It is human nature to be fascinated by beautiful things because the love for the beautiful and the good in any form is inherent in us. This is why the soul is attracted to every beautiful thing that makes it happy. It is this unique characteristic that makes it occupy a prominent place in our memory that may become an important priority to the point of attachment.
There is beauty in any practice that is carried out in an organized, consistent and creative way; on the other hand, a practice that is carried out without consideration for these qualities is bereft of beauty and efficiency. This is where the government steps in, by encouraging government entities to pursue excellence in their practices, and with it, setting into motion a cycle of creativity and performance excellence.
In the words of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE, and ruler of Dubai: “Beauty is a source of inspiration, whether in my poems or my life in general.” These are the words of a man whose farsightedness and vision have produced a culture of beauty and aesthetics in the UAE. Looking at the magnificence of the UAE’s achievements, he realizes that the inspiration behind all these splendid creations is his connoisseurial search for beauty in all government practices.
He established a structure to spread the beauty of creativity and excellence among institutions, until they became wonderful beacons that adorn our government work, and models for governments in the region to aspire to. Many governments in the region have followed our way of governance and look up to our leader to show the way ahead.
The secret to a beautiful future is within us. It is that positive inner voice that pushes us towards achieving a glorious future for all with what we have at our disposal and the possibilities that lay ahead.
Asma Al-Janahi
Al-Maktoum is at the helm of the UAE’s creative spirit, leading government institutions in the race for excellence and leadership, taking on new challenges together, and all along breaking records and setting new standards. This journey will continue until being No. 1 is not just a ranking, but rather the motto of the federal government that guides all aspects of its work and prevents it from lagging behind. His life and leadership inspires everyone to pursue excellence, creativity and innovation.
The Government Excellence Awards celebrate the creativity that distinguishes exceptional employees and institutions. The award motivates them to achieve more and excel in their work, while creating healthy competition among employees and institutions that benefits everyone.
Coming back to the most important aspect of beauty, which can depend on our views as individuals and institutions: “Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exists merely in the mind which contemplates them; and each mind perceives a different beauty.”
Having a positive outlook on the tools available to us makes us capable of creating many positive ideas that lead to impressive achievements. On the other hand, a negative mindset, despite having the same tools, creates barriers for any good idea from coming to fruition. This is the opposite of what positive thinkers — those who trust their abilities and unleash creativity and innovation — seek to do.
The secret to a beautiful future is within us. It is that positive inner voice that pushes us towards achieving a glorious future for all with what we have at our disposal and the possibilities that lay ahead. We can overcome the challenges and achieve our goals for the future by thinking rationally, learning from the experiences of our predecessors in the fields of creativity and excellence, and by using the vast scientific knowledge at our disposal.
In a nutshell, the beauty of our achievements comes from the optimistic outlook and clarity of vision of our distinguished leader, who was inspired by beauty in his poetry and in his actions.
• Asma Al-Janahi is a UAE national with over 10 years of experience in management in government excellence and sport sectors. She writes about management and social life.