We recently saw with a lot of interest in how the media, particularly social media, highlighted the courageous act of a young man from Mali, who rescued a child about to fall from the balcony of a fourth-floor apartment in Paris.
While his bravery and rapid response was commendable, equally praiseworthy was the response of the French President, who not only received the young man at the palace but also gave him a Commendation
Certificate and French nationality. The hero from Africa was also offered a job in the city fire department.
It was an extremely positive news – and the speed with which the President acted was also very commendable.
The act of bravery was promptly taken note of, which showed how well the President and his government recognised the efforts of a man who was in the city to start a new life.
It was an act of top class management and it came from the head of government. That was what set it apart.
This is what I want to say here.
It is very important to create a spirit of teamwork among employees of different institutions and that is where a leader plays a vital role.
The leader should be able to drive employees with his experience, foresight and professionalism. They should never shy away from recognising the efforts of an employee in front of everybody because that is what eggs him on. This, of course, would be a win-win situation for all.
In the Arab world, however, this is not the case. Here, we do not want to see successful people excelling in their work and we always seem to be envious and jealous. This is the sad truth.
One of the greatest gestures in recent times in Bahrain was the surprise visit by His Majesty’s personal representative for charity work and youth affairs Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa to Bahraini fish seller Mohammed Flamzeri. The visit, he stressed, was under the guidance of His Majesty who directed that Mr Flamzeri’s issues be resolved.
This initiative, needless to say, had a great impact on all Bahrainis who highly valued His Majesty’s concern and the visit by Shaikh Nasser.
Such efforts cultivate allegiance and loyalty and that is why we must work to cultivate it.
I know some Bahraini institutions that have achieved success at the local, Gulf, regional and international levels, thanks to their good management and hard work to create a one family and team spirit among its workers. The same is true for state institutions.
I wrote in an earlier article that it is very important to honour those who excel physically, morally, and informally, instead of the staple news that appears in local newspapers.
The question that arises, however, is whether this institutional culture is difficult to implement?
Of course not.
Of course not.
But we need leaders to understand the importance of this culture and believe in its importance in increasing productivity.
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