Long before balance sheets and performance reviews, our cultures perfected a different kind of leadership ritual, before technology and AI... the burning of luban and bukhur, the fragrant resin from frankincense trees, in the morning. In centuries old towns and busy souqs alike, families would light a pinch of this sacred incense to welcome guests, purify the air and soothe the spirits. That simple act, lighting the jamrah charcoal or ember, lifting the smoke, carrying the scent through every room, was an early lesson in luban mindset and resilience: Tending and keeping the flame to what matters, even when the world is uncertain.
Our parents’ generation, those who grew up in the 1950s through the 1970s, lived by that lesson. They trekked bare footed to harvest frankincense in Dhofar’s hills, traded its precious produce in coastal markets, and brought home more than income. They brought home a practice of care. Even when modern jobs called them to nearby towns or across borders, they still scented their homes with luban and bukhur each dawn and dusk, reminding themselves that renewal begins with small, consistent acts of kindness and rituals.
Women are the unsung guardians of this tradition. While fathers sailed or tilled fields, mothers ground spices for home cooked meals and used luban’s antiseptic smoke to guard their families against sickness. They mended clothes under flickering fanus or lantern light, stretched limited resources to feed and educate children, and never missed a chance to offer incense to guests, weary travellers or weary souls. Their resilience was a quiet alchemy: Transforming hardship into hope, one whiff at a time.
Today, the United Nations warns of live streamed dehumanising settler-colonial occupations, intensifying geopolitical tensions, and trade wars that shake markets overnight. In this age of viral headlines, data and attention economy, not to mention 24 hour news cycles, speed and disruption are celebrated, but without a resilient foundation, they collapse under pressure. Just as luban smoke carries healing molecules through stuffy air, resilient leaders must infuse their institutions with steady values that endure beyond crises.
Across the Sultanate of Oman’s boardrooms and beyond, I have seen executives dazzled by data dashboards and quarterly gains. Yet the most effective leaders I know lead from the inside out. They draw upon a deeper well: An unwavering sense of purpose, the composure to weather setbacks, and the flexibility to adapt without losing their core identity. Like frankincense trees that thrive in rocky soils, they find nourishment in adversity.
This luban mindset matters in every arena:
Business: When global value chains falter, trade is plagued by wars, deep fakes, or markets pivot, resilient teams hold fast to long term vision rather than panic at short term losses.
Government: Policy makers who anticipate crises, listen to diverse voices and adjust strategies build public trust that outlasts promotion opportunities, or election cycles.
Community: Families and neighbours who share their burdens and light their luban together, emerge stronger and more united through economic or emotional storms.
I speak not as a distant commentator but as someone who believes that each and every community, blessed with a generational trauma, can help its members turn it into healthy opportunities for growth. I am blessed to have survived the perils of running for a public office, career crossroads, bias and private heartache. I have learned that resilience is not a one time triumph; it is a daily choice. It is lighting the ember of intention each morning, drawing on the “Habits of Highly Effective People” to find your voice, uphold your values and help others find theirs, whether or not anyone notices.
Our parents taught us how to tend the flame long before we ever heard the word “leadership” or “AI". They showed us that true strength lies not in looking at people as data, imposing will, but in steady, purposeful action: The courage to act with integrity, the patience to endure hardship and the humility to learn from every challenge.
So in today’s fast paced world of boardroom negotiations and global uncertainties, remember the luban mindset. Let its enduring aroma inspire you... purify your purpose, nourish your principles, and lead with the quiet resolve that built our communities. That resilient mindset carried our communities through centuries of change, and it can guide us through every wave of disruption ahead.
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