Vision of tomorrow, today

R.A. Kartini is a heroine of Indonesian history. She fought for women's emancipation long before the country became independent. Her vision of women's emancipation was so powerful, it has become a reality, as can be seen in the current leadership. Is this an accident?

Vision and leadership are complementary, intertwined and difficult to separate. Today, we hear people mention the word vision too often, because we are in the midst of a presidential election. People are busy asking about the candidates' visions.

What is a vision anyway? A vision is an image of success formed as a guide to develop and contribute to society. It is a description that conjures up a picture of a common aim or goal for all. It answers the question, "What will success look like?"

A presidential candidate should communicate to the public their vision of a future for Indonesia. For example: "Indonesia is an admirable country whose population is deeply religious, well-educated, economically affluent, rich in cultural diversity and the most peaceful place to live in the world."

Considering the state of the country now, it is vital for the next president to review and brainstorm their vision for Indonesia with the new administration -- and communicate it to the public.

They should develop an appropriate vision that would motivate and drive the population to achieve it. The president should study, select and implement those development programs that would lead them toward the realization of the vision. While they may not see their vision realized within their lifetime, at least they will have laid a foundation for the succeeding president to build upon.

A vision may take years to realize, and succeeding presidents should not lose sight of this and adopt programs to suit only prevalent, contemporary conditions.

Various studies indicate that the probability of success for an individual, organization or country is higher when it is built upon a vision.

Therefore, it is critical that our future leaders to draw a clear-cut picture now of a successful destination for Indonesia.

The future of Indonesia depends on decisions made today, and this responsibility lies with the presidential hopefuls, who will be our leaders tomorrow.

HENDRY SINGGALANG Jakarta