Several years ago, while I was doing the MBA Programme specializing in organizational theory, behavior, change and development, I read the book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” written by Dr. Stephan R. Covey. At that time, I thought it was one of the greatest books I had read, outside the field of religion and theology, dealing with the principles of human character and leadership effectiveness. Since then, I have referred to this book and made use of insights from it on many occasions in sermons, lectures, talks, discussions, and even at funerals. I highly recommend it as a good book for every serious person to read, especially if you want to make a positive difference as a leader.
Recently, while on a short break, I read the book again, and I have been as impressed with it as I was when I first read it. This second time though, I was able to pick upon on several things which I had forgotten or missed when I read it the first time. One concept which is fundamental to much that is written in the book is that of “paradigm”. This was originally in Greek scientific term but is commonly used today to mean a model, a theory, a perception or an assumption. In a more general sense, a paradigm is a frame of reference. It is the way we “see” things, not physically but mentally. It is the way we perceive, understand and interpret reality. A paradigm functions like a map. It is an explanation of aspects of reality but it is not the reality in the same way that the map is not the territory. Paradigms determine our behavior and attitudes. A wrong paradigm will therefore result in wrong behavior, bad attitudes, and ultimately poor relationships with others. When relationships are bad or poor, no real progress can be made, for, instead of unity, understanding and co-operation, there is polarization, misunderstanding, distortions, conflicts and the like.
Paradigms are very powerful because they create the “lens” through which we see the world, the community and people. The way we see them then determines how we behave, relate and respond to them. In a reality our paradigms determine how we live, what we expect, what we do and what we achieve. Your paradigms and your character are very closely linked, and therefore inseparable from each other. It is a fact that the way you “see” things is very closely related to “who” you are, “how” you think and the “decisions” you make. Your character then is the reflection of the sum total of all your thoughts, words, decisions and deeds. Your character is the true you. It is the kind of person you really are, not the kind of person you or others think or say you are. Your character is “who” you truly are and how you are experienced by others.
Fortunately, paradigms can be changed even if it is very difficult to achieve that change. This means that our characters can change, which means that our thoughts, words, decisions and actions can change. This in turn means that our relationships and the social reality we create can also change. This is good news. Imagine the sad state we would be in if changes were not possible. In his book, Stephen Covey advocates that human effectiveness always necessitates making a shift from a personality centered paradigm to a principle-centered paradigm. Now, this is a critical issue for us in Anguilla at this time, and I strongly urge that we seriously make the effort to change so that we can decide and act on the basis of principles rather than on the basis of personalities. If a certain action is wrong or right for Mr. A to do, it must also be wrong or right if Mr. B does it. Principles are always colour blind and always immune to social status or position. I invite you to examine the decisions and actions made daily more closely to see whether they are principle-centered or based on personality. In the long run personality-based decisions on the national level never lead to true national development.
Some important principles which should characterize human relationships and behavior are the principle fairness and justice, the principle of integrity and honesty, the principles of human dignity, freedom, growth and potential, service and excellence, nurture and encouragement, and a host of others. Imagine what a difference there will be in Anguilla if more of our decisions and practices were based more on principles and less on the personalities we like or don’t like, more on fairness and less on family, more on truth and less on tricks.
Stephen Covey advises that the concept of “principle–centered” behavior is based on the fundamental idea that there are “principles” that govern human effectiveness and that there are “natural laws in the human dimension that are just as real, just as unchanging and unarguably there as the laws of gravity are the physical dimension.” Because of this fact he argues that it is impossible for human beings to break these laws. We can only break ourselves against them. In other words, our failure to become principle-oriented or principle-centered will have grave consequences sooner or later, both for ourselves, for others, and for our community at large. A close look at our situation in Anguilla will undoubtedly reveal the truth of this statement.
Now, in order to keep this article to a reasonable length, we must take a quantum leap. Everyone who loves Anguilla or calls it home will like to see us doing much better than we are doing at present. The truth is, we can, but there first has to be a major paradigm shift on the part of all of us, especially if we are functioning as politicians and/or national administrators and public servants. The truth is that our practice of politics is determined by a flawed and incorrect view of politics especially “party politics”.
The word “politics” comes from the Greeks, and it literally means “the business of the city” or “the affairs of the city”. Everything that is necessary for the well-being of the community is “politics – agriculture, health, education, business, security, etc, etc. The persons who were elected or appointed to take care of this business were expected to do so on behalf of every single citizen, and to do so in their best interest. All were to be included and none was to be excluded. When there was a change in personnel, this did not mean a change in the nature of business but rather a more efficient administration of it so that continuity and progress would always be ensured and experienced. Politics was seen as a good thing, a uniting reality and not a divisive tool or partisan institution. I would still contend that “politics” is still a good thing. Where politics has become “bad” or “corrupt” it is because the people in it have made it so. “Corrupt people create corrupt politics” is a truism.
Unfortunately, in Anguilla our political paradigm is flawed and wrong. It is dichotomous, and so, instead of being the uniting force for enhancing total well-being, development and progress, it has become a tool for division, manipulation and stagnation, and eventually destruction, if the paradigm shift is not made now. Generally, we tend to see things in the political realm as “opposites” rather than “sides of the same coin.” The result is that members and supporters of the political parties tend to behave more as enemies of each other rather than as friends who share each other’s love. They act as competitors rather than colleagues who need and support each other, and as conspirators rather than collaborators who are on the same mission which should be a better Anguilla for everyone.
This dichotomous political paradigm is the reason for the gross negativism, poor behavior and misguided criticisms, we see and hear all the time coming from political platforms and from meetings in the House of Assembly. It also accounts for the distortions, mud-slinging poor analyses and lack of objectivity we witness in many newspaper articles and radio programmes, and it accounts for the deepening polarization and adversarial attitudes we are experience daily in our communities. It is also a significant contributing factor to the ugly specter of the gang warfare and violence now threatening our well-being. In such a situation as this progress is impossible and only when a real change takes place will we see any difference.
When was the last time you heard a positive comment about the government coming from members/supporters of the opposition? When was the last time you heard a word of commendation coming from members of the government/supporters concerning something good the last government did? Why is there this never ending blame-game which really benefits no one but only negatively affects all of us? Why is it that the meetings of our politicians in the House of Assembly are so acrimonious, while the “debates” are anything but true debates about the business of the state? Why do our honourable leaders and lawmakers think they have to stoop so low as to be crude and disrespectful to each other in public? The people of this island, all of us who call Anguilla “home”, deserve better, and we are respectfully demanding better from you – our political leaders. Why? Because you can do better and you owe it to us to do better. Unfortunately, while you are engaging in the futile wars of the wits, and competing to see who can be the most “uncivil”, the suffering of the majority of the people in the city is deepening.
We appeal to you to make the paradigm shift from competition to collaboration and from Win-Lose to Win-Win. Anguilla will be made a better place and we will all benefit.
