reason that even though you have finished your course today, you will benefit from continual engagement in learning. For me there is nothing more inspiring than a mature age person who has remained curious and open, and who is always learning. Engaging in ongoing learning helps creates better narrative structures, and applying knowledge into action allows wisdom to be developed. Learning happens both in the positive and the negative. In my own life I have often learned what not to do before I have learned what to do. If we accept the truth learning what not to do is part of the process we can more easily let go of our mistakes, failures or inadequacies as we have the means to transform what we learn into the positive. A well lived life is always informed by and with learning. Service I have found that real engagement in life requires that I am of service to something greater, something that inspires me. This means that not only am I engaged in commercial work but also I am engaged in work that has social and community benefits that may not be for monetary profit. Most Australians are very lucky compared to people in other countries. We are also entering a time where many social and environmental issues are getting more complex and unjust and therefore need to be addressed. I hope that in the future you find some time and some ways to engage in solving and alleviating these issues and that you will contribute to creating greater social and environmental justice. The world and the various complex issues need your contributions and actions, as transformation is only possible if we all take responsibility to act. Values In many aspects of modern life there has been a failure of individuals to act with integrity and with virtue. My profession is one that springs to mind as one that has had a series of moral failures, that start with the individual and have moved into corporate and industry cultures. I don’t mind what religion or beliefs someone has but what I do like to know is “what is my and what is your personal moral compass?” The important question is “are we able to develop and sustain the moral skills that allow us to stay on course even when faced with difficult situations?” Situations come and go, but it is integrity, virtue, compassion, love, kindness and connection that lasts a life time, and is all that can truly be banked in the life well lived bank. Finally I would like to thank you all, and wish you all a wonderful future and ask that you use this opportunity to not only celebrate but also consider what it is you will create for the future. Perhaps my question to you all individually is best summarised by the poet Mary Oliver who said "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" Thank you Lindley Edwards September 2011 |
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| IIT Alumni Club | ||
| 12-Sep-2011 | ||
| AFG Venture Group Chairman, Peter Church will be speaking at the IIT Alumni Club in Chennai on Tuesday 13 September. www.iitalumniclub.org |
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| Asia Pacific International Education Forum (APIEF) - Brisbane | ||
| 31-Aug-2011 | ||
| Michael Fay, AFG Venture Group Director and Head of Education Services spoke at the Asia Pacific Leaders Roundtable hosted by the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET) on 24 August 2011 at the Sofitel Brisbane. Michael addressed the Education and Training sector issues and opportunities relating to Indonesia, its bi-lateral relationship with Australia under the Indonesia Australia Closer Economic Partnership agreement IA-CEPA and its regional relationships through the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Other speakers on the roundtable were: Dr. Jumiati Ismail, Director, Education for Malaysia High Commission Ms Michele Robinson representing the Australia China Business Council and, Mr Ranjan Choudary Principal of Program Development at the National Skill Development Corporation India. 150 delegates from 9 ASEAN countries as well as Australia, the Pacific and Europe attended the Forum which was co-hosted by former Australian Ambassador and leading Asia Pacific Strategic Advisor to the Australian Government Mr Richard Woolcott AC. Asia Pacific Editor at the Australian Newspaper and award winning journalist Mr Rowan Callick delivered the keynote address. Michael’s PowerPoint presentation is here. For more information on the Forum see www.acpet.edu.au/apief |
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| Peter Church and Michael Fay recognised as Gold Friends of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award | ||
| 15-Aug-2011 | ||
| AFG Venture Group Directors Peter Church and Michael Fay have been recognised as Gold Friends of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award International Association (IAA). This honour has been given in recognition of their generous support for the development of the Award in the Asia Pacific Region over the last 5 years. Peter Church is an Honorary Advisor to the Award for the Asia Pacific region and Michael Fay provides pro bono advice to the Award in relation to Indonesia and Award links with the Australian international education sector. The International Award (www.intaward.org) operates in 132 countries to deliver life-changing personal development opportunities for young people aged 14-25 from all parts of society. Since 1956, over 6 million participants worldwide have had the chance to develop essential life and work skills through the Award Program. Peter and Michael have been invited to a reception in London in October this year, to be attended by HRH The Earl of Wessex KG GCVO, where they will be presented the Gold Friend certificates of recognition. |
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