Sheikh Zayed a leader ahead of time, says Dhahi Khalfan

Lt-Gen Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of Police and Public Security of Dubai, has described Sheikh Zayed as an extraordinary leader of all times with brilliant ideas, who sought to make his people happy and worked for them without expecting a reward.
During a lecture on the leadership qualities of the founding father of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, organised by the Emirates Diplomatic Academy (EDA) in Abu Dhabi, Lt-Gen Tamim shared insights from his latest book 'Soft Power in the Leadership Qualities of Zayed: 110 Leadership Qualities'.
He highlighted the challenges Sheikh Zayed faced during the first stages of the establishment of the UAE federation and some of the best leadership qualities and skills that made Sheikh Zayed a role model for leaders.
The top officer also shared his experience as an author, offering the audience that included students and staff, a behind the scenes glimpse of his book from conceptualisation to the various stages of writing, as well as examining its essential content.
"Sheikh Zayed has provided us with an exemplary soft power approach to follow. His ideas, values and interest in human rights, culture and art have made him a role model for leadership. Before writing my book, I researched several prominent leaders who had left an indelible mark on their people, but I could not find anyone like Sheikh Zayed," said Lt-Gen Tamim.
"He was a distinguished leader, diplomat and politician, a tolerant and gracious strategic thinker, who advocated for social issues and the environment. He sought to make his people happy and worked for them without expecting a reward."
The book release had coincided with the Year of Zayed, declared by the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to mark the 100th anniversary of Sheikh Zayed's birth and to highlight his role in establishing the UAE.
Lt Gen Tamim added: "My book provides an overview of a few select leadership qualities of the late Sheikh Zayed. But of course, I was unable to include all of them.
Our founding father was an exceptional leader not only for the UAE but also for the region and the world at large. This is what prompted me to write this book, in which I try to answer the questions that future generations may ask about Sheikh Zayed, who left an immortal legacy for our country."
He emphasised the vital need for educational institutions in the UAE to incorporate elements of Sheikh Zayed's leadership qualities in their curriculum, and for the students in the country's schools to learn about eminent personalities of the UAE's own history and culture.
Bernardino León, director-general of the EDA said: "Sheikh Zayed laid the foundations of the UAE's foreign policy. He was a wise leader, who believed in Emirati youth and its ability to achieve the ambitions of the country's leadership and its people. At the Academy, we work relentlessly to instill our founding father's core values in our students, as we firmly believe these are integral qualities for Emirati diplomats that will enable them to become worthy representatives of their country on the global stage."
ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi