Tips for leaders

. PHOTO: AFP

Look into your political power factor (PF) rating. If you do not know it. You are a dummy! Your leadership leads or laps?

Ask your technical friend to explain to you the term "Power Factor" as used by the electrical engineers. There was a news item recently that PDB and associates were installing banks of capacitors in the electricity transmission networks to correct the PF. To reduce technical systems losses. It means that the voltage and current are not in phase or in tune. Also pet a briefing on various types of systems losses (SL).

Be sure that as a leader you are not lapping behind the changes taking place in society. And you (and your party, if you have one) must be mentally and logistically prepared to handle changes. Our political leaders have created negative changes in many areas of the society for decades. These have to be rectified, first internally (party) and then externally (the electorate).

Then you must be aware of another more serious type of SL-the human systems loss. In Bangladesh, this is greater than the technical SL: due to corrupt practices. There are unethical dealings, immoral conduct, black deals, acts of terrorism , graft, bribe, coffee money and many other types of evil activities which are noticed in others but not within one's own self!

Have detailed sessions at your adda-khana and come up with DFA (draft for approval) for formal presentation at the formal party meeting. Be sure the press knows about it. It would make you more popular (with the right type of voters).

The government is not the party and the party is not the government. Governance is a political issue as it is for all citizens of all shades of opinion and political leaning. If you are in the cabinet or working for the government, forget your party while speaking officially. While working for the party, forget your official designation. Mixing up the two is confusing and undesirable. If should not be necessary to know who were running the government. As the government is anonymous. The mindset has to be changed. It is not a debatable issue. There is too much of name dropping. Result? Our history is sapping!

In local national politics the "boundary conditions" are vague and unclear. The voters must be made aware of these boundary conditions. But the politicians do not talk about it. Some analysts call it "band-width". It means where to stop theoretically and practically. The behaviour pattern of the politicians is unpredictable. Why so? What is wrong in sticking to some life-long principles? And if necessary suffer for one's own principles. How many political leaders inflict self-punishment upon themselves?

Avoid misuse of power and/or influence. It is difficult to resist temptation. But you are a leader and have a strong character! Question: do have-not societies tend to have more have-not leaders?