A Branding Lesson Learnt from my child’s school
I learnt a lesson yesterday. I will be fair; it did not hit me right away. I listened because I had to and liked what I heard, but it was only after I got home and got some quite time to ruminate (which is in the shower), that it struck me and I smiled.
It was my child’s parent teachers meeting. My daughter is in kindergarten. She joined a week late and hence had completed only 10 days in school till yesterday. The teachers spoke about the school’s value that they incorporate in their students right from K to Grade 6.
Respect, Responsibility and Personal Best.
I smiled when I heard this. Teaching values already? I thought.
Values – I explain to my 5 year old is what differentiates her from the crowd. No matter what she becomes, her value is what she is and what everyone will know her as.
Rewinding to a few years back when I was in the Brand development team for my company. It was my first job and I loved it. The team I was in was to help 8000 employees buy and live the company’s newly designed brand values. We ran workshops; we created hype and had celebrations but deep down not much changed. The employees, who were well into their late 30s then, felt little or no connection to the brand values. It was the company’s values.
Fast-forward to today and my daughter who is only ten days old in the school – proudly comes and asks me when she keeps her belongings back in their place, whether this is the ‘Waitara Way’ (her school’s name). I was shocked. The teachers told me yesterday that they keep incorporating the values. They actually ‘Walk the Talk’. Everything the school does and ask the children to do is incorporated within the value framework. In a discussion with the class, the teachers ask their children their understanding of these terms and they decide what it would mean for the class. So, if showing respect meant no pushing other children – so be it – they will be conscious not to push other kids.
So what is it that we missed at the corporate level? Was it trying to incorporate the value in individuals who already had their own set of values that failed us or was it lack of continuous demonstrations of the values from the management? I would like to see how a new joiner in Grade 5 or 6 would respond to the values of the school. If the results are the same as the magic I see in the kindy kids – then there is certainly a huge role for us parents in inculcating the right values in our children. Values that will not only help them be their personal best but will also help them as Global citizens. After all, it’s only when individuals do well, do companies do well and economies do well.
As Indians we place a lot of value on values. Or so we are taught. India is always known as a country of culture and values. But let’s be truthful do we really learn to live our values. India now is caught in its own mix. We neither want to retain the values held by our forefathers – that of complete respect to elders, discipline and fear of a supreme power nor want to let go of it altogether. We have not been able to create our own identity – our values. We are in transition, but this transition (like our roadworks) is taking much too long. We have been basking in the false glory of India’s value system. The rise in intolerance to freedom of speech and action combined with the nonchalant attitude while hurting others physically and mentally, arises mainly from this lack of identity. The culture of ‘whatever’ and ‘I don’t care’ has seeped in and unfortunately for any questions for which we don’t have answers we have these two terms. The need to really know ourselves is lost. We are one with the crowd.
To this day, I can proudly say, my parents never ever lifted their hand on any one of their three children and never cheated anyone. Those were their values and this will remain unchanged till time infinity.
That is the power of values and that is something we need to cultivate for ourselves to help our children understand the power of it. It is the passion for a belief – a belief you will stick by no matter what. And that is your defining moment.
Values, my dear friends, have more value than what we know. Live well.
