In a heartwarming gesture, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai has sent out emails to government employees, signing it as ‘Your brother Mohammed’.
The letter, which was sent to the email addresses of employees across several government sectors, tells them about some of the important lessons that every future leader must keep in mind.
“The leader of the future doesn’t have more hours than anyone else,” he wrote in the email. “But he has the ability to shorten the time between idea and execution because he has the greatest time shortening machine: artificial intelligence.”
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He added that history will reward those who act before certainty is complete. “A good decision you make today is better than a perfect decision you make next month,” he wrote. “In the past, a mistake in decision-making was the greatest risk in any organization. Today delaying a decision is the greatest risk.”
This comes as Sheikh Mohammed’s latest book, The Letters, hit the stands across the UAE on Friday. The Arabic edition of the book is now available on sale for Dh89 at leading bookstores, while the English edition is expected to be released on October 15.
Several government employees took to social media to share their joy at having received a letter written with such affection. Emirati Noora Al Helali was one of those who shared a copy of the email.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, she explained why the gesture meant so much to her. “In the UAE, when people contribute, serve or achieve something together, there is a culture of acknowledging that effort,” she said.
“Receiving a personalised letter from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid was already special, but seeing him sign it ‘your brother’ made it deeply personal. It reminded me again why my connection and loyalty to this country run so deep,” she added.
Letters to school students
Last week, the ruler had also sent out a similar email to students in government schools, but with a message tailored to the younger people. Sheikh Mohammed wrote about the expectations he had from the upcoming generation.
Titled “A letter to the new generation”, the email pointed out how different life was for youngsters.
“You are growing up in a vast interconnected world where there is no ceiling to learning, no shore to knowledge and no cultural and economic boundaries,” he noted. “Your world is not like ours. Your knowledge is not like ours. Your tools are not like ours. We expect your accomplishments to be greater than ours.”
From lessons on how rulers should govern to deeply personal reflections on marriage and family, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s new book moves between intimate memories and sharply worded thoughts on leadership, justice, ambition, cities and the responsibilities that come with power.
The Letters, the second part of Lessons from Life, brings together 26 letters addressed by the leader to his children, family, team, fellow citizens and the world. It draws on nearly six decades of public service, with Sheikh Mohammed revisiting experiences, decisions and lessons that shaped his approach to government, leadership and nation-building.
Source: Khaleej Times
