Recently I was up in Nhulunbuy in the Northern Territory staying with my daughter, son-in-law and young family. It’s a great community and has a population of around 4,000 many of whom are Yolngu Aboriginal people. Now, as you can imagine, because of the other natural attractions of the area it is often hard to persuade the indigenous children that they should go to school.
To make sure that children who should be at school do go to school back in 2010 the NT Government announced strict truancy enforcement. In a move designed to combat youth crime in Alice Springs, Northern Territory Police would act as truancy officers. “What I’m announcing today is swift, visible and tangible action” Chief Minister, Paul Henderson said at the time.
So, in Nhulunbuy, as in most towns across NT if not Australia, truancy officers spend lots of time looking for kids and getting them to go to school. Forcing them, if you like… the “stick” approach.
But, how good is it to see a “carrot’ approach working in Nhulunbuy!
There are enough kids of around my grandson’s age to form 4 or 5 Aussie Rules football teams to play each other every Saturday in the season. They are scratch matches and kids turn up to play every Saturday. You’ll know, if you have any interest in football, how good the indigenous youth are at football and how much they love it… and what champions they become!
So there they all are kids of every size, shape and colour all itching to get a game!
But before they get a game they are asked, with a teacher standing by, “Did you go to school last week?” and the rule is “No school, no game”!
Gases what? Coz they want to play football, they go to school.
Simple, the carrot approach works.
People will do whatever is necessary if they really want what doing it provides. Carrots always work better than sticks. In everything!
So when you want your customers, clients, patients, patrons, team members or suppliers to do something try the carrot not the stick and see how well it works.
You’ll soon kick goals!
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