Resistance to change!!!!

We have been experiencing  waves of change since 2003. We have changed our political system, and  we are now trying to change our economic system. We know a lot of Maldivians do not like 'change'. It's not only limited to Maldivians. It's human nature. That's the reason why change is often associated with resistance. We prefer stability and continuity over change. Recently,  the university, where I am studying, has centralized its IT administration which was previously operated through faculty-based  IT units. Since then, both students and academics have been complaining about the difficulties associated with this change. But one thing I am sure of is however much we complain, the university is not going to revert back its plans. Because, they know that there will be resistance to any change. 

Last week, one of the hottest headlines in our media was about the new logo introduced by the government to promote Maldives as a country of destination. The new logo was welcomed by the Maldivians with a lot of criticism. Ordinary people and politicians across the political spectrum have leveled criticism against the new logo, ranging from aesthetic and technical aspects to the marketing aspects to the way the whole project was handled. Even some people in the inner circle of the government have criticized the logo and the way the project was carried out. I am totally in agreement with some of these criticisms. The government should have carried out the project in a more open and transparent manner. It should have opened it for Maldivians and used it as a platform to test our local artists' creativity. It should also have made short-listed logos public and provided opportunities for them to express their views on the logos before the official endorsement of a particular logo. 

However, I feel that even if the government had done all this, the outcome would have still been the same. Because, first, there are people who have made a habit of going against whatever the government does; second, there will always be resistance to any change; third, there is no one single tagline or a logo that can represent the features of our unique tourism industry. I feel that the mayhem that has been created by the controversial logo has given credibility to itself and it has received a reasonable level of publicity in this critical launching phase, which wouldn't have been possible without this controversy.

As with any other change, the resistance to the introduction of the new tourism logo will subside and it will be accepted by the public over time. It is very unlikely that the government will back down, but over time we will change our perception about the new logo.

ޑިމޮކްރަސީތަ؟ ނުވަތަ ދިމާކުރާތީތަ؟

އިއްޔެއަކީ ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ސިޔާސީ ޙަޔާތުގައި އަނެއްކާވެސް އައު ޞަފުޙާއެއް ހުޅުވިގެންދިޔަ ދުވަހެއްގެ ގޮތުގައި ވަރަށް ގިނަ ދިވެހިން ދެކޭކަން ނޫސްތަކުގައިވާ ލިޔުންތަކުންނާއި އެލިޔުންތަކަށް ކިޔުންތެރިން ފޮނުވާފައިވާ ޚިޔާލުތަކުން އެނގެއެވެ. އެއީ އެހާ ތާރީޚީ ދުވަހަކަށްވީ ކުރީގެ ރައީސް އައު ޕާޓީއެއް އުފައްދާ ސިޔާސީ ޙަޔާތެއް އަލުން ފެއްޓެވުމުންކަމަށް ގިނަ ބަޔަކު ދެކެއެވެ. ދެބަސްވެވެން ނެތް ޙަޤީޤަތަކީ ކުރީގެ ރައީސަކީ އަދިވެސް ވަރަށް ގިނަ ދިވެހިން  އެބޭފުޅެއްގެ ވަށައިގެން މުގޯލި އަޅާ ބޭފުޅޭއްކަމެވެ. އަޅުގަނޑު ހަމަ އެކަމާ އެއްބަހެވެ. ނަމަވެސް އަޅުގަނޑަށް އެއްބަސްވާން އުނދަގޫވެގެން މިއުޅެނީ މުޅިން އެހެންކަމަކާއެވެ. އެއީ ކުރީގެ ރައީސް ކުރައްވާ ކަންތައްތަކުގައި ޑިމޮކްރަސީގެ ރޫޙު ހުންނަ މިންވަރާ މެދުގައެވެ. މިފަހަރުގެ ޕާޓީ ހައްދަވަން ޚިޔާލުފުޅުކުރެއްވި ހިސާބުން ފެށިގެން އެމަނިކުފާނު ވިދާޅުވަމުން ގެންދެވީ އެއީ ޑިމޮކްރަޓިކް ޕާޓީއެއް ކަމަށާއި، އެއީ ވަކި މީހެއްގެ ޕާޓީއެއް ނޫންކަމަށާއި، އެއީ އެންމެންގެ ޕާޓީއެއްކަމަށާއި، ޢާއިލީ ޕާޓީއެއްނޫންކަމަށެވެ 

ނަމަވެސް، ޕާޓީގެ ފުރަތަމަ ޖަލްސާ ހިނގާ ދިޔަގޮތުން މިކަންތައްތަކާ މެދު ސުވާލު އުފެދެއެވެ. ފުރަތަމަ ކަމަކީ ޕާޓީގެ ރައީސަކަށް ކުރީގެ ރައީސް ހޮވިވަޑައިގަތީ އިއްތިފާޤުންނެވެ. އެހެން އެއްވެސް މީހަކު އެމަނިކުފާނާ ވާދައެއްނުކުރެއެވެ. ދެވަނަކަމަކީ، ޕާޓީގެ އިސް މަޤާމުތަކަށް އެމަނިކުފާނުގެ ޢާއިލާގެ ސިޔާސީ މައިދާނުގައި ޙަރަކާތްތެރިވާ ހުރިހާ ބޭފުޅުން ކަހަލަ ގޮތަކަށް ހޮވިވަޑައިގަތުމެވެ. އަދި މިކަންތައްތަކަށްވުރެވެސް ބޮޑަށް ފާހަގަވެގެންދިޔައީ ޕާޓީގެ އަސާސީ ޤަވާޢިދުން ވަގުތީ ރައީސަށް ވަގުތީ ކައުންސިލަށް 3 މެންބަރުން ޢައްޔަނުކުރަން ދީފައިވާ ބާރެވެ. އަޅުގަނޑު ދެކޭ ގޮތުގައި އިސްވެ ލިޔެވިދިޔަ ހުރިހާ ކަންކަމަކީވެސް ޑިމޮކްރަސީގެ ރޫޙާ ޚިލާފް ކަންތައްތަކެވެ. އަޅުގަނޑުގެ ހިތަށް އަންނަނީ  މީގެ ދުވަސްކޮޅެއްކުރިން އަޅުގަނޑުގެ ރައްޓެއްސެއް އަޅުގަނޑުގެ ކައިރީގައި ބުނި ވާހަކައެކެވެ. އޭނާ ބުންޏެވެ. "ކުރީގެ ރައީސަކަށް ޑިމޮކްރަސީ ކިޔާކަށްވެސް ނޭނގޭނެއެވެ. އެހެންވެ އޭނާ ކިޔަނީ ދިމާކުރާތީއެވެ. އަޅުގަނޑު ހަމަ މުޅިން އެއްބަހެވެ. "ކުރީގެ ރައީސްގެ ވާހަކަޔާ ޑިމޮކްރސީއާ އެއް ޖުމުލައެއްގައެއް ނުލިޔެވޭނެއެވެ". 

Our dilemma!!!

Companies are striving to become different. Why??? Because they believe that by becoming different, they can achieve the "so called" competitive advantage. They are  coming to terms with the fact that the way they manage people contributes to make them different. This poses a huge challenge to the HR. In the effort to become different, HR faces the dilemma: who do we represent, the employees or the management?

The answer is simple and straightforward. HR represents both. But representing this duality is challenging. The two groups often have contradictory goals. So how does the HR become effective? The answer could be by employing the strategy of "satisficing". However, in order to pursue this strategy, HR departments need to have people with HR qualifications and expertise. HR professionals need to understand and cater for employee needs and at the same time pursue HR policies which contribute to the organisation's bottom line.

Do we have such HR departments? Do we have such HR professionals? Or having qualified HR professionals is enough to pursue both management and employee interests?

We have been hearing employees talking about how difficult and bad their bosses are. They are rude and nasty. They bully or verbally  abuse their employees. The sad thing is that employees do not know where to report such cases within organisations or/and beyond. Bosses are not always the HR managers. They could be senior managers and line managers who have no people skills. When such things happen in organisations, often the HR is not in a position to protect employees. In our companies, HR managers give priority to hold on to their jobs rather than protecting their employees or they collude with the managers who abuse their employees. When such concerns are taken to senior managers, they do not want even to acknowledge the existence of such problems. These issues are insignificant for them and often are totally ignored.

So how do we protect our employees while pursuing organisational goals?

First, HR managers need to perfectly wear the two hats. They need to research HR matters and give ethical and professional advice to senior managers on HR matters. Second, the denial syndrome has to stop. Third, organisations need to equip all their managers with people skills in order to protect their employees and pursue employee-centric policies. Finally, employees should be given clear instructions on how they should go about reporting their grievances and concerns. If organisations are not able to take these simple steps, they are not matured enough to talk about 'becoming different' or 'achieving competitive advantage'.

Zero customer service!!!!!!

Some of our large companies are notorious for poor customer services. I have had a very bad experience with our national bank in the Maldives. It seems that the departments in the bank operate in individual silos with no collaboration and cooperation among them. When you write a mail to the bank regarding an issue which might require joint efforts by various departments to resolve it, a department might respond to you stating that the matter has to be referred to another department. The bank expects customers to understand the complexity involved in its structure and management. The bank is complacent in responding to customer requests, and customers may have to write to them several times regarding the same issue.

I know the majority of us do not trust our national bank. If we, the ordinary people, do not trust it, how can the bank expects business owners and investors to trust it? Customers living abroad find it more difficult to deal with the bank, particularly, issues regarding credit card frauds etc. In a competitive banking industry, I wonder how long a bank with such attitudes could survive?

You are always wrong!!!!

Over the last few years, we have developed a mind set of challenging whatever the people in power do. We believe that the government will do nothing good for us. I can accept this from ordinary people. But its hard to accept this attitude of  politicians and MPs. Its a norm for our opposition to blindly reject whatever the government proposes, be it a policy or a piece of legislation, regardless of the rationale, content and quality. I agree that the government has been making a lot of mistakes, they are doing a lot of things for their own advantage. But it does not mean that they do nothing good for the country. It also does not justify the opposition's action - viewing every policy/legislation through the same lens.

Recently, the government has submitted a bill to the parliament about the establishment of a mercantile court. One of the very controversial provisions in the bill is about the composition of the panel of judges to be appointed to the court. According to the Bill, two foreign judges can be appointed to the court. I see this provision as very practical and beneficial. The hard truth is our judiciary lacks qualified and competent judges. Judges to be appointed to the mercantile court require to have specific qualifications and expertise - specialised in this area. We have only a handful of people with such qualifications and expertise. They would rather prefer to remain as corporate lawyers rather than to become judges as they earn more being lawyers.

It is not a rare practice in other countries to appoint foreign judges to the courts. Small countries such as Fiji appoint foreign judges from various countries (e.g. from Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka etc). The advantage of appointing foreign judges are manifold. Surely, it would  facilitate knowledge transfer and build the capacity of our local judges.

We need to see pros and cons of policies/legislations before rejecting them. I wonder when would we see this attitude from our opposition.

Marketing - the key to business success

I have been continuously hearing this statement ever since my days in secondary school. I have seen "it" written on books, websites etc. I have heard consultants and trainers talking about it. I know a lot of organisations believe in this statement and make this a part of their way of life. But I am not sure how well our local organisations do marketing.

We always see marketing in a very big way, but it can be as simple as keeping in touch with a potential customer. I have had a wealth of experience of this nature. Sending gentle reminders to customers about  relevant products and services, wishing them on their birthdays, approaching them and giving them messages about  products and services in a subtle way are simple tactics. These are very common strategies used by organisations. But very few local organisations do this.