Dubai did not deviate from its plan to become a hub that creates an environment for others to succeed. This plan passed from leadership to leadership through generations. Other countries and corporations would be wise to follow the example set by the rulers of Dubai — stick to the strategy and execute it with great diligence. The emphasis is on ‘stick with the strategy’.

From the early 1900s when it quickly overtook Lingah’s position as the southern Gulf’s main pearl-trading center and distribution hub for imported gods, Dubai has headed in the same direction. Under Shaikh Saeed Bin Hasher, Dubai grew into a re-export hub for neighbouring ports. The strategy began to take root, people started trading through Dubai and the environment was in place for others to succeed.

Dubai became the connecting point for wooden dhows carrying goods by sea from foreign countries, and the camel — known as ‘ships of the desert’ — caravans coming in from the remote desert tribes. They were like a regular taxi service, only they rarely travelled faster than the walking speed of a man across the rugged landscape. Believed to be God’s gift to the Bedouins, the camels’ ability to withstand harsh conditions made them ideal for trade in the desert areas.

Today, they have been replaced by super highways and air traffic, reducing trips that took days and, in some instances weeks, down to hours. The goods that made their way into Dubai, by sea or land, were subsequently re-exported and taken to various colonies in the interior or to smaller ports along the gulf. The hub was in place.

This example defies the constant temptation to continually craft a new strategy. I’ve racked my brain and failed to come of with examples of what countries or companies have followed Dubai’s leadership example and continued the same strategy from generation to generation.

It’s fashionable when a new leader takes over to replace all of the lieutenants, which enviably results in a change of direction. Even so, new CEOs, or simply team leaders, wanting to make a mark tend to ditch the previous strategy and start from scratch again. This is the default setting without even examining the soundness of the existing plan.

A change only makes sense when there is a proven flaw in the strategy or external realities dictate such. But too often, the flaw lies in the execution. Creating a new strategy does not rectify the execution enigma. It just resets the strategic clock and buys time.

Even worse is the leadership mistake that confuses “strategy” with a budgeting exercise. It is sad to share that too many companies host what is called a ‘strategy retreat’ only to result in setting budgets for the coming year. What we learn from examining a century of rulers in Dubai is that their focus was on delivering the plan and expanding it at every opportunity possible, all the while keeping the core in place.

As a leadership specialist, it stops me in my tracks to see how this happened. In most organisations, when a new leader takes over, he throws out the previous leader’s plans and tries to make his mark. But in Dubai, the successors stayed true to the fundamentals of the strategy that was in place and worked to see it become reality.

Perhaps, the main message we can learn from Dubai’s example it to stick with the strategy. It is truly remarkable that the Dubai’s strategy passed from leader to leader over generations, and predominantly stayed intact.

But it was not only about the strategy, they executed it. Each ruler has a reputation for delivering the results. Perhaps, this execution is what made the strategy sustainable. Rather than looking for what you can change, look for what you can deliver.

The writer is a leadership adviser and author of ‘10 Tips for Leading in the Middle East’ and other writings. Follow him on Twitter: @tommyweir.