Online Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has frequently made it clear that endless discussions on policy and programmes have to cease and instead the thrust should be on active hard work to boost production, increase exports, create jobs, and enhance tax revenue through economic growth.
While his latest comment was aimed at the Zanu PF National Youth League, the thrust of his remarks has been consistent throughout his Presidency of Zimbabwe and leadership of Zanu PF.
The temptations for endless talk, often excused by the need to perfect a policy, are endless, and political forums are not the only ones where this temptation exists.
Non-Government Organisations often fall into the trap of building, vast edifices creating mountains of paper, before actually doing anything.
The Civil Service has its moments, although after almost eight years of the Second Republic, plus the grading schemes and the auditing of results, has seen a sea-change and Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and their staff now understand that a list of achievements counts far more than “position papers” and wish lists when it comes to dealing with the President.
Even the private sector, where one would think practical operations should dominate, has its temptations, as anyone glancing through the reports of annual general meetings will see with the vague plans highlighted, especially if nothing serious is being done.
This does not mean anyone can just rush in without some thought and planning.
Every sort of practical business or operations needs to be going in the right direction. But perfection at the planning stage is impossible to achieve.
If you are going to win, you have to be ready to switch targets and priorities and move resources around or else you will come second in the war. Generals cannot postpone their defensive operations. They have to keep going and make adjustments as they go.
The same applies to everyone else. Putting up one’s hands when you find the planning is not covering everything, or when circumstances change, is not useful. So those who plan also need to be the ones who have to act. Presumably, as they do the planning they have a sound grasp of what is needed and so can keep the desired goal lit up while running an operation.
The goals of almost every entity — Government, private sector, State entities, political parties and other formal and informal groups — are clear.
Everyone needs to be working to make lives better in the short-term, medium term and long-term.
A lot of this can be measured by growth in production, something that is easy to measure. But it also includes actions that are not so easy to measure, such as ensuring a general inclusivity and minimising damage to the environment and ensuring that the short term goal does not block progress towards longer-term goals.
That is why planning is needed and often some talk to make sure everyone is on board and all contributions are considered. But eternal talk is not really useful.
Often fixed implementation dates are very useful, that whatever stage we have reached by D-Day is what the action starts with. Upgrades, changes and the like can be added as we move along, but we have to start somewhere and then keep moving forward.
Of course, there will be mistakes and failures. But that happens even in the best planned operations that have been talked about for ever and a day.
The point is to be able, as we progress, to cope with poor data, incorrect facts, new circumstances.
Sometimes we have to halt, count our losses, learn from our mistakes, and then try again in a new direction. That is how the world works.
Failure is not a disaster. Usually it simply means we got it wrong and so have to start afresh, this time with that invaluable experience.
But endless talk is not the solution; postponing action because you are afraid of failure is wrong and useless. Being alert, being able to cope, are far more important.
