THE EVERYDAY LEADER II
Written by Eniola Ositelu āHere you have to run as fast as you can to stay where you are. If you want to get someplace else, you have to run much faster.ā -Red Queen, Alice in Wonderland. LEARN TO EMBRACE CHANGE Anyone happy with where they were last year is probably not dreaming big enough. The ācomfort zoneā is more dangerous than we think. One must keep an open mind and observe trends and patterns. Refrain from condemning or shutting down an idea simply because you cannot decipher it, or it does not make any sense to you. That is how organizations and brands in their prime got the rug pulled off from under their feet while they were still posing for pictures on the red carpet. I am personally aware of friends who visited bank MDs in the early ā90s, proposing ATMs. The general reception was mockery met with resistance. Today, I cannot count how many ATMs each bank has. The top bankers back then did not see this coming; they could not visualize it. The same thing is happening today with Cryptocurrency. As a consultant, I usually tell clients during workshops that a company in decline may have good current sales but very poor prospects. Embracing change and making it a culture is being future-ready. KNOW HOW YOU INSPIRE Leadership is about influencing people, and you must start seeing yourself that way. It influences the way you think and act. For example, when Iām being driven, I make it very clear that breaking traffic rules is a no-no for me. Being in a privileged position to serve as a leader both in church and at work, you do not want to run the risk of sending the wrong signals. People may be watching you. Mark 9:42 (AMPC) says āAnd whoever causes one of these little ones (these believers) who acknowledge and cleave to Me to stumble and sin, it would be better (more profitable and wholesome) for him if a [huge] millstone were hung about his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.ā You probably are already inspiring people but you may not know it yet. If you are not sure, my advice would be to find out how you inspire people, then double up on that behaviour. Find out what youāre good at and what youāre not so good at, then look for people with complementary abilities. Ask people around you too-your spouse, siblings, a colleague at work, church members. You may learn a thing or two from their responses. Your findings will help you mould your authentic self. LET THE ENERGY FLOW You want to be careful not to share your worries or anxieties with just about anyone. What do I mean by this? Iām not suggesting you pretend like all is well. The stakes are high and you do not want people around you assuming they are on the wrong ship led by the wrong captain. It is okay to share a few issues that do not undermine your capacity to lead, but ensure that at the end of the day, their belief in your leadership is rock solid. Even in the bleakest of times, always focus on the positive. Keep your constituents engaged and pay attention to the energy levels. If you are a leader at work, for example, get the team focused on the task at hand, not your leadership credentials. That is a distraction you can ill-afford. If they can sense doubt and fear, they may listen to you but not for long. Display uncrushable hope and honesty. IDENTIFY & COMBAT YOUR FEARS, STRESS Being a leader does not exempt you from feeling what your followers feel. Suddenly, youāre expected to reach out to more people than usual, depending on your level. It is your responsibility to manage the process. Find out what it is that helps you release your inner tensions, fears, and anxiety. It could be anything from exercise, confiding in a spouse or close relative, delegating more or speaking with a mentor, building intimacy with God by staying in the place of prayer. Effective leaders find whatever it is that will help them release their fears and nurture it frequently to stay grounded. The tips shared are by no means exhaustive. For instance, staying in the place of prayers and intimacy with God through the word will help with discernment. Still, the points shared here will help a great deal in your daily walk to becoming a great leader.
THE EVERYDAY LEADER I
Written by Eniola Ositelu What comes to mind when you hear the word leader? Is it public office holders like the President, or even clergymen? Well, perhaps I should start with what leadership entails. Simply put, leadership is your ability to cope with change. With this view, if I asked you again who you think a leader is, would you still think of the same group of people? I hope not. We all face challenges every single day. Whether itās working from home while still expected to deliver the same results or a sudden change in a scheduled meeting with a client when you are already deep in traffic. Take for example a young family who recently relocated to Malta. The change is apparent; infrastructure works just fine; education is free amongst other benefits. Now if that familyās prayer life was centered around problems emanating from inept leadership and poor infrastructure, they will either not need much prayerĀ or switch their prayer points completely. What the parents choose to do is ācoping with changeā, and their children will follow their lead. We find ourselves taking leadership-based decisions daily.Ā It is a tough task leading people right now; parenting, marriage, career, church- but there has never been a better time to take up the mantle of leadership whether that means leading your colleagues, your direct reports, or Ā even yourself. The journey actually starts with self. If leadership is about coping with change, then, self-leadership should first look within,Ā Think about it! Why should anyone be led by you when you are struggling to lead yourself? Without leadership from within, you will eventually squander any opportunity to lead because you were not prepared for it. I often share the story of a young Youth Corper (For our audience outside Nigeria, the National Youth Service Corps is a one-year mandatory call of duty for every Nigerian citizen upon completion of university education) who was given an enviable head start with a top bank where he was assigned to serve. He eventually lost the opportunity of full-time employment at the bank, because he chose to keep the company of a rogue cartel within the procurement unit that regularly defrauded the bank. Now, it was not his intention from the onset to be part of a cartel that defrauds a bank; the opportunity presented itself, and like many people with low impulse control, he indulged. THE MINDSET Once we can win the battle of the mind, every other battle can be managed. As they say, āyour background should not leave your back to the groundā. Begin to feed your mind with what equips it. Ask people who read books a lot, it almost seems like reading is a waste of time, but thereās a way the brain retains relevant information or the pictures you serve it and releases it when you need it the most. The successful campaign of The United Negro College Fund in the 70ās āa mind is a terrible thing to wasteā, still holds today. If you feed your mind with negative energy and lethargy, that is exactly the output you will get. We should start paying attention to what we listen to, watch and speak. After all, Proverbs 4:23 says āguard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.ā KNOW AND START ACTING LIKE A LEADER Stop waiting to attain a position before seeing yourself as a leader. As aforementioned, it is all about coping with change as well as influence, and not necessarily about a position. Of course, power is a tool but it is not sufficient by itself if you intend to lead people and not manipulate them. True leadership is how legacies are made. Iām sure you have heard cases of powerful men subject to the whims and caprices of seemingly powerless individuals. Delilah, for one, had no physical strength or wealth, yet her influence on Samson was so strong. Today, I want to announce to you that you can lead your boss, your colleagues, and your team, not the Delilah way of course! First, identify how you can add value that resonates with all stakeholders and then draw up a plan to deliver on that proposition. Everyone is looking for someone who will make their life a lot easier and free up their time to do more pressing stuff. In the Part II of this Article, I go on to explain how you can become an effective leader in everyday life by learning to embrace change, understanding how you inspire others, releasing the flow of positive energy and combating fear and stress. Meet you there!