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Students’ Involvement in Politics

November 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

In our world today, students are more and more interested in political issues, thus, it’s not uncommon to find some of youths avtively participate in politics. Many students even have expressed loyalty to or enrol themselves in their interested political parties. So how these participations of students can effect the political future and other social issues in the short term and long term perspectives.

 

A primary distinction must be made here between politics as active participation in political movements and the study of political science. The latter is an academic subject and involves the study of the administrative systems of different countries, the formation of political parties, different judiciary systems, etc. Political science, therefore, is a theoretical study of political systems. Politics means the formation of political parties and their active participation in the administration of a country.

This involves organizing political meetings, canvassing for elections and the manipulation of people for political gains.

 

The participation of students in politics has certain drawbacks. The main occupation of students should be the pursuit of their respective courses of study. All their time and energy should be used in this activity. It is only in this way that they can secure their own individual futures and thereby safeguard the future of the nation. Participation in politics means a huge waste of this precious time and energy.

 

Although politics may be beneficial in some ways students would be well-advised to stay well away from politics. Their main business is to concern themselves with studies.

By doing so they can do the most good for themselves with studies. By doing so they can do the most good for themselves as well as for the nation.

 

Filed Under: Election Information Tagged With: , ,

What is Philippine Politics now

October 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I have been living here in the Philippines for almost 23 years now, and I am proud to say that I am a natural born Filipino. But one of my concerns here in this country is that as time goes by the FIlipinos didn’t feel any of what the politicians have promised even before the martial law. In the time of the Ramos administration the peso dollar exchange rate are much bearable and the economy of the Philippines is booming, but right after his term many things have changed.

Philippine peso is now depreciating, every commodity here are now so expensive, the salary of  educated and non educated workers didn’t increase and the poverty rate is now increasing… still increasing. There are so many things this country is experiencing and this space is not enough.

I am not saying that the term of Ramos or Marcos or whatsoever politician is good and should be again be placed back into office. But what I am saying is that every politician should at least think of the country first before themselves. Political power may give them free flights, a good house to stay in and frequent tv exposures. But then again, I will stress this out! THINK OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE FIRST AND NOT YOURSELVES!

Yet come to think of it, I have learned the value of my vote and now am registered to vote for the first time next May, 2010 in the presidential elections here in the Philippines. And whenever I go outside, people are now more aware of the politics here and will now vote wisely based on what they see is right and not because their vote is bought.

Filed Under: Election Issues Tagged With: ,

Politics and Religion

October 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

These are the two words that seem to cause the most conflict in the earth today. On this Independence Day (for Americans) I thought I would share on these two subjects.

Here in the U.S. the Presidential political season is beginning to warm up.  Republicans, Democrats and everyone else are unveiling their, “How I would do it better” proposals to voters across the nation.  Rhetoric, clichés and grandiose promises fill the airwaves, the internet and every other form of media. Some choose to lead with messages of change for a brighter future while others choose to lead with fear of a dismal future. All sides seem to make valid points at some point in their speech and all sides also seem to say things that cause your eyebrows to rise in disbelief.  There are many issues that candidates and parties choose to champion or oppose; some of them with clear biblical guidelines and others coming in the form of preferred style and form of government. 

Is there a candidate, cause or set of issues that we as followers of Christ should be behind? Should our faith in Christ be the key influencer of our selections in the ballot box? Can we separate moral, social, financial and political agendas to justify our selection and support?  Is there guidance from scripture concerning our participation in the civil arena?

Let’s try to break this down into a few different sections and then pull it all together at the end. I want to look at the moral side of politics; i.e., the issues that will appear on the ballot and the key moral issues that candidates pledge their support or opposition for. I want to look at taxes, governmental size and style.  I also want to look at our obligation as Christians to be involved in the affairs of our society.  As always, I will use scripture to illustrate the points that I make.

Before we move any further I think it is important to say that the God of the Bible is not a member of a political party.  The God of the Bible does not have an earthly nationality. The God of the Bible’s rule supersedes the governments of our nations (Psalm 24:1). As followers of Christ we have been called from every nation on earth (Revelation 5:9).  We are the church; the Ecclesia – and our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).

Our call as followers of Jesus Christ is to establish the Kingdom of God here on the earth through the preaching of the Gospel.  We are not call to build a nation but a nation within the nations.  Our movement is not a movement of people in the political arena but a movement of people towards God.

Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36)

The Bible predicts that Christ will establish a theocratic government at His second advent (Revelation 19). The New Testament does not speak of a Christian nation or a Christian government prior to this event.  The governmental systems of our nations can never establish the church nor can they further the cause of Christ.  As believers we cannot look to elected officials or propositions on a ballot to bring men and women to belief in Christ. Conversely the governments of our nations have the ability to create freedom to preach the gospel without persecution or prosecution or they have the ability to impede or outlaw the free exercise of our faith.  It is to this goal that we as followers of Christ must work civilly and prayerfully to either maintain or secure; to ensure that the gospel of Jesus Christ may be freely preached in our nation.

Moral & Social Issues

Morality is a term that is often overused or misused in public discourse today.  There is no end of debate on what is right and wrong or even if there is a right or wrong. There are causes for and against multiple issues that scripture provides clear direction on.  It is these types of scenarios that we as followers of Christ must find ourselves agreeing with the Word of God when we stand in the ballot box to cast our votes.

One of the most relevant scriptures on this subject is found in Second John:

If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work. (2 John 10-11)

As followers of Christ we cannot support candidates, propositions or policies that violate the truth of God’s word and declare that which the Bible teaches to be sin to be OK.

Governmental Issues

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There are no political candidates who represent a complete biblical worldview and far too often we are forced to elect the lesser of two evils. It is in these times that we must still stand for what is righteous, what is good and what is true. There will never be a political savior in your nation who will solve all of the problems you face and there will never be a government that is pure. We have been redeemed from this world’s system for a reason and we must remain conscious that even though we live in this world we are no longer of this world. (John 15:19). We must preach, pray, live and work to further the message of Christ at every level of society but must also remain cognizant of the fact that the system of the world is opposed to what we are doing. We cannot change the system; we preach Christ so that people’s hearts can be changed.

The Christian Right

Hot button issues in many nations are items like Abortion, Homosexual Marriage and Doctor Assisted Suicide. The curriculums of elementary schools, secondary schools and universities are also frequent battlegrounds for Christians in politics. There is also great debate over social welfare programs, immigration, healthcare and taxation. Each of these issues affects the lives of people; regardless of their faith. They are important for our culture, our economies as well as the fabric and future of our societies.

As a Bible believing follower of the Lord Jesus Christ I cannot support any can political party, candidate or proposition that disagrees with God and His Word. As an American I believe that our political and social landscape has significantly deteriorated to the point where our nation will no longer be able to maintain its status of prosperity and leadership in the affairs of the world unless there are significant changes. There are far too many men and women who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ in our nation to expect that the policies of our nation will be righteous and congruent with biblical teaching.

This does not mean that we should abandon hope but it does mean that the need for a genuine move of the Holy Spirit in our nations has never been greater. Political change will not provide the necessary catalyst for changing the heart of a nation. A true revival of divine origin is required to change the heart of our nations. It is only then that we will elect a representative who can change our governments to reflect the demands of its people.

The message of Christ should be the first thing that comes to the minds of unbelievers when they hear the term Christian. Politicians, preachers and lobbyist have turned the first thoughts of many into biblical stances on Abortion, Homosexuality and other Moral/Social issues when speaking of Christianity. This has done our cause a great disservice. Arguing political, moral and social stances without the cross turns our faith into a political doctrine. As followers of Christ our first priority is to share the message of Jesus. As people receive Christ and grow in their faith the Holy Spirit renews their mind, their worldview changes and consequently so does their political, social and moral stances. We cannot reverse the equation. We must love God and love people.

Biblical Christianity

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

If we are going to be the Christian Right – our right place is foremost one of repentance and prayer for our nations. If we ever expect any true change to come to our nations, the change must first come in our hearts. Revival in our nations will begin when the church “gets right”. We cannot expect the world to embrace the doctrines of life and righteousness unless the church is living in the fruit of the Spirit and moving in the power of the Spirit. Cultural and political change of divine origin begins at the house of God.

You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. (Matthew 5:13-15)

These verses were spoken to believers. It is our mandate to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.  The message of Christ follows the life of those who follow Christ.  It is the life we live and the power of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives that creates authentic hunger and thirst for the message of the cross. Why are we different? Where does the love, joy, peace, etc. come from in our lives? What is the source of integrity? What motivates our compassion?

 

Obligations of Believers

There are two primary passages of scripture that provide guidance and direction for followers of Christ in relationship to their government in the New Testament.

Pray

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Obey the Law

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.  So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.

Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority. (Romans 13:1-7)

Conclusion

This is a challenging subject to write about from a completely biblical perspective and I am sure this is a challenging subject to read about from a completely biblical perspective. Each of us has political beliefs and opinions and there is a high probability that we agree on some things and disagree on others. As followers of Christ we must work diligently to maintain focus on the core of who we are. Our identity in Christ is the most important aspect of our lives and if it is not then we are truly not followers of Christ.

Our faith influences every aspect of our lives, including our political views and stances. The relationship between faith and politics can be looked at in a similar way to the relationship between faith and good works. Good works are not performed in an effort to earn or attain salvation; good works are the result of a regenerated heart that has already received the free gift of God’s salvation. Upholding biblical political views is not the pulpit from which the message of the gospel is to be preached. Those who have received the message of the gospel naturally hold biblical political views as a result of the change that Christ has made in their hearts.

So, here are the bullet points for this message:

Stand for what is right; regardless of the opinions of men
Focus on sharing the gospel and converting men and women to Christ instead of propagating a political doctrine
Pray for your leaders and the direction of your nation
Participate in government (i.e., voting)and obey the laws
Live the Christian life and fulfill the great commission

 

The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our God and of His Christ (Revelation 11:15). Until that time our calling remains the same:

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Filed Under: Election Information Tagged With: ,

The Relationship Between Business and Politics

October 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

How powerful is politics in business? The connection between the two is often hard to explain, but somehow they are closely connected. Did you ever happen to lose a job or a promotion in favor of a person who hadn’t worked harder than you, or made more significant contributions that you? Was it that person’s character that got him/her the job, the fact that he/she knew everyone around there, or could it be that you simply did not understand the politics going on around that business?

When we hear the word ‘politics’, we naturally think of politicians, political parties, political strategies, and so forth. But have you ever considered the term ‘politics’ from a business point of view? When it comes to politics in business, the former means the difference between failure and success in the latter. And, more often than not, politics can define one’s personal career. You can enjoy benefits or suffer penalties as a result of the way politics influences every business. If you happen to be among the most appreciated employees, decisions may go your way, but if you are ‘invisible’ to your bosses or they have nothing but ill feelings for you, some penalties may be coming your way.

When it comes to business decisions or work environments, we often hear expressions such as ‘it was nothing but politics’ or ‘that place is very political’. What do these expressions mean? And how can you be part of the game, and know how to play your politics? When you have managed to build a strong relationship with your customers, you understand the business thoroughly, and you are respected throughout the organization, but your superiors still think that you’re not doing well enough, this could be a clear example of people using politics to drive their own personal agenda.

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It’s only fair to say that there’s no business without politics, and that its level of sophistication depends on the size of the organization. It’s understandable that the complexity of politics is proportional with the size of the company, because, after all, politics means power, and the more players are involved in the game, the more there is at stake.

Like everywhere else, we can speak of bad politics and good politics in business. Good politics refer to building strong networks at all the levels of that company or organization, spending time with employees from all levels, having a solid understanding of the keys to the success of the organization, and so forth. Good politics in business is about sharing information and encouraging other people to do the same thing. Bad politics refers to exactly the opposite. In the end it all comes down to driving your own agenda, as mentioned before. However, deft leadership should not be confused with bad politics in business. The two are very different.

Unfortunately, it seems that bad politics has got its share of businesses, and we see more of that than of good politics, because there are more bad politicians than there are good, and the former still continue to make the rule. But, in the end, it is up to you how you play the game.

If you want to find more information on different business or politics subjects please visit http://www.articletimesonline.com

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THE POLITICIANS AND THE POLITICS OF INDIA

October 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

THE POLITICIANS AND THE POLITICS OF INDIA

I have been wanting to write about our country’s political system for quite some times but could not bring myself to do it until I got an email just the other day which was like a slap in my face, and would be a slap on every Indian’s face. That email made me think that we as a population, we as citizens of this huge country are just as much a stooge as the politicians are. We are absolutely responsible for the despicable life that we lead. Then came the decision of the ruling Congress government to break Andhra Pradesh into two naming the other state as Telangana. By doing this the government actually opened the Pandora’s Box and now as of date the Mayavati government of Uttarpradesh wants a separate state by the name of Poorvanchal. The Gorkha Mukti morcha in the north West Bengal has renewed their demand for a separate state, and God only knows how many will follow suit. It seems that all the problems of our country has been solved and now only such things are left to handle and spend upon whereas the basic amenities like food clothing and shelter are yet to reach the masses. I thought I should pen my thoughts now.

The email is about the Last assembly election that was held in the month of April 2009 and went on to the month of May 2009 The details of the dates and the phases I reproduce below just to impress upon my readers that this process of conducting the assembly election is a gargantuan task undertaken every five years and to conduct this process yours and my hard earned money is spent. Crores and crores of money is spent, taxpayers money is spent to elect a representative who will sit in the highest office of the country and promulgate decisions and law that will see the effective functioning of our huge country. They will represent you and me in the .

The election schedule of the 16th assembly election 2009

1st phase: April 16, 2009 (124 seats)

2nd phase: April 23, 2009(141 seats)

3rd phase: April 30, 2009 (107 seats)

4th Phase: May 7, 2009 (85 seats)

5th phase: May 13, 2009 (86 seats

1st phase: April16 :

Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshwadeep. March 23: Issue of notification. March 30: Last date of filing nominations. March 31: Scrutiny of nomination. April 2: Last date of withdrawal of nomination

2nd phase: (A) April 22 :

Manipur. March 28: Issue of notification. April 4: Last date of filing of nomination. April 6: Scrutiny of nomination. April 8: Last date of withdrawal of nomination.

2nd phase: (B) April 23 :

Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand. March 28: Issue of notification. April 4: Last date of filing of nomination. April 6: Scrutiny of nomination. April 8: Last date of withdrawal of nomination

3rd phase: April 30 :

Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Sikkim, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu.

4th Phase: May 7 :

Bihar, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi. April 11: Issue of notification. April 18: Last date of filing of nomination. April 20: Scrutiny of nomination. April 22: Last date of withdrawal of nomination

5th phase: May 13 :

Himachal Pradesh,  Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttaranchal, Chandigarh, Pondicherry, Uttar Pradesh.

Such grueling was the schedule of this election.

It is the that works for you and me. The same group cranks out hundreds upon hundreds of Laws design , takes decisions that changes our lives in a second,to keep the rest of us in line……”

India is the world’s largest democracy. When the constitution was made, all that was put forth as the qualification to become a member of the parliament, was just the basic three things 1.should be a citizen of India 2.should be at least 25 years of age 3. Should be a registered voter. All Indian citizens above the age of 18 have the right to vote. May 2009 the world largest Democracy concluded the gigantic exercise of electing their leaders to the 16th Lok sabha term.

The difficulty in conducting this gargantuan exercise was compounded by the fact that just few months before this election in the late hours of 26th November Mumbai was attacked by terrorists and it was a nightmare for all of the residents of Mumbai. There were intelligent bureau inputs that terrorists from Pakistan would try their utmost to disrupt this election process at various locations. Nearly hundreds of terrorists from SWAT valley in the North Western frontier Province of Pakistan actually crossed the borders braving the snow and the adverse weather conditions that were prevailing during that period to give shape to their evil design. BUT the election process went on smoothly with no incidence of violence being reported from anywhere.

New York Times came out with an excellent observation which I reproduce here bellow: “True this is the place where Gandhi, Buddha, Mahavir, Guru Govind Singh were born and preached their religion. True India has the second largest population of Muslim. India truly is a picture of Unity in Diversity. India truly is a picture of the bouquet of colored flowers. In such a backdrop one would expect all the citizens to come out in force and vote for their next leaders to lead. The disappointing fact remains that there has been a very low turnout of voters, about 41% which conversely means that 59% did not cast their votes.  59% of the eligible voters stayed away from this gigantic process.”

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Six months before the start of the election process campaigns were launched. There were umpteen numbers of television commercials urging each and every eligible voter to come out and vote. Famous personalities urged everyone to come out and vote. The voters ignored the commercials and the famous personalities and they did not come out to vote.

I have been delving into the psyche of each of the voters trying to think in the way they would have thought before going to cast their valuable vote, just to find an explanation for such apathy towards this huge process. The reasons that I have are not many but each of them are very pertinent.

Few years before we got the Independence, in the year 1947, the National movement had gathered a lot of steam all the political parties in India namely Congress led By Jawarharlal Nehru, The communist Party led by one of the stalwart of the freedom movement Sri Harkishen Singh surjeet, The Muslim league led by Mohammed Ali Jinnah all these leaders and the Parties had but one agenda and that was to free India from the bloody clutches of the British. The British government then realized that they will not be able to rule India further. Just before granting India the Independence the politics of separatism started and the then Stalwarts of Indian politics failed to see the implications. They failed to perceive the dubious politics of divide and rule injected by the British. The riots between Hindus and Muslim took place on both sides. Thousands and thousands of innocent people were killed on both sides. Families were separated, loved ones had to reconcile to the fate of leaving each other, and thousands were maimed. This was only because the two pillars of the then political system Jawaharlal Nehru and Mohammed Ali Jinnah The two stooges both wanted power to rule free India, neither wanting to reconcile. Mahatma Gandhi could not broker peace between them; he went on a fast but to no avail and ultimately Pakistan was created and Mohammed Ali Jinnah was its premier where as Jawarharlal Nehru became the prime minister of free India.

From then till today the politics of separatism has continued and we the gullible and not so intelligent citizens of India time and again fell into the traps of this politics of separatism. We have always failed to realized that these politicians have but one agenda in todays free India and that is to seat in the chair of power by hook or by crook, mainly by crook. We are used as pawn in the game of numbers  where we are the vote bank and to garner our support the bloody politicians can go to any extent. Look at the latest inclusion in the history of politics of separatism. Raj Thakare. His MNS, Maharashtra Nirman Sena. The word nirman is synonymous with progress and here he is brutally attacking the youngsters who came to give entrance examination of the railway recruitment board. Constitution of India has given the right to every citizen of India to go anywhere in India in search of job ,a citizen can work anywhere in India and here Mr Raj thakare is used his political clout to stop Indians ,who had come from Uttarpradesh and Bihar, from sitting in this exams. Supreme court guarantees the freedoms as prescribed in the constitution. Raj Thakare’s men and goons assaulted the candidates and vandalized the exam center forcing the authorities to cancel the exam. For such dastardly act Raj Thakare should have been behind bars but today he is free man and on the contrary he is at times a guest of honor in some stupid functions. Seeing this, the citizens of India will have a total aversion to go in the hot April sun to vote for someone like a goon named Raj Thakare . Politicians try to divide us on the basis of Language, on the basis of caste, on the basis of class and on the basis of Religion only to garner a sufficient number of voters by virtue of which they might come to power. In doing so none of the Political leader in this country has actually thought about the country and its people. Crores and Crores of rupees were spent in changing the names of the cities like Mumbai from Bombay, like Kolkata from Calcutta, Like Bangaluru from Bangalore. Question is what is the need to do these changes?  Have the politicians solved every problem that the country is facing? Even after sixty two years of Independence the election manifesto is the same. Housing for all, Food for all and medical for all. There is no change in the manifesto of any political party in India because the root problems have never been dealt with. Every Party that was in the fray for this election had their agenda printed in glossy prints and each party promised electricity to the rural India, water good road etc etc. Come to think of it, from 1947 till date 2009 the agenda is the same which means that any party that comes to the power does practically nothing for the masses once they come in power. Before election they are epitome of humbleness but soon after they come in power they forget whatever they promised to the masses and the agenda that they printed on the glossy pages remains in the glossy pages for ever. Hence we find that even after 62 years of independence good roads, electricity to the rural areas, water, shelter and illiteracy still finds place in the agendas after agenda and the population has to fend for themselves for the basics. Year after Year funds are allocated to implement the agenda and the funds mysteriously disappear.

Politicians like Raj Thakare should have been punished in the strongest possible manner but the lackadaisical attitude of our judiciary when it comes to the question of punishing the politicians raise lots of doubt in the psyche of the common Indians. Nothing is going to happen to these goons. The law, the police, The judiciary is all for the common Man. The law of the land does not apply to people like Raj Thakare, like Papu Yadav and the likes who blatantly defile the Constitution of India. Such politicians are actually the terrorist that India as a country should be aware of, as these breeds of politicians are breaking the country from within. We do not need a foreign hand our own hand is doing the work of the foreign hand.

Therefore the psyche of the voters is that all the politicians are the same , they are basically the opposite sides of the same coin, anybody and everybody is the same and nothing is going to change. The low turnout in the election shows resignation among the voters.

Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar when he made the constitution he basically compiled the constitution from the various constitution of the world. He took the best points from various constitutions and made into one. No doubt this was a mountainous job and very well executed, but this constitution has one basic flaw. There is no restriction to the number of political parties that can be formed in this country. Anybody who is a citizen of India can launch a political party of his own with even a handful of supporters. There is no cap on the minimum qualification of the political aspirant. With the constitutional right and with no cap on qualification any criminal today is a political aspirant and he or she is accepted in the political system without any question. Politics therefore in India has become a haven of criminals of all types. From rapist to smugglers, from murderers to petty crimes the political parties cutting across all ideology has only them as their candidates. Such people only join the political system to escape from the law as they very well know that as long as they are in power or once they are in power they will get immunity from all the crimes that they have committed and will have total sanction of the government to perpetrate more crimes. We the people of India have to caste our votes to bring one of them in power. Why should we? The statistics of the parliament profile which I stated in the beginning of this article precisely shows that.

Again the psyche of the voters refrains them from going out in the April sun to cast their vote. Whom to vote for? Every politician irrespective of the Party is a goon, a rapist, a criminal, a murderer and cutting across every political party the politician is the most corrupt person in India and No law can do anything to them.

There is a phrase very common in India, “A politician can even sell his mother if he can get some money out of it”. If all the black money that these politicians have stashed away is brought to the country there would be no deficit financing. All the loans that India has taken would be mitigated, all the projects that are stuck due to paucity of funds would be completed, and even after this there would be surplus which would then be utilized in the R & D in all scientific fields. That would be UTOPIA.  So whom do we vote for? We don’t want a stupid, illiterate, murderer, rapist, burglar and a corrupt person to be our leader and sit in the highest office –THE PARLIAMENT. This is the general sentiment among all Indians. This shows that by far the most the population of India has resigned to its fate of being ruled by a bunch of idiots and criminals.

Is there any answer to all these? When I was in my school way back in 1977 I was given a topic of debate which was, “Dictatorship is the only answer to India’s misery” and I spoke for the topic. Today I feel that it is the answer to India’s misery. During Indira Gandhi’s time when she was the prime minister of our country she had declared emergency in the country. During that period the country showed tremendous growth, crime rates came down, corruption came down drastically and everything seemed to be running smoothly.

We as country we are not ready for democracy. We still do not understand the value of democracy. Pre Independence we all had but one issue and that was to drive away the British. Then one midnight in the year 1947 India was declared independent and we from then on have not understood the value of independence and democracy. Some say that India is heading towards civil war but violence is not the answer to India’s misery. Violence begets violence. The answer lies in the Total overhaul of the system.

Let me enumerate the steps that should be taken to bring about a radical change in the lives of us Indians.

1. The minimum qualification for all political aspirants should be at least a master’s degree in any field as this will bring about an analytical approach to all the issues.

2. There should be a cap on the total number of political parties that India can have.

3. No political aspirant who has any brush with the law should be allowed to stand in the election. The maximum age of all the politicians serving the country should be 65 year only. Post 65 they should retire and make way for younger and more dynamic persons to come in. today most of our politicians are septuagenarians who cannot even take care of themselves how will they take care of the nation and its aspiration?

4. There should be total accountability in the functioning of the government.  A step in this direction has begun recently with the RTI act which is note worthy.

5. The law order situation should go under the knife and have a total overhaul. Police should be autonomous delinked from the political parties and the politicians. Judiciary should be able to discharge justice in the shortest possible time, it is a common adage, “justice delayed is Justice denied” Law and order should be same for everybody irrespective of their position. Politicians should have no control on the Police.

6. Every citizen from the age of 18 to the age of 20 should have compulsory military training as this will instill a sense of discipline and a love for our country.

We as a power can make the government act according to our requirement and make them implement the above we can at least give our future generation a better India of which they can be proud of.

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Spiritual Politics

September 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Can Obama save us or are we doomed to disaster?

Neither of these questions will get us anywhere, yet most of the news commentaries attempt to answer one of these or a related question, such as “What is Obama going to do to save us?” and “Can he, will he, do enough?”

All these questions come from a fearful perspective: There is a huge problem out there that is too big to face ourselves, so we need to find the right person to do the job, or protect ourselves from the looming disaster.

We seem to forget that Obama was elected President because a majority of the voting population voted for him. He did not “save” the election, nor did he “crumble” under the pressure of the enormous work of the campaign. He could not have won without over 50% of the voting population voting for him.

The solution was part of the beginning

Barack and Michelle laid out the solution to this issue at the same time he declared his candidacy.

They were willing to enter the race for the Presidency on a set of ideas, and if we, the public, liked these ideas and supported them, the Obama’s would devote themselves to leading the way, being spokespersons for these ideas. And if enough of us shared and supported these ideas, then the election would be won and we would have an opportunity to bring these ideas to life. The clarity of this message was the core integrity of the campaign. Now it is time to live the ideas.

He also said that the election was not for or about him, but about us, the direction of our nation and our role in the global community. He is not doing this so that we can all retire on a government pension, but so that we can together turn the nation and our individual lives toward a governing system that will address the needs of the times we are in and a prosperous future for all.

Barack cannot save the country

Barack can’t save the country, but he can demonstrate qualities of leadership that inspire good solutions and allow those solutions to be implemented.

This is what he did throughout his campaign. And it was enough to win the election.

The fact that Barack was elected based on the demonstration of leadership qualities, not on how well he demeaned his opponent, further reveals that more than half of the voting population sees and appreciates these qualities.

If we can see these qualities, we can live them. And this is how the country will solve our problems and get on a track to sustainable prosperity. We voted because we liked the ideas that were being communicated, now we “vote” by letting the essence of those ideas guide our individual lives and choices.

The qualities of good leadership are not limited to Barack, they are available to all. He is modeling them for us. He will help institute a system that allows these qualities to be expressed. He is already doing that by choosing thoughtful, intelligent, non-ideological individuals onto his team.

What are these qualities?

Any of us can turn our attention to identifying the core issue of a situation rather than looking for whom to blame. Any of us can listen for a good idea from a variety of intelligent and loving sources, rather than reacting hastily to an apparent urgency. Any of us can recognize the right solution for each issue, one-by-one, instead of trying to get what we want, protect ourselves, or to promote an idea that is politically motivated.

But we, individual private citizens, do not face decisions that will affect the whole country
While that is true, it is also true that every decision, every choice has a ripple effect beyond what is seen. All Barack and Michelle need to do is to continue to make thoughtful choices based on the issues. And all we need to do is the same. As large and small issues, at all levels of life, get addressed with love, intelligence, clarity and a sincere motivation to discover good solutions, our nation will be prosperous again.

What are these ideas that we can all live by?

- Focus on issues, not personalities
- Listen open-mindedly to an array of sources for thoughtful, intelligent ideas that will work
- Discern the idea that is a good solution the issue – not what we want, not what’s politically or socially correct

What makes this Spiritual Politics?
Spiritual means “of spirit,” in other words, non-material and non-physical. It refers to the realm of existence that we can be aware of, yet is not discerned through the five senses. This realm is most easily recognized through our capacity to be aware of the qualities of consciousness that govern individual activities. It is sometimes referred to as an individuals “presence.” Presence is the quality of being that is expressed through words and actions. So, “spiritual politics” refers to the qualities of being that support an open, responsive governing body. This is not something that can be enforced, legislated, contracted or negotiated. It is something we can see and respond to. It is something we can pay attention to as part of a governed body. It is something we can individually seek to purify within our own consciousness.

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cnn politics

September 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Transformational activism is the idea that people need to transform on the inside as well as on the outside in order to create any meaningful change in the world.

 

One example of transformational activism is peacekeeping which, as defined by the United Nations, is “a way to help countries torn by conflict create conditions for sustainable peace.” Peacekeepers monitor and observe peace processes in post-conflict areas and assist ex-combatants in implementing the peace agreements they may have signed. Such assistance comes in many forms, including confidence-building measures, power-sharing arrangements, electoral support, strengthening the rule of law, and economic and social development. Accordingly UN peacekeepers (often referred to as Blue Helmets because of their light blue helmets) can include soldiers, civilian police officers, and other civilian personnel.

 

Another example is encouraging choices to live in racially diverse communities.

Such communities may literally “transform” communities by opening the minds of residents to new ideas, new cultures, new historical perspectives, and a broader view of life that ultimately can benefit social relations.

 

Another example of transformational activism is transformational economics. This is the idea that you can change the way resources flow in a society by doing inner work. People examine their emotional reactions to what their needs are. This may allow them to see that things they felt they needed are not really needed.

This then alters the flow of goods in a society because of the underlying change in needs.

 

Transformational politics is the field of guiding people to look inwardly what they feel is true power. They may discover that real power is seeing the deep connection of everyone with each other and of being able to tap that place. In this case power is not power over someone, but rather power to unleash collective creativity in creating a new society.

 

Transformational activism is about looking for the common values underneath, and then working from there so that both parties are able to get what they want. In the process one or both parties may find their inner landscape and paradigms changing.

 

Transformational open-sourced activism is the idea that you can tap into the power of mass collaboration and collective creativity in a way that transforms the people involved into more loving, peaceful, compassionate states.

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The End Of Two Party Politics In The Uk?

August 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Two party politics, why is this a bad thing?

It’s a common question among many Americans- “Democrat or republican?” In the UK we have a similar question: “Conservative or Labour?” Both nations have very similar democratic systems- the nation is divided up into areas, and each area elects one representative to bring their needs to the capital. Typically, most of these elected representatives (Members of parliament, or MPs in Britain), will belong to a political party, a group of people who share similar policies, ideals and desires.

The problem is that in both Britain and America, two parties have come to dominate the political landscape, pushing many of the smaller parties to the sidelines. The reasons why this is a problem can (and probably do) fill an essay in and of themselves, but the core of the issue is that this leads to bad democracy. In America, your problem is two extreme left and right wing parties, and very little chance of getting anything more centrist than that. In the UK we have the opposite problem- the Labour party and the Conservatives (also called the Tories) , have little real difference between them. In all fairness that is a generalisation, but you can look into that more yourself- I’m just trying to paint a rough picture for non brits of our current political landscape.

In both Britain and America there are options to escape this problem- there are dozens of thirds parties and special interest groups who you can vote for, but many people feel this is a waste of a vote- after all if everyone else is voting for one of the big two, what chance do any of these third parties have? Might as well pick one of the two lead parties, the one who you agree with the most and go with them. That is what I mean by bad democracy- people are NOT being represented for what they believe in and desire, but rather they feel they only have 2 valid options, and must pick the lesser of two evils- assuming they vote at all.

I’m not saying that a person should only vote for a party they wholeheartedly support- no party can satisfy everyone, but you should at least feel that when you have ticked your ballot paper, you are contributing to what you feel is more or less the best course of action for your country- not what’s best from the available options. This is why two party politics is such a problem; a lack of choice, the feeling of needing to compromise and of course, the fact that the people are not represented as the system is designed to allow.

Enter The Liberal Democrats, stage left.

We have had a third party in Britain for a few decades now, the Liberal Democrats. However, despite quite a strong presence in parliament (at least for a non labour or Tory party), they have always been seen as snapping at the heels of the big parties rather than being any serious contender for the leadership of the country. Even Jeremy Paxman in his interview with the party’s leader Nick Clegg “First of all, let’s establish what planet we’re on- there’s no chance of you becoming the next prime minister is there?” Unfair, but to be honest, not inaccurate at the time.

The problem for the Liberal Democrats has always been one of funding and organisation. They have less money and less administration than the other two parties, who have either old money or labour unions backing them up. Their big break therefore, came on 15th of April 2010, with the UK’s first televised Prime ministerial debate (yes we are a little backwards, but I’ll get to that in a minute). Gordon Brown (Labour) and David Cameron (Tory) severely underestimated Nick Clegg, who walked all over the pair of them. A quick check of the opinion polls the day after, and suddenly the Libdems where storming up the opinion polls, overtaking Labour and even, according to some polls, the conservative party for a few days. This doesn’t appear to have been a random blip, and Clegg’s popularity has remained very high, so high infact that many folks believe that Paxman may have to eat his words.

One thing is for sure, if people vote in the election the same way they have voted in the opinion polls, even if Clegg doesn’t get into number 10 (The residence of the British Prime Minister), the Liberal democrats will have a very powerful number of MPs in the house of commons (the UK’s equivalent of the house of representatives). With that though, comes a looming spectre, a new phrase for many British voters- the Hung Parliment.

Hung Parliment.

A hung parliament is when no political party holds an overall majority in the house of commons, I.E no one party accounts for more than 50% of the available seats. The problem then is that is becomes very hard for a party to actually pass any legislation or make any changes. Ideally, what would happen is that the largest party would form a political alliance with another party, promising to help them with their goals in exchange for their support, thus forming a majority power. This is a very good thing for smaller parties as it gives them a way to seriously push their agendas in parliament- “We’ll vote yes for your bill X, if you bring up our Bill Y for debate.” This is a coalition government.

In reality though, things are often not so civil. Many governments will try to press on and hope for support (which often won’t come) or political parties won’t be able to agree on what must be done and thus form alliances. This means that a country with a hung parliament can face a very difficult time as no one is sure exactly what is going on, and no decisions can be made. Say what you like about the two party system, but it does mean that Hung parliaments are a rarity, as even accounting for a few percent of the seats that would be filled by third parties, one of the big two will almost always have more than 50% of the seats.

In reality, the most likely outcome of a hung parliament is that there will be another general election a few months down the line.

The march of technology.

Politics in Britain is a very old fashioned thing. The rules of parliament and government where laid down centuries ago, and even today many of these traditions survive (did you know that the government and opposition seats are at least two sword lengths apart to stop politicians trying to kill each other?). Exactly why the British government hasn’t moved into the 21st century (or even the 20th for that matter), is a matter of no small debate, but this election has seen a huge paradigm shift with many ministers and MPs using twitter to spread their message, posting manifestos online and using smartphone apps to help keep people informed. I myself have been in correspondence with a number of my constituency’s hopefuls via e-mail (poor bloody conservative sod didn’t answer my questions and then spent 2 paragraphs slagging off Labour…). This shift has only just started, but it represents a very important change in British politics as our would be leaders are beginning to make a real effort to reach more people- especially a youth disillusioned with the whole system.

The first televised debate was watched by over 9 million people, a massive number of the electorate, and that exposure gave Clegg the change he needed to push his party’s ideas and win the hearts of the voters. Perhaps we will see this rise in IT politics rise more sharply now that the internet and mainstream media have been shown to have such a strong effect on the British public, combine this with an almost imminent three party political landscape and we have some very new, strange, exciting and possibly worrying times on our hands. Maybe we’ll even get a good voter turnout this year!

Only time will tell. Either way, it should be interesting.

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The Indian Politics And Baba Ramdev’s Satyagrah

August 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

style=”text-align:justify;”>Background:

Since last 4 or 5 years I recall when I really became interested in knowing Baba. Before that I never liked to hear him or see him for only reason that I was not interested in him or his teaching. But as gradually and increasingly the news in air kept coming to my ears, I started sitting before Astha (TV channel). I saw him speaking about yoga, health, Indian medical science and Ayurveda. I had heard that he has very good knowledge of all the science. You talk about vedas, snaskrit, anything Indian, he had good knowledge. For me after listening to him although I didn’t find him a very good orator like my previous imaginary idol (at least in terms of personality) Swami Vivekanand, but definitely, the information delivered by him was impressing. Although, that was not the enough force which could push me to involve myself into yoga and his philosophy, now and then I started watching his discourse on TV. Since I myself am interested in understanding the Indian science of spirituality, his talks were somehow informative for me. Later on as life moved on, time and circumstances forced me to do yoga on compulsory basis for few weeks (definitely not because of Baba), I realized that I was feeling more energetic and vibrant in my routine life than previously. Like, I started getting up early in the morning, and that gave me enough time to focus on my body which didn’t’ use to be so previously. My stomach started staying fit without the indedences of common ailments. I agree that these were although small but the changes were significant. Still, I don’t give credit to Baba Ramdeo because I know it is nothing new, all basic science of health and medicine and sports also say exercise is good to keep body healthy. But definitely, I will say Yoga included some of the exercises which targets on visceral organ rather than common physical exercises that are more for body muscles, bone and joints. This part of yoga influenced me and I started doing it regularly. Anyway, these were the very common aspects which still were not enough for me to be the follower of Baba or his disciple. By that time I started hearing about his Bharat Swabhiman, and national agenda like fight against corruption. The ideas were quite interesting although I was against some of the objectives of Bharat Swabhiman. The biggest thing which started influencing me was the fact that his selfless move. I, like many other common people started feeling a ray of hope towards solving the ever increasing menace of current Indian politics.

My personal ideas to ameliorate the struggling Indian democracy were lying in spreading education, controlling population and moral upliftment.  I knew, it could be done only through the government. Because I knew the life of people moves through available apertures made out of many congested circles of the system. As will be the system so will be the behavior of people. But if the government is not good, it is difficult to expect such changes? Many people said, use your power to vote. Each and every individual (major) must cast their vote. I remember someone said: “bad people are elected not by bad people but by those good people who don’t cast their vote”. I agree to some extent, but then the everlasting question is if all the candidates in electorate are not good, even casting my vote is not going to change the scenario. Under such windshield, then came the light of hope that in ballot there should be one option  that if I don’t’ consider any candidate worthy, I should have the option to cast my vote as “none is eligible”. This was a good idea but still immaterialized.

I my opinion, I think that to bring real change at national level, it is better to change the 545 people (Members of parliament) and around 4000-4500 people (Members of legislative assempbly) than to change 100 billion people. This change although seems to be the easiest but the most difficult practically. I think if this set of specified people is honest and duty-bound the whole nation will automatically be governed ideally.

Under such singular option of changes Baba Ramdeo’s initiatives brought some hope in my heavy heart. I understand that there is no dearth of committed, unselfish and duty-bound people in India. If Baba Ramdeo could bring such change in India that would be one of the most desired and most promising change in struggle towards improving India as nation.

Many people started playing blame game that Baba Ramdeo has political ambitions. If he is a yoga Guru he should be teacher only and he should not teach politics. But my question is if someone can guide you for your better life and for better governance, what is bad if that role is performed by Baba ramdeo? I definitely agree with Smriti Jain’s views as told on some news TV channel, that it is right of every individual of country to talk and to practice politics. I personally feel that Baba Ramdev is motivated by his personal experience of the country’s shattered situation and tattered integrity. That is why when a large section of suffering country requested him to try to bring some changes in Indian politics along with social changes. People requested him because people knew Baba has the guts and that magnetic personality, the unselfishness, the commitment which can motivate and attract people at large scale which is necessary to bring change in those specified number of people.  

Matter of fact

It is well known to every citizen of India that corruption is at its highest. The political will power is at its death. The whole system of Indian governance is bankrupt. The common people are facing ever increasing problems of a rough life, lack of basic civil amenities, threat of insecurity etc. Since all existing political parties are one or the other way same, the trust on any is diminishing. Government take it for granted that for five years they are in a permanent job and they should earn as much as should be more than sufficient for generations to come. The execution of task and their responsibilities becomes difficult for them because they are more obliged to people who supported them to come to politics (a money based game). If Baba Ramdeo is raising some issues and wants their solutions, it is not his personal demand. He is raising the voice and demands of common deprived people: the people who don’t get basic support and facilities for which he is electing the government.

Today if some people are against Baba’s move, I see they are only a small portion of society: the rich, elite, high class profile people who either don’t face everyday’s problem or perhaps are part of the corruption against which common people is asking question to government through Baba. I will quote the name of Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan (two celebrities from Bollywood) among many others who publicly cleared their views as published in Times of India (07/06/11) that they are against the move. They told he is yoga teacher and he should preach about yoga and not politics. My question is, what is their problem if a yoga guru is raising the national problem? It is clear that they are afraid of such movements. I will suggest at the same time to these media people also, have they taken the view of any common people? They will get the answer whether a yoga guru should preach about politics or not?

Government stays in power for five years unless there is rift in their own party. Otherwise there is no other way to evict them from power. That is why they take it for granted as lavish permanent job for five years. As in this case, the ruling party (congress) promises to make a committee and give solutions in six month or two years or so. In such promises, the objective is not to give the real solution rather defer the case to such a long period that by the time some concrete conclusion could be given, their tenure in govt. is complete and then the time of next election is on head. And how to win election they are champions in that part of game.

Digvijay Singh says Baba a thug. He may be. But what Digvijay Singh is. Can he answer? Baba has no property to his name, if anything is there that is given by trustee people and that is in the name of trust. What is the property of Digvijay Singh? Can he divulge? Or can he say he has been given money by people and if so why is it to his name? So people like Digvijay Singh or Sibbal or any politician, are into this business for earning money or more properly speaking for looting the nation’s money. They can challenge a person like Baba only when they dare to exhibit Baba’s degree of sacrifice, commitment, and renunciation. Simply raising doubt about Baba’s wealth or his integrity or even after proving it, will not absolve them of their deeds and intentions. If Baba is proved guilty it doesn’t mean they are not guilty. In spite of being in power, if they knew Baba has amassed inappropriate money, where were they? Why were they sleeping? Why didn’t they inspect Baba before fingers being raised against them? Retaliation may divert the angle of probe and attention of common people but they still stay culprit of not standing with their duties. In spite of being in power for so long they can hardly count one or two contribution which can be appreciated by common people.

All said and done, the question still hangs unanswered. Why do they not take the responsibility of corruption? And if they are not responsible in a position of not taking stringent action, why do they not resign saying it is beyond their ability and capability. If these politicians are saints and sages, (as in their view Baba is not) they should exhibit honesty and commitment to offer what people are asking for?

The big question is if government is not involved in this dhandha of black money, why is it so reluctant in making law against corruption and bringing the culprits on knee? On one hand government says they cannot make law so fast as it will take time. If matter is beyond your control and if you cannot execute your power, why don’t you quit the government? Why this ministry does not resign explaining its inability to act? Why are they so enchanted and fascinated for being in power? The whole episodes clearly show their looting attitude for staying in power.

I am not a follower of Baba. I am seeing the whole action and event from the eyes of a common people, as a poor citizen of India. I am asking to myself what I want and how can I get them? I find the solution is in Baba’s way. The complete change in governance; thorough overhauling… that is the last and final course. May be Anna and party are not willing to stand together, but the prudence says if there is real commitment change the corrupt system, get together and move together. Keep the desire away of being a lime light leader and work as if you are fighting it for yourself. Today, many religious groups may call Baba an outcast for wearing women’s attire. But that is not what something is required to change the nation’s face. A true yogi doesn’t live for title or recognition. So the religious groups should understand this fact. They must not forget that life is process. All must have to die. So never ever try to define the life in words of custom and costume. If God is there and for what you have made some religion to define that concept never forget that there cannot be one God for Christian, another for Hindu and another for Muslim and so…

A personal thought:

 Serving nation is a high idea that is over and above the individual’s self tending attitude. It is a service that cannot be performed with some personal interests. It wants selfless dedication to work for others.  A man’s intention of committing fraud is engrained in his greed. The greed most often comes from the illusion of kith and kin (maya). We have our family and then kids. We start accumulating wealth for their better future and for our generation. If it is only a personal life I don’t think many people will be so keen to accumulate money. So if there be made some laws that can ensure that only single person (unmarried without family) can come to politics, it will keep the governance much cleaner by default. Seeing the current scenario of many unmarried people in the society this doesn’t seem unrealistic.

Second is the education. If for all the jobs a formal degree is compulsory, then why not for politics? Is politics so easy a task that doesn’t require any formal education? On the name of democracy, saying that anyone can come to government is making fool out of the situation. It’s very simple to understand that 545 people all uneducated although elected democratically, cannot run the government. So a formal degree at least up to graduation in subjects like (sociology, geography, history, communication, psychology, Indian culture etc.) should be made compulsory to enter into politics.  It must not be forgotten that democracy is good governance only when its citizens are literate and educated. The king elected by fools will be killed in war…and hence the whole empire…

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Why Workplace Politics Charts the Path to Build Great Teams and Performance for Organizations – Successfully

July 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When most people hear the phrase “organizational politics,” they react very negatively. They see politics in the workplace as forming clicks and another way to keep those who go against the status quo labeled as an outsider. People also think that it’s a toxic dynamic that allows manipulative behaviors for people to get what they want by stepping on their co-workers’ backs. But not every instance of workplace politicking is a selfish maneuver to win.

 

In his book, Building Great Teams: Charting the Path of Organizational Politics (Book Surge, 2007), U.S. Marine turned business professional and university instructor Damian D. “Skipper” Pitts takes you inside one of the greatest team building organizations in the world – the United States Marine Corps – to examine and discover the strategies that business leaders must be willing to learn, use and employ for building ordinary groups into extraordinary teams; leading the right team of commandos who understand what it takes to win on the business battlefield and defeat workplace politics using warfare as the key to experience a significant win. He defines workplace and office politics as “the path to smart growth…using the power to accelerate the careers of high potential future leaders and teams power in the workplace.” He implies that office politics are not always negative, but offer opportunities for greatness. And while workplace politics aren’t necessarily avoidable, people can learn to understand their purpose, find their voice and understand how-to strengthen and build the teams dynamics and interpersonal communications skills – all while managing responsibilities with tact, poise, and polish. The game of politics, when understood how-to use it as a strategic weapon, helps to successfully chart the path of personal and professional growth as the essential task to achieve personal mastery from the results of peak performance. Organizational politics also offers the hidden treasures that allow people to stand-out from the crowd. They learn to demonstrate their ability to navigate the maze of successful team building – a task that is viewed as positive organizational behavior from the individual that is perceived as an extraordinary leader. This is the type of person that others seek to follow and emulate for the greatness they wish to develop for themselves.

 

 

Just as in any military engagement, in order to win one must know the rules better than his/her competitor to outsmart them on the battlefield. It also is beneficial to be a part of the right team for controlling the elements of the battlefront. However, some might claim the workplace and the military are very different in many ways. Thinking from this approach causes significant missteps in organizational politics. There are significant issues that are similar in the workplace and on a military battlefield. For starters, the one constant is “people.” Any time that people are involved in a scenario, decision-making must play a role in the ability to win. Using the strategies from the United States Marine Corps, people are responsible for making critical decisions from the highest ranking officer down to the lowest ranking enlisted – and the decision could mean life or death. Well, the same goes for the workplace. People are responsible for making critical decisions that could mean that the organization acquires strategic assets (executive suite decisions) or that a customer is treated in a way that causes them to continue doing business with the organization. Both can be seen as life or death for the organization. As seen with Wachovia bank, a decision from the top level leadership was made to acquire Westgate Financial to boost their mortgage business. When the U.S. mortgage markets and industry imploded during the financial crisis, the organization was effected with incredible implications – it became the beginning of the end for one of the country’s largest banks and people lost careers and more. Similar to the likes of a military battlefield engagement and a series of wrong decisions made by leadership, loss of life was experienced.  

 

But what most people fail to realize is that the workplace is too a battlefield. Business is warfare and those who understand how to navigate the politics always win. Consider the game of chess. Chess can be low-key and quiet, a friendly game between friends. Or it can be explosive and highly competitive, set amid a crowd of observers, where the ultimate winner reaps world-wide accolades. Consider the skill behind the game of chess. It requires well-planned strategy and a great deal of mental acuity and patience, not to mention years of practice to reach an elite status.

 

These are the same skills required by a great leader, one who has the ability to guide an organization and one who understands the world of workplace politics. On the other hand, while playing a game such as chess, there can only be a single winner where there often can be a more neutral outcome in the world of workplace politics. With the proper skills of negotiation and influence, savvy leadership might be able to create a win-win situation.   

 

Politics will always be part of an organization because people are people. The dynamic relationships of individuals who run a business enterprise play an important part in how the business operates: How the mission map, posture statements, vision, values and organizational culture is forged. And while the average Jane or Joe might feel like they are being run over by co-workers who manipulate the system, bully, gossip, backstab and brown nose to get what they want, there is more to workplace politics than those negative daily encounters. The quintessential aspect of organizational politics is the team. Building great teams’ hits at one of the most discussed topics in business media and the workplace: Organizational Behavior, transformational leadership, organizational renewal and inter-office politics. The day of the individual worker is over, as today’s business arena demands that workers possess the ability to effectively work as team units that consistently produce extraordinary outcomes from their performance. It is a scenario all top leaders and managers knows well: The organization, their people, and their systems all require efficient and effective processes to remain constant in its approach to move quickly toward new and innovative ways of reaching mission-critical objectives.

 

Good leaders are a thing of the past, as global economies now require more than good – they seek greatness and ordinary just does not fit the bill any longer. They now require the ordinary to be “extraordinary.” The new battlefield in the workplace requires the extraordinary leaders’ understanding of workplace politics and the accompanying landscape to be significant. They can no longer work in the old silos of the past that was developed by the silly political conflicts. No, these extraordinary leaders can no longer exhibit the behaviors that ultimately invite disaster. This is not to say that leaders of the past demonstrated the behaviors that put-up with negative politics that caused disastrous outcomes nor does it imply every good leader has found his/her way to the top of the heap by climbing over the bodies of crushed co-workers. It simply means that leadership understands workplace politics well enough to use them as “strategic weapons” to produce positive returns without the mud slinging and backsliding of unethical and immoral actions.  

 

Understanding how-to chart the path of organizational politics means being able to maneuver using political warfare to enhance the organization’s ability to rise to the top of its industry, without leaving one of its warriors lying wounded on the battlefield. It means having a well crafted Battleplan, understanding the players, building positive alliances and coalition of forces, using the art of war as a significant warfighting strategy that all stakeholders understand and buy-in to for winning, and finally, developing a compelling case study for the associates of the organization to understand the comprehensive approach for integrating strategic human capital and team development initiatives into the fold.

 

The best leaders are the people that understand the nature of warfare in dealing with and overcoming workplace politics. These are the men and women who have a tone on the pulse of the workplace – internal and external – and know what it takes to remain on task “ethically” to lead others into greatness. Here are five important things to know about politically savvy leaders:

°          They understand the critical importance of the team associates to be “LeaderShaped” into GREATNESS. They understand the “what” and “how” in developing a GREAT team.

°          They make decisive decisions for the benefit of the Future Picture

°          They understand the “culture” in the system that the team must influence.

°          They know what it take to strategically “execute” and win as a team.

°          They know how-to use the “Six Political Signs of Business Leadership” to achieve professional mastery to the people and organization: 1. a clear “Vision” of issues. 2. Understand the “Value” drivers within the team. 3. “Behavioral” influence of leadership to the Future Picture. 4. “Strategy” Modeling (Enterprise Decision Making). 5. Strategic “Execution” (Governance). 6. “Duplication of Protocol” (learnable-teachable methods for future engagements).

Engaging the battlefield that is influenced by workplace politics, for many, may mean asserting their power, pushing and shoving like the elementary school bully until they get what they want. But that’s really just the toxic behavior and conduct that eliminates the possibilities for leadership and the organization they influence to win. One of the best ways to lose power is to overtly use it. Instead, the best leaders know that power comes from influence – and influence is subjective to behavior, character and the value system that drives the people responsible for charting the pathway.

In this great read, Pitts also outlines how, in most cases, team leaders never hit their goals – not because they lack talent within the associate ranks, but because they are naïve to the complexities of team dynamics. He outlines the strategic-execution methods that smart leaders understand and use to determine what type of team model best suits their specific environment, what key skills to look for (and which to avoid), and how to coax top performances from everyone starting from day one.

Author Robert Dilenschneider explains in his book, Power and Influence: The Rules Have Changed: True power and influence means accepting responsibility, taking the heat and keeping your word. So even if someone supports the supposition that leadership is just another way of playing political games, it doesn’t necessarily mean this is a bad thing. When properly played, workplace politics can lead to great achievements and outcomes. Pitts believes that extraordinary teams that are great engage politics well. They are LeaderShaped and driven by extraordinary people who make a distinctive impact – they deliver significant and superior performance over a long period of time. There are some striking characteristics of great teams who achieve sustained success within their mission across its life cycle. They experience an increased level of professional mastery in developing and executing as great teams do. These teams have gone through a process; a process that is forged in a furnace of professional development, transformational thinking, and strategic-execution.  

Workplace politics, good or evil, are a very real part of the work environment. Whether people subscribe to the belief that leadership is just another way of engaging the political battlefield or not, it is important to keep in mind that as long as there are people working together as great teams do, there will be politics, but the outcomes will be far different from the results of the past. Great teams are the way to successfully engage the battlefield – greatness from the team is how to engage politics well and win it using fair tactics.

 

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