“Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6

Our children are our greatest asset, we must develop them to the fullest. Teach them well and let them lead the way in the pursuit of happiness. What children learn at the outset of life sets the tone for their future, however they can learn from the cradle to the grave.

If there is a failure in the formal system of spiritual, physical, emotional, intellectual, financial, and business training or practical life experience, this will frustrate the attempt to achieve optimal performance of this asset. This is true whether the failure is induced by pandemics, world wars or not

We must take continual cost-effective preventive measures to reduce the chance of system failure and to make immediate repairs when there is a system deficiency, since such a failure will threaten business survival, economic growth, peace and sustainability.

We must first establish a vision of high productivity, excellence, cultural awareness and decency in our people to which we should all aspire. This vision must be followed by a training action plan for the various phases of our life.

A well-balanced human being is the product of a successful training action plan. Early childhood education specialists argue that babies are born ready to learn, and their brains develop through use. In the first five years of life, experiences and relationships stimulate children’s development.

In the primary and secondary systems, formal classroom face-to-face education is the norm, even though home schooling is an option.

Tertiary education refers to all formal academic, business, entrepreneurial, technical and vocational experiences. Tertiary education is instrumental in fostering growth, reducing poverty, and boosting shared prosperity and is offered by specialized training institutions and obtained experientially as adults prepare for leadership and management positions and indeed as members of the workforce.

In the first five years of life, parents, grandparents and guardians play an important role in guiding children whose brains are ready to absorb, observe and learn. The success of this training will be directly proportional to the training and experience of these trainers.

In the primary and secondary systems, qualified and experienced teachers have the responsibility to prepare children for adulthood and their contribution to the workforce. These trainers often have a passion for teaching which, when coupled with persistence, patience and a congenial environment, are very effective in discharging their responsibilities.

For those trainees who formally or nonchalantly march into the tertiary phase, they are schooled by trainers, lecturers, professors, mentors and shepherds (life coaches and business mentors).

Too many parents bring children into this world because of a natural procreational activity without preparing themselves emotionally, mentally or practically for the important role as parents. There are “Parents as Teachers” programs available on the internet that promote optimal early development, learning and health of children by supporting parents and caregivers.

Qualified and experienced primary and secondary teachers and college and university professors should complement their skills by attending appropriate “Diploma in Education” programs which teach them how to teach.

For those trainers who are fortunate to have seasoned mentors in their lives, count your lucky stars and remember that you cannot buy experience, it is accumulated with the passage of time.

Training enhances the understanding of behavior patterns, ethics, decency, skills, capabilities, knowledge of children, adults, leaders, managers and the workforce.

Training of the trainers is paramount if we are to achieve business success, economic growth, peace and sustainability.


(Dr. Basil Springer GCM is a Change-Engine Consultant. His email address is basilgf@marketplaceexcellence.com. His columns may be found at www.nothingbeatsbusiness.com)