About the harm of patronage.

       As soon as I came to work in the Ministry of Agriculture, I wrote this letter to all my colleagues via internal mail:

       “Dear colleagues.

       I want to share my attitude to patronage with you.

       Many people come to me with a request to hire or promote their relatives, acquaintances, and so on.

       I want you all to know that I am extremely negative about such requests.

       I believe that only weak specialists need patronage, who cannot achieve anything by their labor and knowledge and therefore use their connections.

       At my previous place of work, I sometimes had to hire someone’s protégé. But I initially felt negative about such employees, and they had to prove their ability to work even harder than those who came to work for me without any patronage.

      Therefore, I warn you right away: if you want to influence me or the Minister (I know that he adheres to the same views) through his friends and relatives, then you will only do yourself harm.

      You’d better just work. Work well. And you will be noticed. Regardless of who you are in the “team”, where you come from, what nationality or gender you are. Just work. True toilers and professionals are needed by any leader. Any leader will want to give such people more assignments, powers and a higher position.

       Work, and do not seek connections.”