Heyyyyyyyyyy!

I’m a little confused…

After spending the weekend at a campground designed for dogs and their human pets …an unexpected passerby would’ve quickly realized how building a relationship served as an important piece of the communication offered to each side of leadership rather than a pimped out role of domination.

When a dog hears a command to sit, lay, spin or walk he or she receives a treat; the four legged fuzzy responds with an amazing tail wagging, a bright unforgettable smile with a connected willingness to do it again.

120 ticks then tocks deep into the class and the vision caught between my eyes fed not the moment but how such a reward system would benefit Corporate America.

The term: Just be lucky you have a job has worn out the environment.

We keep getting weaker in the wallet and we’re gonna be lucky to have a country.

I’m tired of hearing how Gen X-er’s and those after find no importance in loyalty, dedication, determination and the spirit of working to achieve higher levels of success. They know what’s required to get a Game Boy and Nintendo, fast food and a weekend movie. Why should they have to work for it when Boomer’s and Tweener’s wanted to be different by setting aside their parents constant command and demand for discipline and respect for, “Use your words… Go find your favorite place to think about what you’ve done and when you’re ready come back and be with us.”

As a pre-teen that would’ve rocked my world! You mean I could’ve swiped a record from JC Penny’s without getting a strap across my a**? I would’ve raced up to my bedroom to be instantly connected to the internet, have cable television and a cell phone to text messages! I love America!

Then comes high school graduation, gotta get a job and suddenly the requirements of generating the mental mechanisms that inspire, influence and offer guidance to participate with change affects everyone on the team and there’s no place to race toward to think about my wrong doing. Only to hear, “That’s ok…this new generation is a little bit different.”

I’m not angry! I’m doing something about it. I don’t say no to a high school or college class that invites me over to speak. We can’t change the present but taking the time to invest in the future re-attracts the attention to the fine details required to rejuvenate a sleeping bear.

Think of it as Paying Forward. What you spend today in an effort of influencing a group of students that come from a weak foundation shall enhance the presence of our world performance.

Next month I’ve been invited to participate with a middle school music class. My first question was, “Can I bring my writing instruments to show the students the importance of how song lyrics come from places you can’t see?”

Students aren’t being taught how to write only how to compress. Jazz comes from the soul. Hip Hop arrived from the streets. Country is a lifestyle and Rock n Roll is every boys dream.

If you can’t teach an old dog new tricks why are we expecting young adults to follow rules at work?

Building bridges toward the next generation requires a dirt path which starts out as a single foot print. Be a leader and let tomorrow’s teachers steal your art. I’ve yet to meet the student that doesn’t want to learn. Those that fall asleep during my lectures are quickly shaken back to life by the presence of something that was supposed to fade ten years into the radio biz…passion.

Challenge your boss to set you free for an hour…if they say no…I’ve gotta ask; are they someone you truly want to be working for? What’s the reward?

It’s time to stop accepting bad treatment at work. A dog that sits, spins, walks then lies down with the command of an empty palm is a tortured soul. Why is it ok for local television stations to air commercials about mistreated dogs but you never see them paste stories together about Corporate American conditions?

Make a move toward the future by participating with its growth

arroecollins@clearchannel.com