Cybernetics of Commitment

David Whittaker’s anthology of Stafford’s papers titled “Think Before You Think” was my companion during the flight to Jakarta. Earlier this week, I thanked Denis Adams for putting the book into the jiffy bag for it to be couriered to me. In that e-mail I asked Denis to convey my gratitude to David for sharing what he “saw” when he stood on the shoulders of giants.

The meeting in Jakarta was a commitment made some weeks ago – to accompany the postgraduate students to UIN Syarif Hidayatullah for them to present their thesis proposal and develop the first draft of their thesis.

Commitment is said to precede action. Without commitment, there will be no action. But commitment is a commodity short in supply these days …. Interestingly, many want to do or act but without making any (further) commitment.

Prof Azyumardi Azra asserted that intention (read: “inna ma a’malu bin niyyah”) is synonymous to commitment for there will be no action without commitment, in the same vein, there will be no action without intention.

Interestingly, the Vice Rector of Universitas Hamka discussed the different models of ownership between Muhammadiyah and NU for their institutions: schools/pesantrens, hospitals, child care centres and universities. Muhammadiyah’s members and activists raised funds and sought donations to purchase land and buildings but later bequeathed the properties to the organization. Muhammadiyah the organization, hold all titles to the properties, voluntarily handed over by her members.

He shared a story of a (lady) member who started a child care centre next to an empty plot of land. When the owner of that land told her that he is selling the land and offered to her, she hesitated to purchase until when she found that it could possibly end up with an unfriendly party. To avoid such possibility, she purchased the land without a clue how she will raise the funds to pay for it. She succeeded to raise the funds, built an extension building for the child care next to it and handed over the properties to Muhammadiyah.

I found the story fascinating but inspiring, no less.

Cybernetics of commitment does not require a complete blueprint to initiate action. Instead of specifying in full detail, you simply ride on the dynamics of the system to where you want to go.

That dynamo is commitment.
Hence act therefore commit.

Sekolah Pascasarjana
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta

Mentors

They are extraordinary. Taking on several roles all at the same time - trusted advisor, teacher, counselor, friend and/or parent - they are there when you need them.

Kunich and Lester in their article "Leadership and the Art of Mentoring: Tool Kit for the Time Machine" cited several mentors and illustrated their mentoring process as if it were an acronym:

Model
Emphatize
Nurture
Teach
Organize
Respond
Inspire
Network
Goal-Set


One of the most remarkable mentors in history is Anne Sullivan, the teacher of Helen Keller. Immortalized in the play and film The Miracle Worker, Sullivan exemplified all facets of an ideal mentor as she worked with her young deaf and blind protégé.

The mentor nurtures the protégé as a farmer tends the wheat, providing seeds, nourishment, protection and the room to grow, each in its turn, in the proper amount, and in its own due time.

It is not a title we can arrogate to ourselves or bestowed upon us through a simple administrative act.

It is an honour that must be earned as we diligently strive to make a positive change in the life, attitudes and behaviour of our young protégés, and through them, in ourselves, no less.

APEX (especially @MWTI), MGN, TMSN, IM4U, YKI and many others out there -- know that the ride is uphill and bumpy, but it is most satisfying (and humbling) to witness our former protégés in turn become mentors.

And what could possibly be a better amal jariah than that?

With admiration, as always.