A shelf of unfinished books, and why The Letters won't be joining them

I'll admit to having a shelf at home full of leadership books I've never finished. A chapter or two, a few underlined lines, the odd corner of a page folded over… and then life gets in the way. So I wasn't expecting to be quite so taken with The Letters.

The latest book by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is the second part of Lessons from Life. It's 26 letters, written to his children, his family, his team, the people of this country and the wider world. I've been reading them as a book and as they've been shared over the last few weeks by Gulf News, and what struck me straight away is how personal they are.

There is one to President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, his "brother, friend and companion on the journey". There are letters from a proud father to his sons, and a heartfelt thank you to the team who have worked alongside him. Government employees even had an email land in their inbox to coincide with the book being released that was simply signed "Your brother Mohammed".

Why does it matter? We often talk about leadership as if it's all strategy, numbers and big decisions. They count, of course. But the letters keep coming back to the things you can't put on a spreadsheet: Inspiring people. Understanding them. Being kind. Knowing exactly where you're heading.

I've seen what that looks like up close. I haven't lived here long, but since the end of February, when the region was rocked and the UAE's defences were tested, I watched this country hold its nerve. Leaders were visible. Messages were calm and clear. Nobody was left wondering whether they mattered, whether they were Emirati or, like me, had arrived from somewhere else.

That doesn't happen by accident. It comes from decades of leaders who see kindness as a strength rather than a soft option, and who plan for the storm long before it arrives. I wasn’t here, but I know many of you saw it during the pandemic. You saw it again when record rains flooded roads and homes in 2024. And we all saw it again this year.

Sheikh Mohammed writes that cities can be built and towers can rise, but what matters most is the spirit that binds a nation's people together. I couldn't agree more. It's the reason this place starts to feel like home so quickly.

Empathy came up again when I sat down with Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, President of Khalifa University, at AI Everything in Abu Dhabi. He wants his students to keep empathy front and centre, even as they build with AI. The cleverest technology in the world still needs people who care. When leaders have such strong values, they permeate all parts of their communities.

None of this is about being slow or soft, mind. "Today, delaying a decision is the greatest risk," Sheikh Mohammed told government staff. Speed and heart can, and should, go together.

Whether you lead a country, a company, a newsroom or a family, I'd recommend picking up this book when you get the chance. It might even rescue a few of those books on my shelf from their fate. Probably not though, I’ve got to get back to the events season, which has really taken off.

Do make sure to wave your flag on Tuesday and do get in touch. Email readers@gulfnews.com with 'for Mark' in the subject line. I really do read them.