My new look

I was in Pakistan speaking to a group of humanitarian workers from various organisations. I decided to talk about “my new look”. The challenge I put to the audience was: I want you all to tell me what my new look should be like. The room went silent. I was struggling to get them to talk, they were all shy and mumbling. I said I don’t believe there is a firm answer and that seemed to loosen the tongues.

Answers started trickling. Somebody suggested I should wear a wig, with different hair colours for every day of the week. Someone else said I should shave my eyebrows and trim my beard. Another man told me I should look at decreasing my waistline. A girl said I should dress more flowery.

The discussion went on and on. I really enjoyed it because it shows how people perceive you as an image. However, my new look was about the way I look at people, understand them, listen to them and help them.
The new look should be a constant process of engaging ourselves with those whom we claim we champion. Our new look is how to focus on looking at them objectively all the time. The new look enables us to keep delivering on their behalf and accomplish our mission for them.

Our new look should go deep down to understand their feelings, aspirations and dreams, their joy or even agony. We mustn’t overlook the noisy children at the back of the shed, just because they live side by side with cows. Cows dream to eat grass and children dream of going to class.

Our new look is not a stage-managed articulate speech, but a heartfelt delivered action. We have to have a new look from time to time to remind us of our mission and the message of our programme.