I took in the view of the cherry blossoms from Jefferson Memorial where on the walls of the interior of the rotunda four passages from Thomas Jefferson’s writings are engraved. One in particular struck me:
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“I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions. But laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times.”
This made me wonder: When and how is it appropriate and respectful to affect change? When does it become detrimental to uphold practices and institutions that might have initially been put in place with good intention but are no longer adequate to cope with changing circumstances? In today’s world, the next generations are facing decision-making with an exponentially increased speed of communication capabilities, idea sharing, and best practices. That is why leadership development is crucial for improving governance. Yet the key question remains: when and how should change occur?
Published Date: April 07, 2009