The idea that through one’s work, undertaken with competence and spirit of service towards the constituencies that our respective institutions have to serve, we can help build our nation and change the world for the better is one a center for governance and leadership should assiduously promote.

It provides a broader perspective to the work we do, no matter how routine it may appear. In fact, it can give a deeper meaning to our daily duties as we go about our chores in our respective places of work.

The connection between the ordinary work we do and the extraordinary challenge of building the nation and even of changing the world may not be immediately apparent. There is a seeming disconnect between the small chores we do every day and the big task of building the nation and changing the world. But let us think about this: All big outcomes are achieved from small efforts, multiplied several times over by many individuals trying to do their best by dint of the small efforts they contribute. Consider this: If everyone in our institution goes about their daily duties with professionalism, i.e. with competence and genuine care, then our institution would become stronger. And we should not forget this: A nation is built on top of strong institutions.

It is possible, therefore, for us to imagine that each one of us can become drivers of social change, even if we do not leave our work stations. All we have to do is remain there, and in our respective places do the best we can in order to help our institutions realize its vision and pursue its strategic priorities successfully. We need not dream of doing anything more dramatic and attention-catching: Through hard work, well done and with a deep spirit of service, we can contribute every day to develop our nation and improve the face of the earth.

Given this broad perspective for the ordinary tasks we do each day in our respective stations within our institutions, what should be the guiding social principles that we keep in mind? If we are to develop our nation and improve the world, what social values should we imbue our daily decisions and actions with?

The first of these social values has to be the dignity of every person. We need to respect it and give it due reverence. Indeed, all our work should aim at promoting and raising the dignity of every man, woman, and child, starting with those we work and live with, and extending to all we come in contact with as we serve them through the duties we discharge. We have to be clear in our minds just where the dignity of every person comes from: It comes from nothing less noble than the fact that each one of us is an image of God. We are a cut from the Absolute, and because of this we are the subject of rights that no one can and should take away from us. It follows that the goal of every development and of the progress of any nation is to reinforce and elevate the dignity of every person. It further follows that the goal of every work done in any institution and of the service every institution renders is to raise the dignity of every man, woman, and child.

A center for governance and leadership needs to transmit and underscore this noble ideal that gives extraordinary meaning to the most ordinary tasks we do each day. It should make us aware of the wide social impact of the daily duties we discharge: The more professionally we discharge them, the more we contribute to the building of our nation and to changing the wider world around us for the better.