Politics and management

Egay Uy

ACCORDING to thefreedictionary.com, a “politician” is one who is actively involved or skilled in politics, especially one who holds a political office, or one who deceives or outmaneuvers others for personal gain, or one who uses public office to advance personal or partisan interests.

“Politics” refers to the activities associated with the governance of a certain area (as in a local government unit), especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.

A “manager” on the other hand is defined as one who directs or manages an organization. To manage means to be in charge, to administer, to run.

“Management” also refers to the skillful handling or use of resources. Can politics and management, in a professional context, mix? Yes they can but in certain situations, one will have to be sacrificed in favor of the other, especially with how and what the people expect from those in power be they managers or politicians.

It cannot be denied that still many people who support a certain candidate expect something in return. A “volunteer worker” is not necessarily a volunteer but one who works for a candidate in exchange for some favor in the future, when the candidate will have won.

As defined, a volunteer is supposed to be one who freely offers himself to do some work for somebody, in this case, the candidate. He does something, especially for other people or for an organization willingly and without being forced or paid to do it. (Cambridge Dictionaries Online)

But that is not the case in many instances because still many “volunteers” working for candidates expect at a later time some rewards or shares in the “spoils of victory” most of which are jobs, even if they are square pegs in round holes.

Sadly, they are the kind who are not really after the good things that their candidates will bring forth for the welfare of the greater majority once elected.

But while there those who expect something in return and are disgruntled if there are none, there still exist those whose purpose in campaigning for their candidate is the welfare of the greater majority.

The latter are what a manager who runs for public office may have to look for in his machinery.

(Egay Uy is a lawyer, city hall consultant, and the chairman of Task Force Hapsay Dalan.)