Al-Watan newspaper

There is a famous quote by Greek philosopher Lucius Plutarch: “I don’t need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better.”

In every successful government we can see officials and experts having different views and vision and the success lies in producing ideas after amalgamating good thoughts of the opposing currents.

The best rulers of the world are those who put their viewpoints under their cloak and take the best ideas of others. Abraham Lincoln, the greatest of all presidents in American history, was a master listener and was known as the commander-in-chief of listeners.

Some government officials take their whole team with them when they move to another department. Many people support this idea because it helps the official execute his plans and programs quickly with their support as they understand him well and the official trusts them.

If he had appointed a new team he would take a long time to understand them and train them to work efficiently in accordance with his plans. Many people oppose the idea saying it would prevent inducting new blood to the department and bringing creativity.

We have noticed a lack of public criticism in recent years. It is true that we are all excited about Vision 2030. At the same time we need criticism from time to time and we have to listen to other views to improve and modify our path to progress. We need discussions and debates to reach the best possible ways to implement the vision.

Let me start by criticizing some colleagues and friends in the media. When our journalists receive a piece of news from a government official or department they publish or transmit it as it is without asking questions or making an extra effort. As a result we can see seven to eight media outlets publishing the same report without adding any supportive information for the benefit of public.

Our colleagues in the media should know that they are not public relations officers of government departments or ministries. They should ask new questions so that their media organizations can present an additional, valuable information to readers and viewers. This will also enable them to prepare exclusive reports.

If media persons continue with the present system of reporting it would make government officials feel like living in an echo chamber with the false notion that their ideas were great because all media organizations have supported them. Consequently, they will develop a kind of irritation toward those who present a different view.

We should not be afraid of new thoughts and criticisms. Even at the level of natural laws and plant life we see transfer of pollens from one flower to another, thus improving the quality of flowers. We have also learned benefits of crossbred horses and other animals.

I'll give a small example, which can be applied on a wider scale. There is a colleague who joins me as member of some committees in the office. An executive committee was formed for a specific purpose and I requested the chairman to appoint my colleague in that committee. The chairman was wondering why I proposed his name as he used to voice views opposite to my opinion during meetings.

Some thought I wanted just to bring him under my control. But my intention was to have a person on the committee who can present a different view. My selection was fruitful. As a result of his views many things were changed. Although some members were not happy with long discussions, the end result was excellent.

However, I don’t support appointment of people who are pessimistic and who criticize everything without any reason. I look for individuals who are capable of presenting a different and valuable opinion that can change the course of a project. They can look at things with a different angle. A leader must listen to different opinions to take an appropriate decision.

Why don’t we develop a culture of admitting mistakes, and consider it a positive quality. I personally believe that acknowledging mistake is the sign of a person’s courage and wisdom and an evidence for work because no error means a person does not work. We have noticed many officials categorically denying their mistakes.

On the other hand, if you observe the recent interviews given by Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, to international media outlets you can see that he always mentions the errors committed in the past and reiterates the Kingdom’s readiness to correct them. As a result the Crown Prince’s talks became impressive and convincing.

For example when asked about the war in Yemen, the Crown Prince said some unintentional errors have occurred because it is a war, and it’s the nature of war. His statement was convincing because there is no war in history without mistakes.

We are traveling in a high-speed Vision 2030 train. We have to stop at stations occasionally to change the course. Because when we set out the vision we never thought it would remain unchanged through the period but would undergo changes whenever necessary. It’s a dynamic roadmap that can accommodate changes to bring about good results. From time to time, you need new ideas and opinions other than those of your team members and “yes” men. We need reasonable and intellectual criticism for greater progress and prosperity.