WHY NIGERIAN LEADERS NEED TO LEARN
FROM THE BEST
by D. Akinsanya Juliuson HonDBA, IOM
WHY ARE
MANY NIGERIAN OFFICIALS LIGHT YEARS AWAY FROM THE TOP LEVEL LEADERS?
People like
working for those who are secure in themselves and have nothing to
prove – the kind of people who get results through others and give
them the credit for it. But please forgive me for being honest by
saying such leaders are in the minority. More than half of Nigeria’s
government officials, be it governors or ministers fail to demonstrate
trust, show respect for their teams or even produce results. It’s sad
that we have or are blessed with a president that’s God sent. A
president that makes you feel proud of being Nigerian, but
unfortunately some people as usual don’t see this as I do. I’m not
criticizing, all I’m doing is telling it as it is. Officials are light
years away from the top level leaders. I believe leaders build
enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility
and professional will. And as for what you do with a surfeit of ego
once you’ve reached the top, the answer is simple, great leaders
channel their ego needs away from themselves and into the larger goal
of building a great government, state, nation and or continent. We
have many examples of tried and tested leaders of our time. Overt
displays of personal success do little to motivate the people who are
keys to the long term health of any government, institution or
organisation. Power and money are of course important, but only
insofar as they apply to the state as a whole not the individuals
running the affairs of it.
WHAT KIND
OF LEADERSHIP DO PEOPLE RESPOND TO?
Wearing one’s
prestige on ones sleeve is deemed slightly vulgar. Officials need
ambition, confidence, energy and drive to fuel their progression to
the top. But once they’ve got there, what do they do with their
attributes? They can’t burn them off, like rocket fuel, so where do
they channel them? And just how big can an ego get before it derails
its owner and the institution, organisation, state or department as a
whole? What seems abundantly clear is that the characteristics that
help someone get to the top don’t necessarily equip them for a team or
leadership role. For example, ambition is normally a good thing, but
many apparently ambitious people are not so much ambitious as
competitive, and competitiveness can drive someone to win at any cost.
For example, many foreign ambassadors outside Nigeria, believe that
naturally, Lagos should be the commercial capital of Africa. The City
of London for example is the financial capital of the world and the
square mile (City of London) contributes billions of pounds every
year. That has got nothing to do with the Prime Minister or The Queen.
Now, Is it the responsibility of this or any other president to make
Lagos what the international community think it should be? More local
governments, or more foreign and local investors? Does it mean
Commercial Diplomacy has a role to play here? Even if it does, does
the captain of the ship realise this or does it really matter to him?
WHY DO THEY
NEED TO LEARN HOW TO TAP THE INHERENT WORTH OF TASK?
We are blessed
with a president who believes in possibilities. A president that
believes in the potential of Nigerians to out-perform themselves
consistently. Like I had said several times before, people don’t want
to be managed, they want to be led, they want to be inspired to higher
levels of excellence and they surely need a leader who is prepared to
develop their potential. People respond to a leader that believes
that, it is his job to help individuals especially people like you and
I develop this believe within ourselves. A leader that can motivate
…Even though our President do believe that an inspired and motivated
workforce is essential for any government or business that wants to
outperform the competition. It is of paramount importance that our
ambassadors and ministers learn how to be positive agents of change.
They need to learn how to share their strategy and vision. They need
to learn how to tap the inherent worth of task. They need to
understand that when a team member operates in a climate that
encourages winning, he or she tends to become a high performer himself
or herself. They must learn to be inspirational leaders that breaths
life, confidence and “can-do” into the government and unlock
discretionary effort. Ambassadors work for a nation, the people and a
leader. They do their best for a leader. Nigerian ambassadors must
appreciate the fact that, earning this extra effort is their
leadership challenge. Leadership is not about the theory of
leadership. While government have to get smarter at spotting
“power-paths”, individuals themselves need greater self-awareness in
order to manage their darker impulses, and ensure that what started
off as an asset doesn’t become a liability. Sometimes pride, ego and
stubbornness doesn’t manifest itself until you get to the top,
reinforced either by success, insecurity or….well, the rest is for you
and I to find out.
WHY
GOVERNMENT MUST SET OUT SOME SPECIFIC GOALS THAT ARE REACHABLE?
When people
talk about “reality” they usually precede the word with adjective
“harsh”. We tend to assume that a reality is something awkward which
must be faced with a frown or swallowed through gritted teeth. Some
realities are a little like this, but others are wonderful. In
Nigeria, we are hiding now from a reality which is far better and
brighter than the fantasy we’ve been clinging to. A cavalcade of chaos
now seems to be descending on us. Everything is topsy-turvy; upside
down, back to front or inside out. The cart is trying to pull the
horse. The tail is trying to wag the dog. Some fundamental factor in
our country needs to be repositioned or given a different order of
priority. As soon as we see what’s wrong and start putting it right,
the perplexing chain of inexplicable events will cease and
satisfactory way forward will be found. Obstacles to progress are
being removed. Difficulties are being dissolved. Everything is in a
state of flux and many of the people around us are feeling restless. A
process of preparation is taking place right now. Soon it will be
followed by a significant change in the life of our nation. We might
feel apprehensive, but we have no need to worry or feel afraid. If we
truly want to see a permanent improvement in our country, we must
honour our greatest need. We must refuse to compromise it. I’m talking
here to people who are now being an incorrigible martyrs, poor
Nigerians. We are spending far too much time putting other people (and
their needs) first and then wondering why we feel so lost or ripped
off. If we have friends who are good and true, trust me we have wealth
beyond measure. Conversely, we can be rich beyond our wildest dreams.
Yet, if our psychological relationships are empty and superficial, we
will yet be poverty-stricken. We must know one thing in life and that
is, money can never have power over a true friendship. But a true
friendship can have power over money. In this country of ours today, I
believe that, together with love and trust we can triumph over the
most adverse economic situation. However, there’s an old
saying…blessed are they who have no expectations, for they shall not
be disappointed. This must remind us of all the trouble we can get
into when our hopes grow out of sync with reality. Some people,
though, turn this advice into a philosophy. They become so nervous
about feeling let down that they never look forward to any other
thing. We shouldn’t give up on our great desire, but we must at the
same time not imagine it will be fulfilled in exactly the way we want
it to be. Sometimes, when we reach out to help others, we do it more
for our own benefit than theirs. Sometimes, too, when we keep
ourselves to ourselves and act in a seemingly selfish way, we’re
actually doing the best thing for someone else. If appearance can be
deceptive, motives can be doubly so. That said, right now, the grass
root level people need our help. You and I are in the position to
offer it. If we do, it will turn out well for not them but you and I.
No matter what, I am so very sure of one thing and that is a better
tomorrow. Nigeria will God willing rise again and become a nation no
longer deserted, quote me.
WHY WE MUSTN’T FEEL SO
FRUSTRATED IN NIGERIA?
We can get whatever we want. It
doesn’t necessarily follow though, that we will want what we get. Our
world is full of people running round the clock to reach goals and
meet targets. Even those of us with more sensible aspirations, get
swept away by the tide. We forget that life is for living, and begin
to assume that we have come to this world for one purpose only. To
shop (That really depends on what). On the other hand though is a
strong suggestion that we will do far better if we reach for what we
really want, not what we think we ought to go after. Life is not
really easy we all know that, but we must also realize that, that’s
why it lasts so long. We can rarely travel in a simple straight line
because we have such a convoluted course to follow. We have to wrestle
with the difference between dreams and realities, intentions and
actualities. With the desire to preserve and the desire to destroy. We
have to choose between sanity and madness. But first, we have to
decide which is which. Not just on the battleground of our
inner-selves but through our interaction with every other person we
encounter on this planet. It all takes time. But progress still takes
place. We shouldn’t feel frustrated in this country. We should feel
proud of what we are slowly but surely achieving with the help of God
Almighty and the worthy President of this country. Sometimes, life is
like riding a bike on which the chain has slipped. You pedal as hard
as you can but the possibilities just won’t come to anything. We don’t
even bother trying to put that chain back in place. We just put the
bike away and walk. That’s just the way it is. We all have times like
this. We get over them. We move on. If we wallow in our disappointment
and then assume that every effort we make from now on is similarly
destined to finish in failure, we can become permanently embittered.
This chance that we have now in this country is real. Let’s trust it
and seize it in the name of our country and our generation.
WHY NO RELATIONSHIP WILL
SURVIVE IF THE PARTNERS CAN’T COMMUNICATE?.
For example, our President finds
himself wrestling with difficult decisions and feeling as if he’s
being put through some kind of trial. He’s keenly aware of certain
other people and their propensity to pronounce judgment. He feels the
need, either to justify himself or to prove very dramatically, that
he’s doing the right thing. The scenery might change, the situation
may differ, but the basic storyline is usually much the same. There he
is feeling exposed, challenged and more than a little vulnerable. Ah,
but there is the big question; Does the president win or does he lose?
He wins, of course......But forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us…’so goes the old prayer. Yet it’s
debatable how many of us really are so generous towards others. We
don’t need to swing to the other extreme and be constantly beating
ourselves up about some mistake we have made. But we all ought to
remember that none of is perfect. Let’s not waste our present
regretting the past or resenting the present. In life we must
understand the fact that, no agreement will last if the signatories
don’t respect one another. No relationship will survive if the
partners can’t communicate. Anyone can get along with anyone else in
this world, as long as they are willing to keep talking about their
points in common – and tread delicately around the areas where they
differ. We all feel a little better when it seems as if we are in
control. We all feel uncomfortable when something or someone seems to
be in control of us. Control is a funny thing. Sometimes we do have
it, but it’d probably be better if we didn’t. Especially when we are
not sure that our plan is the best. If we are sure, there’s nothing
wrong in pursuing it and we will surely succeed. If there’s doubt,
what harm can it do to let things unfold at their own pace and in
their own way? Somewhere in our country, a boundary may have been
crossed. A rule may have been transgressed. A sense of mistrust may
have developed. As far as I am concerned, the solution is, either we
patch it properly now, or its fabric will unravel before our eyes.
WHY ATIKU NEED TO LEARN FROM
THE BEST?
People are not always very nice
to each other. They make harsh judgements and sharp criticisms. They
say one thing in public and another in private. They play tricks and
set each other traps. They…well, I needn’t go on. The wise men in our
country know what I’m talking about. But do we also know how wonderful
some people can be? And, how kind, how unselfish, how giving and, how
loving? Once upon a time, we couldn’t walk. We couldn’t read. We
couldn’t write. We couldn’t add up, talk and or even tie our
shoelaces. Very early in our lives we overcame a series of enormous
challenges. We human beings have truly impressive achievements under
our belts. Now err…what precisely is it that we feel we couldn’t do or
couldn’t possibly learn to do? One thing that puzzles me is why
Nigerians are not always nice to each other. Even the ones who seem
polite and friendly can turn out to be secretly nurturing grudges or
harboring resentments. The folk, who will not criticize you to your
face, but will happily do so behind your back are possibly the worst.
There are though, a few genuinely nice, kind, honest and non-judgemental
people in this world. The Vice President of Nigeria is lucky enough to
know some, he needs to seek their company and he
needs to remember that his friends are not necessarily the people who
agree with him most. Always remember “Don’t be afraid of the
opponents or enemies that attack you, but be extremely careful of
friends who flatter you”…. with cheap praise. [back
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