The hardest part of leadership is not creating the vision…
The hardest part of leadership is not creating the vision, but communicating it clearly and convincingly enough for everyone to embrace and own it.TABhashtag#Leadership hashtag#LeadPreneur
In 2019, Goodluck Enimakpokpo,PhD,MBA,MSc,PMP,CEng a professional colleague visited iCentra’s Abuja office #GE
In 2019, Goodluck Enimakpokpo,PhD,MBA,MSc,PMP,CEng a professional colleague who became a good friend, visited iCentra’s Abuja office with his colleague from hashtag#GE.As I welcomed them into my office, the colleague noticed the portraits of distinguished African business leaders on my wall and inquired about them. Goodluck, in a light-hearted manner, asked if it was because Herbert, her brother wasn’t featured. She followed up by asking, “Where is your family picture?” I pointed it out on my shelf. She then advised that regardless of whether I had Herbert among the business icons I admire, I should never overlook what matters most: family. After all, family is everything. That interaction with Ms. Joyce Shyngle-Wigwe JSD, B.Sc. Herbert’s elder sister, offered me a glimpse into her appreciation for family and, by extension, the hashtag#Wigwe family’s values. Thus, when Herbert tragically passed away with his wife and son, I deeply understood the message Ms. Wigwe imparted during our serendipitous meeting. Although I never had the privilege of meeting Herbert Wigwe, C.F.R , the late founder of Access Bank Plc and Wigwe University, his persona and legacy cast a long shadow in death. The numerous tributes that poured in posthumously bore witness to his character and his commitment to making a positive impact on society.In a world where self-interest often prevails and humanity towards one another is rare, Herbert devoted his life and resources to serving and loving others. Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said, “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Therefore, each day as I enter my office, I am reminded by the image and words of the late Herbert O. Wigwe to ‘honor the gift of life by living with purpose, kindness, and gratitude—and to make every moment count.’” At the end of the day “No one will be remembered for their wealth, but rather for the impact they made in the lives of others.” – hashtag#PheekWords TAB hashtag#TABDairy hashtag#HOW hashtag#Wigwe hashtag#iCentra hashtag#UNLOCK hashtag#LeadPreneur
As a leader, you are as effective as the team you lead.
As a leader, you are as effective as the team you lead. Find great talents, give them room to thrive and don’t be afraid to hire people that are smarter than you. Always remember that you are an aggregator not a competitor. At iCentra, I’m lucky to be surrounded by very smart people who deliver value excellently. TAB hashtag#TGIF hashtag#iCentra hashtag#LeadPreneur hashtag#UNLOCK
You Don’t Have an Organization Until
You Don’t Have an Organization Until…. “It takes one man to dream and start something, but it takes several men to turn the dream into reality. Sell your dream.” – TAB (UNLOCK Book) One of the most important jobs of a leader is to articulate the organization’s vision, mission, and values to his/her team. Many CEOs focus their energies on selling their products and services to their customers and forget the internal customer/stakeholder, the co-value creator, the Team. You don’t have an organization until your team buys into your vision and direction. Over the last two years, I have spent more time in the US, trying to understand and develop our business iCentra in North America. Back home in Nigeria, the team has continued to serve our numerous clients and stakeholders, delivering projects and closing new deals. This is usually not the case in many businesses, especially in Africa. Some fellow entrepreneurs have asked me how I managed to achieve this, and the answer is simple, people and systems. I spend more time seeking out “Good” people, selling the vision to them, and once I get their buy-in, together as a team we continuously build systems and structures that make it possible for them to deliver value to clients whether I am in or out of the country. As human beings, we are wired to transact. We all sell something every day, consciously or unconsciously. A job seeker sells himself to the hiring organization, while a businessman sells his products or services to potential customers. Employees and teams sell their idea proposals to management, and organizations market their vision to their employees. Likewise, men sell their life’s vision to their prospective spouses. It’s a merry-go-round. One way or another, we are all selling something. The idea of selling is to get a person or group of people to take a necessary action that is favourable to you in exchange for your value. So, to get your dreams off the ground and running to actualization, you must identify relevant stakeholders and effectively sell your idea to them. Once they buy into it and commit, you have a Dream Team. Start running. You may go faster alone, but you go farther with a dedicated team! Be Terrific! TAB hashtag#BusinessMonday hashtag#iCentra hashtag#LeadPreneur hashtag#UNLOCK