I thank the MBA Alumni Association of the University of Colombo for having invited me to be the Chief Guest at this Management Conference. The theme chosen for this year's conference, "Beyond Traditional Boundaries" is a very appropriate one. Sri Lanka is now one of the most peaceful and stable nations in the Asian region. All of us are stakeholders in this country's future, and we have an opportunity to build on the foundation of peace to take Sri Lanka to the next level.
To contribute effectively to this national cause, we need to move beyond our usual comfort zones. We must look afresh at our strengths and our opportunities. We must realise that there is great potential in this country for future growth. Sri Lanka is an attractive destination for foreign investment. Tourist arrivals are constantly increasing, and our domestic industries, service sector and agriculture sector have the scope to grow much further. No matter whether we are individual entrepreneurs, corporate executives, professionals or public officials, we must make the most of these opportunities at this critical time. We must go beyond traditional boundaries and commit to achieving our shared destiny as a nation.
Commitment is one of the most crucial success factors in any undertaking. A serious issue Sri Lanka faces today is that the level of commitment at various levels is not as great as it should be. This leads to inefficiency and underperformance in various institutions, enterprises and projects, both in the public sector as well as the private sector. Often, the central problem is inadequate commitment at key leadership levels. It is only when leaders are fully committed to achieving success that their subordinates will follow suit. Without commitment of the leadership, the desired results can never be achieved.
The Humanitarian Operation that liberated Sri Lanka from LTTE terrorism provides a good example of committed leadership leading to success. The President, myself as the Defence Secretary, the Commanders and the key senior officers of the Armed Services were all fully committed to eradicating terrorism from Sri Lanka. The actions and words of each of these individuals constantly underscored their commitment. This was critical to long-term success.
When the LTTE developed its air capability and carried out air raids over Colombo, there was a great deal of agitation and panic amongst the general public. The response of the leadership was critical. Because of the President's immense commitment, he went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that this problem was being tackled properly. He made sure that immediate action was taken. When the radar system to detect the LTTE aircraft was installed at the Katunayaka air base, he himself inspected the system during its first rehearsal. This demonstration of personal commitment at the very highest level was an invaluable and inspiring lesson to everyone involved in the war effort.
During the last stages of the war, when certain western governments with vested interests tried to intervene and halt the progress of the military, the firm resolve and commitment of the leadership was very clear to see. The President, as Commander in Chief was the only person who could call and end to the war. He held firm in the face of immense pressure. The French Foreign Minister and the British Foreign Secretary even came to Sri Lanka to try and influence him to change his mind. Despite this last minute interference, the President did not waver. As a result of his firm resolve and unswerving commitment, the western pressure was resisted and the final objective was achieved.
Commitment to a cause comes through motivation. Motivation is what enables people to stay focused on their tasks despite the setbacks, obstacles and difficulties that arise from time to time. It is the duty of people in leadership positions to motivate their subordinates so that they work with proper commitment to achieve the tasks entrusted to them. To motivate others successfully, however, the leaders themselves must be fully motivated.
During the entire war effort, all of us in leadership positions were highly motivated because we knew beyond doubt that eradicating terrorism was the only way to create a better future for the people of Sri Lanka. There was never any doubt about the grave challenges we would face along the way, nor was there any doubt about the threats there would be to our lives. The President was targeted many times by the LTTE during this time. As Defence Secretary, I was targeted. The Service Commanders and other senior military leaders were targeted, sometimes successfully. However, despite these threats, we persisted because we knew that what we were doing was correct, and would ultimately benefit all Sri Lankans.
Leaders and managers should understand that clearly communicating the importance of the task at hand to subordinates is the best way to motivate them. People will be motivated to achieve any objective if they are confident that it is in the best interests of the institution or enterprise they work for, the project they are on, or to the betterment of the people and the nation. Communicating the value of the task at hand is therefore critically important.
During the Humanitarian Operation, ensuring the commitment of all the service personnel was one of the great responsibilities of the leadership. Making sure that they understood the value of achieving the end objective was critical. The soldiers knew the hardships they would face, the sacrifices they would have to make, and the danger they would constantly be in at the warfront. They saw some of their colleagues dying, and others becoming disabled for life. Despite this, because they understood the great importance of defeating terrorism, they were motivated despite all the hardships and risks they would have to face.
Another example of how people can be motivated for a cause is the urban regeneration work currently being done throughout Sri Lanka. These projects involve a number of people from different organisations such as the UDA, the SLLRDC and the Municipality, together with selected members of the Armed Services. All of them work hard towards achieving success in the various projects entrusted to them because they understand their work will make Sri Lanka a more attractive destination for tourists and foreign investments, and a much more pleasant country for our own citizens. Making sure that all the people involved in any enterprise understand the value of their work is a very important duty of leaders and managers.
There are several ways through which the motivation of people can be further strengthened. Uplifting morale is extremely important. Consider the war effort once again. At the time the Humanitarian Operation was launched, society had a very negative attitude towards undertaking yet another a military campaign against the LTTE. People were tired of war, and they did not believe that the LTTE could be militarily defeated. The respect in society for soldiers was also affected by the prevailing situation. This had a negative effect on the soldiers' morale. Desertion rates were high, and the general spirit among Services personnel was at a low ebb.
To overcome this problem, the Api Wenuwen Api campaign was launched [in 2006?]. The Api Wenuwen Api campaign enabled us to show the soldiers and potential new recruits the importance of the soldier's role in society. It conveyed to the general public the feeling that the soldiers were their own brothers and sisters, and that they should be respected for their role in protecting our freedom and security. The Api Wenuwen Api campaign also highlighted the seriousness of the Government with regard to the military campaign. Not only did it slowly change the social perceptions about the war, but it greatly uplifted the morale of the soldiers and also encouraged many young people to join the military.
In addition to the Api Wenuwen Api campaign, several other steps were taken to further motivate the soldiers'. Welfare campaigns were launched to look after disabled soldiers, and to provide housing for soldiers and their families. The Api Wenuwen Api fund was established to enable the general public to contribute towards the welfare of the soldiers. Through such initiatives, the soldiers were made to understand very clearly that the Government as well as the general public truly valued their service. They were given the confidence that their interests would be looked after no matter what. This provided further encouragement to them. Together with their clear understanding of the importance of their role, and the uplifting of their morale, these measures helped motivate the soldiers despite the immense hardships, sacrifices and risks they would experience during the war effort.
As much as commitment and motivation are important, consistency of focus is another critical success factor in any enterprise. It is essential that the focus on getting things done is kept from the start of the endeavour until it is completed. We must not be satisfied with midpoint victories and lose focus on the final result. The final objective is the most important one to achieve. The lack of consistent focus towards the end goal is a fairly serious problem in society today. On occasion, we make elaborate plans for achieving something but don't focus enough on pushing it through to its conclusion. Implementation of plans suffers when adequate focus is not there.
This is one of the reasons why the war against terrorism dragged on for such a long period. For example, Operation Riviresa was a very important and difficult operation in which the Armed Forces succeeded in liberating the Jaffna peninsula from LTTE dominance. However, instead of continuing until the goal of completely eradicating the LTTE was achieved, the Operation halted after the peninsula was secured. The LTTE was allowed the space in which to regroup. Not long afterwards, it staged a strong comeback. Many debacles followed, and the good work that had been accomplished was undone. It is due to situations like this that the conflict dragged on for so many years.
One of the most important success factors underpinning the Humanitarian Operation was the continuous, consistent progress that was made until the final objective was accomplished. This was possible because the focus on that final objective never wavered. First, the Eastern Province was cleared. Then, attention turned to the Northern campaign straight away. At no point was there any stoppage. No opportunity was given for the LTTE to regroup and reorganise. Instead, from the first day of the campaign until the demise of Prabhakaran at the Nanthikadal lagoon, there was consistent, continuous progress.
This progress was achieved despite setbacks occurring from time to time. Such setbacks are inevitable in any undertaking, but so long as the key people remain focused on the end objective, they will not impact the final outcome. When the reversal at Muhamalai occurred, and we lost 125 men, 6 battle tanks, and were not even able to recover the bodies of the fallen, it was viewed by some critics as a serious setback to the on-going campaign. It caused them to question the pursuit of military action against the LTTE, despite the many advances made prior to that incident.
Despite this setback, the President and the rest of the leadership did not panic. The focus that all the key people had on the Humanitarian Operation was truly exemplary. During the entire period of three and a half years, not a single Security Council meeting was missed. Instead, the President chaired these meetings every Wednesday and keenly participated in the briefings and debriefings made by the Commanders. He had an in-depth knowledge of the overall situation. As a result, he understood that setbacks such as the Muhamalai reversal were only temporary, and would not affect the overall progress of the war. Therefore he had the confidence to enable the military campaign to go on uninterrupted.
In this context, the importance of positive thinking should also be taken into account. One of the critical success factors in any undertaking involves the optimism, self-belief and confidence that people bring to it. The power of positive thinking is such that it can make even impossible tasks seem achievable. When coupled with a clear vision of what needs to be done, positive thinking can accomplish almost anything.
For example, when His Excellency the President was elected to office in 2005, terrorism had been a part of daily life for nearly three decades. The LTTE was in control of a large amount of the country's territory. People thought it could never be defeated. Despite this, the President had a very clear vision to bring peace to Sri Lanka. When it was clear that the peace process had failed, the President had the courage, confidence and optimism to launch the military campaign to defeat terrorism despite the prevailing negativity. In just three and a half years, the campaign succeeded.
The presence of garbage in streets and public places was another problem that people often thought could never be solved. After all, officials at the municipal, provincial and even the national level had tried to tackle this problem for many years without success. Despite all the pessimism, however, solving the problem was not especially difficult. When the situation was analysed, it became clear that the fault lay with the companies responsible for disposing garbage and keeping the streets clean. These companies were not deploying enough people or committing enough resources for the tasks assigned. There was inadequate supervision, and the work was simply not getting done.
In addition to instructing the companies concerned to strictly fulfil the terms of their contracts, additional oversight was also provided through the Environmental Division set up in the Sri Lanka Police. The members of this division were given a clear mandate to monitor and ensure that the work that had been undertaken by the private sector companies was progressing according to schedule.
Providing a clear mandate and an unambiguous mission is essential to the success of any enterprise. If there is a lack of clarity in the directions provided, it is more than likely that the task undertaken will not be accomplished successfully. It is the duty of leaders and managers to provide their subordinates with a specific set of objectives and goals to achieve. Without this, confusion can arise. Not only will this impede work at the operational level, it can also have serious implications even at the strategic level. Specific objectives are particularly important when plans and strategies are prepared to accomplish the desired end result.
Planning and strategizing is integral to the success of any mission. The objectives and goals to be achieved must be carefully identified and analysed, and plans must be put in place to achieve them. During the planning of the Humanitarian Operation, identifying reasons behind the historical inability to defeat the LTTE militarily was of utmost importance. Preventing history from repeating was critical. Therefore, a careful analysis of past attempts at military campaigns was called for. One of the major issues identified during this analysis was the inadequate strength of the military.
Because the military did not have enough personnel, it faced tactical difficulties on ground. One of these was its inability to consistently dominate the territory regained from the LTTE during battle. As a result, the LTTE was historically able to mount fresh offensives to recapture such territory. Further, the lack of numbers made it difficult for the military to operate on broader frontages and multiple axes during its campaigns. This reduced its effectiveness. These were problems that required immediate remedy, and the only solution was to expand the military significantly. During the period from late 2006 to 2009, the strength of the Army was virtually doubled through continuous recruitment campaigns, while the Navy, Air Force and Police were also expanded significantly. This allowed us to overcome the problem of insufficient numbers.
Another major issue that emerged from the analysis was the likelihood of international mediation. In the past, successful military campaigns had been held back as a result of external pressure. The most obvious example was when the Vadamarachchi operation was stopped as a result of Indian intervention. The conflict in Sri Lanka is a very sensitive one in South India, and it was the responsibility of the political leadership to find a solution to addressing those sensitivities while safeguarding the national interest. The solution arrived at was the establishment of a new mechanism outside regular diplomatic channels. A 6 member bilateral committee comprising a troika of officials from each country was appointed to monitor on-going developments and resolve critical issues as they arose. This committee fulfilled its role very effectively, and the military campaign was continued to its conclusion.
While planning and strategizing takes place, another vital success factor in any undertaking is ensuring that the right people are appointed to key positions. If any project, institution or enterprise is to succeed, able leaders with the ability to produce results must be placed in positions of responsibility. One of the most critical determinants of success in any enterprise are the people involved. I believe that it is the man behind a weapon that is important, and not the weapon itself. Choosing the right people for the task is therefore essential. We should select people who can bring the desired results. This means that the leaders and managers in organisations must have a thorough knowledge of their subordinates.
It is also essential to provide proper leadership to the people chosen for a task. They must be motivated and encouraged to work with commitment to fulfil their responsibilities. Giving them a clear mandate and a specific set of objectives is necessary for success to be achieved. If the correct people are given a clear mandate, proper guidance, motivation and leadership, they will achieve results.
At the same time, it is important to realise that we have to work with the people who are available. When I was a young major in the Army, I was the second in command of the Gajaba Regiment. My Commanding Officer was General Wijeya Wimalaratna. During one of the admin conferences held at the regiment, some of the officers stated that they wanted to change their subordinates and get better personnel. General Wimalaratne granted their request, and instructed that the personnel be changed to the admin company under my command. Afterwards, he told me that it is important to work with the people available. Most of the people who join the army were from villages, and they usually studied only up to the eighth standard. They did not have exceptional skills. Instead, they were normal people with average capabilities. General Wimalaratne pointed out that it is very easy to get work out of supermen. However, the hallmark of good leaders and managers is that they can get the ordinary, average people under them to perform quality work. I am happy to note that after some time, this company won the highest number of awards for gallantry among the entire battalion.
Getting the best out of the people available is a vital responsibility of leaders and managers in any organisation. It is their duty to correctly identify the strengths and weaknesses of their subordinates, and find ways to assist them to perform to the best of their ability. Helping them to improve their performance by providing adequate support and correct training is also important.
The recent urban development projects provide a good example of how significantly better output was obtained with the available personnel. The staffs of the UDA, the SLLRDC and the municipality have not changed, although the work they now achieve is qualitatively very different from what it was in the past. While we sometimes deploy officers from the military to motivate the workers and give them the push necessary to get the work moving, it is the same architects, town planners, engineers and municipal officers and workers of the UDA, SLLRDC & Municipality who are doing the work we see all around the urban areas. Though the people have not changed, with correct leadership, motivation and supervision, the quality of the work they are producing has increased tremendously.
In this context, the value of proper supervision cannot be overstated. I spoke earlier about how lack of supervision contributed to the garbage problem, and how providing proper oversight solved that problem. A failing that we encounter in society quite often is the unwillingness or inability of those in supervisory roles to discharge their responsibilities properly. It is important to realise that supervision is not only necessary at the very top, but at all levels. Consultants, managers, professionals, executives and officers in the public as well as the private sector must realise the importance of supervising the work of their subordinates. Particularly in fields such as construction, the professionals must not be deskbound, but should go to the field and supervise what is being done.
To take an example at the lowest level: the paving of sidewalks is often taken to be a very simple job. However, if something so simple cannot be done properly, then the chances are that more complicated work will also not succeed. Particularly during my early visits, I observed that lower level labourers worked at these sites without proper guidance from their supervisors. This resulted in mediocre work.. Even in a matter as simple as paving sidewalks, supervision is essential.
Without proper supervision and attention to detail by those in supervisory positions, the quality of work achieved in any undertaking will be mediocre. This is not something we can afford. A job badly done often needs redoing, and as a developing country, we have neither the time nor the resources to indulge in redoing work time and again. We need to have quality work achieved at the outset, and the only way to ensure that is if people in positions of responsibility supervise their subordinates properly and pay enough attention to detail.
One of the best ways in which to ensure that supervision and attention to detail takes place properly is through assigning work to small teams, and giving them ownership of the work and responsibility for its success. When teams feel that they own the job, they take greater responsibility for the final outcome and are motivated to work as hard as they can to achieve the desired results. This is a strategy that has been extremely successful in important urban development projects such as the renovation of the Dutch Hospital, the upgrading of the Colombo Fort area, the Water's Edge walkway development and the redevelopment of the Racecourse Grounds. Small teams of engineers, architects, town planners, and management personnel were entrusted with these projects, and they delivered quality results. The same approach has been adopted for forthcoming development projects throughout the country, including Jaffna, Nuwara Eliya, Diyatalawa, Matara and others. I am confident that these projects will be successful because the teams involved have been given ownership of the projects.
During the course of this address, I have touched upon several factors that I believe will help achieve success in any enterprise. Commitment, motivation, consistency of focus, positive thinking, establishing a clear mission and mandate, ensuring proper planning, and providing proper management through correct staffing, supervision and delegating ownership of work are all critical success factors. I hope that the experiences recounted and the lessons learnt will prove useful to you, and that you will gain many more insights from the rest of this conference that will enhance the efficiency and quality of your work.
As I stated at the beginning, Sri Lanka is at a critical time in its history. With the defeat of terrorism and the development activities taking place, Sri Lanka is a peaceful, stable country with a lot of growth prospects. The Government will do everything it can to create an environment conducive for economic development. It is up to everybody to make use of this opportunity and generate the required results. After three decades of terrorism, followed by three years of peace and stability, the time is right for Sri Lanka to attain its rightful place in the world. If all of us take this mission to heart and commit ourselves to guiding our nation to a prosperous future, I have every confidence that we will succeed.
In concluding, let me wish all of you a pleasant and productive day ahead, and wish you every future success.
Thank you.
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