Another year and no real long-term solutions for many world problems
I wrote the original version of this blog post over a year ago. I would love to say that many things have improved since then. But, that would be a lie. They have not. If anything the world has gotten worse. In fact, when you look at the list of problems below you will notice that none of them is solved. I believe that lackluster leadership is preventing us from moving forward successfully. The main reason I am officially launching All The Way Leadership! now is that the need is so great. It has become my passion project.
We live in troubled times
The world is a mess right now, or at least it feels that way. Our current situation is probably not anything new. I bet our ancestors felt the same way. Life has always been hard. Perhaps we just notice it more these days. Watch the nightly news and you will hear about a wide array of big challenges in our country and around the world.
Below are a dozen world problems that need solutions
I know there are important items missing from the list. I am merely trying to show that we have our hands full right now.
- Racism – Charlotteville scared everybody. How could something like that happen in 2017? I went to school in Charlottesville, worked there, and lived there for several years. It is a sleepy small Southern town with a great university and a world-class hospital, not a breeding ground for racist bigots.
- Gun violence – Las Vegas was disturbing, just like all the other gun violence incidents. Too many examples to list without getting angry. Have we even started to deal with this problem, or are we going to keep kicking the can down the road, hoping it gets better?
- Sexual Harassment – this problem is not new. It has been building up for decades, perhaps even centuries. The list of creepy men will continue to grow as more and more are exposed for their unacceptable behavior. Hopefully, we men will learn one day. Let’s make it today.
- America is divided – recent election results clearly demonstrate that we are a nation divided. Congress remains mired in partisan politics. Hardly anything gets done. The two-party system is being questioned. Who can you trust these days and when will we see progress?
- Europe is splintering – BREXIT was the first sign of trouble. Germany is struggling to put a coalition government in place. Refugee problems continue. The dream of a united Europe is starting to fade as countries decide to put their own interests first.
- Cybersecurity incidents – having your personal data stolen is starting to become a normal part of life. The list of companies, organizations, and government agencies that have been hacked continues to grow. It is way too many to list here. Is anyone’s data safe?
- Terrorist incidents – we still see terrorist incidents all over the world. Some within our own borders like the recent bizarre attack in Manhattan. Others are well-coordinated like the Paris attacks last year. Will the war on terror ever end? Hard to tell.
- Rogue countries – North Korea and Iran to name a few. Does anyone think it is a good idea for either one of these countries to possess nuclear weapons? Of course not. It is getting harder to stop their progress. Should we negotiate with maniacs?
- Russia meddling in our elections – looks like they did it, using our own technology against us. I picture a shirtless Vladimir Putin smiling somewhere in Russia as he continues to create chaos in other countries to prop up his own country’s stature.
- Healthcare costs – they continue to rise with no end in sight. Compare the cost of healthcare in the US with other developed countries in the world. It is eye-opening to see the difference. Sure – we have the best healthcare. But at what cost.
- Education costs – the cost of a college education continues to rise at an alarming rate. I have to write an in-state tuition check every semester. It takes my breath away. I do it so that my children do not graduate with a mountain of debt. I can only imagine writing a check for an out-of-state school. It would probably make me tear up.
- Sports – even the sports entertainment industry is struggling. The NFL is a mess. Should the players stand for the National Anthem, or not? What about all the injuries? In addition, ticket sales are declining and hard questions are starting to be asked of the owners and players.
None of these world problems will be easy to solve
These problems are big, complex, and the list continues to grow. I do not pretend to have the answers. I doubt any single person does. However, I do know that effective leadership will be needed for all of them. We have a great need for strong leadership in the modern world. I am gravely concerned that we lack the leaders to address these issues. If these leaders already existed we would see more progress on a regular basis.
Not everything is doom and gloom
Anyone who knows me well knows that I am an eternally optimistic person. I want to end this blog on a positive note. Not all is doom and gloom. We have many leaders doing their best to deal with all these issues. I do not mean to discourage them. I applaud their efforts. They make a difference every day. I want to help them by growing more leaders who will stand with them to change the world. We are making progress in some areas, and we can do better. We can do it. I know that we can.
ATW! is designed to make you a better leader
I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!
