Concern for quality and order

Concern for order and quality is the desire to see things done logically, clearly and well; it takes various forms: Monitoring and checking work or information, insisting on the clarity of roles and duties, setting up and maintaining information systems.


To what extent does the person pay attention to details and organize them?

1. Checks his or her own work and takes an interest in the overall quality of work in the unit: Tends to the quality of the information, services and systems at the level of her or his own personal work. Pays attention to the quality of work throughout the unit (ex. proofreading, data entry, client information, cable connections).
2. Monitors the general quality of the work and recommends improvements as his or her responsibilities allow: Ensures that procedures are followed and keeps clear, detailed records. Suggests improvements in other areas (ex. number of files processed, number of customers served to satisfaction).
3. Monitors systems, projects or information: Monitors the progress of a project or the efficiency of a system. Analyses data, pinpoints weaknesses or missing data, and seeks out information to maintain or even improve organization and priorities (ex. obtains progress reports from workers and team leaders).
4. Designs systems on his or her own: Tries to improve the quality of data and services by designing complex tools such as flow charts and engineering plans.

What is achievement orientation?

• A concern for working well, bias towards action competing against a standard of excellence. The standard can be one’s own performance, challenging goals set by the individual and comparing with the performance of others i.e. a keen sense of competitiveness, always striving to improve

• Works toward a standard of excellence, tries to do a job well and right.

• Works toward meeting a standard set by management (e.g. works within allocated budget, timely completion of assignment, meeting sales target.

• Works to improve own and other’s efficiency using for example, skills and techniques available in the organization.

The Great Khalifah Umar ibn Abdul Aziz

"...When the Khalifah died the Roman emperor is reported to have said:

“I should not be the least surprised if a monk renounces the world and busies himself in worship behind closed doors, but I am simply amazed at this man who has a vast empire at his feet but he rejected it and lived the life of a monk....”

Umar ibn Abdul Aziz is a person who is just well known by a few Muslims (those who are interested in the history of Islam). After the death of Prophet Mohammed, for some years, is when he was born.

All Muslims nominated the leaders in Islam, who succeeded each other after Prophet’s death, unanimously, but before Omar was born, everything had changed due to worldly pleasures. That is the word DYNASTY was introduced, instead. And since Omar belonged to the reigning family, when his time for leadership came, he was given the opportunity.

Actually, the above is just a short summary of his introduction, but what impressed me hence calling him my hero, are the following reasons that were portrayed throughout his life span.

First, comparing his life before and after his leadership is that, he led a luxurious and royal life before, but he underwent a complete metamorphosis after his declaration. For example: -

Immediately when he became a leader, he dismissed all the governors who were known to be cruel and unjust to the servants. Therefore, the people were happier than ever.

Secondly, all the jewelry and valuable presents brought before him were deposited to the state treasury in a number of occasions, instead of taking it for personal treasury.

Also he gave out all his wealth for the betterment of the society until he was remained with only one shirt. His people realized this when he was always late for Friday prayers as a result of waiting for his only one shirt to dry after washing it. Furthermore, at times there was no food in his house, hence, one day he saw his children hiding their mouth not to be open to their father, and when he enquired, he discovered that his children had taken onions as food and were hiding the smell from reaching him. He felt pity on them and made sure that they had enough food. This shows that, even the kids have taken after their father’s heroic nature of understanding the situation. Moreover he did not have enough money to go for pilgrimage despite the fact that, he was the leader of the mightiest empire in that time.

In his office he had two candles, if he wanted to write the state affairs, he would use the candle that belonged to the state and if he wanted to write his own personal letters, he would use the candle, which he bought from his own money.

Omar ensured that, his governors follow the same path. For example one of the governors brought a letter requesting for more candle sticks but Omar replied, “I remember we used to walk in the dark night without candle sticks and we survived, do you want to tell me that now you are in a worse condition?” This shows that he was against extravagance.

In another occasion, there were a request for papers, but Omar replied again, “Make the points of your pens thinner, and write small hand writings including your important matters and leave the details in very short and straight forward form.

It was during his reign when all taxes were abolished. People commented that during the reign of other leaders the state treasury was filled up, but now there was nothing due to the abolishing of taxes and most of the savings were used to help the poor and the needy. He replied that the state treasury was not meant for the walls but the people, so why should they not be given?

Instead of taxes, he encouraged all the governors to argue people to practice agriculture and if anybody had a piece of land which he did not cultivate for three years, the land was to be taken and be given to somebody else who would cultivate, hence burning off laziness.

In order to strengthen up the administration he took the following steps: -

(i) State officials were excluded from entering into any business.

(ii) Unpaid labor was made illegal.

(iii) Pasture lands and game reserves, which were reserved for the family of the dignities, were evenly distributed among the poor for the purpose of cultivation.

(iv) He urged to all of the officials to listen the complaints of the people and during any occasion, he used to announce that, if any subject had seen any officer maltreating others should report him to the leader and he will be given a reward ranging from 100 - 300 dirhams.

His fruitful achievements lead to the well being of his society, and even when the time for annual obligatory charity from came, no one accepted it, but was to be sent to other towns to raise other's standards of living. Everybody could assist his family without begging. This brought about jubilance among the people and loyalty towards their leader.

Omar's leadership cannot be compared to any other person's - it was so unique. Different leaders reigned before and after him but none could break his record.

He died in the year 719 CE, after ruling for two years and five months. His subjects mourned in great pain, saying that, they would never have a leader like Omar.

By:
HAIDAR BATHAWAB

Ada 4 isteriku

Suatu ketika, ada seorang pedagang kaya yang mempunyai empat orang isteri. Dia mencintai isteri yang keempat dan memberikan harta dan kesenangan yang banyak. Sebab, isteri keempat adalah yang tercantik di antara kesemua isterinya. Maka, tidak hairan lelaki ini sering memberikan yang terbaik untuk isteri keempatnya itu.

Pedagang itu juga mencintai isterinya yang ketiga. Dia sangat bangga dengan isterinya ini, dan sering berusaha untuk memperkenalkan isteri ketiganya ini kepada semua temannya. Namun dia juga selalu bimbang kalau-kalau isterinya ini akan lari dengan lelaki yang lain.

Begitu juga dengan isterinya yang kedua. Dia juga sangat menyukainya. Dia adalah seorang isteri yang sabar dan penuh pengertian. Bila-bila masa pun apabila pedagang ini mendapat masalah, dia selalu meminta pandangan isterinya yang kedua ini. dialah tempat bergantung. Dia selalu menolong dan mendampingi suaminya melalui masa-masa yang sulit.

Sama halnya dengan isterinya yang pertama. Dia adalah pasangan yang sangat setia. Dia sering membawa kebaikan bagi kehidupan keluarga ini. dialah yang merawat dan mengatur semua kekayaan dan usaha si suami. Akan tetapi si pedangang tidak begitu mencintainya. Walaupun isteri pertamanya ini begitu sayang kepadanya namun, pedagang ini tidak begitu memperdulikannya.

Suatu ketika, si pedagang sakit. Kemudian dia menyedari mungkin masa untuknya hidup tinggal tidak lama lagi. Dia mula merenungi semua kehidupan indahnya, dan berkata dalam hati, "Saat ini, aku punya empat orang isteri. Namun, apabila aku meninggal, aku akan sendiri. Betapa menyedihkan jika aku harus hidup sendiri."

Lalu dia meminta semua isterinya datang dan kemudian mulai bertanya pada isteri keempatnya, "Kaulah yang paling kucintai, kuberikan kau gaun dan perhiasan yang indah. Nah sekarang, aku akan mati, mahukah kau mendampingiku dan menemaniku?" Isteri keempatnya terdiam. "Tentu saja tidak!" jawab isterinya yang keempat, dan pergi begitu sahaja tanpa berkata-kata lagi. Jawapan itu sangat menyakitkan hati seakan-akan ada pisau yang terhunus dan menghiris-hiris hatinya.

Pedagang yang sedih itu lalu bertanya kepada isteri ketiganya, "Aku pun mencintaimu sepenuh hati, dan saat ini, hidupku akan berakhir. Mahukah kau ikut denganku, dan menemani akhir hayatku?". Isteri ketiganya menjawab, "Hidup begitu indah di sini. Aku akan menikah lagi jika kau mati". Pedagang begitu terpukul dengan jawapan isteri ketiganya itu.

Lalu, dia bertanya kepada isteri keduanya, "Aku selalu berpaling padamu setiap kali mendapat masalah. Dan kau selalu mahu membantuku. Kini, aku perlu sekali pertolonganmu. Kalau aku mati, mahukah kau ikut dan mendampingiku?" Si isteri kedua menjawab perlahan, "Maafkan aku...aku tak mampu menolongmu kali ini. Aku hanya boleh menghantarmu ke liang kubur saja. Nanti, akan kubuatkan makam yang indah buatmu."

Jawapan itu seperti kilat yang menyambar. Si pedagang kini berasa putus asa. Tiba-tiba terdengar satu suara, "Aku akan tinggal denganmu. Aku akan ikut ke manapun kau pergi. Aku, tak akan meninggalkanmu, aku akan setia bersamamu." Si pedagang lalu menoleh ke arah suara itu dan mendapati isteri pertamanya yang berkata begitu. Isteri pertamanya tampak begitu kurus. Badannya seperti orang yang kelaparan. Berasa menyesal, si pedagang lalu berguman, "Kalau saja aku mampu melayanmu lebih baik pada saat aku mampu, tak akan kubiarkan kau seperti ini isteriku."

Teman, sesungguhnya kita punya empat orang isteri dalam hidup ini;

ISTERI KEEMPAT adalah tubuh kita. Seberapa banyak waktu dan belanja yang kita keluarkan untuk tubuh kita supaya tampak indah dan gagah, semuanya akan hilang. Ia akan pergi segera apabila kita meninggal. Tak ada keindahan dan kegagahan yang tersisa saat kita menghadapNYA.

ISTERI KETIGA adalah status sosial dan kekayaan kita. Saat kita meninggal, semuanya akan pergi kepada yang lain. Mereka akan berpindah dan melupakan kita yang pernah memilikinya.

ISTERI KEDUA pula adalah kerabat dan teman-teman. Seberapa pun dekat hubungan kita dengan mereka, mereka tak akan mampu bersama kita selamanya. Hanya sampai kuburla mereka akan menemani kita.

DAN SESUNGGUHNYA ISTERI PERTAMA adalah jiwa dan amal kita. Mungkin kita sering mengabaikan dan melupakannya demi kekayaan dan kesenangan peribadi. Namun, sebenarnya, hanya jiwa dan amal kita sajalah yang mampu untuk terus setia dan mendampingi kemanapun kita melangkah. Hanya amal yang mampu menolong kita diakhirat kelak.

Jadi, selagi mampu, perlakukanlah jiwa dan amal kita dengan bijak. Jangan sampai kita menyesal kemudian hari!