LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES FOR A NEW MILLENNIUM PERSPECTIVES FROM TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO Jennifer Holder Dolly April 10, 1998 Policy Papers on the Americas
LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES FOR A NEW MILLENNIUM PERSPECTIVES FROM TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Jennifer Holder Dolly April 10, 1998
Policy Papers on the Americas
Leadership Challenges for a New Millennium
Perspectives from Trinidad and Tobago
Jennifer Holder Dolly
Policy Papers on the Americas
Volume IX Study 4
April 10, 1998
CSIS Americas Program
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), founded in 1962, is an independent, tax-exempt,
public policy research institution based in Washington, D.C.
The mission of CSIS is to advance the understanding of emerging world issues in the areas of international
economics, politics, security, and business. It does so by providing a strategic perspective to decision
makers that is integrative in nature, international in scope, anticipatory in timing, and bipartisan in
approach. The Center=s commitment is to serve the common interests and values of the United States and
other countries around the world that support representative government and the rule of law.
CSIS, as a public policy research institution, does not take specific policy positions. Accordingly, all
views, positions, and conclusions expressed in this report should be understood to be solely those of the
authors.
8 1998 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
This study was prepared under the aegis of the CSIS Policy Papers on the Hemisphere series. Comments
are welcome and should be directed to:
Joyce Hoebing
CSIS Americas Program
1800 K Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
Phone: (202) 775-3299
Fax: (202) 466-4739
E-mail: [email protected]
Contents
Preface i
Introduction 1
Preliminary Analysis and Challenges 1
Major Findings 4
Sports 4
Culture 6
Politics 7
Business 9
Spirituality 11
Other 12
Skills and Qualities of Leaders 13
Methodology 14
Characteristics of the Sample 15
Conclusion 16
About the Author 16
i
Preface
Leadership Challenges for a New Millennium is part of a series of reports prepared by members of the
Caribbean Leadership Group (CLG). The CLG, created by the CSIS Americas Program in 1996, forms a
network of young, emerging leaders from throughout the Caribbean who discuss both the challenges facing
the region and fresh strategies for addressing those challenges. Other issues addressed by CLG members in
1997 and early 1998 include the role of local leaders in policymaking, the possibility of forming a national
youth development program in the Bahamas, the benefits and difficulties of linking Haiti with Caricom,
and the role of biodiversity in the Caribbean.
The issue of leadership is now more important than ever in the Caribbean. The region faces
challenges arising out of a new environment that includes a movement away from preferential trade
arrangements toward market-driven economies; strains on governments from the increasing use of the
Caribbean as a drug transshipment point by South American source countries; and pressures emanating
from the need to balance environmental considerations with strategies promoting economic growth. Strong
and visionary leaders are needed in the region; Jennifer Holder Dolly has attempted to identify the
qualities those leaders should possess.
Leadership Challenges for a New Millennium focuses essentially on the basics of leadership:
based on a survey of Trinidad and Tobago=s school-aged youth, Holder Dolly identifies what youth are
looking for in their leaders. The resultsCwhich indicate that leadership qualities are largely situational and
that youth will look outside Trinidad and Tobago for their leaders if the country does not supply its
ownCpinpoint the challenges that Trinidad and Tobago, and the rest of the Caribbean, face.
This valuable insight into the expectations of youth in Trinidad and Tobago makes clear the
challenges that current leaders in the Caribbean face. It is our hope that this assessment will prompt a
dialogue of the role of leadership in shaping the Caribbean and U.S.-Caribbean relations into the next
century.
Joyce Hoebing
Assistant Director
Americas Program
1
Introduction
The Caribbean countries, notwithstanding their various economic fortunes, all face the complex demands
of the social sector. Within this sector lie both the greatest potential for development and the most visible
indices of underdevelopment. The overt focus of this sector is people. The social sector, therefore,
concerns itself with people=s well-being and the distribution of resources to facilitate that well-being.
Success in this sector has been difficult to enumerate, in large part, perhaps, because of the complexity of
its primary systemCthe human being. Nevertheless, the social sector has the potential to damn the
soundest economic planning. Mobilizing the prime resource of this sector, people, is one of the most
challenging of the tasks that leaders in the Caribbean face.
In order to gain some understanding of this task, it is important for leaders to understand the
individuals to be mobilized. One dimension of this understanding is the appreciation of the people=s expectations of their leaders. This study seeks to arrive at some of this understanding through examining
the perceptions of young people in Trinidad and Tobago about leaders and the impact those leaders have
had on the young people=s behavior. Young people were chosen because they represent those who will
ultimately determine the course of Caribbean history.
This study focused on the perceptions of young people in Trinidad and Tobago with respect to
those whom they identified as their leaders. In an attempt to look at the impact of both community and
national leaders, the study explored several spheres of leadership; namely, sports, culture, politics,
business, and spirituality. By defining spheres of leadership, two main issues were intended to be explored:
(1) the situational nature of leadership, and (2) the validity of personal attributes and skills in determining
potential leaders. The resulting data were intended to identify and illustrate the challenges that face leaders
in Trinidad and Tobago as we approach the new millennium.
This paper begins with an analysis of the future of leadership in Trinidad and TobagoCwho the
leaders will be and what will distinguish their leadershipCfollowed by a summary of the findings and
review of the methodology.
Preliminary Analysis and Challenges
The challenge of Caribbean leadership is essentially to answer two questions: AWho shall lead?@ and
AWhat shall distinguish their leadership?@ The data from the study give us some clues from the perspective
of the next generation of Caribbean leaders and followers.
Who Shall Lead?
The data show that the admired or desired qualities and skills of leaders are situational. That is to say,
expectations shift based on the identified sphere of activity. This is
2 Leadership Challenges for a New Millennium: Perspectives from Trinidad and Tobago
supported by the literature on leadership, particularly in management where a clear link is seen between
the role of leadership in influencing behavior and levels of productivity.1
In respect of the business leaders, for example, the young people clearly believed that skill and
hard work were the factors critical for success. For the political leaders, however, there was a much greater
emphasis on personal attributesChonesty and responsibilityCas indicators of success. Similarly, a mix of
skills and personal attributes seemed important for the leaders in sports, particularly with respect to people
skills. For spiritual leaders, the personal qualities identified related to the religious expectations of
behavior and the ability to respond to the needs of the individual in a caring, confidential fashion. For the
cultural leader, on the other hand, the qualities of creativity and responsibility were the most admired, even
though there was an expectation that the individual will be hardworking.
Notwithstanding these differences, some qualities were consistent across spheres of leadership,
namely, being responsible and hardworking and having the ability to motivate others. Those who will lead
in Trinidad and Tobago, then, based on the perceptions and expectations of young Trinbagonians, will
have a mix of personal attributes and skills that will be primarily situationally determined. They will,
however, have some common qualities and skills.
The challenge, it seems, is to consider the appropriate combination of skills, qualities, and
attributes that are likely to be effective in different spheres of leadership. Those that are admired by the
young people are clearly articulated.
Because a critical part of leadership is to influence others, Caribbean leaders must understand and
heed the call of their constituencies for particular skills and behavior. The quality of honesty, for example,
needs to be looked at closely, particularly in the light of the Aturn-off@ toward politics that some young
people feel, even where they have identified a leader as representative of their choice. If political leaders
have influenced some young people to think about politics as a career choice and these young people go
into politics with the combination of skills and attributes which they now admire or desire in their leaders,
the image of politics is likely to change for the better.
Of the top 10 leaders whom the young people chose as the leader they most admired, three were
local (two political figuresCthe prime minister and the leader of the oppositionCand one athlete, Ato
Bolden). The other seven leaders identified were international, including the president of the United States.
At least six of the leaders (Fidel Castro, Princess Diana, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Mother Theresa,
and Mahatma Ghandi) can be described as charismatic leaders, that is to say, they have the capacity to
motivate people to behave outside of their comfort zone. The influence for
1 Richard L. Daft, Management, 3rd ed. (Chicago: Dryden Press, 1994), and Judith R. Gordon, A
Diagnostic Approach to Organizational Behavior, 4th ed. (Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1993).
Jennifer Holder Dolly 3
this comes primarily through the ability to raise people=s level of consciousness on an articulated vision.2
On an even more poignant note, five of these leaders are deceased (King, Ghandi, Malcolm X,
Princess Diana, and Mother Theresa). Moreover, while the last two died within the year preceding the
survey, so that the memory of their work and perspectives was quite fresh, the other three leaders have left
a legacy of as many as 30 years of their work.
Three main issues flow from this data.
• Young people are definitive about the qualities and skills that they want in their leaders. The
identification of both current and past leaders indicates that the young people have a sense of
understanding about what they admire based on their own experiences of the person, as well
as on what is written posthumously about the person.
• There appears to have been a void and some yearning for an admirable type of leadership for
many years. While some of this void seems to have been filled by Mother Theresa and
Princess Diana, it is heartening to see local leaders emerge.
• There are considerable external influences on the behaviors, attitudes, and aspirations of
young Trinbagonians.
Leadership in Trinidad and Tobago will need to give attention to the harnessing of young leaders
to facilitate a balanced outlook, that is, between external and internal influences that will ensure that the
developmental needs of the country are facilitated in accordance with local imperatives.
What Shall Distinguish their Leadership?
Leadership has the potential to distinguish itself by the dynamic engagement of two main forces: (1) the
attributes and skills that the leaders brings to the situation, and (2) the resources that are available to the
leader. The ability to mobilize these resources in pursuit of goals is the distinguishing mark of a leader.
It is clear that young people are open to the influences of their leaders. To the extent that leaders,
both current and potential, behave in ways deemed admirable to these young people, the young people will
be motivated to work hard and to achieve. They will be likely to consider education important, to be
disciplined, to be more tolerant and accepting of differences, and to have a positive outlook.
2 Gordon, 1993.
In addition, the identification of a range of leaders whom they admire, both locally and
internationally, and their associated spheres of activity, suggest a discerning and educated youth
population. There is also considerable consistency between the range of areas in which the young people
would choose to contribute as leaders and the range of areas from which their leaders were chosen.
Further, there is clearly the desire to contribute to the development of the country in a range of areas. The
4 Leadership Challenges for a New Millennium: Perspectives from Trinidad and Tobago
young people=s aspirations and the qualities and skills they believe their leaders should have make it clear
that these young people are likely to be more assertive and more demanding that their leaders take the time
to listen to them. Additionally, they expect their leaders to be concerned about the national good and to be
goal-oriented and honest. The challenge for leaders in Trinidad and Tobago is clear.
Leadership in this context will distinguish itself by its ability to harness the wealth of this human
resource in the direction of the development of the country. The extent to which leaders will be successful
in this task bears direct relation to the perceptions of young peopleCthe next generation of Caribbean
thinkers, movers, and shakersCthat their leaders are acting responsibly and with integrity.
Major Findings
In the findings that follow, the top 10 responses have been identified, unless specifically indicated
otherwise. Where the data outside this number were particularly interesting or gave a fuller picture of the
situation, they have been recorded and identified.
Sports Leaders Respondents identified both international and local sport personalities as
their sporting heroes. Among the most popular were:
Michael Jordan NBA basketball superstar (United
States)
Brian Lara Captain, West Indies Cricket Team
(Trinidad and Tobago)
Ato Bolden Athlete; double Bronze winner 1996
Olympics; 100 meter World
Champion, 1997 (Trinidad and
Tobago)
Martina Hingis Tennis star (United States)
Shivnarine Chanderpaul Member, West Indies Cricket Team
(Guyana)
In addition, 29 young people chose Ato Bolden as their Aother@ leader.
The qualities and skills most admired by the respondents suggested
that they expected their sports leaders to have not only mastery of the
sport, but also to exhibit the personal attributes that would sustain their
level of skill. The most popular responses included the leader=s understanding, persistence, perseverance, patience, enthusiasm, ability to
Jennifer Holder Dolly 5
work hard, skill in the sport, responsibility, ability to motivate others, and
discipline.
Influence on attitude In respect of the effect that the leader chosen by a respondent had on that
respondent=s attitude, the most significant influence was to increase the
young person=s level of confidence. Respondents believed in the main that
their attitudes were influenced in ways that increased their persistence,
determination, respect for authority, and discipline, and improved their
outlook on life. The leaders also helped them to appreciate the importance
of goal-setting as a continuous process.
Many respondents noted that they had a greater appreciation for the
importance of sports. They also became more focused on sports, which
perhaps explains why the overwhelming majority chose sports as the area
in which they would like to lead.
Though not in the top 10 responses, some responses included the
young people=s learning to control anger, to be courageous, humble, and
flexible, and to be role models.
Influence on behavior In respect of the influence that a leader had on a respondent=s behavior,
the most popular influences were that the respondent became more self-
confident, persistent, disciplined, positive, focused, and better organized.
Some of the young people believed that they had become more assertive.
They also believed their self esteem had increased and that they could Abe
themselves.@ Two specific behaviors identified were increases in
punctuality and observational skills.
Influence on aspirations By far the most popular response to this question was that their leaders
influenced the young people to be persistent. The majority of aspirations
related to striving to be their best and the behaviors associated with
achievement, such as staying focused, setting high standards, never giving
up, and being goal-directed.
Culture Leaders The majority of leaders identified in this sphere were local artists,
including calypsonians, singers, dancers, media personalities, musicians,
and mas designers (designers of Carnival costumes used to portray a
particular theme). In a few instances community leaders were identified,
and a few international artists were identified. Leaders from both major
6 Leadership Challenges for a New Millennium: Perspectives from Trinidad and Tobago
ethnic groupsCAfrican and East IndianCwere identified.
In this sphere as well, respondents were not only impressed by their
chosen leaders= skill, creativity, and accomplishment in the performance
of their art form but also in the responsibility, consistency, patience,
honesty, and understanding that they displayed. In addition, their chosen
leaders= ability for hard work and organizational skills were admired. An
interesting feature of the responses to this question was the range of
responses that indicated the respondents= concern with issues such as their
leaders= ability to mix cultures, to enlighten, to Apromote the culture,@ to
be non-judgmental, impartial, knowledgeable of their history, and to
express the experiences of their ethnic group. These responses also
suggest a broader interpretation of the term Aculture@ than the chosen
symbols of the culture.
Influence on attitude The predominant impact of their cultural leaders was to help the young
people develop a more positive outlook on life, to be more confident and
conscious of their heritage, and to appreciate and cherish their own
cultures. They also were influenced to be more tolerant and respectful of
others; for example, they believed they were less aggressive and more
open-minded, and better respected the views and cultures of others. As
could be predicted, the cultural leaders influenced them to be more
creative.
Influence on behavior The respondents identified the following influences on their behavior:
they now acted in a more disciplined fashion and worked harder, and
were more polite, respectful, and accepting of others. The cultural leaders
also influenced them to more actively pursue their education. They
reported that they were more peaceful, respected themselves more, and
had become more self-confident and courageous.
Less popularly held but interesting influences included the young
people=s perception that they were acting out of unity, that they could
now appreciate culture and were actively seeking out and becoming more
educated about their own and other cultures.
Influence on aspirations The leaders influenced the young people to believe that Athe world is their
stepping stone.@ They popularly aspired to reach the sky and be
successful. AGoing forward@ and being hardworking and determined were
seen as necessary behaviors to achieve these goals. In addition, they
aspired to promote Athe culture@ and the country and to respect different
cultures.
Jennifer Holder Dolly 7
Politics Leaders The young people identified a range of political leaders, both national and
international, including:
Basdeo Panday Prime Minister, Trinidad and Tobago
Bill Clinton President, United States
Fidel Castro President, Cuba
Eugenia Charles Former prime minister of Dominica
Arthur N. R. Robinson President, Trinidad and Tobago
Martin Luther King former civil rights leader, United
States
Nelson Mandela President, South Africa
Brian Kuei Tung Minister of Finance, Trinidad and
Tobago
Patrick Manning Leader of the Opposition, Trinidad and
Tobago
Tony Blair Prime Minister, United Kingdom
Of the skills and qualities that the young people seemed to admire most in
their chosen leaders, the attribute of honesty was overwhelmingly the first
choice, followed by responsibility. Other qualities and skills most admired
included patience, effective communication skills, self-confidence, being
helpful to and respecting others, a keen sense of timing, determination,
and personality. Though not popularly held views, some interesting
responses were the perception of some leaders as promoting Apeace
among nations@ and having a Apositive attitude on race issues.@
Influence on attitude The leaders chosen in this sphere influenced the young people to affirm
that education was important. They also thought that discipline was
important and that a love for country and the citizens of the country was
desirable. They were also influenced to be more disciplined, independent,
positive, responsible, hardworking, and brave. The leaders reportedly
encouraged the respondents to be more race conscious and to be less
racist and therefore to seek racial equality.
Influence on behavior The most popular response was that the young people had become more
politically conscious. They believed they were working hard at schoolCa
8 Leadership Challenges for a New Millennium: Perspectives from Trinidad and Tobago
behavior corresponding to the positive attitude toward education earlier
mentioned. In addition, respondents claimed to be bolder and more
productive, assertive, expressive, and outspoken. They tended also to be
Astrong minded@ and to aim for success.
Other responses of note were that they desired to behave in an
unselfish fashion, to be independent, to be more in control of their
actions, and to be willing to admit their mistakes. Corresponding to the
dislike of politicians, some respondents claimed to have been influenced
to avoid politics.
Influence on aspirations Many young people aspired to be in politics. They also aspired to inspire
others, to make changes in their society, and to be good role models. On a
personal level, they aspired to set and achieve their goals, to be self-
motivated, optimistic, serious, and unbiased. Though less widely
expressed, some interesting aspirations were to be fearless, truthful, and
wise.
Jennifer Holder Dolly 9
Consistent with the finding that there was some dislike for politicians,
some young people aspired to avoid politics. The converse was true for
others for whom the influence was positive.
Business Leaders The eight most popular choices for business leaders were local
businessmen, with the exception of Bill Gates. They included:
Robert Amar Owner/Manager, Amar Industries
Krishna Ramlogan Chief Executive Officer, Tourism and
Industrial Development Company of
Trinidad & Tobago (TIDCO)
Wilbur Balgobin Owner/Manager, Willies Ice Cream
Bhoendradatt Tewarie Executive Director, Institute of
Business, UWI; former member of
government
Emile Elias Owner/Contractor; President,
Contractors and Builders Association;
President, Family Planning
Association
Bill Gates CEO/founder, Microsoft (United
States)
Lawrence Duprey Chairman of the Board, CL Financial;
Chairman of Board, BWI; Board
member of several local and Caribbean
companies
Naim Sabga Store owner
Individuals chosen as leaders in business included successful community
as well as national businessmen and women. Interestingly, one minister of
government, Brian Kuei Tung, was seen as a leader in business. Two
other interesting choices were an individual who is currently incarcerated
on drug charges (20 responses) and a South American associated with the
drug trade (three responses).
Among the most popular skills and attributes that resonated with
young people were that the individuals were hardworking, responsible,
good investors, and shrewd business people and possessed good
organizational, managerial, and entrepreneurial/business skills. Their
10 Leadership Challenges for a New Millennium: Perspectives from Trinidad and Tobago
leaders were also positive, Arespectable,@ and influential. In this sphere of
leadership, the skills of the leaders seemed more important than their
attributes.
Influence on attitude The young people were principally influenced to have a more positive
outlook and to believe that Aeverything is possible.@ They were motivated
to be more responsible, to work harder, to seek education, to persevere
and to Astruggle,@ and to aim high and take risks in the pursuit of their
own potential.
For some young people, a significant influence was that they became
more conscious of their actions. They expressed a consciousness of
stability, the importance of family life, promoting positive values, and
good people skills, such as being a good listener and Aappreciating the
cobbler@ (interpreted to mean appreciating the value of every person or
the person whose functions are often overlooked).
Influence on behavior Again the most popular response was that the respondents behaved more
confidently. The next most popular influences on the behavior of young
people included their becoming more hardworking, optimistic, self-
reliant, ambitious, brave, and thrifty. They also believed that it was
important to promote positive values.
Several perspectives also underscored the development of mental
toughness, for example, learning to ignore the negatives and focus on
goal achievement, being optimistic, developing self-control, and choosing
better friends. Two other interesting responses were that the individuals
learned to accept people in low-income brackets and believed that it was
their responsibility to act as role models.
Influence on aspirations Overwhelmingly, the chosen leaders influenced the aspirations of the
respondents in the direction of aiming for success and being determined.
In this quest, they aspired to set and achieve high goals, persevere, and be
persistent yet cautious. One noted aspiration was the determination to
become well educated. They wanted to believe that they could do
anything and desired to improve their self-confidence. Specifically, they
aspired to develop managerial skills and to gain political power.
Interestingly, some of the responses focused on the value of honesty as
being an important aspiration to fulfill.
Spirituality
Jennifer Holder Dolly 11
Leaders The largest percentage of leaders identified in this sphere included the
archbishop of Port of Spain and community priests, pastors, imams, and
pundits. Some international figures included Mother Theresa, Mahatma
Ghandi, and Pope John Paul II.
Many of the responses to the question Awhat do you admire most
about your chosen leader@ indicated that the young persons were
primarily concerned with the attributes of their spiritual leaders. They
admired their leaders= religious persona, their ability to motivate others
and specifically to influence youth Apositively,@ their discipline,
understanding, patience, and generosity. Also important to young people
was the ability of leaders in this sphere to be confidential, to Acalm
stressful situations,@ and to have good counseling skills.
Influence on attitudes Being open was the most widely held perception of how their spiritual
leaders influenced the young people. A significant response, though much
less widely held, was the idea that the self should be cherished and that
self-examination was critical. Respondents also noted that their leaders
helped them to be more Aphilosophical about life@ and to have greater
respect for it, to be more tolerant and accepting of others, to be forgiving,
to Abuild spiritual esteem,@ and to respect all religious or spiritual leaders.
Influence on behavior Working hard was the most widely reported influence that spiritual
leaders had on the young people=s behavior. Being more disciplined,
positive, and better guided were the next most often-mentioned
influences. More predictable responses included they were being Abetter
persons,@ calmer, more accepting of others, more optimistic, less
judgmental, and more respectful.
Less widely held influences were reported specifically in respect of
spiritual behavior; the young people believed that they behaved more
obediently and were more Areligious,@ prayerful, and Aopen to God.@
Influence on aspirations Through the influence of their chosen leaders the young people aspired in
the main to improve some aspect of their personal lives. For example,
they wanted to become more understanding, positive, and acceptable;
they wanted to improve their skills and be strong minded, humble, and
kind, and to demonstrate respect. They also aspired to have love for God
and to seek strength through God.
12 Leadership Challenges for a New Millennium: Perspectives from Trinidad and Tobago
Other Leaders Given the opportunity to identify leaders in spheres other than those
identified for them, many of the young people chose parents, godparents,
and local leaders, as well as one notable sportsman (Ato Bolden), as
leaders. Though two additional spheres of leadership were
identifiedCeducation and socialCrespondents by and large did not specify
a sphere when identifying their leaders.
The most popularly held perceptions of skills and qualities associated
with these leaders were enthusiasm, ability to motivate others,
understanding, and competence. Several of the young people admired the
fact that their leaders were disciplinarians and were authoritative, which is
perhaps indicative of the need for structure in the developmental period of
adolescence. They also lauded their leaders= perseverance, ability to be
hardworking, intelligence, good morals, sincerity, and Aunbiased@ attitude.
Influence on attitude In this category as well, the most widely held responses reflected the idea
of being positive and believing that all things are possible. Indeed, there
was a distinct recognition of the need to work harder, to be more
meticulous, to use more self-control, to be better organized and
disciplined, to respect authority, and to be more independent.
Influence on behavior The influences on behavior included being more responsible, positive,
determined, tolerant, self-reliant, and disciplined. The respondents also
believed they behaved more independently and were more assertive and
Asettled.@ They believed that they were following better examples.
Influence on aspirations Among the most popular responses were that they aspired to be self-
motivated, think always in terms of success, to believe that anything can
be achieved and that one should not give up, and to believe that they are
in charge of their future and can therefore take control by goal-setting and
planning.
Skills and Qualities of Leaders
Respondents were asked to identify the skills and qualities that they believed a leader should have; the
skills and qualities that they believed their peers should have; and the qualities they believed they had as
Jennifer Holder Dolly 13
leaders. The top 15 most popular choices are detailed below.
Skills and Qualities of Leaders in
General
Skills and Qualities of Peers
as Leaders
Skills and Qualities of Self as
Leader
responsible responsible dedicated
self-confident able to motivate good role model
able to motivate others caring caring
good communication skills positive attitudes responsible
understanding trustworthy reliable
patient religious hardworking
devoted persistent creative
accepting respect for others understanding
successful self-confident honest
independent encouraging able to work with people
honest generous courageous
genuine unbiased optimistic
self-respecting endurance motivating
integrity ambitious trustworthy
unbiased self-control strong personal ethics
Asked to choose one leader whose leadership they admired, the top 10 leaders identified were:
Bill Clinton President, United States
Ato Bolden Athlete; double Bronze winner 1996 Olympics; 100 meter World
Champion, 1997, Trinidad and Tobago
Basdeo Panday Prime Minister, Trinidad and Tobago
Fidel Castro President, Cuba
Princess Diana Royal Princess, Great Britain
Martin Luther King Civil rights leader, United States
Malcolm X Civil rights activist, United States
Patrick Manning Leader of the Opposition, Trinidad and Tobago
Mother Theresa Roman Catholic Nun, champion of the poor, India
Mahatma Ghandi Civil rights leaders and crusader for peace, India/Africa
Asked to identify the areas in which they wanted to be leaders, the respondents identified the following top
ten areas:
Sports
Business
14 Leadership Challenges for a New Millennium: Perspectives from Trinidad and Tobago
Education
Religion
Politics
Academics
Computer science
Social activities
Sciences
Nursing
Methodology
A random sample of 550 questionnaires was administered to young people between the ages of 14 and 18
who attend school. To ensure the widest possible cross section of views, 11 schools were selected
throughout Trinidad and Tobago: three in the north, one in the east, three in the south, two in central, and
two in Tobago. Fifty questionnaires were distributed in each school; 401 questionnaires were returned. The
non-responses came primarily from male schools, which accounts for the skew in the population under
examination in favor of the females.
The schools chosen represented a cross section of traditional and established seven-year schools
(familiarly known as prestige schools) and relatively newer five-year and seven-year schools (composite
and senior comprehensive schools). The school population was chosen because of its relatively easy
accessibility.
Care was taken to ensure that the sample represented, as far as possible, a cross-section of young
people, capturing different ages, ethnicities, and school environments. Questionnaires were distributed to
students from different levels of the education system and who came from different communities. The
sample ultimately reflected the richness of the diversity that had been hoped for. The findings, therefore,
are potentially quite representative of those of young people in Trinidad and Tobago as a whole.
Participants were asked to identify persons whom they believed to be leaders in pre-determined
spheresCsports, culture, politics, business, and spirituality. The question format was primarily open-ended
in an attempt to ensure that the unbiased views of the respondents were derived.
Respondents were asked to identify the attributes and skills that these leaders possessed and the
ways in which these affected their attitudes, behavior, and aspirations. Participants were asked to identify
one person in the world whose leadership they admired. Finally, the young people were asked to look at
the leadership potential of their peers as well as their own potential for leadership, and to identify the skills
and qualities that their peers and themselves possess. These indices were then used to examine the
similarities, differences, and degree of consistency in responses.
Characteristics of the Sample
Jennifer Holder Dolly 15
Of the 401 respondents, 37.9 percent were male and 62.1 percent female. Regarding ethnicity, 34.5 percent
were African, 23.4 percent East Indian, 19.7 percent identified themselves as mixed, and 22.4 percent did
not identify ethnicity or race.
Practically all the major religions and religious denominations and groups were identified. The
largest group was Roman Catholics (21.9 percent), followed by Hindus (16.7 percent), Anglicans (16.5
percent), Pentecostals (9.7 percent), and Muslims (5.5 percent); 21.7 percent were Aother@ (mainly
Christian religions), and 8 percent were undeclared.
Fifty-four percent of respondents were members of other groups or clubs. Group types ranged
from sports groups and youth clubs to arts and crafts groups, cultural groups, and business clubs. This
indicates not only a wide range of interest areas but, perhaps more significantly, a range of different
settings and situations in which to experience the dynamic of leadership on the functioning of the group.
Respondents believed that involvement with a group offered them many opportunities for self
development. Some of these opportunities included learning new skills, enhancing social skills (for
example, in improving their ability to participate with others), sharing with others, and self expression
(most notably in communication skills). Enhancing self esteem seemed to be a significant gain for some
respondents. In other instances, the group was seen as a mechanism to develop their social consciences
through engaging in work with disadvantaged members of the society. Not surprisingly for this age group,
meeting new people, their peers, was a significant benefit of group membership.
Conclusion
If Caribbean leaders do not heed the call from within, the population will likely look to the outside for
leaders. Already, leaders from all over the world find favor with the young people of Trinidad and Tobago.
Also, the easy facility brought on by the information revolution make access to the world stage a way of
life for this generation. This will be the medium of their existence in the next millennium.
Leaders in Trinidad and Tobago will continue to emerge. The young people are already discerning
of the leadership potential of their peers and of themselves, and there is apparently not enough cynicism
about leaders for the young to be disenchanted with leadership. There is also a sense that becoming a
leader is a desirable thing for many of the young persons who responded to the questionnaire.
About the Author
Jennifer Holder Dolly is a lecturer in the Social Work Programme at the University of the West Indies, St.
Augustine, and a member of the CSIS Caribbean Leadership Group. A social sector planner and policy
analyst with the government of Trinidad and Tobago for many years, she has deepened her focus on the
people sector by working more closely with women, young people, and communities. In support of her
vision of national change and development through people empowerment, she has facilitated a range of
workshops in communities throughout Trinidad and Tobago. She has also developed and conducted many
training programs for young leaders. Holder Dolly is a consultant on social sector planning and
16 Leadership Challenges for a New Millennium: Perspectives from Trinidad and Tobago
programming and on employee assistance program development. She also provides consultancy services,
including program evaluation, to several NGOs, more particularly to those which meet the needs of women
and children. She is a cofounder of
Franklyn Dolly and Associates, a behavior change and management consultancy firm. Holder Dolly is a
graduate of the Columbia University School of Social Work, New York and the University of the West
Indies, Mona.