Back in the Shadows Back in the Shadows
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Girgian: Gulf’s Syrians use very own Ramadan Emsak: 03:18 Fajer: 03:29 ‘trick or treat’ humour to Dohr: 11:54 Asr: 15:29 tradition ease pain Maghreb: 18:48 7 10 Eshaa: 20:17 Max 49º Min 36º FREE www.kuwaittimes.net NO: 15874- Friday, July 19, 2013 BackBack inin thethe shadowsshadows PAGE 26 In this zoom effect photo taken with a slow shutter speed, sup- porters of Egypt’s ousted President Mohamed Morsi gather during a demonstration in front of Cairo University where protesters have installed their camp in Giza, southwest of Cairo, late Wednesday. — AP Local FRIDAY, JULY 19, 2013 Kuwait’s my business Local Spotlight ‘Mommy wants you to grow up Iftar is the best to be a sales person!’ Really? part of Ramadan By John P Hayes By Muna Al-Fuzai [email protected] [email protected] ther than divine intervention, our success (as a be sold. country, a company, a team, a family, even an indi- At some point, effective leaders understand sales princi- his year Ramadan is in the peak of the heat - July. Ovidual) depends on leadership. And leaders are ples, including the fact that in general people initially “buy” TThe fasting period is about 16 hours, so it is not a everywhere, aren’t they? Just read the newspaper, or sub- ideas (or any product, really) based on emotion. We make joke or an easy matter, especially for those who scribe to Twitter or Instagram (the two most popular social decisions to “buy” almost everything based on our feelings, work under the sun or travel to different places or need media in Kuwait) and you will be dazzled by leadership, or and then we justify the decision with logic. “I love the way I to wake up early in the morning, without drinking or at least by people who think they are leaders. You’ll know look in a Porsche, and I need to look good so that people eating. So, iftar time is surely the best part of the day. who they are because they have something important to will think I’m successful.” . “I’ll feel happy when I take this Although the day is long, hot and tiring, the night seems short and moves rapidly. Come Magreb time say, and they want you to follow them, and ultimately do (illegal drug), and that’s better for me than feeling stressed, around 6:40 pm and everyone jumps and consumes as what they say. because stress kills.” These are the lies we tell ourselves, and much food as they can, sometimes ending up in hospi- sales people know it. tals with stomachaches. Iftar for some is the best part of Leaders shape our future Fortunately for us, we can decide who to follow. So why Ramadan. The night is short and people try to do differ- There’s no doubt that leaders shape the future, but not follow the most qualified leaders? They’ll lead us to the ent things at once. Most people go to mosques, where do our leaders come from? Some inherit their role, Promised Land, won’t they? Unfortunately, not necessarily, exchange visits and watch TV. often to their dismay (Prince Harry can’t possibly enjoy all of but with a little help from divine intervention, yes. Ramadan is a unique event for many housewives that publicity), but most rise to the occasion, either pro- who work hard to prepare as much food as possible and pelled by their own energy and ideas, or because someone Good or bad leadership? I really don’t understand why. I think the aim of fasting (or a group) encouraged them to stand up, speak up, and We can’t forget that God helps those who help them- is to enhance spiritual thinking and needs of both body and soul. Life is not only about food and filling yourself lead. Regardless of where they come from (occasionally it selves, and when it comes to recognizing quality leadership, with chicken and rice, but most Arab houses waste lots must be divine intervention) we’re grateful for leaders we need to do our part. That means we at least need to be of time before and during the month crazily shopping because through them we can come to our own conclu- able to distinguish between good and bad leadership. But for food as if all shops will close and they will starve! sions about important matters. how many of us can do that? In the throes of a campaign, or You notice all shops and markets are busy and start We need leaders to help us understand our circum- when we’re about to make a decision, it’s difficult to sepa- to wonder if fasting is only about food, which is not. I stances and ourselves. Leaders help us decide who and rate emotion from logic. Perhaps we don’t know to do that think this is part of a lack of awareness that needs to be what to support, how to vote, where to travel, which topics because we’ve never thought much about leadership. Few addressed and while I’m wondering if it will work, I to study, what to believe, etc. Without leaders, our future is people get or take the opportunity to study leadership. It’s don’t see any media activities in this regard. Most TV doomed. And with the wrong leaders, our future is doomed not usually a required course in high school or college. How channels compete on running more cooking shows dur- ing this month as if this is the only thing we need to for sure! We all know people who followed the wrong foolish is that when we’ll spend a lifetime trying to make focus on and when they run these shows all through the leader. I pray daily for a young man who followed a series of decisions that are influenced by leaders? day, it provokes people to eat more. drug dealers into a hopeless addiction. Are drug dealers We should continue to pray for divine intervention for We need to know that fasting is a spiritual practice leaders? They are if they get people to follow them. our success, but we can also help ourselves by exploring and found in all religions for spiritual enlightenment and understanding the qualities of good leadership. Future and communication with God. I still think we need more Leaders are sales people columns will offer you some ideas about how to do that. awareness of spiritual rituals like fasting. The basic aim The most popular leaders, good or bad, are sales people. is to develop and strengthen our powers of self-control. And what do we think of sales people? How many moms NOTE: Dr John P Hayes heads the Business Administration Food is a joy, blessing and reward to end your fasting tuck their babies into bed at night and say, “Some day, department at GUST and he taught leadership skills to 60 day, but not an objective without thinking how much you have learned about your inner power and the life mommy wants you to grow up to be a sales person!” It youth at the Kuwait Leadership Mastery. Contact Dr Hayes at we live. doesn’t happen, and that’s unfortunate, because ideas must [email protected], or via Twitter @drjohnhayes. Iftar is part of the day, not the most important one. In my view For sure it’s no free lunch By Labeed Abdal [email protected] he move by the Ministry of Communications not to data collected to resell for marketing purposes. Predictive Tsuspend smartphone applications such as ‘Viber’ or tools are there to direct advertisers to sell products and ‘WhatsApp’ like some other Gulf countries is a good services by monitoring consumptions regionally and even move and shows the margin of freedom is higher here. The seasonally. Deeper readings monitor trends and most social media age has added many extra tools for people to talked-about topics on social media. socialize freely with applications created by smart inventors Moreover, file hosting services are now depending on that have changed how the world connects. cloud storage and computers are synchronized at all times As those apps are free but they indirectly serve other with websites and mobiles. It’s indeed an information purposes, so for sure there is no such thing as a free lunch. explosion. As end users, we must realize that privacy limits Social media arrived in the mobile age after the Internet have changed and what was hidden in a box is now digitally age. Giant search engines are using massive volumes of in the clouds. Local FRIDAY, JULAY 19, 2013 Conspiracy Theories Iftar is the best part of Ramadan By Muna Al-Fuzai [email protected] his year Ramadan is in the peak of the heat T- July. The fasting period is about 16 hours, so it is not a joke or an easy matter, espe- cially for those who work under the sun or travel to different places or need to wake up early in the morning, without drinking or eating. So, iftar time is surely the best part of the day. Although the day is long, hot and tiring, the night seems short and moves rapidly. Come Magreb time around 6:40 pm and everyone jumps and consumes as much food as they can, sometimes ending up in hospitals with stom- achaches. Iftar for some is the best part of Ramadan. The night is short and people try to do different things at once.