the best of planner

In business and politics one will be inevitably faced with a situation where there is a need for change. This desire to change is almost always a move from an inferior state to a much more outstanding one. Managing change becomes an important subject of study.

We have seen turnaround of the Malaysia Airlines as one of a more successful change management. Earlier on in Malaysia there was a Shell Malaysia turnaround that has been quoted as exemplary change management in practice.

Likewise in politics, there is a constant need for change. Failure to address this will send a business entity or a political party into oblivion. In the aftermath of the 2004 general election in Malaysia, the writer had the opportunity to meet with and posed a question to Director of PAS Research, Dr. Dzulkefli Ahmad on whether there was a need to “reinvent” PAS having suffered a big electoral loss. He chose “repackaging” as the word to describe the change needed in PAS. Whether one is reinventing or repackaging an entity or product, there is almost always associated with change.

UMNO as political party is heading for destruction. Fifty years of rule with little change if goes by Ibnu Khaldun’s Theory of Social Science is in ripe age of destruction coming from, as the theory goes, internal conflicts as leaders engage in excesses.

Both Malaysiakini and Hrakahdaily carried news of severe internal conflicts that set a platform for final showdown that will lead to destruction. It is now an acknowledged war between the two warring camps, the PM and the defacto PM, both scuttle outwit and “kill” each other.

In this information age, everybody is equipped with tools to formulate strategy of war. Both forces of good and evil are acquainted with and masterly use old age war strategies to defeat the enemy. Both sides of the divide claim to master this Art of War. Little that they realise that, the Moral Cause of waging a war, determines success of war initiatives. If one wages war for the wrong reason one can never win it.

Planning is a key to successful outcome of a war. Understanding one self and the enemy, environments and so on increase chances of winning a war.

While we indulge ourselves in this knowledge of the Art of War, we must never discount the fact that there is a superior being out there watching us. An atheist may dub this Law of the Universe or Mother Nature or simply luck. But for the majority of this world’s population divine intervention can never be ruled out.

When the CEO of Malaysian Airline outline his methodology of change or turnaround for the then ailing airline, he went on to spell very clearly that seeking divine intervention was of paramount importance. Likewise PAS as a political party placed its success on sound moral cause, properly repackaged and they will agree unanimously due to the will of the supreme-being.

UMNO on the other hand clamours for change but lacks the will for change. Leaders scramble to maintain their power and position without regard for the people. They obviously want to cling onto power for the sheer reason of wanting to have access to material reward. The moral cause is a twisted one and as the rule goes its outcome is easily predicted. Sheer disaster and catastrophe to the nation and its people! Most glaring is their conceit and arrogance to claim that it is their (God given) right to govern and total disregard for God’s command to rule justly and honestly.

They plan, God also plan and God is the Best of Planner.

troubadour

plundering the nation’s wealth while championing a reform?

Quote: “Without reforms truth is obscured and sentiment and innuendo reign supreme”, unquote. Yes, it was the famous SIL aka KJ quotation that appeared in the Star some time back. Funny that this comes from a person mired in controversy and whose hands are reaching into the nation’s coffer while basking under the sun wallowing in sheer pleasure in a party that resist all attempt at changing for the better.

Change or face people’s wrath! This is also their battle cry now. But they are the ones that prove to be the biggest boulders that block reforms.

How does a person institute change? How do we make sure that whatever changes that we want to do will be successful i.e. if we manage to “reform”. This is essentially managing change, or change management. Due to a need for any organisation to continue to change or face extinction, the subject has been a focus of many management gurus. The most influential and sought after change expert is John P Kotter.

Change involves people and their emotions, uncertainties and inconsistencies and therefore is very complex. A successful change or a reform requires LEADERSHIP and a bloody good one. Without the right leadership you can expect empty mantras and prevailing old school of thoughts instead of a rejuvenated entity. Kotter laid down almost foolproof steps towards leading a change. There is simply no shortcut and it is a science as much as it is an art.

Do you seriously think that UMNO can reform giving their current state of denial? I for one do not believe that it is possible. I have these words that I said time and again to my people that “If you are limping and people also point that out to you and if you think otherwise, you would continue to walk with a limp!” That is the classic form of denial.

Sad to say that there are those (disillusioned) lot that believe UMNO should and must reform. These are the minority though. Majority of those in power simply profess change but it is just a ploy to camouflage their act of robbing the nation of its fortune.