The Breakthrough Power of Young Leaders | Mohan Sivaloganathan | TED

翻译人员: Lydia Guan 校对人员: Lening Xu

My first job out of school was at Procter and Gamble.

我毕业后的第一份工作是在宝洁公司。

Shortly after launching my career,

在开始我的职业生涯后不久，

I sat down at a restaurant with my parents,

我和父母坐在一家餐馆里，

Sri Lankan immigrants who came to the country poor,

他们是斯里兰卡移民， 来到这个国家时穷得响叮当，

nothing in their pockets,

口袋里没有一分钱，

but became immensely successful through careers in public service,

但是通过投身公共服务事业 他们取得了巨大的成功，

my mom is a teacher, my dad with the US government.

我母亲是一名教师， 我的父亲是政府公务员。

And it gave me this opportunity to be able to lean across the table

这让我有机会坐在桌子对面，

and tell them that my vision for my career

告诉他们我的职业生涯愿景

was to become the CEO of Procter and Gamble.

是成为宝洁公司的首席执行官。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And just like y'all, we all took it in.

就跟你们一样，我们都信了。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Took a deep breath.

深呼吸。

But I knew I could do it.

但我知道我可以做到。

I had the skills. I had the ambition.

我有能力，我有野心。

I'd even taken the Myers-Briggs personality test.

我甚至参加了 MBTI 性格测试。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Right?

对吧？

I was assessed as an ENTJ,

我被评估为 ENTJ，

which meant that I was extroverted, intuitive, thinking, judging,

这意味着我性格外向， 拥有强大的直觉、思考力、判断力，

or some might call it, “The Commander.”

或者像有些人称之为， “指挥官”。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Studies have shown that ENTJs

研究表明，ENTJ 人群

are the most common personality types among CEOs.

是首席执行官中最常见的人格类型。

So I had it in me.

这优势我已经有了。

And I researched what is it that CEOs do, and I found a certain blueprint.

我搜索了一下首席执行官的职责， 找到了具体蓝图。

I found that they're assertive, directive,

我发现他们充满自信， 善于发号施令，

there's a real command and control to how they show up.

指挥控制，进退有度。

So I tried to apply that blueprint to my first job at Procter and Gamble,

因此，我尝试将这个蓝图应用到 我在宝洁公司的第一份工作中，

and I was surprised by the results.

结果令我感到惊讶。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Because I was magnificently,

因为我华丽地、

spectacularly ...

壮观地……

failing.

搞砸了。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

The response to my, quote unquote, leadership

我的所谓领导力

was so toxic

太糟糕了，

that I was placed on a performance improvement plan.

以至于被列入绩效改善计划。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

You can't make this stuff up.

这不是乱编的。

So for y'all who don't know,

跟那些不了解详情的人说一下，

you're on a performance improvement plan,

如果你在绩效改善计划里的话，

you are closer to being fired than being CEO.

你离被解雇不远了， 而不是成为首席执行官。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Alright? First job out of school.

好吧，这就是毕业后的第一份工作。

Clearly, I had to make some changes.

显然，我必须做出一些改变。

I'm still going to be the commander, don't get me wrong,

别误会我的意思， 我还是继续做指挥官，

but I had to make some adjustments along the way.

但在此过程中我必须做一些调整。

Had to make some tweaks.

不得不做一些转变。

And ultimately, I became CEO.

最终，我成为了首席执行官。

Not of Procter and Gamble, granted,

当然，不是宝洁公司，

because I would have flown in here on a private jet today

不然我今天就是坐私人飞机过来，

instead of taking the subway like y'all.

而不是像你们一样坐地铁了。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

But CEO of an organization called Our Turn.

但我是 Our Turn 这一组织的CEO。

A movement that uplifts the voices and change-making ability of young people

该运动旨在提高年轻人的声音和变革能力，

to be able to create a thriving education system.

以创造一个蓬勃发展的教育体系。

There are two things I discovered upon becoming a CEO.

我成为首席执行官后发现了两件事。

First, one does not simply walk into Mordor.

首先，“我们不能轻意闯进魔多。”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Everything you've heard, in other words,

换句话说，所有你听过的传言，

about the less than glamorous side of being a CEO, it's true.

当上首席执行官并不那么光鲜， 都是真的。

You lose your cover.

你没了掩护。

So whenever something goes well, it's everybody else.

每当事情进展顺利时， 都是其他人做得好。

It's because of them.

是他们的功劳。

Whenever something goes wrong, it's on you.

每当出问题时，那就是你的问题了。

The second thing I learned was that in order to be an effective CEO,

我学到的第二件事 是为了成为一名高效的首席执行官，

I needed to follow the lead of young people.

我需要效仿年轻人的榜样。

You think about the past few years,

你想想过去几年，

how much our minds, our culture, schools, politics

我们的思想、文化、学校、政治

have been absorbed by the idea of critical race theory.

吸收了多少批判性种族理论的概念。

And what's ironic is,

具有讽刺意味的，

it's not just that adults have dominated the argument,

不仅仅是成年人主导这场争论，

but that adults have basically been throwing

而且成年人对于同一个争论

the same argument back and forth at each other.

在彼此之间来回指责。

One side says, “You’re bringing politics and indoctrination into the classroom.”

一方说：“你正在将政治和教化带到课堂。”

And then the other side says,

然后另一方说：

“You’re bringing politics and indoctrination into the classroom.”

“你正在将政治和教化带到课堂。”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

"I'm a parent. I know what's right in education."

“我是家长。我知道什么是正确的教育。”

"No, I'm a parent. I know what's right in education."

“不，我是家长。 我知道什么是正确的教育。”

“You’re making my kid hate themself, and my culture is under attack.”

“你让我的孩子讨厌自己， 我的文化正受到攻击。”

“No, you’re making my kid hate themself, and my culture is under attack.”

“不，你让我的孩子讨厌自己， 我的文化正受到攻击。”

You basically had the equivalent of the Spider-Man pointing meme.

基本上跟蜘蛛侠互指的迷因一样。

Everybody pointing back and forth at each other. Right?

每个人都来回指着对方。对吧？

But young people are having a very different conversation.

但是年轻人的对话截然不同。

They are talking about the need for accurate history in their education.

他们讨论教育中需要准确的历史。

The need to be seen as full, well-rounded individuals,

他们需要被视为完整、全面的个体，

to be able to build community with one another.

才能携手建立社区。

There was a conference that took place, with 300-plus education leaders,

有一次举行了一个会议， 有 300 多位教育领袖参加，

and the person who stole the show was a student named Jaylen Adams.

节目中最瞩目的是一位学生， 叫杰丽伦·亚当斯（Jaylen Adams）。

On a panel discussion,

在小组讨论中，

she shared an experience from the fifth grade,

她分享了自己五年级的经历，

where her teacher made everybody in the class

当时她的老师让班上的每个人

go on the carpet in the middle, line up in rows

都走在中间的地毯上，

排成一排，假装在一艘奴隶船上。

and pretend to be on a slave ship.

Some of the kids were appointed to be overseers.

其中一些孩子被任命为监督员。

Which meant that if anybody said something or did something that was out of line,

这意味着，如果有人说了或做了 什么不合时宜的事情，

they could be thrown off the ship.

他们可能会被赶下船。

Jaylen told us about how she came back home that night crying profusely.

杰丽伦告诉我们， 那个晚上她回到家里泪如泉涌，

Feeling traumatized.

心灵受创。

Wondering why did she have to go through that dehumanizing experience.

我不懂为什么她要遭受 那种非人化的经历。

There was another gathering, 2,500 people participating

还有一次，有 2500 人 参与的线上新闻发布会，

in a virtual press conference, talking about the need

讨论学校文化包容性课程的必要性。

for culturally inclusive curriculum in schools.

Once again, the person who stole the show was a student named Sydney Griffin.

再一次，一个学生引起了轰动， 她叫悉尼·格里芬（Sydney Griffin）。

She illustrated why it's so critical

她阐述了为什么有色人种的孩子 了解自己种族的历史如此重要，

for young children of color to learn about their own history,

and how when you expose children to new cultures and new experiences,

当你让孩子接触新文化和新体验时，

ultimately they all feel more seen, more accepted.

他们才会最终感到 更被关注，更被接受。

It forges a new generation of pioneers towards equity.

它培养了追寻公平的新一代先驱者。

That vision of a new generation of pioneers towards equity

新一代的先驱者对公平的追寻

is what inspired young leaders to create a campaign at Our Turn called Truth(Ed).

激发了青年领导者在 Our Turn 发起 一项名为 “真相教育”的运动。

They created toolkits so that young people from coast to coast

他们创建工具包让东西海岸的的青少年

could elevate their stories, organize, speak out at school board meetings.

能提升他们的故事，组织起来， 在校董会上抒发己见。

They fostered spaces for young folks to be able to collaborate,

他们为年轻人打造空间，使他们能够合作，

not divide and antagonize, adult leaders like superintendents,

而不是分裂和对抗成年人领袖，比如主管、

school board members, philanthropists,

校董会成员、慈善家等等，

where they could forge that new future together.

这样他们可以共同创造崭新的未来。

So while you had adults who were out there arguing with one another,

因此，当成年人还在争论不休，

trying to suppress access to knowledge and history through book bans,

试图通过图书禁令来压制 获取知识和历史真相的机会，

young people were able to successfully stop book bans

年轻人成功地阻止了图书禁令

in places like Texas and Pennsylvania and beyond.

在德克萨斯州和宾夕法尼亚州等地的实施。

By organizing petitions,

通过组织请愿活动，

making sure their school boards heard what they had to say.

确保校董会听到他们的心声。

They even went on offense, creating banned book clubs and libraries,

他们甚至发起抵制， 创建了禁令读书俱乐部和图书馆，

spaces where community members could be able to come together,

让社区成员能够聚集在一起，

learn from one another,

互相学习，

engage in constructive conversation, and build bridges.

互相进行建设性对话， 架设起沟通的桥梁。

We're in this time where there is rampant negativity

around public education.

针对公共教育的负面情绪日益猖獗。

But young people are leading a transcendent movement.

但是年轻人正在领导一场划时代的运动。

It's a movement that people want to be a part of.

这是一场人们希望参与的运动。

I've been on the front row to examples of youth leadership time and time again,

我一次又一次地站在最前线， 见证青少年领导力的例子，

and I've been able to discover four critical lessons

我有幸发现四条关键的经验教训，

to up my game as a CEO.

以提升我作为首席执行官的水平。

First, sure, we've all seen CEOs, people like myself,

首先，当然，我们都见过首席执行官们， 像我这样的人，

who step on stages like this and say,

他们踏上这样的舞台说：

"I have a grand vision for how we're going to change the world,

“我对如何改变世界有一个宏伟的愿景，

and it's going to happen through a strategic plan."

这将通过某个战略计划来实现。”

You know, this might be a first in TED history

你知道，这可能是 TED 历史上的第一次，

because I intentionally gave you the opposite of an applause line.

因为我特意告诉你们千万别鼓掌。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

You can replace strategic plan with logic model

你可以用逻辑模型代替战略计划，

or anything else you learned in your MBAs,

或其他你从工商管理硕士中 学到的任何东西去替代，

and that stuff is valuable, don't get me wrong,

别误会我的意思， 这些东西很有价值，

but it doesn't inspire.

但它没有启发的力量。

I recall something I learned from Tati Martinez, a high school senior,

我记得我从高中生塔蒂·马丁内斯 那里学到的东西，

when I asked them to describe the leadership of young people.

当时我请他们描述年轻人的领导力。

They said, "We as young people have been through so much,

他们说：“作为年轻人， 我们经历了很多事情，

seeing the world burn in front of our eyes,

看到世界在我们眼前燃烧，

being locked in our homes from the outside in.

自己却被反锁在家里。

And all of that has made us emotionally intelligent.

所有这些都使我们在情感上变得聪慧。

It has made us want to foster empathy and community building."

让我们想要促进同理心和社区建设。”

The breakthrough power of youth leadership

青少年领导力的突破性力量

leans heavily on emotional intelligence.

在很大程度上取决于情商。

Number two,

第二，

I've been forced to confront just how trapped I've been

我被迫正视自己陷入的囚笼

by frameworks, assessments, personality tests

被条条框框、评估和性格测试

that tell me the right way to lead.

指使着我什么是正确的领导方式。

But young people have boundless ingenuity.

但是年轻人拥有无边无际的独创性。

I've seen young people drive positive change and results

我见过年轻人通过政策决议 到诗歌竞赛等各种形式

through everything from policy resolutions to poetry competitions.

推动积极的变革和完满的成果。

And that has motivated me to expand my own toolbox.

这促使我去扩展自己的技术能力。

To understand number three,

为了理解第三点，

I want you to picture yourself at a campfire.

我想让你想象一下自己身处篝火旁。

It's been a long journey to get to this point.

从一段漫长的旅程走到这一步。

You're tired, your clothes are maybe caked with dirt, with sweat,

你累了，你的衣服可能 沾满了泥土，满是汗水，

surrounded by loved ones.

亲友们围坐四周。

And now can you picture someone leaning forward across that campfire?

现在你能想象有人向前倾身靠向篝火吗？

It glows in their face.

火焰照亮了他们的脸。

They say, "Hey.

他们说：“嘿。

Can you tell me about your Google Sheets metrics dashboard?"

你能介绍一下你 Google 表格里的函数版块吗？”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Anyone?

有人能想象得到吗？

I got shade for days, y'all.

我被刺了，你懂的。

Equal opportunity shade distributor.

一视同仁。

That's me.

那就是我。

Now that doesn't happen. People want stories.

言归正传。人们想听故事。

Strategies come and go.

策划可以写可以删，

But stories are forever, and young people are storytellers.

但是故事永流传， 而年轻人善于讲故事。

They are true tellers.

他们是天生的讲述者。

Even a few months ago,

即使在几个月前，

I never could have imagined publicly sharing

我也无法想象在公众场合分享

that I was on a performance improvement plan.

我被列入绩效改善计划的丢人事实。

But you needed to know my story.

但是你需要知道我的故事。

You needed to know my truth

你需要知道真正的我

to go on this journey with me.

才能和我一起踏上这段旅程。

And number four,

第四，

just think about how often we've been boxed in by false choices.

想想我们多频繁地被误导选择所困扰。

You could be financially successful, or you can pursue purpose.

你可以赚取黄金万两， 也可以追求理想。

You can have well-being, or you can have academic achievement.

你可以生活无忧， 也可以学业有成。

You’re team Taylor or you’re team Beyoncé.

你可以站队泰勒斯威夫特， 也可以是碧昂斯的忠实粉丝。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

But young people reject false choices.

但是年轻人拒绝误导选择。

They lean into the power of "and."

他们倾向于 “和” 的力量。

That breeds inclusivity, which unlocks possibility.

这孕育了包容性，从而开启了可能性。

I've been fortunate to be able to apply these lessons

过去的几年里，我很幸运能够将这些经验，

in multiple contexts over the past few years,

应用到多种场景中，

during a time of massive environmental change,

那些大规模环境变迁的拐点，

like the Great Resignation.

例如大离职潮（2024）。

And what I'm most proud of

我最引以为豪的是，

is that in our recent staff survey at Our Turn,

我们最近在 Our Turn 进行的员工调查中，

100 percent of people said

100％ 的人表示

they would strongly recommend Our Turn as a place to work.

他们强烈推荐来 Our Turn 工作。

I believe that happens when you have a work environment where people feel seen.

当有一个让人感到被重视的工作环境时， 我相信，就会发生这种情况。

Where they’re in true community with one another.

在这里，他们在真正的社区中彼此相处。

Where they can pursue bold ideas without fear.

他们可以无所畏惧地逐梦大胆的想法。

So what can you do?

那你可以做什么呢？

Well, I have three tips.

我有三个小贴士。

One, get proximate.

第一，靠近点。

Hire young people to your team.

雇用年轻人加入你的团队。

Attend their events. Learn about their insights.

参加他们的活动，倾听他们的见解。

Learn about their experiences and their recommendations for the future.

了解他们的经历和对未来的建议。

Number two, change your language.

第二，改变你的语言。

And to be clear,

需要明确的是，

I'm not telling you to pick up Gen Z slang.

我并不是要你学习 Z 世代的俚语。

I don't want you going around saying you watched this talk by Mohan,

我不想你到处嚷嚷你看了莫汉的演讲，

and he said, like, start saying "lit," "no cap" and "drip."

然后他说，学着开始说 “泰裤啦”、 “摸摸自己的良心”和 “美哭了”。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Do not put that on me.

别甩锅给我。

Change the way you describe leadership.

改变你描述领导力的方式。

And number three, hold yourself accountable.

第三，让自己变得可靠。

Train yourself up on these skills.

训练自己提升这些技能。

Rethink your hiring criteria.

重新审视招聘标准。

Rethink your admissions criteria.

重新审视录取标准。

I was at a convening with other social justice leaders recently,

我最近与其他社会正义领袖开会，

and at the end, someone pulled me to the side.

会议的最后，有人把我拉到一边。

They said, "Hey, you know, looks like everybody else here,

他们说：“嘿，你知道吗， 你看起来像这里的其他人一样，

they're doing jobs,

都是在工作，

but you look like you're having fun."

但你看起来乐在其中。”

I said, “You’re absolutely right.”

我说：“你说得对极了。”

Like, I am having fun.

我确实乐在其中。

And it's because I have proximity to the leadership of young people.

这是因为我与年轻领导层关系密切。

And it fills me with hope.

这让我充满了希望。

And young people also remind me, day-in and day-out,

年轻人也日复一日地提醒我，

that leadership, it's not a title.

领导力不是头衔。

Just being a CEO doesn't make me a leader.

成为首席执行官 并不能使我成为领导者。

Leadership is a verb, and it requires action.

领导力是一个动词，需要行动。

So if we want to stand on the right side of history

因此，如果我们想站在历史正确的一边，

and fulfill our responsibilities as leaders,

并且履行我们作为领导者的责任，

then we need to stand with and follow the model of leadership

那么我们就需要支持并效仿领导力的榜样——

demonstrated by young people right now.

当代年轻人所展示的风貌。

And that's no cap.

摸着我的良心说的。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）