Gorbachev’s Glasnost & Perestroika

As the world celebrates today, the fall of the Berlin wall which ostensibly sounded the start of a new era, I am reminded of  two Russian words: Glasnost & Perestroïka. I am in great admiration of a great stateman who made history to the world: Gorbachev. Right after Mikhail Gorbachev took the office of the”General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union”   of the “Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union” there were significant changes of the top Party leaders. He wrote the book Perestroika in 1987, which is now used in order to interpret beliefs of the time. Glasnost meaning ‘Transparency’ and Perestroika meaning ‘Restructure’ were the essentials  of his book.

The lessons of what happened to Russia, may very well apply today to each of us.  ‘The necessity to be transparent and to be true to oneself’ is an exercise that each of us needs to perform. More so, this exercise of transparency becomes primordial in a social environment. Trust and trustworthiness can only be built through transparency.

Easier said than done. Can you imagine the environment of mistrust and opacity prevailing in the Soviet communist era in the 80’s when the second most powerful position in Russia was the chief of the KGB?

Likewise to act transparently to our environment is not an easy task.

Then restructuring and rebuilding trust follows. Changes and the improvement could only smoothly happen in any organisation when the element of trust and the wish of one and all to work towards a common and compelling future.

No wonder the most sought present training at Franklin Covey for organisation is “The speed of Trust”.

Today on the celebration of the fall of the Berlin Wall, I see more the celebration of a great leader who succeeded in bringing new beginnings to the world. Hats off to you Mikhail Gorbachev!