Cambodia: Building Leadership For Young
Khmers
This article combines my keynote address
and two lectures on political socialization and culture at
the Cambodian Leadership Conference on May 18 in Tacoma,
Washington, on the theme of Building Leadership for our
Young Generation, organized by Khmer women's
organizations in Washington State, spearheaded by the
Cambodian Women Networking Association's Ms. Sinuon Hem.
I
valued this time to share my thoughts on building
leadership, korsang reu bangkoeurn chomness nae
noam, in the company of a diverse audience of Cambodians
and others, including the State lieutenant governor, the
mayor of Tacoma, and distinguished legislators and officials
from state and local government. The discussion was lively
and thought-provoking.
Building leadership is a daunting
task in a society muffled by hundreds of years of traditions
and social norms derived in part from having lived entirely
under authoritarian, even dictatorial, governments. In such
an environment, building a leadership corps that will not
fall into old patterns requires changes in values,
kun'sambat, attitudes, ek'riyabot, and
culture, voabthor. These are daunting changes many
today acknowledge as necessary. But stepping outside a
series of long-held traditions and patterns of behavior is
not easy. Many talk about change, but few walk the
talk.
A general framework
Political scientists,
such as I, describe a framework of perceptions (kar yul
kar deung), influenced by opinions (yobol),
interests (phol proyaowch), values
(kun'smabt), and beliefs (chumneur), which
mold our attitudes (ek'riyabot). These attitudes lead
to a tendency toward action (sak'kampheab), or to
passivity (ak'kampheab). As those factors predominate
in a population, a culture emerges.
Khmers say, Ches
mok pi riean, or knowledge is acquired through learning.
We learn throughout our lives. Sources of learning include
family, school, peers, religious beliefs, occupation, and
specific events. What we learn shapes our opinions,
interests, values, and beliefs, which mold our attitudes.
Our ethnicity (race) and social/economic/political classes
as well as our national belief system (Americans'
self-evident truths; Cambodians' mystical figure, Preah
Bath Thormmoek) also help shape our perceptions, which
further influence our action, or inaction.
Khmer
society & culture revisited
For centuries Khmers lived
in a tradition of subservience and acceptance. Khmer
traditions teach us to obey Khmer cultural-societal demands
to korup, respect; kaowd-klach, admire and
fear (as opposed to kaowd-chet or kraeng-chet,
or being mindful of others' feelings); smoh trang, be
loyal; bamreur, serve; karpier,
defend.
Those characteristics are Khmer values.
They are good values. But pledging to uphold those values on
behalf of an individual -- a political leader, a boss --
cements our culture and society into a structure that is
stratified -- ruler-follower, superior-inferior,
boss-servant. We reinforce feelings of subservience,
inequality, and fear.
Better to apply those values to
ideas, ideals and principles that live on through time to
benefit our children and their children, rather than to
individuals who will die and force us to reorient our
allegiance again. Sadly, too, contrary to Lord Buddha's
teaching to think, act, and become, our culture tells us the
Khmer kam, or karma in Sanskrit, is a diktat that
cannot change.
Through history Khmer leaders have made use
of our willingness to live within the bounds of a
hierarchical society to advance their political ends.
Behavior that deviates from the traditional is abnormal.
This so-called abnormality becomes, in the language of
political despots, a disloyal and treacherous act, eliciting
fear that keeps people in line, even today.
To stay alive
and safe in perilous times, Khmers lived a life our elders
dubbed, M'neus kbal khsear or individual with head of
a smoker's pipe. The face carved on the pipe bowl smiles in
all circumstances. The smoker forces tobacco into the hole
on the carved pipe bowl, lights a match, the face still
smiles. The smoker stirs the tobacco ash with a metal tool,
removes the ash by hitting the carved bowl against a hard
surface. The face still smiles.
Those characteristics
enable the current regime to create a society ruled by the
three Ks – Khliean, Khlao, Khlach, or hungry,
ignorant, fearful – and to practice the four Ls –
Luy, Leak, Lub, Luoch, or the god money, hiding
truth, erasing evidence, and stealing. The regime further
devises a system of Tinh, or buy – tinh sanleuk
chhnaowt, buy votes; tinh kar smoh trang, buy
loyalty; tinh kbal, buy heads; of Samlot or
intimidating to attain a goal; and of Luoch, or theft
of what can be stolen.
I am not the only Cambodian to note
that the prevailing Khmer culture flourishes because of
certain social traits common among Khmers. Those of my
generation should be familiar with Bunchan Mol, a political
prisoner in 1936 during French rule, who in 1973 dedicated
his book Charet Khmer, Khmer personality traits, to
"the soul of all Khmer combatants who sacrificed their lives
for the Khmer Republic."
Of more than 20 Charet
Khmer cited by Bunchan Mol, three traits (with my
English translation) should be examined: 1) Kumnit 'Athma
Anh' or Idea of 'I' ism ranks top of the list by Bunchan
Mol: "The habit of Khmer 'I'ism is to look down on others as
not good, not at one's own level, as ignorant..." Though I
don't see this concept as distinctively Khmer, for "I"ism
exists in other cultures, it is destructive when linked to
other Khmer traits. 2) Kumnit Songsoek Suor Pouch, or
Idea of Generational Vendetta or Revenge: "It's not the end
to imprison a man; his roots, his behavioral past, his
relationships are examined for faults..." Bunchan Mol
described a Khmer penchant to carry on a life-long vendetta
or revenge against someone and his/her relatives, friends,
acquaintances, close or distant, even if one has no direct
knowledge of what the person has done. 3) Kumnit Ph'chanh
Ph'chal means seeking to keep a person down
indefinitely, as in annihilation. The concept of being a
good sport is nonexistent. Bunchan Mol described two
fighters: "In a fight, it's not enough that one's opponent
is knocked down; one rushes to kick him, again and again,
until he loses consciousness or dies. It's not victory if a
downed fighter is still breathing." In Ph'chanh
Ph'chal one seeks to denigrate, spread gossip,
fabricate stories, dig up dirt, assassinate character to
destroy a person's name and honor.
These behavioral
patterns are, individually and collectively, not at all
flattering. Not one is a characteristic unique to the
Khmers, but taken collectively, just these three
characteristics comprise a deep-seated obstacle to societal
change. Don't know where to begin? Mother Theresa had a
perfect answer: "Do what is in front of
you!"
Connecting the dots...
With some 74%
Cambodians 34 years of age and younger, the majority of
Cambodians are relatively free from the centuries-old
cultural-societal diktat and from the personality traits of
their elders. As such, it's possible for young Khmers to
bring change. But you must know change from what, and to
what. The first one you should endeavor to change is the one
who stares back at you in the mirror every morning.
In
today's world we can learn and know so much, and our brain
can store millions of data points. But these data are like
rocks in a box, domthmar knong pro'ob, unless we can
compare and relate them to other things in our
environment.
To have information is good but it's not
enough. We must know what to do with the information we
have. We must apply. We cannot apply without thought; our
thinking must be reflective and analytical – high quality
thinking. What we know is less important than how we think.
How we think determines everything we do, and determines our
future. Fortunately, quality thinking is a skill that can be
taught and learned.
Reproductive thinking – repetitious
recycling of old ideas and information – should be
discarded. Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the
same thing over and over and expecting different results. We
need to change. We must develop productive, quality
thinking.
Productive quality thinking comprises
creativity, or creating something that did not exist before,
and critical thinking, which assesses if that which we
created has led us toward our goal.
Advice from America's
youngest president, Theodore Roosevelt, is worth
remembering: "Do what you can, with what you have, where
you are." For Khmers, of whom some 96% are Buddhists,
Lord Buddha's teaching should resonate: You are what you
think, so, think, act, become!
Thinking smart and acting
smart are the best ways to make our destiny.
Leadership
Fundamentally, a leader is a person who leads others.
But, anyone who is a catalyst, whose activities make things
happen, is demonstrating leadership. Leadership, of course,
can be exercised to achieve outcomes that benefit the common
good or harm it. For the purposes of this discussion, I
suppose that the goals to be achieved are in the former
category.
I subscribe to the philosophy that "leaders are
rarely (if ever) born"; that leaders are made; that a
leader's developmental process is circumstantial; that
persistence helps; that one's own leadership capacity can be
cultivated; that one's leadership skills can be learned
through training and experience.
Leadership is one's
ability or capacity to do something using natural talent or
acquired skills to get others to follow willingly. It is a
process of social influence through which one enlists aid
and support of others to fulfill a common task. Leadership
is an art employed to motivate and guide others in the
pursuit of a common goal. An effective leader will be
visionary, purposeful, and goal-oriented. The leader's drive
and commitment influences and motivates others to believe in
and to strive toward achieving that vision.
Leadership is
about solving problems through closing gaps between things
as they are and the desired state. It's about using creative
imagination to motivate yourself and others to move
forward.
Characteristics of Leadership
There are
as many personality traits of a leader as there are lists of
what makes a leader. Here are some: integrity (inner values
conform with outer actions, authenticity); dedication (doing
what it takes, leading by example); magnanimity (teamwork,
spreading credit to all); taking ownership and
responsibility (but not credit); humility (recognizing the
worth of others); openness (listening to new ideas);
creativity (ability to think differently and outside the
box); fairness (dealing consistently and justly); holding a
positive outlook (encourage, reward).
Those traits make
well rounded good persons. One who demonstrates those
qualities is not necessarily a good leader, but it would be
hard to find a good leader who doesn't demonstrate most of
them. In building Cambodian leadership, Lord Buddha's
teaching, has demonstrated its value for more than 2,500
years: 1) do all good, 2) do no evil, and 3) purify the
mind. Buddha's eight-fold path describes qualities that are
foundational to good leadership.
I am conscious some
aren't inclined toward religious connotations. So I present
here some great principles developed by Steven Ventura of
the Leadership and Learning Center, who cleverly coined the
acronym RESPECT for seven principles:
Recognize the
inherent worth of all human beings.
Eliminate derogatory
words and phrases from your vocabulary.
Speak with people
– not at them... or about them.
Practice empathy. Walk
awhile in others' shoes.
Earn respect from others through
respect-worthy behaviors.
Consider others' feelings before
speaking and acting.
Treat everyone with dignity and
courtesy.
Leadership skills
Leadership should be
more about the needs of the people one strives to lead than
about the leader. A successful leader asks the question:
"What can I do to help you be more successful?"
We are
humans with certain "buttons." If those buttons – those
deferred dreams and aspirations – are acknowledged and
genuinely addressed – supporters will come forward. A
leader must communicate his/her vision effectively to
inspire others. Our discussion this afternoon should shed
more light on this.
Of the three most important leadership
skills, one is a leader's ability to inspire, energize,
motivate people to participate; another is an ability to
communicate effectively to move people; and a third skill is
the capacity to plan and organize.
Planning is essential,
as the most long lasting goals a leader defines will
not be accomplished quickly: democracy, justice under law,
civil rights. These goals will be eventually attained
through the achievement of many short term
objectives: legislative remedies, political parties,
CNRP programs, fair elections. At each step along the way, a
leader must strategically advance toward the ultimate goals
by taking into account the general situation one is in, the
capabilities (manpower, materials, money, management) at
one's disposal. Proponents of nonviolence have identified
nearly 200 methods (tactics) to advance democratic goals.
National leaders can study their sources of capabilities
(national core, national infrastructure, national economy,
national military) and consider communication, diplomacy,
economic, military strategies and tactics.
Clearly, we are
talking about not one leader but hundreds and thousands of
leaders.
The book, Primal Leadership (2002),
presented six leadership styles. A leader may want to adapt
a style to meet a situation's particular demands. One adapts
the setting to enable people to contribute to achieve the
goal.
1) One with a visionary style articulates
where a group is headed, and people are left to innovate and
take calculated risks to get there. People must have the
skills and knowledge to thrive under this style of
leadership. 2) A leader with a coaching style focuses
on developing individuals one-on-one. This style backfires
and undermines self-confidence when perceived as
micromanaging. 3) In an affiliative style, one
emphasizes teamwork through connecting people. It helps team
harmony, increases morale, improves communication. But
persistent group praise can breed uncorrected poor
performance and mediocrity. 4) One with a democratic
style seeks people's input through participation and group
commitment, draws on people's knowledge and skills. It can
be disastrous in times of crisis when immediate decisions
are required. 5) A leader with a pacesetting style
sets high standards for performance and expects excellence
from everyone. It can undercut morale and make people feel
as if they are failing. More often than not, "pacesetting
poisons the climate." 6) A commanding style describes
military style leadership that demands immediate compliance.
It is effective in a crisis; most often used but often is
the least effective.
Building Leadership for Young
Khmers
Khmers say, Kro avei kro chos, tae kom kro
kumnit, or it's all right to be poor but to never be
poor in ideas. Khmers also say, Toal dob, toal m'phei,
tae kum toal kumnit, or One may be thwarted 10 times or
20 times but one's ideas must never be thwarted. The rich
Khmer culture that dates back more than 2,000 years is not
lacking in the love of ideas. Ideas live on, leaders
die.
I urge aspiring young Khmer leaders to read, read,
read, to ask questions, and to develop productive quality
thinking. Bunchan Mol called on Khmers to hold on to those
distinctive Khmer qualities that are viable in this century.
Khmer elders tell us to think smart and act smart. A
vieach york mok thveu kang; A trang york mok thveu kam; A
sam ro'nham york mok thveu os dot: Make a wheel out of
bent wood; make a spoke out of straight piece; make firewood
out of twisted and crooked wood. Everything and every being
has a place.
Leadership personality traits can be
developed and improved. Leadership skills can be learned.
But no one can be pushed to learn unless one is willing.
Leaders are made. Anyone can be one.
I ask young Khmers to
establish as core values the concept of humility and of
being courteously respectful of others. You can practice
Ventura's principles and live them as a way of life. When
you walk the talk, and think smart and act smart, you
motivate people to join forces to work toward a brighter
future.
That is how trust is built and a leader is
made!
.................
The AHRC is not responsible
for the views shared in this article, which do not
necessarily reflect its own.
About the
Author:
Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth is retired from
the University of Guam, where he taught political science
for 13 years. He currently lives in the United States.
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About AHRC: The Asian Human
Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental
organisation that monitors human rights in Asia, documents
violations and advocates for justice and institutional
reform to ensure the protection and promotion of these
rights. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in
1984.
ENDS
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