Be bold (and have a great year 2019)!
The year is coming to an end. A few more hours and a new year will begin. What are we going to do in this new year — more sport, less work, fewer cigarettes and alcohol?
How about this: be bolder?
In Germany, doubts and reluctance prevail
Regardless of which topics are discussed in Germany: I have the feeling that the complainants not only speak louder, but also prevail more often. When it comes to innovations, we don´t act first but talk first, then we “become friends with the word “but” and finally we find reasons why something is not going to work — or, which is not better, we find a compromise with which no one is really satisfied but about which everyone at least can say something (remotely) positive.
My suggestion: let´s try something different in 2019
So here is my suggestion: why don´t we try it differently this time? Why don´t we be trustful that something that we have tried can be corrected later if it turns out that what we initially tried is wrong? Why don´t we allow ourselves to take a stand with all the consequences, bearing in mind (and accepting) the danger that this point of view will not please everyone and that we will get headwinds?
Of course, I realize that we live in a time when it’s easy to be against something (and everything). As someone who is using social media channels heavily, is involved in international organizations and politics, and who is also active as a volunteer in various associations, I experience very often how a supposedly “wrong” opinion is attacked vigorously by others. And don´t get me wrong here: a discussion is seldomly sought; mostly it´s all about “shouting down” the person (in my example me, but it could be anyone) who has a different opinion.
Be different — the reward can be big!
And yet, I think it’s worthwhile to take a stand and be bold and individual in ones opinion — knowing that this opinion will not please everyone. Because that’s the way I think one can stand out from the crowd today. Because you’re not pleasing everyone with what you say, you do not just reproduce what someone else has already said and you’re not unreflectively accepting the particular opinion of a crowd.
Change happens when things are done differently
And there is another reason why, in my opinion, it is worth to be bold: I believe that only by risking something it is possible to initiate change. The two topics that come to my mind when thinking about risk are, of course, the “changes brought about by digitization” and “innovation by startups”. Both topics are currently “flowing” through various discussions — and it is also somehow clear, vaguely, that these topics are relevant for each and every one — and society itself. And it is also somehow clear that the potentials are by far not exhausted.
But regarding these two topics the discussions start already with the questions if one can change something and what:
Establishing a digital ministry? Rather not, because we have already set up various competences in various ministries and offices (and nobody wants to delegate competences to others once one has them).
Let´s expand the broadband capacities? Good and nice — but please not everywhere, not in the countryside and not at the expense of the federal government.
Financial and administrative support for startups? With pleasure, but not with tax breaks or easier bureaucracy.
Learning programming at school? Why, learning a programming language alone does not bring any benefits.
Making money available to schools through the federal government for electronic equipment, but having a say in the design of curricula? Please, are you crazy, all issues relating to school education is a matter of the German states and the federal government is not allowed to interfere with these states (it doesn´t matter that the countries cannot compromise on how to better equip the schools….).
I ask myself: What would happen if we just do something different? If we dare to think big and just act, even if what we do might not suit everyone?
So let´s be bold and let our thoughts fly — here are my wishes for 2019:
- Encourage entrepreneurship
Young companies need support, especially when they are about to start their business. Let´s offer them online founding services, simple tax returns and a low flat flat-rate tax during their first three years of their existence (up to EUR 100.000,00 of annual turnover).
2. Encourage future-oriented education
Digital devices such as smartphones and tablets are completely normal for students. Let´s provide to them adequate training in how to use these devices in a meaningful way (and equip schools with these devices….) and provide students with the opportunity to acquire future-oriented knowledge such as programming or entrepreneurship skills. And one more point: let´s offer to young people the opportunity to acquire sufficient media literacy.
3. Encourage investments and decisions relevant for the future
Let´s think about what will help us in the future — really fast internet, for example, in every corner (yes, every corner) of the Federal Republic of Germany. And to make future-oriented decisions on digital topics in a fast and efficient way, let´s set up a Digital Ministry at the federal level that is equipped with appropriate expertise, has a proper budget of its own and has the authority to make necessary decisions without approval of other ministries.
4. Encourage decision making
Every decision has consequences. Let us rejoice when a decision is made and let´s not condemn the decision makers. It’s one thing to disagree with one decision, but another to think of the person that made the decision for a fool or worse. And one more thing: let´s simply accept decisions when they have been made after sufficient discussion.
5. Encourage international cooperation
The challenges we face today are becoming more and more global. Few states are able to respond on their own and provide their own solutions to everything that affects them. Cybersecurity, data protection, international trade — these are just three examples, but they show that individual states cannot deal with the challenges they pose without cooperating with other states. How lucky can we be to have an entity like the European Union to find answers to these challenges?
Don´t be afraid there is no need to panic!
Do you have to be afraid to risk something, to be bold and challenge the status quo? You can call me naïve — but I don´t think so. I urge you to try whatever you want to try and say whatever you want to say. Be bold — great things will happen!
I wish you all the best for 2019!
Thanks for reading! :)
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Carsten Lexa is the former World President of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs´ Alliance (www.g20yea.com) and was as President of G20 YEA Germany the host of the G20 YEA Summit 2017 in Berlin.
A corporate lawyer by profession and equipped with his own law firm, he advises German and international clients (who want to do business in Germany) in corporate and commercial legal matters.
He is, by invitation of the European Commission, a participant in the annual SME Assembly, a member of the B20 Task Forces and was from 2014 to 2017 the General Legal Counsel and additionally a member of the national board of JCI Germany (WJD — Wirtschaftsjunioren Deutschland), the biggest organization for young leaders and entrepreneurs in Germany.
He is also the co-founder of “Gründen@Würzburg”, the startup initiative of the German city of Würzburg.
