Do you remember the first time you held an iPhone in your hands? Maybe, you stood in line for hours just to get your hands on the latest model, and as
soon as you did, you’re hooked. You thought, OMG, it was love at first sight.
The sleek design, the intuitive interface, and the sheer power of the device
were all mesmerizing. You felt like you had the world in the palm of your hand,
and you’re not wrong.
But as
much as you love your iPhone, you would never forget you had some hilarious
mishaps while using it. Perhaps, you remember you accidentally butt-dialed your
boss during a meeting, and you muttered, “Oh s**t,” as he heard you singing
along to Taylor Swift’s latest single. Or the time when you dropped your phone
in the toilet, yikes, and had to fish it out with a pair of tongs.
Do you remember the first time you hailed an Uber car? You could have been a
bit skeptical at first, wondering how this stranger would know where to take
you and whether the car would even show up. But when that sleek black car
pulled up to the curb, you exclaimed, “Oh wow,” as you were feeling like a VIP.
You remember the driver was courteous and professional, and the ride was smooth
and comfortable. You discovered a whole new way of getting around.
Looking
back, you realize your experiences with the iPhone and Uber were shaped by the
vision and leadership of two very different individuals: Steve Jobs and Travis
Kalanick.
Steve
Jobs, the Apple co-founder, known for his exceptional leadership and clear
vision, transformed Apple from a small computer company into one of the most
valuable companies in the world. Jobs' vision for Apple – “I want to put a ding
in the universe” – encapsulates his ambitious goal of creating innovative
products that would change people’s lives.
On the
other hand, Travis Kalanick, Uber co-founder, had a vision for Uber that was to
disrupt the taxi industry and make more efficient and affordable transportation.
His blurry vision fomented the company’s culture of aggressive and unethical
behavior that incited Uber’s numerous scandals.
While Jobs had a clear vision for Apple that propelled it to greatness, Kalanick’s blurry vision led to some serious missteps for Uber.
Let’s
move out of the volatile field of business and go over the complex domain of government
service.
Lee
Kuan Yew of Singapore and Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan, two prominent figures in
the political world, approached leadership and vision like night and day. Endowed
with a clear vision, Lee Kuan Yew transformed Singapore into one of the most
prosperous countries in the world. On the other hand, Nawaz Sharif, equipped with
an unclear vision, blurred by his desire to defend his family’s interest and
run a system of patronage, inflicted dire consequences on Pakistan as a nation.
A
visionary leader with a clear vision of what he wanted for Singapore, Lee Kuan
Yew believed that Singapore could become a first-world country despite its
small size and lack of resources. Under his leadership, Singapore became an
economic powerhouse and a model for other developing countries. Having implemented
policies prioritizing education, infrastructure, and technology, he elevated
Singapore to become one of the most competitive and innovative economies on the
planet. Polishing his vision of a clean, safe, and prosperous Singapore, Lee
Kuan Yew’s legacy has never ceased in shaping his nation today.
In
contrast, Nawaz Sharif, plagued by an unclear vision, focused more on safeguarding
his family’s interests than on the development of Pakistan. He appointed his
relatives to key state positions which led to allegations of corruption and nepotism.
Bereft of a clear vision and lacking the ability to prioritize the needs of the
nation, he precipitated Pakistan’s economic decline and political instability.
So dire were the consequences
of his leadership that Pakistan is still grappling with the aftermath of his
tenure.
Now
let’s get back home, here and now. Here’s what PBBM said in a rare interview at
World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland:
“I was
determined not to go into politics. Why will I go into politics my father had
done everything. And the life is difficult. And I could see the sacrifices they
had to make. But after we came back from the United States, after exile, when
we’re allowed to come back, the political issue was Marcos. And for us, we, for
us to defend ourselves politically, somebody had to enter politics and be in
the political arena. So that at least, not only the legacy of my father but
even our own, our own survival required that somebody would go into politics.” (ANC
Digital News, “Matter of Survival”: Bongbong Marcos Explains Entry To Politics)
That
somebody is no less than PBBM today. One may wear a particular color during our
political circus, yet, from whatever angle he or she takes a look and weighs up
PBBM’s revelation above, it implies only one thing -- a blurry vision of his
presidency.
After
I had read his jaw-dropping disclosure in circulation, I expected to come across a
mainstream insightful column with either of these banners or themes:
“Family First or Country First? The Dilemma of Leadership Vision,” or “Leadership
and Family Ties: The Consequences of Blurred Vision,” or “How Family Interests
Can Impair a Nation’s Progress.” Zero. Nil. Nada. Not a profound commentary have I read about such disclosure.
The
Manila Times’ Rigoberto D. Tiglao wrote, telling it like it is, in his column Marcos’
Advantage: An Acquiescent Press: “Quite surprisingly, given the 36 years
his family had been demonized by the media, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s
big advantage over most of his predecessors has been an acquiescent press.”
Spot-on.
The
following thought-provoking quotes befit the mood of this article:
“A
leader without a vision… is no good… will just stay put… won’t progress.” (Lee
Kuan Yew)
“If
you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don’t have
to be pushed. The vision pulls you.” (Steve Jobs)
“Vision
without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.” (Japanese
proverb)
The
last quote is unsettling. Jarius Bondoc’s Gotcha Philstar
column “Envy Aliens Who Can Avoid PH; Pity Pinoys Who Are Stuck Here” is soul stirring which I excerpt below:
><><><
“Pinoys
aren’t going anywhere. Their futures are blighted. Half the labor force is
under-or unemployed. Two in five of their children are undernourished,
underweight, and stunted. Grade schoolers score lowest in international math,
science, and reading comprehension tests. No skills for hi-tech tomorrow.
“Only
oligarchs and politicos become richer. The top nine tycoons’ wealth equals that
of the 110 million population’s bottom half.
“Cartel
control food supply and prices. Wholesalers of domestic harvests are themselves
importers, and warehousers. At their mercy are growers and consumers of rice,
corn, onion, garlic ginger, vegetables, fruits, fish, poultry, pork, even
fertilizers and feeds.
“Political
dynasts hold the presidency, vice presidency, legislature, and local governments.
They grant each other illegal pork barrels. Executive officials get
multibillion-peso unaudited confidential and intelligence funds. Congressmen
help themselves to more billions in fake flood control controls. Result:
hunger, disease, disaster, deaths.”
><><><
It appears to be the present state of our nation in a capsule, and the ominous word
in the Japanese proverb is on the mark: a nightmare. Jazzing up the conclusion
of this sobering article, I pat on the back ChatGPT’s prolific material – a breezy poem.
There
once were two leaders of tech,
One clear,
one blurry, which was a wreck?
Steve
Jobs had a vision so bright,
It put
Apple on top with all its might.
Travis
Kalanick, on the other hand,
Had a
blurry vision, hard to understand.
His
Uber dreams took a wild ride,
But
scandals and missteps he couldn’t hide.
So let
this be a lesson to all,
Clear
vision is key, don’t let it stall.
Leadership
matters, it’s plain to see,
From
Apple to Uber, it’s the recipe.
Have a blessed Sunday everyone!
Head collage photos courtesy of freepikdotcom
No comments:
Post a Comment