Ukrainians, like the rest of the world, spent the two years before the full-scale invasion under constant restrictions and coercion. This was the case during the coronavirus pandemic, when we were locked up in our homes and forced to live according to a single algorithm. Despite everything, we tried to counteract common threats, organize ourselves to solve urgent problems and draw the right conclusions. This is also happening now, in times of war, when we live in constant fear and a situation of continuous stress. All of us were united by the state of uncertainty and the impossibility of planning our future.
Despite these circumstances, there are things we do, following our values and principles. They are built on enduring traditions, religious affiliations, and cultural preferences. We do it not because the authorities said so or such rules are prescribed in the law, but because we have done so all our lives. However, in times of instability, these principles are tested for strength. What principles will contribute to the revival of Ukraine - more details in the material.
Today we demonstrate to the whole world that we are able to act together for a common goal. This phenomenon is admired by Western leaders, showbusiness stars and ordinary people from different parts of the planet. It was the principles that turned Ukrainian society into a real phenomenon of consolidation and unity. Economists, IT experts, educators, musicians, athletes and experts in public administration spoke about this during the first meeting in the format of the ad hoc think tank "INTERACTION".
These principles will become the basis for the self-organization of citizens, and as a result, the rapid recovery and sustainable development of the country. There are twelve of them in total - they will help to orientate, will be a certain signal of whether I am doing everything correctly. These are the principle of cooperation, the principle of moratorium on internal competition in social relations, the principle of expansion, the principle of personal responsibility, the principle of transparency, the principle of honesty, the principle of long-term planning, the principle of mentoring, the principle of understanding, the principle of joint consumption (sharing), the principle of preserving internal resources and the principle of evaluation efficiency. This is the base from which the construction of a new Ukraine will begin, the participants of the third meeting of "INTERACTION" are convinced. However, how to put these principles into practice?
Instructions for execution
Before you understand what and how to do, you need to self-determine. Only by identifying yourself as a citizen of Ukraine, you can fully devote yourself to the task, have the most powerful motivation to protect your land, your future and the future of your children. This feeling gives us the right to feel like the owners of our own home. In case of troubles, we will not look for the culprits around, but ask ourselves - did I do everything correctly and on time? Therefore, the main factor of unification after our victory should be the "people's monopoly", and all through the principle of cooperation - Andrii Yatsenko, the frontman of the Ukrainian rock band Green Gray, Diezel, pointed out.
According to him, today, a unique phenomenon you would not find in any part of the world is being born in Ukraine. We are the owners of our country, and what will be happening next, depends on us only. The military officers and volunteers, doctors and teachers, drivers and salesmen prove that every day. After the war, this unity is to become a unique opportunity – there would be the citizens to dictate the terms to the authorities of Ukraine, and not vice versa. Not only we are to be transparent to the state, but it also has to be transparent to us.
"I would like to open Diia portal and find out what I, as a citizen of Ukraine, own, under the Constitution. How much oil, gas, minerals I have, and what kind of them. The most effective mechanism for achieving this goal is the principle of transparency. Blockchain, web 3.0 tools provide us transparency today", said Andrii Yatsenko.
As for applied use of principles in his activities, according to the concept DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization), after the war the musician is going to offer his tracks to fans as a product for promotion, with fifty percent of the income given to those who are willing to invest in the band. Apart from the money, after a while the team will have thousands of efficient managers, with its fans becoming promoters. According to Andrii Yatsenko, this scheme is absolutely transparent and effective, and the same should be done nationwide.
Kolia Sierha, the musician who defends Ukraine now, serving in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, also shared his opinion. The principles have appealed to him, but in his opinion, something that is able to unite people should be added: the principle of hope and respect for the hope of other people.
"Hope is something that is able to survive anti-life. The goal is to draw a picture of our future, where everyone finds his place. We are currently conducting two cultural projects for the occupied and liberated territories named "United" and "Cultural Landing Force". All people in the occupied and liberated territories live most of all in hope - the hope of liberation and victory, the hope that they are not left alone and forgotten", said the musician.
According to Kolia Sierha, interaction is very important. And all the proposed principles would work only being combined. It's like a system. If one of the supports is missing, then the entire structure will simply collapse.
Olesia Vorotniuk, ballet dancer of the National Opera, spoke about the special role of culture in the implementation of political, economic and socio-cultural development strategies of many countries, in developing their image and authority on the international stage. In her opinion, it is culture and art, as its component, that have a significant spiritual, intellectual, human potential, rich national traditions that determine the unique opportunities for developing a positive image of peoples and countries in the world community.
"For many years, the russian and imperial authorities have been oppressing Ukrainian culture, with the Ukrainian artists being subjected to severe repression. Right now, starting in 2022, the world has begun to learn about Ukraine. Learn about our great Ukrainian culture, about our outstanding artists, like Shchedryk (Carol of the bell) song by Mykola Leontovych, which has been winning the hearts of the whole planet from generation to generation. They invite Ukrainian opera stars to perform on many outstanding stages and in many theatres of the world. Many world ballet stars are Ukrainians", says Olesia Vorotniuk.
She pointed out that today we are provided a unique opportunity – Ukraine has become the number one brand in the world. Guided by the principle of expansion, we are to promote and tell the world about Ukraine, whose culture the Soviet government has been trying to destroy for many years.
"We have a very powerful cultural front, we are able to fight using our culture, since a theatre is a small state, but there is one huge disadvantage, that is weak management. For example, European countries are significantly inferior to Ukraine in terms of professionalism in this area, but they have an advantage in management. The popularization of Ukrainian artists on the world stage should become a top priority. russia uses culture as a weapon to fight against us – so we must resist it. And we have already proved that we are able to do it strongly and efficiently," added Olesia Vorotniuk.
"But the principle of expansion is not about culture and art only. It is very important to apply it when distributing Ukrainian goods and services on world markets", Svitlana Demyanenko, shareholder and the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of JSC "UKRBUDINVESTBANK", pointed out.
"Ukraine is a very rich country. I want Ukraine to be the best in all the matters. That's why the principle of expansion appeals to me so much. We are ready to expand our banking services to foreign markets. Ukraine has to strongly promote its informational, cultural, and economic accomplishments in order to become well-known around the world", said the expert.
Her standpoint is about proper management of what we possess and actual increase of our wealth by creating products with high added value, and not just selling Ukrainian natural resources. Regarding the financial sector, according to Svitlana Demyanenko, Ukraine boasts outstanding solutions in the area of digitalization of banking services – in this area we could really teach the world something new. Our banking system is much more developed in a number of ways than the banking system of Europe or the United States. Anyone who has used banking services abroad may confirm it. That is, we not only have a more advanced digital infrastructure, we are also very quick-minded and flexible. And it is these qualities that win in today's global business.
"For us, this is the key to successful expansion with our best products. It is great when representative offices of foreign companies and banks open in Ukraine, but we would be more happy to open our own representative offices abroad», Svitlana Demyanenko points out.
Kateryna Kislitsyna, a specialist in taxation, noted that the most powerful inner motivation for each of us today is compliance with the principle of personal responsibility.
"It all starts with you and your personal responsibility for the quality of what you do, occupying your place. The war has proved that we can't expect someone else to promptly solve our problems, find resources, and tell us what to do. This is a personal responsibility of everyone to respond quickly to the challenges of our time and do it efficiently".
According to Kateryna Kislitsyna, if you do something in cooperation with other people, you need to answer three simple questions – who is in charge in this case, responsible to whom and for what exactly. And the main question should be whether I personally did everything possible to achieve the best result. Then these responses become an important management principle, they ensure the transparent and prompt functioning of any system, including tax and economic ones. Responsibility serves as both an inner standard and a kind of means of monitoring the proper performance of official duties, both for managers at any level and for performers.
This entire complicated process cannot be built up without proper communication. We are to look for the points of common ground that are able to make the society united. It doesn't matter whether you're an MP or a factory worker, first lady or a tenth-grade student. Being aware that you are not alone and there are thousands of like-minded people around makes you feel confident and strong. According to Oleksii Planida, Technical Director of Amber Ukraine, we are to face a global challenge – our revival:
"Today, there is a situational planning taking place, but at the same time we should focus on the long-term planning, too. But we have a big problem – the absence of a strategy at the state level. That is the principles of long-term planning and shared understanding that must become the key to the future, where the actions of those in power are transparent and predictable for citizens. We need to realize that we are already able to solve many problems on our own, without the help of the authorities. We solve many issues without their involvement. But are they able to manage without us? No way.".
Therefore, for an expert, the principles of honesty and transparency (they are actually almost identical) are also very relevant and extremely important. As an IT specialist, he insists that the key to implementing these principles is digitalization.
"As for the principle of mentoring, which I have been professing in my activities on an ongoing basis, it is about the ability to comprehend what we have been doing wrong. For example, we can teach military officers something, and they can teach us something, too. Transfer of experience and knowledge, as well as their synergy, – that's what this principle means", Oleksii Planida pointed out.
According to economic experts, the basis of motivation in any business is the rule "combine competition and cooperation". The principle of a moratorium on domestic competition in public relations combines these two basic matters. To make any business effective, it is important to be able to both compete and team up with other people, in particular on a competitive basis. Besides, you need to do it consciously, with clear understanding of the goal you strive to achieve and choosing the interaction model accordingly. Competition is a strategy of interaction that balances competition, and results in cooperation between people beneficial for all (the "win-win" strategy). It turns out that only by combining your resources you will be able to achieve the desired result, and in much faster and more efficient way.
The absence of common ground among Ukrainians was stated by a public administration expert, who wished to remain incognito.
"The principle of understanding is extremely important to unite people around a common idea and plans for the future. To achieve this, we need to build powerful horizontal links. Conditionally, so that our refugees in Germany understood and were willing to communicate with people who stayed in Bakhmut. Breaking people down by groups of those who left and those who stayed, those who participated in military operations or nor, should become a thing of the past. We need to find something in common that would be able to unite the whole country. We need to ask ourselves, "What can I do for Ukraine and what am I responsible for here and now?"
In developed democratic states, the authorities cannot take a single step, and no initiative can be launched if there is no consensus among their society members. In this case, it is the citizens of the country who become major players in the political, economic and social field. Society must consolidate in order to openly declare its demands and ambitions.
"The educational system will help to activate the process of communication between citizens. If the country's educational institutions become the birthplace and driver of creative ideas and projects, we will have entire generations of intelligent people", says Oleksandra Humenna, the Rector of the Salvador Dali Academy of Contemporary Arts, researcher and PhD in Economics.
In her opinion, the promising principle is shared consumption (sharing), and this is not only about the transfer of material values, but also about the transfer of experience and spiritual heritage.
"In general, to profess the proposed principles means to follows them and share them with the society. First of all, this is most important for Ukrainian youth, since the generation of the 21st century differs greatly from older people. Youth is about upgraded educational process, understanding, quick mind and sharing of experience. Extremely rapid changes in global processes speak for the fact that the entire economy of the future will be creative and sharing."
Oleksandra Humenna gives an example of university creative hubs in the UK, Germany and Estonia. Ukraine should adopt this experience, too. It is educational institutions that should promote the development of human potential and culture. According to her, people and their ideas are the most valuable things. When we will begin to understand this, the country will also begin to transform.
What is the difference, among other things, from the usual day of the Ukrainian in 2023 and the day, let's say, in 2018? Most of us don't get our children ready for school because our children learn online. COVID-19 restrictions, along with self-isolation, affected the socialization processes, and this issue is still urgent even in times of war. After a while, we will have a whole generation of people who have not learned the important life lessons that their parents once learned. At the same time, thousands of young Ukrainians have been living without a father for the whole year, and some of them without a mother, who defend their homeland at the frontline. All of us know such families. And we can help them. In solving this issue, the principle of mentoring is most important. This principle is quite simple – all you have to do is to share your knowledge with other people. You may help if you can, give an advice, show how to do something better, and teach something on your own example. Only by giving away, you get it back in abundance. The principle of mentoring promotes social evolvement.
Denys Markishev, political adviser, points out,
"There are many unique specialists in various areas – from art to engineering. And it is irrational not to take advantage of this stock of knowledge and skills. A mentor is not always a teacher by profession, it can be anyone who has a high level of qualification and is willing to share his knowledge. This process ensures both the transfer of knowledge, and also the continuity of generations, which implies their interaction. An older person involved in the mentoring process feels in demand. In this way, the social activity continues. This is especially important in the context of the existing demographic problems in Ukraine."
In the process of practical application of the principle of mentoring, the issue of leadership gets revealed, since the mentoring requires self-determination, desire, willingness, and the ability to do something for the benefit of another person, including free of any charge. This is closely related to such a phenomenon as leadership. If a person is obsessed with an idea, it inevitably attracts other people. Today, the topic of leadership is trendy, and education, training, and search for leaders are very popular. But leadership is primarily about responsibility and understanding the right distribution of roles, the need to master your ambitions if necessary and trust those who know better or can do better.
"If you are a natural leader and know how to successfully team up people around you, this still does not prove that you are beneficial for public. One of the saddest examples of failed leadership is King Saul. He started well, but ended badly. When meeting a leader, first of all you need to find out about his values. And the correct distribution of roles should also take into account values, since values are our most powerful weapon. That is why not much has changed in Ukraine over the past 30 years, despite the fact that people were coming up with a variety of outstanding ideas and initiatives. We have hidden our principles, left them in the background, forgetting that the key to great prospects is to reach out to human values," Vache Davtian, the entrepreneur and business coach points out.
He believes that no reforms will be beneficial if society is not ready for them. We need to remember who we are and what we deserve. But you should start with yourself. The responsibility of the whole society begins with the responsibility of all its members.
Applied use of the principle of interaction and the principle of honesty was commented by Director of the Ukrainian Armour company Aksel Von Wolf by giving a practical example with the development and creation of a smart city concept. Its implementation required involving the public, experts, city authorities, representatives of Ukrainian technology companies, research and academic communities. According to Aksel Von Wolf, there has been a powerful struggle for human resources in the world. And smart city provides a systemic solution to this problem. This project defines the main principles of infrastructure, technological and social development of the city. It also develops a new vector of urban space transformation.
"And it was on the basis of the principles of interaction and honesty that we managed to achieve the desired result through joint efforts. But in the process of implementation of the project, many issues arose. The issues of ethical relations, the ability of participants to be forward looking, to reflect not only at the level of tactical objectives, but also strategies, since any activity should fit into the general framework of the strategy. In such projects, forward thinking is a must. But unfortunately, many managers do not have it. That is to say that if we do not start thinking a hundred steps ahead, any initiative would be useless", says Aksel Von Wolf.
An economist, a guest of the meeting, who wished to remain anonymous, highlighted the gaps in the construction of post-war strategies.
"Everyone should understand what their future will be like in 5-10 years, and it is impossible to do this now. And among other things, the reason for this is the economic abyss. To restore this balance, several pressing issues must be taken into account: borders, climate, and the structure of the national economy. No one comprehends this structure. If the authorities do not have it, then the Ukrainians will not see it either. Today, we need to develop a realistic scenario about what will happen next – what we want and what we are really capable of. Only having received answers to these two questions, we will be able to discuss a plan to follow."
This matter should be based on the principles of long-term planning and performance evaluation as an integral part of the implementation of principles.
"More than eight million Ukrainians went abroad because of the war. About 20 percent of the Ukrainian territories are still occupied. The amount of people of retirement age increases, that is, those who will become disabled after a while and unable to raise the domestic economy. Therefore, it is extremely important to look for ways and methods to preserve human resources", Oleksandr Sokolynskyi, co-owner of the Common Victory Advertising and Marketing Agency pointed out. He believes that all the citizens of Ukraine should realize their own value. This is about principles of saving internal resources. And this can only be achieved through teamwork.
"It is always easier to act together than act alone. A great example was holding Euro 2012 in Ukraine, when the whole country had united to achieve a common goal. And only united we were able to do it efficiently and decently. People are the most important factor today. And in the conditions of turbulence, Ukrainians lose their bearings and have their physical and mental health deteriorated", said Oleksandr Sokolynskyi.
From words to action
For the promotion and implementation of each of these principles, like-minded people are needed. Tell your friends about the principles, talk about it with your relatives, make a publication on the network - start acting. Society is like a vault of stones that would collapse if one did not support the other. And this is proven by the present times. Together we will be able not only to win, but also to be reborn.
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