CANDID AND TO THE POINT / काम की बात
Whenever we meet new people, our brain automatically and immediately begins to categorize them in some way – male or female, same or different, friend or foe.
We make judgements about people in the first few seconds of meeting them. We are always evaluating others just as they are evaluating us.
This judgement is based on body language, clothing, posture, stance, eye contact, facial expressions, hand gestures and tone of voice.
Biases that influence our judgements are:
Films have a huge impact on the human mind. Films can communicate, embody and articulate the effectiveness of behaviours of leadership.
Hollywood has a variety of award-winning films that portray the heroism and sacrifices of different military leaders in battlefield.
Black Hawk Down
Film. Black Hawk Down released in 2001 based on a true fact from Somalia. This film was produced and directed by Ridley Scott from a screenplay by Ken Nolan. This movie was based on the 1999 non-fiction book Black Hawk Down by journalist Mark Bowden.
Film Setting. In 1993, the US military operated a raid in Mogadishu to capture faction leader Mohamed Farrah Aidid. The ensuing firefight was known as the Battle of Mogadishu. In January 1991, Somalian President Mohammed Siad Barre was overthrown by a coalition of opposing clans, precipitating the Somali Civil War. In this civil war, around three hundred thousand (300,000) people were killed. Therefore, this civil war turned to genocide and the united nation had to intervene for the peacekeeping.
Film Plot. In 1992, U.S. forces had arrived in Somalia on a humanitarian mission to provide the food access to starving people in a city where different militia groups controlled basic resources. Initially, Task Force Ranger and U.S. Joint Special Operations force was a collaborated with other elite forces units from Army Special Operations Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, and Navy Special Warfare Command. Fifth Ranger Regiment and Delta Force was sharing the major members of this operation. Members from the seventh Task Force Ranger was dispatched to seize two of Aidid’s high-echelon lieutenants during a meeting in the city. The goal of the operation was achieved, though conditions spiraled into the deadly Battle of Mogadishu. The initial operation on October 3, 1993, intended to last an hour, became an overnight standoff and rescue operation extending into the daylight hours of October 4th. In this operation, 19 US soldiers sacrificed their lives and more than 1000 Somalian militia and civilian were killed.
Leadership Qualities
Black Hawk Down movie, is one of the best examples of leadership during crisis. It also brings out elements of situational leadership and ethical leadership. In the movie Major General William Garrison is portrayed as an authoritative but caring leader. Overall it is a story of many heroes. The major leadership lessons from this movie as follows:
Recommendation
This film is recommended to be watched by the young military leaders.
Titbits
Black Hawk Down won two Academy Awards for Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing at the 74th Academy Awards (wikipedia.org, oscars.org). This movie has a strong foundation of political dilemma and social justice issue.
Value Additions are most welcome
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References
Harvard Business School. (2003, April 21). “Black Hawk Down”: Leading in Crisis. Retrieved on September 10, 2018 from https://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/black-hawk-down-leading-in- crisis.
Kirkpatrick, T. (2017, May 18). 8 awesome enlisted leaders depicted in war movies. https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/8-awesome- enlisted-leaders-depicted-in-war-movies.
Guthrie, K. L., & Jenkins, D. M. (2018). The role of leadership educators: Transforming learning. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Rajendran, D., & Andrew, M. (2014). Using film to elucidate leadership effectiveness models: Reflection on authentic learning experiences. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 11(1), 8.
China’s social credit system isn’t a world first but it is unique.
Pic courtesy:https://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/fileadmin/files/aam/Asia-Book_A_03_China_Social_Credit_System.pdf
The Social Credit System is part of Xi Jinping’s vision for data-driven governance.
The goal of the China social credit system is to provide a holistic assessment of an individual or a company’s trustworthiness.
The China social credit system, is an extension of existing social rankings and ratings in China which have existed for millennia.
The Social Score is a system that collects all kinds of data about citizens and companies, sorts, analyses, evaluates, interprets and implements actions based on it.
In concrete terms, this means that if you wait at a red light, you get plus points. If you pay your taxes and bills on time, you get plus points. If you are socially involved and accept the rules, you also get plus points.
If you have a good Social Score, you get unsolicited benefits for your social behaviour. These include, for example, faster visa application processing and more freedom to travel. When dating online, algorithms higher prioritize the own profile. Banks offer lower interest rates for company loans or private real estate purchases. People with a high Social Score are promoted faster and get better job offers.
However, people who go red, cut off someone while driving, spit on the street or stick their chewing gum under their seat get minus points.
Anyone who criticizes the state in social media or pays their bills too late also receives minus points.
The consequences of a poor social credit score could be serious. It may affect travel prospects, employment, access to finance, and the ability to enter into contracts. On the other hand, a positive credit score could make a range of business transactions for individuals and corporations much easier.
It is essential that any foreign business consolidating or establishing their presence in China seek professional advice for managing a social credit score. This applies both to individual scores, and the corporate social credit score.
Machine (AI) based Implementation
Every country has laws, cultural norms, social morals and social agreements. The police, courts, politicians, administrations, media and citizens are involved in a constant dialogue; it determines what we define as right or wrong.
In China, this task has partly been taken over by Artificial Intelligence based machine i.e. controlling and managing the society – with machines instead of people. The machine decides on correct and incorrect behaviour.
Inputs are obtained from:
The data is used to make individual profiles (Behaviour, movement and content).
Based on the profile credit scores are allotted and reviewed.
Based on the credit score the privileges are granted or curbed.
Ethical Issues
This system raises a lot of ethical questions related to freedom and privacy.
End piece
Collecting data and setting up administrative systems to ensure protection, freedom and security for all concerned is a legitimate tool for states. However, as surveillance increases, privacy must be respected as long as the welfare of society is not affected.
Titbits
In China everyone’s movements are monitored continuously. In the AI based monitoring system besides face recognition, even gait recognition has been introduced to make it more fool proof.
Question
Do you approve of such a system?
Suggestions and value additions are most welcome
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References
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/china-social-credit-system-explained
https://merics.org/en/report/chinas-social-credit-system-2021-fragmentation-towards-integration
https://nhglobalpartners.com/china-social-credit-system-explained/