Hilary Robertson-Hickling

In the most recent copy of the Jamaica Journal there is an article about Cecil Baugh Jamaica's first internationally acclaimed master potter. I am looking forward to visiting a recently opened show of contemporary potters in Jamaica and seeing their excellent work. The question is how we can transfer the mastery of the medium of the potter's clay to all sectors in Jamaica.

In his book the Fifth Discipline, Peter Senge one of the world's management gurus discusses the art and practice of the learning organisation. This kind of organisation has become critical in the global environment which is competitive and constantly changing. Not only does the organisation have to change but the people in the organization also have to change.

The five disciplines are systems thinking, personal mastery, shared vision and team learning. In this context it is the issue of personal mastery in which there is continuous clarification, deepening of personal vision, focusing our energies, developing patience and seeing reality objectively.

Encourage ourselves

How do we encourage ourselves to master our crafts whether as teachers, managers or potters? In a discussion about the business of the construction of the Spanish hotels, I learned that one of the hotels which had already been completed had been completed on time and within its budget by a group of Jamaican workers led by the developers. We need to highlight that as much as the folly at Fiesta about which I have already written. It is time that the stakeholders in such projects, the developers, the government, the workforce collectively master these processes.

Those planning the Cricket World Cup need to ensure that they are drawing on those who have mastered the craft of organising large international sporting events in the world locally and internationally. A country which has hosted the Commonwealth Games, the Central American and Caribbean Games and the World Junior Games, among many other successful events, should be a highly respected venue which can demonstrate expertise once the resources are available. We seem to have real problems to mobilise our best and most experienced brains to do things. There is no point in having skilled individuals working in compartments while the collective will cannot be exercised.

Area of expertise

The concept of a track record is very interesting as it indicates that someone or some group has demonstrated that it has the capacity to undertake an activity successfully. We should be able to undertake the organisation of such events as an area of expertise in Jamaica. We constantly seem to be beginning instead of moving on to the next level. There should be enough Jamaicans and Caribbean citizens at home and in the diaspora to undertake a significant portion of the tasks in these events.

We need to become confident and secure in ourselves so that we can choose the right people for any job. I believe that the Cricket World Cup will be a great success and the issue of mastery will allow this to be done again with the consummate ease of Mr. Baugh.