I attended this networking breakfast where this exceptional human being was the guest speaker. I wrote to him afterwards:-
Dear Professor,
I almost didn’t come this morning but BOY, am I glad I did.
You will be used to people saying ‘inspirational’ about you and your story (if one can get used to that) but it was not just the content but your delivery – enthralling. OK, enough of those truths. I took notes and sorted some stuff out in my head (that needed sorting) and came away all the richer.
Knowing something about our countries, cities history isn’t always easy as we so much rely on what others have written and not written, their perspectives and bias, their self interest so often, too often. Your capture was enlightening and sobering – so many people walked with your forbears and of course with you.
You spoke about your inspirations and through the style of presentation today you were able to share much in a short time – yes not as much as you had prepared or that we wanted to receive!
Your summary of three points was enlightening in as much as the clarity and the evidence from your conversation of your own philosophy, not easily accomplished for much of your life.
If I got it somewhere near intelligible:-
“Don’t follow the mob” -think for yourself, look fo evidence
“Don’t judge a person for how they might look”
“We live in the best place/country in the world – be aware of how good that is”
In my business I have focus on youth suicide and domestic violence and sought to address that through two businesses, ‘Anti-bullying Solutions (focus on employees and charged for) and Anti-bullying Advocate (focus on employees and free for fees). Neither gained traction as the employers who need it deny it and in anywise didn’t, it seems, want a creditor with a name associated with bullying. As an example I approached SA Health and SA Education and spoke to the top person, both absolutely denied that bullying occurred on their organisations, that was further. Backed up by their senior HR professional – well really unprofessional.
I spoke with the commissioner of Public Employment on two occasions, both times she admitted to some small degree of bullying in government; I referred a program I have delivered with proved results but she said, “It’s not up to met to provide programs, I should approach one of the government agencies.” I explained that they were ‘sort of interested’ but needed another agency that had used it to speak on it’s behalf. I explained that no government agency had use it because no government agency had used it and the response was, “get a government agency to use it”.
I sort of know a bit of what you and other have been going throw – are going through.
In any event Professor, on behalf of the world and certainly Adelaide, your contribution in so many ways has been world shattering.
Every best wish,
Rex Buckingham
Principal