Do Better - As Human and As A Leader.

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As humans, there are some things we need to concern ourselves with and things we need to distance ourselves from because they take too much of our time and end up not profiting us in any way. Time is fleeting and if you waste one hour in the morning, you might spend the whole day looking for it. We need to make good use of our time and stop struggling with things we have no control over. We need the wisdom to let go of the things we can no longer change.

You are a leader within your rights whether you like to admit it or not and to reach those full potentials (because most people still don't see themselves as one), there are some basic things we need to understand as humans.

Inevitability:

Life will always happen. Situations that would boil over out of your control will happen but you don't have to react but respond. Most people react and allow the situations to get the best of them. Responding is more like rising to the situation and of course, you need to prepare your mind for these eventualities because they will come. It is not a matter of IF but a matter of WHEN.

There are so many uncertainties in life and when a defining moment comes, you have to define the moment or else the moment will define you. No action would be considered blameless unless the will was so for by the will the act was dictated. You have to bring things under control and prepare for uncertainties. In Economics, there are various reasons for holding money and saving up for unexpected expenses is one of them and this applies to life. Get yourself prepared for some unexpected twist and that way you won't be broken too much because you are in a way mentally prepared for it.

Rationality:

As humans, we have those we want in our circles. We have those we prefer over another and we would rather take their side as a sign of loyalty rather than do what's best for the greater good. As a leader, you cannot allow this to be your best thing. Most people would rather say things to favour them. In my language, we always say "Give even a mad man the hoe - farm implement, and he would naturally draw the heap to himself, as with any other human being". This means anyone would say anything to make themselves look good which is why you need to probe everything and not allow yourself to be carried away with your emotions.

I read the story of a man that was reported to his Managing Director without his knowledge. The MD took a rather more convincing approach because he didn't want to be blindsided or swept away with emotions. He asked this person that reported another colleague if he can say it to the face of the man he came to report and he pleaded anonymously. The MD already knew there can't be any truth in it if he can't stand by it and do what's best for the greater good of the organization.

This is not even about him not wanting to have issues with the person he came to report but it shows there was an underlying situation if he couldn't have told the man before escalating and if it was indeed work-related, he would have been found out too and that should have been the basis he ought to have reported to the MD.

Don't allow your emotions of hurt to cloud your judgement as a human being and as a leader. You should be able to make informed decisions and not sentimental decisions.

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Study Abilities:

We all make this mistake where we want people to have the same trait as we do. I have seen parents compare their children and would wish this one to have the brain of another while wishing the other one to have the creativity of another. As humans and as leaders - in whatever capacity we find ourselves in life, we need to accept people for who they are, learn about their area of strength and then help them fan it into flames.

You cannot put a round peg in a square hold and expect things to go smoothly. It looks bad on you rather than the person. The true test of your leadership skills is when you identify other people's skills and harness if for the common good or growth of the organization.

Opportunities:

We need to constantly seek opportunities. When preparation meets with opportunity, success is inevitable. We need to be sensitive to things because the world is for problem solvers. If you are not solving problems then you are adding to the existing ones and when we open our hearts only then can we see opportunities in the form of unpolished gold that we only need to exert more processes on to bring out the beauty of it. What are your values? Find expressions for them.

Opportunities are the keys to expansion. The more opportunities you discover the more you will grow.

Self Discipline:

This is very vital for us as humans because it helps us to re-evaluate our focus and become effective in what we have chosen to do. A lot of people jump on the existing thing which might not be their area of strength. They lacked the discipline to stay at what they know because there is another motivation driving them. It is okay to get into things because you want to challenge yourself but you need to equip yourself and know why you are doing it which shouldn't be because "everyone is doing it."

Leadership has temptations as with most things in life so if you don't have self-control, you will miss the essence of what you have set out to do especially if you are a leader in an organization. The moment you have a feeling you are leading people, then your temptation begins.

Humility:

Most of the time, people confuse humility for low self-esteem. They are two different things because humility is not thinking yourself more than you ought to while low self-esteem is thinking yourself lower than you ought to. One breeds confidence while another breeds timidity. Humility is the consciousness of both your strength and your weakness while you appropriate that strength while managing your weaknesses.

Everything rises and falls on leadership and you are one too. As a leader or as someone that others look up to in any capacity - be it in your home, with your siblings and a corporate organization, you become the eye of everyone. You are to find the way, show the way and then lead the way. Pain is not evidence of a bad thing and as humans, we need to understand this. We need to stop attributing pain to be a bad thing all the time because sometimes it is evidence of growth.

Sometimes you get recognition for your efforts and oftentimes you don't but it shouldn't stop you from pushing others to be the best they can be. You have to see the best in everyone while helping them to manage their weaknesses and using them in the areas of their strength. Pain is sometimes needed for growth and you need to ask a woman in labour about this to fully understand the depth of it.

You can also read up on LEADERSHIP that I wrote on here a few weeks ago also.

Thank you for your time.