People the
master
Government
the servant
Democracy will only
be a reality when
those in power
respect this principle
SIGN
Declaration
VIEW
List
of
BOSSES
Mutual
respect
is
the
foundation
upon
which the
people-
government
relationship
in
a democratic
system
is built
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People
are the
Boss
Declaration
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How
to be an
Effective
Boss
#
How
to be a
Good
and Civil
Servant
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Those of us in
business know that it is immensely challenging to be an effective boss;
especially in today’s rapidly changing times. Two reasons. First, today’s
world is radically different from the one we are used to; rendering conventional
solutions ineffective. Second, an acute shortage of talent; men and women
who are competent, courageous, wise and morally upright are fast joining
the club of “protected species.” But, as our very own destiny is
in the hands of the kind of people we send to public office, how can we
be more effective?
To achieve a civil society
that is just and desirable, the three parties involved in this relationship
– people, political parties and government – must make a fundamental paradigm
shift. Good governance can only be built upon mutual respect, cooperation
and partnership. Good governance can only be achieved if each and every
one of the partners recognize their own rights and play their part, and
play them well.
To be effective, bosses may bear
the following in mind:
Backing
Back the man or woman you
have chosen. There are great trials and tribulations in public office,
and your elected representative’s source of power comes from your support.
It is in you that he or she draws his/her power. To cope with the changes
in the world today, elected officials need a network of resources to do
their job effectively. They need all the time and energy to focus and address
the many issues that impact on our lives. We must not bother them with
cutting ribbons or cleaning up the drains.
"You pay peanuts you get
monkeys." We need to institute a program to ensure public officials
are paid well. To do this, we must do our part. Upgrade productivity, grow
our companies, pay taxes, step up innovation and value creation in our
societies in order to create the resources to attract talent to our public
office. Once the private sector has the abilities to take over many functions
run by government, we downsize them and only keep the very best to make
those complex and difficult decisions for us. We cannot only ask public
officials to give, we must also ensure that they are well taken care
– at least well enough for them to be FULL time looking after our affairs.
Office
“Garbage in garbage out”
applies equally to government. Take care in selecting the kind of people
we send to public office. Don’t complain they are useless. If they are,
you are at fault. You appointed them. Scandalous behavior of politicians
has undermined the people’s faith and threatens the credibility of public
officials. The profession of government is tarnished with such bad tags
as “politics is dirty” and “it’s not what you know but who you know”. There
is a GREAT and URGENT need to restore the nobility of the public office
in order that we attract the crème le crème in society to
serve. This is our responsibility. You want leaders. Then reject
the politicians. No decent human being would want to keep company with
a bunch of crooks, whatmore to manage our country!
Self
–Esteem
How can bosses not wear
their dignity? Why must we diminish ourselves by exchanging order with
our servants? Who should be doing the “kow-tow”? People complain
furiously in coffee shops, yet not speak out for fear of their servants
“losing face.” How ridiculous! Remember, YB is the correct abbreviation
for Yang Berkhimat! Democracy is not a spectator national sport where you
sit along the sides to watch them perform. As the boss, you have the right
to voice your displeasure (in an appropriate and respectful manner of course)
at the right time. Discipline has always been a part of civil society.
The occasional “sack” simply beats back human weakness, and the boss
must not hesitate to do so. We can’t leave everything to government, do
our homework and due-diligence; hence the non-government groups and endless
lobby work.
Specific
goals
Let’s face it, government
does not have all the answers. Many of them must be solved by our own effort.
The government can only facilitate. Those in government must also not pretend
that they are Superman. We need to manage by objective – a specific
legislative agenda for a term of office. How do we measure the performance
of our servants if we don’t set these goals with them? There are many calls
for existing legislation to be reviewed; do the bosses themselves know
specifically what they want? What will be best for society at this point
in time? What to change in the Universities and Colleges Act? How inadequate
are the consumer protection laws? How should the Internal Security Act
be changed to protect our society from new security threats? What must
be included in Anti Monopoly Laws? Goal setting is a joint process, hence
the partnership.
People
as the Boss must accept that no great society was born out of an accident.
Every generation must do their part to make some improvement, and the whole
will move forward. First we must think and walk like a boss. Then we act
and behave like one. If everyone plays their part and makes the right selection,
a great team can be put together. Our effectiveness rests largely with
selecting the right team for government. After that, support and discipline
will ensure the nation’s ship sails on course.
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