But That's Georgia

FADE IN:

INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY

PETER watches the TV news.

PETER (V.O.)

Those working in Hong Kong's

Police Headquarters have been

false-imprisoned by protesters?

FLASHBACK

INT. CLUBHOUSE - DAY

PETER reads the small prints of a newspaper report.

PETER (V.O.)

Representing the authority,

he defends that it isn't a

crisis but a real challenge.

I hope it's just a play of

words with the media.

Pausing.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

He should recognizes a

real crisis is happening and

wouldn't sit on it. Otherwise,

Hong Kong will be in great

trouble.

END FLASHBACK

PETER (V.O.)

Leadership is the ability to

influence others to think

and do things otherwise

they wouldn't think and

do. Authority is the political

or administrative power to

give order and enforce

obedience.

Pausing.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

I don't think the authority

has exercised any leadership.

They're just give orders. Now,

they can't even enforce

obedience.

Pausing.

PETER (V.O.)

Have they measured how

fast an authority crisis challenge can impact on them?

Pausing.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

If the societal risk velocity is

low like ageing, the authority

would have more time to

respond to the risk. If the risk

velocity is high like mass

demonstrations on non-

working days, the authority

has to take timely action to

manage the risk.

Pausing.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

Not to mention this risk velocity,

they've underestimated the

risk's likelihood and negative

impact.

Pausing.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

Why apparently smart people

make grave mistakes?

FLASHBACK

INT. HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL - DAY (2003)

A MODERATOR (50s) introduces a LADY (50s) to a group of mature STUDENTS including Peter.

MODERATOR

We're very privileged to have

the first and only female Prime

Minister of Canada to conduct

a guest seminar for us today.

Peter reads about the lady's CV.

PETER (V.O.)

She was Canada's Prime

Minister from June 1993 to

November 1993? Has to

step down in less than

half a year! The theme she

wanted to share is interesting

though - "Why do smart

people make silly mistakes?"

The lady begins to engage the students, and then rounds of interactions.

LADY

In the final analysis, why

did these smart people, in

the case study based on

a true story, make such

silly mistakes?

Hearing the sound of silence, Peter raises his hand and speaks.

PETER

These high-flyers haven't

suffered any serious setbacks

in their career paths. They're blinded by their successes

and have missed the

opportunities to learn. They're

actually quite dump and that's

why they make silly mistakes!

The lady nods and so are other students. Seminar ends.

END FLASHBACK

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

I learned from setbacks in my

law-making experience in the

1990s and early 2000s. For

over 13 years, I had no

advancement. That I ended

up as a department head was

the highest I could get.

Pausing.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

When I was about to retire,

I didn't ask, and when I

was asked I didn't accept,

to extend my tenure. By

co-incidence, I knew I

could end my civil service

career at an official function

at the Hong Kong

Disneyland!

Smiling.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

I've even documented my

story in a 120-page feature

screenplay.

Pausing.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

But my story, due to the lack

of escalating external

conflicts, is not as entertaining

as what we're experiencing.

A WOMAN says on TV that she offers her sincere apology...

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

How convincing it is isn't

in so many words but through

the body language.

Pausing.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

The chorus of apologies are

offered by political appointees.

The political responsibility

system has its privileges and

duties. Do they think they can

get away with their blame

just like the protesters?

The news anchor reports the violent protest in Georgia and the resignation of its Parliamentary speaker.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

The news of the protest and

the resignation came at the

same time. But that's Georgia...

FADE OUT.

The End

#ButThatsGeorgia