This year’s Oundle Lecture was delivered by Old Oundelian, Alexander Dragonetti (G 03) who spoke to the Lower Sixth about how to respond in an uncertain world.
Drawing on a distinguished career in diplomacy, international affairs and humanitarian response, as well as his recent appearance on BBC reality show ‘The Traitors’, Alexander reflected on the realities of working in environments where certainty is often in short supply. However, rather than focusing on global events themselves, he challenged pupils to consider a more important question: not what happens to us, but how we choose to respond.
As pupils prepare for their final year and beyond they face a world that can appear increasingly unpredictable, with traditional pathways into higher education and employment becoming less straightforward than in previous generations.
Against this backdrop, Alexander argued that uncertainty is not the challenge itself; rather, it is how individuals respond to uncertainty that ultimately shapes their futures.
His message to pupils was that human beings rarely respond to difficult situations as rationally as they imagine they will. Instead, our reactions are often shaped by previous experiences, assumptions and emotions. Developing self-awareness and creating space between what we feel and what we do, he suggested, is one of the most valuable skills we can cultivate.
The talk then turned to the importance of values and decision-making. Drawing on experiences from humanitarian deployments, Alexander explained that leadership often involves making difficult choices when there is no perfect solution.
He challenged pupils to think differently about values. Rather than being statements about what we aspire to believe, he argued that values are revealed through our actions when choices become difficult. When time, energy and resources are limited, our priorities become visible through what we choose to do, and what we are willing to sacrifice, to uphold those choices.
“Values are not what you say you care about,” he explained. “They are what you do when the choice is hard.”
Reflecting on his experiences as a diplomat, Alexander also spoke about the importance of trust, consistency and understanding the perspectives of others. He noted that influence is rarely built through persuasion alone; instead, it is earned over time through honesty, reliability and a willingness to understand how situations appear from someone else’s point of view.
Throughout the talk, pupils were encouraged to think not only about the opportunities ahead of them, but also about the kind of people they hope to become. In a world where many factors remain outside our control, Alexander suggested that character, judgement and values become even more important.
He concluded with a message of optimism. While the future may be uncertain, young people are not powerless within it. The ability to act thoughtfully, make principled choices and engage courageously with challenges remains firmly within their control.
“The world you’re entering is uncertain,” he told pupils. “But your response in it matters deeply.”
It was a thought-provoking and inspiring session, offering practical wisdom for pupils as they prepare to take their next steps beyond Oundle
