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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) continues to grow unabated and navigates economic storms bravely because the country is managed like a top-notch enterprise. Its Government’s vision of being the best in the world has always been driven by management principles under the wise leadership of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and others.

As an entrepreneur, I watch UAE’s phenomenal growth from a management lens and try to glean the principles that business leaders can learn and leverage to guide an equally envious growth. I see six key principles that I discuss in this article.

– Setting Priorities
– Competition between Teams
– Unwavering Perseverance
– Sustainability Focus
– Strong Communication
– Grooming Talent
– Working with Consultants

I outline a few ways in which business leaders can learn and leverage the way the UAE Governments function to better realize their work ambitions:

Setting priorities

Governments have always enforced visions with rigid priorities and objectives year after year. The headline-making priorities are outlined with strategic plans and a deadline, followed by a declaration of the measures towards completion. Most plans focus on sustainable development and technological advancements to make UAE the most desirable place to live and do business.

Competitions between departments

The most intriguing feature of the UAE Government is the simplicity with which it approaches complex strategies to propel the city’s transformation. All its forward-thinking ambitions for the country are cascaded top-down where each of the connected economic departments frames its own vision and subsequent objectives aligned to the bigger vision. In line with this, departments race against each other to fulfill their goals within the timeline while also accrediting their departments with certifications and world records in the process.

Unwavering perseverance

Once declared, the priorities stay in intense focus and no stone is left unturned to achieve the desired objectives. The word impossible is not in the country’s dictionary. Even the pandemic couldn’t deter the hosting of EXPO, and governments initiated one of the world’s most effective mass Covid vaccination drive to vaccinate 100 percent of its population.

Sustainability focus

The UAE is moving towards a sustainable future. Eco-friendly mobility, 20-minute cities, clean energy 2050, energy-efficient buildings, green ecosystems and resource optimization plans they’re latched on to, and businesses are called on to embrace carbon-neutral operations in future. A comprehensive 2040 Urban Master Plan aims at doubling green and recreational spaces for residents. More than 60 percent of the Emirate’s will be filled with nature reserves and green corridors.

Strong communication

Extensively communicating the vision and making everybody part of the plan and its success is the forte of government leaders. The administration system creates a very positive culture and a strong focus on excellence, where everything is possible, and everybody knows they can play a role in expediting UAE’s growth.

Grooming talent

Openness to ideas, upskilling and expertise in HR continue to be the key drivers of futuristic growth. With strategic plans lasting approximately ten years, its diverse talent pool and incredible minds have played a paramount role in constantly pushing UAE’s development to new heights. Several opportunities to learn and contribute help groom its talent to take up challenging roles.

Hiring consultants

Innovation has always been a key ingredient in its recipe for success so far, and the leaders have always hired the most innovative minds to catapult its development and rival the strongest cities in the world. Government officials work with top consultants to implement projects at the grassroots level and shape their brilliant plans.

I’m always in awe of the various heads of departments that we interact with. I am impressed with their unshakable belief in realizing their leader’s visions and making them their own. Business leaders in UAE can also learn and follow their management excellence model to drive growth.

Atheeqe Ansari- Managing Director, Electric Way