Hub of Incompetence

Efficiency in organizations requires good policies. These serve as guidelines for others at lower levels to follow and act. Policy making is the task of the highest executive. This applies to organizations and governments too. The benefits or damage to the organization from such policies depend on the competence of the authority and clarity of objectives based on ethics. In a government policy making at the highest level can bring good for the people or spell disaster.
Professionally managed organizations and some governments evolve sound polices beneficial to the people. Yet many governments lag behind in efficiency and transparency. Efficiency is thrown overboard. The highest policy making body is the secretariat. Here all ministers and top executives have offices, opportunities for mutual consultations, discussions and conferences. It turns into a hub of competence or incompetence depending on the perspectives of those who formulate polices.

Where the constitution and the political executive give importance to induct professionalism in all areas of administration, policy making becomes sound and beneficial. Professionalism has built in advantages. There is respect for time, emphasis on fast and sound decision making, training of personnel to attain maximum efficiency and the commitment to serve the people. The lower strata in administration also take the cue from the top and try earnestly to be competent and adopt a professional approach to problem solving.

In contrast we have governments where the policymaking body, the secretariat, which is the hub of governmental activity, becomes the hub of incompetence and a den of corruption. This is so when the politicians are pushed into positions of power by unfair means and have tainted records devoid of professionalism and values.

Often such politicians come to power through corrupt means and by making hollow promises. While in power they carry with them the traits of acting unprofessionally, obliging the followers with favours.The sit on a volcano of tainted money waiting to be laundered. They give a free play to their greed and corner resources for themselves and for loyalists.

Corruption originates from the hub of incompetence. It abdicates ethics and good principles of management. It causes delays and harassment of people for rendering various services, otherwise legitimately due. They pass on the benefits down the line inducing them to devise ingenious ways and means to multiply and amass the ill gotten wealth. Poor performance is a guarantee under such a set up. The public visiting the hub have nothing but a feeling of disgust. The result is spiraling inefficiency. There is competition in mediocrity. Unless the key leadership is overhauled with drastic changes by a powerful leader or public opinion the hub develops more networks to spread its tentacles of incompetence. The hub of incompetence is the bane of society. Only strong enlightened public opinion can reverse this trend.