Every New Year, I take stock and review past performance. I ask myself some searching questions, such as: Have I accomplished all my tasks? Am I on the right track? What could I have done differently? What can I improve? It is not easy to do an honest evaluation of yourself, circumstances, and choices. What about you?
The year 2016 provides a welcome opportunity for us to reflect on the past, and to consider plans for the future. If something did not work out well in the past year, a new approach might help to solve the problem. Change requires recognition, commitment, and then action to do something different.
For example, in March 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama adopted a new approach by presenting a reset button to Russia. He recognised the need to improve relations, and took symbolic action to make it happen.
Computers have a reboot facility that is used for resetting the state of the system. A reboot clears all processes on the computer, resets the machine to a clean state, and prepares for a fresh start with a better outcome. When is a reboot necessary?
* When a programme has stalled;
* When a device such as the mouse or microphone has stopped working;
* When the computer seems to be running too slowly;
* When you have lost control of the system.
Whether or not you actually reboot the computer does not matter. What matters is that a reboot is necessary, since you have assessed that there is a problem which needs to be resolved.
Applied broadly to our wider context, there are things that we need to reboot, such as:
* The Civil Service, national productivity, and our general work ethic;
* The education system and the quality of our graduates;
* Agriculture, and the systems connecting farmers to markets;
* Central government and interaction with people in the outer districts;
* Community spirit, family, love for others, and sense of fair play;
* Healthy habits, activities and eating choices;
* The manner in which we care for the environment.
If we honestly assess our progress and commit ourselves to improvements, then corrective action would naturally follow. We would be on the right track since a bad situation must not knowingly be allowed to continue. Are you ready to reboot, and to press the reset button?
Happy New Year!
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