Andleeb Abbas First Pakistani to become a certified Results Coaching Systems (RCS) Coach

Andleeb Abbas is a leading consultant, trainer, writer and speaker. She has set new horizons in the field of management development in the country by changing paradigms in many sectors, organizations and individuals. She has been involved in the field of training and consultancy for the last 13 years.

As a trainer, she has trained the personnel of nearly all top local and multinational organizations.

She is the first Pakistani to become a certified Results Coaching Systems (RCS) Coach which is accredited by International Coaching Federation, the largest worldwide resource for professional coaches. In 2002 she was the only Pakistani to be declared as one of the top 30 Strategic Thinkers in the world by the World Bank Washington DC Social Development Department, and consequently was invited to assist the World Bank in preparing their next 10-year strategic plan.

She has published more than 30 papers and over 500 articles.

Jahangir’s World Times (JWT): Please tell us about Franklin Covey?

Andleeb Abbas (AA): Franklin Covey, the world’s largest multinational, deals in consulting, training and coaching, in the areas of leadership effectiveness. I basically, represent Franklin Covey Pakistan and I brought this company into Pakistan in 2006. Since then, every small or big multinational, and every manager or leader, has gone through our consulting, coaching or training assignments.

JWT: How did you join Franklin Covey?

AA: Basically, I have two specialties; first in marketing, and other in strategic management. The strategic part of management covers all sorts of expertise e.g. leadership, entrepreneurship, long-term planning vision, etc. I established my company because I wanted to introduce something to impact the minds and the souls of the people. When I read the ‘7 Habits’ in 2004, the depth of the concepts inspired me a lot. Utilizing my marketing skills, I, then, wrote to the Franklin Covey USA. Initially, they declined citing the reason that there was nobody, in Pakistan, related to this work. However, I never gave up. I spent nearly one and a half years for this and finally, in 2006, they came to Pakistan. I was certified for Seven Habits and many other products.

When I became certified, I started with habit number 2 i.e. to begin with the end. This habit makes you go deep inside and to see what you have finally achieved. So, I resolved that before leaving this world, I shall do this, this, along with something notable for my country.

I entered politics and joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as I wanted to bring change in the mindsets of people and ultimately the country.

JWT: What, in your opinion, is the true meaning of Strategic Management and Planning?

AA: Well, while carving out a strategy, it doesn’t matter that how much fortune you possess. In Pakistan, many people, having lots of money, come to me for consultancy. Many of them want to start a TV channel just because it’s like a trend nowadays. My first question to them always is, ‘Do you have any strategy to run the channel? ‘But, most of them usually lack this tool.

Strategic planning means the assessment of your financial resources, looking at the opportunities and threats, matching them with the skills and capabilities of your human resources, having an operational view that how the whole system will work, putting up a chain of supply chain management and having IT systems. Thus, strategic management means the ability to have strategy encompassing all areas of the organization. In Pakistan, businesses fail because if people have money, they have no marketing strategy, if they have marketing strategy, right people aren’t available to them, and if a competent workforce is there, they are not well compensated. Hence, the failure proves that something is missing in the strategy.

JWT: How did you market Pakistan and what sorts of problems you had to cope with?

AA: In fact, I faced numerous difficulties but my aim was to present Pakistan as an opportunity because it has long been an unexplored market. In the initial stages of our correspondence, I found Franklin Covey gravely concerned about the issues like terrorism. However, I asserted that many multinational giants like Nestle’, Unilever, Philips, Pepsi, etc., which were much bigger than Franklin Covey, are operating in Pakistan and doing much better business here as compared to India, despite the fact that India is a hundred times bigger market than Pakistan. I furthered my point by saying that they can enquire form such companies that how Pakistan is!

The Company had its regional headquarters in India hence the prospects of its launch in Pakistan became dim because Indians, generally, are hostile towards us. Nevertheless, an Indian delegation planned coming to Pakistan and the Franklin Covey USA asked them to search some individuals talented enough to train and coach people. The companies like Nestle, Pepsi, etc., all recommend my name. And, by the grace of Almighty Allah, my name was at the top of the list. The delegation was, then, advised to seek some sort of collaboration with me. That’s how I brought Franklin Covey to Pakistan.

-JWT: What do you think of bureaucracy? Is it an attitude? Do you think that Pakistan needs strategic planning to change the traditional attitude of bureaucracy?

AA: I would rather say that everything is an attitude; strategy is an attitude, leadership is an attitude, and so on. Actually, humans are slaves of only one item and that is the brain because mind controls actions, body and behaviour. These elements are the ingredients of an attitude. As far as bureaucracy is concerned, in both public and corporate sectors, the ‘attitude’ is more dominant in public sector bureaucracy than its private sector counterpart, owing to a lack of sense of ownership and motivation. Moreover, rather than performance, politics plays a major role in their promotions and postings.

Strategic Management and Planning comes into play everywhere; and it says, ‘Look at the long-term and plan the short-term.’ We had various five-year plans but the point to be understood here is that plan is just one component of the strategy. When it comes at the State level, we need to have a vision for Pakistan, hence, we need strategy. I mean a vision is indispensable to run a country; only day-to-day administration cannot serve the purpose. For instance, Quaid-i-Azam had a vision behind Pakistan and it applies on our government as well that where it sees Pakistan in 2018. In PTI, we say that a peaceful, prosperous and welfare Islamic state, where equal opportunities of education, health and employment are available to the people, is our vision for Pakistan. Thus, strategy, vision and mission are equally essential for a state or an organization.

JWT: How would you differentiate between a vision and a mission?

AA: Vision means where you want to be or what your ultimate goal is. Whereas the mission is the purpose for which you are striving.

JWT: What are, in your view, the strengths and weaknesses of the youth of Pakistan?

AA: Well, I have visited various countries across the globe, and I have not seen as vibrant and talented youth as Pakistan’s. Our youth have excellent brains, are very energetic and enthusiastic but they lack discipline. It’s mainly because of the environment they live in. Their talents must be channelized to make Pakistan’s future brighter.

Why the developed nations are ahead of us? Because their youth is extremely disciplined and channelized! So, I think it’s our responsibility to motivate our youth and, in return, they will give their best.

JWT: Do you think that PTI has evolved the best strategy to channelize the country’s youth?

AA: I think there is a lot of room for improvement. Ours is a young rather a teen-aged party but despite the fact we have brought a huge change. We have made them realize and think that this is their own country and they have to take it forward.

JWT: Do you think, you have any dream still unfulfilled?

AA: During my student days, a number of foreign students used to come to Pakistan for their education. I had a lovely Pakistan those days. But when I had to send my children abroad for studies, it was the moment I realized that what Pakistan has become today. My children will only come back if I force them or they may come when their mother is sick. Nevertheless I want to leave a more tolerant, peaceful Pakistan for the next generations. I dream of a Pakistan where there are more opportunities for all. And I believe that soon the day will come when children of mine and others will say that Pakistan has more to offer than UK, USA and Dubai.

JWT: Would you like to give any message, especially to Karachiites because they had supported PTI in a difficult environment?

AA: Yes, Karachi is amazing and the Karachiites have proved that they are alive. Karachiites are unfairly imprisoned by the political circumstances. And I want to tell them that PTI is focused to bring them out from this prison and I will say thank you Karachi, we acknowledge your affiliation.