The Book “Flashes of Thought” is one of the greatest contributions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai President who is considered the founder of systematic Strategic planning in the UAE Government, and he has pioneered many innovative ideas in the public and commercial spheres, both locally and nationally.
This book represents a collection of concise messages, ideas and thoughts presented in 36 chapters with the main aim of pointing out the role of government in working towards the well-being of people, and observing government as an authority at the service of the people and not the authority over the people. The foreword of the book was written by Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.
It’s a good read on modern governance and how leaders can combine enterprise with excellence if there is the political will to push through economic initiatives.
IN THE FIRST CHAPTER, the author is explaining what really government’s job is. In his opinion, the government’s job is to achieve happiness for its people, and they are the government’s second and third priority. He sees the government as an active part of society, never as something that is separated and isolated. The government works for the people, achieves its objectives through the people and measures its success through their satisfaction. The mission of the government is to please its people and to build a promising future for their children.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum reflects on the government of the future in the next chapter. His first and foremost concern is to make government closer to people, faster, better and more responsive in providing its services.
The third and fourth chapters of the book offer the author’s insights about positive energy and Positive thinking as well as the development priorities of the UAE.
In the fifth chapter, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed writes that people should have their own distinct personalities, and they should have pride in their language and their heritage.
The sixth chapter of the book explains the motives for building the tallest building man has ever seen – Burj Khalifa. The name of the building was chosen to honour the President of UAE, Sheikh Khalifa, and Downtown Burj Khalifa has become a key landmark for all visitors to Dubai and UAE.
In the next chapter, the author focuses on the “Spirit of the Union” which is the official brand For UAE National Day celebrations. Its logo is a stylized silhouette based on the iconic photograph of seven founding fathers at the birth of the UAE on 2 December 1971.
The UAE is the most successful union in contemporary Arab history. According to the author, the success of the 42-year-old nation teaches important historical lessons to whoever wishes to draw upon them.
Eight and ninth chapters of the book focus on one day in the author’s life, and on being Number one. Since life was created simple it is important to live it as such is a mantra of Sheikh His Highness Sheikh Mohammed. The simplicity starts in the heart, away from negativism and pessimism.
His advice to all is to live a simple life. In Sheikh Mohammed’s opinion, UAE is no less than number one. Nobody remembers runners-up. Whoever convinces himself that he is not worthy of the first position has doomed himself to failure from the very beginning. His people and he are fond of being number one. There is no alternative to the first position, and the word impossible is nowhere to be found in the vocabulary of the UAE. The best is exactly what you will get if you accept no less.
The author refers to empowering women in the tenth chapter, and horse riding, poetry and Leadership in the eleventh chapter of this book. Some people, usually from abroad, wonder about the empowerment of women in UAE society.
His first advice is to acquire knowledge and surpass others in knowledge. Knowledge is the shortest path to victory, even in sports. His second advice refers to training, training and more training. To become a world champion he trained his body as well as himself to setting different strategies to reach the finishing line. He also trained his horse to increase his stamina.
His final advice is to trust in God and in yourself and to be optimistic. These psychological elements are most important of all because they distinguish you from your opponents!
The last two chapters of the book are dedicated to the importance of horses for the Emirati People, and to sound leaders in sound bodies. The relationship of Emirati people to horses comes from their Arab roots and that perpetuates the sport of their ancestors. Nowadays, horse raiding represents their identity, their pride in their heritage and their high morals, which they are instilling in their younger generations.
Other than Flashes of Thought Sheikh Mohammed wrote a book “My Vision”: Challenges in the Race for Excellence in which he examines in more detail aspects of UAE’s unique development experience.
Ideas presented in both books encompass the idea that the public sector should be better than the private sector; the role of positive energy, optimism and creativity in a country’s development; excellence as a way of living; removing word impossible from people’s dictionary; the confidence in its own people; replacing criterion of seniority with the principle of competence etc.
Those ideas are not heard of in many countries in the world, and even if these ideas are heard of they are not real unlike in Dubai and UAE.
The transformation of Dubai and UAE into one-world centers should be an example of development for all countries in the world. According to a saying the day a person starts thinking that he succeeded that is the day of his downfall. Thereby, Sheikh Mohammed’s recipe for success is to continually raise the bar whenever people reach their goals.
In a world full of “leaders” with empty words and suits this book is must read for anyone who wants to succeed in the political, public and private arena since Sheikh Mohammed does not talk the talks – instead, he walks the walk!
While living and enjoying the beauty of Dubai, I always remember the beauty in the eyes of the Dubai ruler, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
May almighty bless him more, and also bless the people living in his country!!.
--------------------------------- Harris Mohammed ----------------------------------------
