Daily Times

External environment refers to the outside institutions or forces that potentially affect an organisation’s performance. The specific environment is the part of the environment that is directly relevant to the achievement of an organisation’s goals.

Organisations exist to meet the needs of customers. This is true even for governmental organisations. They exist to provide services and we are reminded, especially at election time, to express how satisfied we are as customers by giving votes.

Other factors in the external environment are competitors, public pressure groups, suppliers, Global economic situation, political/legal environment, demographics, technological, sociocultural factors.

The experts along with the administrators have to manage the environmental uncertainty-the degree of change and complexity in an organisation’s environment. Dynamism and predictability should be the ideal model to ensure.

All organisations and Nations seek stability. What I suggest is a dynamic balance. Communicating with the environment means understanding the environment and leading organisations to healthy change and progress.

All that matters in impression management is earning a pat on the back from friends that ask us to “Do More.”

Competitiveness in politics is essential. Leaders must understand the gravity of challenges that Pakistan is facing, especially economic and governance crises and issues of human development and human rights. Democratic norms and procedures have to be adopted and adapted as a new culture of cooperation and conciliation. Political parties have to develop and follow codes of ethics, particularly to build a positive image of Pakistan.

Political questions are not the fit agenda for courts. Institutions have to operate in their respective domains for a dynamic balance. Where democracy appears to have failed, it is because of human failures. Lack of self-understanding and lack of self-control is the cause. Ultimate prescription is developing positive attitudes and tasteful behaviours. The deficit of democracy is human default. There is a need to understand the true meaning of representation of the people, accountability, transparency, authority and responsibility. Without the participation of the people and transparency, there exists no democracy worth the name.

Courage in leadership is of vital significance to strengthen democracy and values that help remove discrimination, prejudice, bias, hate and negativity. If you feel good, you make others feel good.

Managers symbolise control and influence. Organisational culture is a system of shared meaning and beliefs held by organisational members that determine, to a large degree, how they act.

An organisation’s culture is composed of seven dimensions: innovation and risk-taking, attention to detail, outcome orientation, people orientation, team orientation, aggressiveness, and stability.

If key values are intensely held that indicates strong culture.

I agree with the opinion of former federal defence secretary Naeem Khalid Lodhi that “The level of intellect of the mob can be evaluated by observing that they were destroying the same that they were demanding.” An immediate course correction was needed.

The overt reaction may not fully reveal what you sincerely feel. Still, it is not a bad deal. Covert feelings follow a mechanism of time-release as others judge you on the face, so you need to create necessary space, giving and receiving feedback. Communication skills make you world smart. To some, it comes naturally yet they need to polish up to make a grade, in relationships that need better lively shades.

All that matters in impression management is earning a pat on the back from friends that ask us to “Do More.”

Forget and forgive. Let us cultivate tasteful behaviours and beautiful thoughts. Life is short. It needs to have higher interests and objectives. Life is a continuum of certainty or uncertainty that defines success and failure. Let positivities guide us. There should be no space for prejudice and hate. Stay blessed and safe dear friends. This helps to cultivate positive thinking and thoughts.

The devastating impact of mafias is more on the middle class than anyone else. Action, not words, could take the pain away. People in this category do not go begging. They like to maintain and protect “safaid poshi.”

Coronavirus pandemic makes no distinction between the rich and the poor. It does not look at status and stature. Many distinguished personalities died while devoted to serving the people. May they rest in eternal peace protected with Allah’s blessings and forgiveness.

Permit yourself to drift for a while. As pressure is removed, certainty returns to you for a way forward. Focus on possibilities of success. Stay close to reality, make sure your imagination is used not to escape reality but to create it.

The writer is a former director (National Institute of Public Administration), a political analyst, a public policy expert, and a published author.