“I have the best performance of anybody on my team, and my employer has recognised me and awarded me several honours and recognitions, so why don’t they promote me?” “I have the best performance of anyone on my team.”
“Since no one is monitoring me right now and my boss is out of the office on business, it is totally acceptable for me to procrastinate on my work and daydream for a little while,” I added. “Since no one is watching me right now and my management is out of the office on business.”
In the world of work, situations like these can occur regularly. Despite this, the question of whether or not the outcome or the prize that was awarded to the person was fair is typically the subject of controversy.
In light of this, we should discuss the psychological repercussions of each potential outcome of the various situations. How are these two different situations relevant to the challenges that a leader face today?
Leadership in the New Era
It was a pleasant surprise to see that many senior and top managers at many organisations continue to operate with a manager’s attitude. For instance, they would continue to stay and descend to the ground to remedy the problem with the operation. In point of fact, the tasks of senior management place an emphasis not on execution but rather on strategic planning, managing, and monitoring. We require the upper management to manage the organisation strategically and think conceptually while allowing the subordinates to deliver from an operational standpoint.
Unhappily, some top management’s thinking continues to focus on the operational side rather than the strategic side. As an illustration, let’s look at the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia. When there is an increase in the number of customers served at the counter, a typical leader will suggest that the number of staff members employed to serve clients at the counter be increased. However, given that it will eventually result in an increased capacity, this approach is not one that can be considered sustainable. This choice is analogous to treating the symptoms of sickness with medication rather than investigating the underlying cause of the problem.
Finding out what the underlying problem is should be a priority for senior management, who are responsible for strategic planning. At the strategic level, senior management needs to put an end to actions aimed at putting out fires and start thinking strategically about how to fix the problem at its core cause. To cite just one example, why are there more people paying taxes over the counter? How can we prevent them from needing to come over to the counter by being proactive and providing the information they require? The goal of having zero taxpayers present at the counter should be established by the leaders operating at the strategic level. This can be accomplished by being sensitive to the needs and wants of customers and being proactive in serving customers either by providing the necessary information on websites or by providing tax education to taxpayers so that they fully understand the procedures and rulings. Both of these strategies are possible.
Therefore, shifting the mindset of senior and top management is crucial if one wishes to ensure that leaders can adapt and adjust to the severe changes that have occurred in the company environment. How can senior management be prepared to undergo a transformation in terms of their mindset? It is all about taking some time to reflect and then some more time to reflect. This article’s goal is to share a mindset shift that senior management has just undergone.
Everything Happens for a Reason
According to the Law of Newton, energy cannot be created but can be transformed from one form to another. This fundamental of science can also be seen clearly in Al-Quran, Surah An Najm: 39 – 42 for us to explain the case study at the beginning of this article.
وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَـٰنِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ
“And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives” (An Najm: 39)
Do you know three significant truths are gained from this verse?
(1) Each person will only receive the results of his or her own actions.
(2) The product of one man’s actions cannot be delivered to another unless he has a stake in that action.
(3) No one can accomplish anything without effort.
In their lives, many people may experience feelings of melancholy and disillusionment due to what they have been given, be it in a romantic relationship or even at their place of employment. For instance, a wife may feel let down since she has been providing significant support for the family, but in the end, the husband may have requested that they dissolve their marriage. The same thing happens at work: an individual believes they have made significant contributions to the company but that their efforts are not being recognised or appreciated. As a direct consequence of this, individuals lose their motivation, which in turn leads to a decline in production.
In point of fact, people need to comprehend the influence of cause and effect following Surah An Najm:39, which states that what we are going through at this moment is, in fact, the effects or outcomes of our actions. Although we might not comprehend the layout of the conclusion, in fact, there must be some covert motives that even a layperson like yourself and I can recognise.
As a result, we must always keep a close eye on every action we take. Never assume that people won’t notice our activities because they will. Either our good deeds or our bad deeds will manifest themselves as the outcome of our lives in a way that is unmistakable. As a result, before we make any decision, we should always give careful consideration to the consequences that will result in the long term from the actions that we have taken.
Included are the practices that he does directly or the good practices that arise with him as the intermediary or him as the cause because these practices are included in what he strives for. For example, if a preacher ends up giving guidance to others, then praying, reading the Qur’an and the like, then the reward will also flow to him because he has become the reason for that person to get guidance. Among them, such as the words of the Prophet ﷻ,
إِذَا مَاتَ الْإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ وَعِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ وَوَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ
“If a person dies, then his deeds are cut off except for three things (namely): Jariyah charity, the knowledge that is used, or the prayer of a pious child”( HR. Muslim 1631)
Among the examples of Jariyah’s charity is the construction of a mosque. When someone builds a mosque, which is used for prayer, reading the Qur’an, dhikr, study and so on, then the reward will flow to that person because that is what he strives for.
Among the examples of beneficial knowledge is the endowment of knowledge as done by scholars when they composed books, and those books were then read for centuries; some were written in the second century and are read until now and continue to provide benefits, so the reward will keep flowing to them. It is appropriate that if a person cannot endow wealth, he should endow knowledge.
As for pious children who pray for their parents, because pious children are our efforts, our education efforts, as the Prophet ﷺ said,
إِنَّ أَطْيَبَ مَا أَكَلْتُمْ مِنْ كَسْبِكُمْ، وَإِنَّ أَوْلاَدَكُمْ مِنْ كَسْبِكُمْ
“Indeed, the best of what you eat is (originated) from your efforts, and indeed your children are (results) from your efforts” ( HR. Abu Daud no.3528)
Therefore, if our children are educated and then become pious children and pray for us, the rewards will continue to flow to us.
As employees, we are responsible for making every effort to do the task as thoroughly and accurately as we can rather than performing the work carelessly. Despite the fact that both of these things lead to the same outcome, which is that the activity can be finished, the outcome is, of course, different.
A person who does an activity skillfully will invariably get desirable outcomes, whereas a person who performs an activity carelessly will invariably achieve undesirable outcomes.
وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُۥ سَوْفَ يُرَىٰ
“And that his effort is going to be seen” (An Najm: 40)
In the life to come, people’s deeds will be examined and analysed so that it may be determined what provisions they brought with them. It is obvious from the context that the previous sentence was referring to the prizes and punishments that will be handed out in the Hereafter. This is because the previous sentence was immediately followed by this one. Those who read the previous statement as an economic theory that may be applied in this world have a misguided view of what the passage is trying to convey.
It is imperative that we uphold the morals and spirit of surah An Najm: 40, which states that whatever we do today will be seen in the not-too-distant future, regardless of how well or poorly we behave. Even if he is not promoted, a good officer will work hard and contribute to the organisation day and night. In return for his efforts, he may receive the joy of receiving simple acknowledgement from his superior. In a similar vein, a person who undermines the efforts of his colleague in order to further his own career should likewise be conscious of the consequences of his own behaviour. Even if he is successful, he will still be stressed out because of the amount of work he has to do and the potential for the worst case scenario. His advancement is not based on his capability or merit. As a direct consequence of this, he may have developed a health problem. In addition to this, there is a possibility that he would lose his job at the company because he is unable to provide the desired outcomes there. Since of this, you should never underestimate the power of Allah because He may just take back whatever has been entrusted to us as easily as removing a finger from your hand.
Both good and bad efforts will be seen on the Day of Judgment, will be seen by Allah and will be seen by the angels. Some of his good deeds will be shown to the public to honour him, and some of his bad deeds will also be shown to the public to shame him. As the word of Allah ﷻ
يَوْمَ تُبْلَى السَّرَاۤىِٕرُۙ
“On the day all secrets are revealed”(AT-Thaariq: 9)
Every effort and hard work that we put in at work, even if it is not recognised and appreciated, we should believe that Allah will reward us for it on the day that we return to him, no matter how little appreciation and recognition we receive. However, as good employers, we have an obligation to acknowledge and value every effort put forth by our staff members, even if the results do not meet the standards we have set.
ثُمَّ يُجْزَىٰهُ ٱلْجَزَآءَ ٱلْأَوْفَىٰ
“Then he will be recompensed for it with the fullest recompense” (An Najm: 41)
My emotions are stirred by verse 41 of the Surah an-Najm. Even the application of scientific theory to its explanation is not out of the question. Let’s begin by taking a look at the first law of motion that Newton proposed. The first law of Newton states that new forms of energy cannot be created, but energy can be converted from one form to another. This law is explained in a basic manner. Newton’s third law states that whenever two bodies come into contact with one another, the resulting interaction results in the application of forces that are equivalent in magnitude but opposite in direction. The gravitational force that exists between the two bodies is responsible for this phenomenon. This is precisely what the Surah an-Najm alludes to when it declares that our deeds, in whatever form they may take, will be compensated for in the most comprehensive manner possible.
For instance, employees unethically take advantage of the company by delaying the work, hoping to claim overtime. He may gain his overtime pay without anyone realise it. However, the action of cheating is being watched and monitored by our creator. His action will be fully recompensed for it with the fullest recompense. When the times come, the creator can just take it back with a simple scenario such as damage to a vehicle or even a natural disaster such as a flood.
Nothing is reduced, even a little injustice will be rewarded even a little kindness will be rewarded, as the word of Allah ﷻ,
فَمَنْ يَّعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَّرَه* وَمَنْ يَّعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَّرَه
“So whoever does a particle’s worth of good, he will certainly see (retribution), and whoever does a particle’s weight of evil, he will surely see (retribution)”. (Az-Zalzalah: 7-8).
The Prophet ﷺ also said,
لاَ تَحْقِرَنَّ مِنَ الْمَعْرُوفِ شَيْئًا وَلَوْ أَنْ تَلْقَى أَخَاكَ بِوَجْهٍ طَلْقٍ
“Don’t underestimate kindness even if you meet your brother with a radiant face”( HR. Muslim no.2026)
Everything will have its reward, even if it seems trivial; everything will be rewarded by Allah ﷻ perfectly, be it good or bad, because everything is recorded and nothing is missed.
The principle of what comes around goes around is fully reflected in verse regardless of what good or bad we have done. It will fully recompense us.
As employees, we have an obligation to have faith that no matter how modest or significant our contributions to the growth of the company may be, they will be amply rewarded by God. On the other hand, we must not lose sight of the fact that even the smallest amount of evil things we do while we are at work will definitely be amply rewarded by God, even if the deeds we perform are not observed by anyone else. It is important to keep in mind that regardless of how hard we attempt to disguise our emotions, whether they are good or evil, Allah observes and is aware of every gesture made by his servants.
وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلْمُنتَهَىٰ
“And that to your Lord is the finality” (An Najm:42)
Our end is to meet God. الْمُنتَهَىٰ means ‘the final place’. All things will be brought before God to be judged. At that time, there was no more effort because it had already entered the revenge part. So we have to try in life. So don’t waste our opportunities while living in this world.
So, don’t forget this. In everything we do, remember that we will meet Allah eventually, and we will be questioned about what we did. What if we are questioned about our many sins? How can we be safe, then?
That all things are determined by Allah ﷻ, and all affairs ultimately return to Allah ﷻ. About the Day of Judgment, Mahsyar field, heaven and hell, life and death, destiny, sustenance, everything returns to Allah ﷻ
They should never forget that whatever acts and activities they conduct within the organisation are not performed solely for the firm’s sake since, at the end of the day, leaders are ultimately answerable to the one who created them. They need to keep in mind that they are not only serving the CEO of the company; rather, they are serving the organisation as a whole, as well as the community and society at large. This is something that the workers need to keep in mind if they are successful in their roles. No one will enquire about the number of automobiles and properties you own, and no one will ask us how many zeros are in our bank account. Neither will they ask us how many zeros are in our bank account. At the end of the day, the creator will enquire as to how many people we have assisted today, in addition to how many people we have assisted with feeding in the past. He will also ask how many people we have provided shelter for.
Conclusion It is recommended that strategic leaders adopt and adjust Surah An Najm: 39–42 as their personal style of leadership. These verses can be found in the Quran. Dare to be different and dare to behave in a way that is advantageous to the nation as a whole. Both of these things require courage. There is no reason to be concerned as long as the job that we are doing is both valuable to humankind and in conformity with the ethical standards that have been established. In conclusion, the leader is expected to consistently remind their followers of the relevance of Surah An Najm: 38–42 until their followers are able to retain the principles it specifies as the istiqomah. This obligation remains until the followers are able to keep the ideals.