Road Safety

We had one of the worst traffic accidents in UAE history 2 weeks ago, on one of the main highways. More than 200 vehicles were involved, 347 people reported injured and many cars caught fire. It happened in the early morning, in an area where dense fog hampered visibility. Looking at the photographs posted on various websites and in the papers, one can only imagine the trauma of the victims and their families.

The reaction from people, including the press, has been a reversion to the standard statements on driving slowly, and not keeping your hazards on. On a daily basis innocents are being killed or maimed on our roads, and the authorities other than keeping statistics, seems incapable of addressing the core issues. Some of the major factors (in my mind) that have led to this dangerous situation are:-

• huge increase in the number of vehicles on the road,


• new drivers with limited (local) driving experience


• drivers from a vast variety of countries, with differing levels of skill and driving experience


• lack of road safety awareness


• increase in road rage caused by innumerable traffic snarls

Citizens of certain countries are allowed to convert their licences to drive on the roads, in the belief that the standard of driving is very high. This may be true, but still leads to a situation that puts the same drivers and other road users at risk. How so ?
It is scary enough for seasoned drivers to venture out on certain roads. Imagine someone who has just entered the country and driving for the first or the second time. How much courtesy will be extended if they are driving slowly, or take a wrong turn, while getting familiar with the road system ? How many scrapes and accidents will be caused by frustrated drivers trying to run them off the road ? I personally have had a few friends who have just started driving, and can imagine how harrowing it will be. I was lucky that I started driving when the roads were less crowded and courtesy was common.

There is a significant danger from people new to the country and the roads, compounded by continuous diversions caused by the massive roadworks, in an alien environment. Road accidents are by far the largest cause of deaths in the UAE.

The recent increase and publicity around increased traffic fines and punishment is a good start, but is only the first step towards safer roads. Other steps required are

• dramatic increase in the number of traffic cops on the roads
• all new drivers irrespective of where they come around, being provided a comprehensive induction on driving in UAE
• increase in sponsorship of road safety awareness
• making seat belts compulsory in front and back
• making "engine on, mobile off" a law. There are enough statistics to show that talking on mobiles even hands free, substantially increases response times.

Let us all do our part in making our roads safer for our children.

Thinking

I am convinced that the world is pushing us as individuals to stop thinking for ourselves. We are inundated everyday with subliminal messages, telling us what to buy, what to listen to, what to read and what to think. In this fast paced world which is getting faster by the minute, the very quantum of information that floods us ensures that we cannot, and never do, stop to think.

People around us mouth cliches' or echo views that they have just heard or read without pausing to assimilate or reflect. It is just so much easier to go with the flow. If so many people think alike or share an opinion, then it must be the right one. I do confess that I myself have on occasion, been guilty of this, and it does take effort to force your brain to question the current wisdom. The problem is that views formed so easily do not stand the test of even a gentle probe, leave alone a more pointed line of questioning.

Belief is the opposite of reason. Any institution that relies on belief as its foundation, builds a precarious edifice. Belief is the sanctuary for ignorance. Free thoughts illuminate areas that cannot stand the test of reason. Of all the species that walk this earth, man is the only one that has this ability to think and to reason. In all other "physical" areas we are significantly weaker. Why then would so many, so willingly give up their one true strength of logic and rational thought ? What advantage do we, as a species, stand to gain by forfeiting this attribute ?

The answer lies in the struggle for Power !! People who yield their brains easily, become pawns in this battle. Power is about influence, and what better way to influence people than through their thoughts. If one controls others thoughts, one controls their body. You will see this trait manifest in so many everyday occurrences, some benign and some more malicious. From belief in every printed word, to getting into the influence of the latest "guru" or shaman, to following blindly the dictates of a powerful leader.


Our urge to believe is strong, deep set in our physique's, a product of millions of years of evolution and survival. It has its roots in our infancy, where it would be disadvantageous for a child to question the urging or orders of its elders. This instinct then pervades into our adulthood, and only a strong mind, groomed from early years to question prevailing wisdom, and encouraged to have free thoughts, will be able to break away from these childhood shackles.

If one looks back into history, both distant and not so distant, every progress from the fire to the wheel to the computer, has been due to unconventional thinking. It is the result of a man (known or unknown) who asks "why not ?", who is willing to suffer persecution or excommunication from his tribe, society, organisation, or group, in the pursuit of his free thoughts.

Access to open unbiased education and information, encouraging a child's uninhibited questions, and creating an environment that stimulates freedom of thought are the only ingredients required to harness the greatest weapon in mans possession. Societies that inhibit this freedom of thought and speech, will suffer the consequences. Their people will be relegated to the backwaters of civilizations progress, always looking at others better- off, consigning their lot in life, to the vagaries of the Gods and to their miserable destiny.

Why then do we continue to mentally cuff our children ?

Corporate Life - Leadership Blog 1

Having been a "Corporate" man for most of my working life I must say that the more I look at the workings of major MNC's, (at least the ones I have been associated with), I wonder with what miracle they continue to flourish. There seems to be no logic or rationale that explains their success.

Take the example of Leadership - every organisation worth its salt wants to cultivate leaders. However you will notice that people who have the least understanding of leadership, talk about it the most. Everyone is touted a leader in his or her own right, and that is supposed to motivate you to act like one. If I were to translate some of the "leaders" actions into words - I would take leadership to mean :

1. All directions / instructions from the top are to be followed without question
2. The latest strategic direction / organisational upheaval is the best one yet and makes absolute sense.
3. Targets set (however flawed) are absolutely correct
4. Focus on strategic issues and a helicopter viewpoint of business etc are more indicative of leadership, than delivering results and operational excellence.
5. Rules apply to you but not to me.
6. Your ability to rise in the organisation is in inverse proportion to your ability to get the job done.
7. People are our biggest asset is a phrase oft repeated but never meant.

I for one have realised that I respect more peers, co-workers and staff in the lower echelons than I do at the higher levels. This is sad, and I fervently hope, not a widespread phenomenon.

It has been years since I have met a leader in my current organisation, that inspires me with his vision, and his grasp of business fundamentals or has been able to galvanise me. Poor leaders fail to recognise talent unless it conforms to their mould of the right fit. Poor leaders are also the ones with a huge scarcity of opinions. They are like empty vessels filled up with other peoples views. They are too buzy "lazy" to get to the root of issues, and will wander around in a cloud of ignorance, oblivious (or not bothered) of the fact that they change their views with the wind.

Ignorance breeds aggression and in corporate life serves quite often as the springboard to success. You leave the irrelevant things like understanding business models, value chains and underlying processes, to less deserving individuals, thereby freeing your own mind from the clutter of knowledge.

The current crop of leaders set behavioural patterns which the youth will follow. The more impressionable youngsters will fashion their work ethics and viewpoints, on the current generation of leaders.

What type of future leaders are we then grooming ?