I don't want politics in my boutique

The first business meeting with a foreigner, where we discuss the potential for cooperation, usually looks like this: at the beginning, he says what his goals are and what his vision of development is, and then he wants to hear what, how, when and in what way we can help you achieve your business, marketing and PR goals, expecting it to be more efficient and effective than you can achieve it yourself. And then it turns into an ear. Most of the time he listens, asks, concludes, checks his attitudes, thoughts, ways of working. In the language of communication - actively listens. In the end, we come to a conclusion together, how to proceed together.

Unlike him, a local businessman, from any country in this part of the Balkans, our director, usually talks much more than he listens and convinces me that everything is right with them. That nothing needs to be changed. And very often all this turns into his "lecture" on PR and marketing.

The communication style of a director, and thus the organization he leads, says a lot about character. And that character determines everything in that organization. Just as every individual has his own character, value systems, principles that determine his behavior, so every system, any organization, city or country has all that - character, values, and a philosophy based on that.

There are people and organizations open to knowledge, as well as others, conservative, who do not want change. In other words, smart organizations that want knowledge and expertise and want to move forward. Or in the vocabulary of communications - this or that organization, which carefully listens, researches, analyzes, thinks, and only then draws conclusions and speaks.

Of course, we have these smart organizations, and the directors who lead them, who gather knowledge and put their business functions in the hands of those who have proven knowledge - but there are many, much fewer of them than in developed systems.

Smart organizations, cities and smart states are those that prioritize knowledge. But not in words, but in deeds. These are the cities and states where politicians put power in the hands of professionals, politicians who respect knowledge, experience, and intelligence. These are the managers who respect science. These are the leaders who - although politics probably brought them to that place - say the same thing that the guy said in the legendary series Our Little Misto: "I don't want politics in my boutique". Or, translated into today's language, I want the profession to conduct its work, according to all professional standards, and I don't want politics to interfere with them. Citizens want such politicians at the head of cities and states.

The topic of all topics today is - Novi Sad canopy. She is the best example of how (and how) the profession yields to politics; that those who do not have enough knowledge, skills, experiences... get big jobs; the best example is that some thought they could be successful builders; that profit and "bizmis" defeated the profession, professional standards; that education and knowledge are not important, but ambition and the desire for instant success.

The canopy in Novi Sad has become a symbol of politics that destroys the profession, professional standards, education, knowledge, science, intelligence, and has long-term tragic consequences, and in this case also short-term, the murder of fifteen people. The answer to the question of why this is so is very simple. He is in my definition of an average politician: these are people who, having failed in real life, chose politics in order to realize their personal, of course, material interests when they get to decision-making positions.

And it is certain that such people, who as loyal cadres of their party and leader, came to positions in the state apparatus, in the state i.e. public organizations, including the economy, are afraid of knowledge and the changes that knowledge brings. As a rule, they, in the same way, surround themselves with loyal and not professional people. The system defined in this way suits them, because then they decide on everything themselves. Or, in other words - they don't like the organized system, based on knowledge and expertise. Because, in an organized system, decisions cannot be made in which the motive is personal or party interest.

It's all about knowledge or, in other words, science. Those who respect and desire knowledge should be and will be successful. And what is the attitude towards knowledge and education in our region? You know the answer yourself. Every day we witness the supremacy, media and even social, of people ruled by dubious value principles. It is often said jokingly, and this one has more truth than joking, that we are in a time of revenge for bad students. Many examples speak of this. Here's one. Everyone says that the minister in the Government of Serbia is one of the most loyal, and how could it not be that when he progressed from chauffeur to minister, at one time, while he was going to school, they decided that he should sit with an excellent student, so that she would influence him. He had problems during his schooling, but since he was resourceful and she was good to him, he regularly copied from her. And now, after more than a quarter of a century, he, the Minister, invites his school friend to his office. A school friend, now a teacher, was surprised by the minister's invitation, but she went to see what it was all about. Without further ado - he invited her to show her his large cabinet, car and driver and to tell her: well, you see that I succeeded after all. In his arrogant style, he told her: what's the use of school and knowledge when it doesn't matter today.

It is an interesting fact that this minister of ours went from being a driver to the top of the state apparatus. He's not the only one, of course. When loyalty is the main, and often the only, criterion for advancement in the party and appointment to government positions, then it is logical that the most loyal to you will be former chauffeurs or some other profession. He will be grateful to you to the grave and will give everything, even his life, if necessary, to the one who raised him on the social ladder.

Interestingly, once, at the beginning of the nineties, in the first convocation of the multi-party assembly of Serbia, the majority were, believe it or not, doctors. How come? Well, these are people of influence at the local level, and the parties fought to have as many doctors, lawyers, and teachers on their lists as possible. Today, reputation is not so important, but loyalty, so in the key positions in the states of the region, there are mostly chauffeurs, policemen and all other loyal apparatchiks.

Two days after the fall of the canopy, journalists from the new TV station Newsmax Balkans asked me what the solution was. I said that the profession, first construction, and then all others, should raise their voices and say: we don't want politics in our boutique. We want professional standards to prevail in all activities. In construction, but also in education, healthcare, culture, science, sports, public sector, agriculture, IT, in all economic activities. And, of course, the judiciary. First of all. And that, in addition to clearly defined professional standards, those activities are not engaged in by people who do not have the necessary education, knowledge, expertise, and references. Especially not in such significant projects which, as a rule, are initiated by the state.

And what happened? Something happened, even better. The future profession has risen, students. And they said - enough!

The author is a leading regional communication expert