Most important teaching the world is yet to unravel?

Does the blurry dotted lines of right and wrong equal blurriness of justice? How do we really tell the right from the wrong? How do we decide who was wrong and who was right in a world of plethora biases. The rightest and most wrong of all motives may be difficult to determine by the human order. The Homo sapiens’s court of law may be mistaken at hammering justice but obviously that will not be difficult with whom we have to give account of all our deeds. Differentiating the evil and good will be based on precision by the court of heaven.

When I look back on how justice has been meted out, I feel deeply sorry for the sufferers of injustice. Where I may have been licking my wounds of injustice sufferings, I would quickly hide my sufferings under the brutal relics of concentration camps like Auschwitz, Sobibor, Treblinka, etc. Despite the huge depravity those Jews and many prisoners of wars went through, justice was not meted out appropriately. So, you are tempted to question God about the very reason He claimed the title of Just God? Nevertheless, the greatest judge of all cannot be sleepy. He can’t afford to slumber over justice when eternity awaits the last verdict from Him. The unveiling of Truth cannot be hidden from the TRUTH Himself. Every action will have recompense.

We were taught that our motives will be judge and not mere actions. Yet in order to understand actions, something else must be considered. Most important is that thing which is behind the actions themselves. What are the factors that drive our actions? We know that actions are driven by thoughts, imaginations, beliefs, upbringings, and more. It is vital to give more considerations to how we think what we think. 

When we think of how thoughts originate, we might further look beyond such things like our culture, upbringing, family history, national heritage, environment, etc.  We might just bundle all the aforementioned into: information sources. That is where many reasons for our thoughts came from. Now, variables that drive our thoughts originate from one or more sources.  Such source that drives the information which determined actions are worth considering. As we move deeper and further, we will see why we may have to study the origin of the sources…of what drives the information that drives the thoughts that drives the actions? So, source of sources…of information becomes our subject. We will forever travel back in history to determine that. In digging out many unimaginable things like these, the root cause of events, actions and reactions will not only be known; forgiveness will be easy for the unforgiving.

In other to avert the tendency for excessive digression, I will say that most of the teachings that will rescue the next generations in the years to come will have to look deeper than the present generation’s teachings. 

The frontiers of knowledge will have to extend into areas such as the root cause of thoughts and actions. Beyond the present day’s teachings on such subjects like management, leadership, strategy and more; teachings that will rescue people will be those teachings that help them confront their thoughts and motives.

Certainly training people how to be more effective and proactive are great. Greater than that will be trainings that are able to flip motives like someone frying eggs or roasting turkeys. In other to have an even roast, all sides must be thoroughly cooked. We will have to seriously give more attention to things of deeper meaning like: “what is the end result of all our teachings? For I think that these teachings are like tools with which we really need to achieve a purpose. But humanity is becoming overtly carried away by the end rather than the process to the end itself. In other for humanity to endure and progress, we must give attention to that origin of motives and the rightness of motive. Am I saying that we have not been doing that at all? No. Am I assuming that we have not been using management wisdom rightly? No. I will forever be grateful to management discipline. I will continue to advocate for the need of leadership wisdom. But the question is: to what end are we teaching management and leadership?

So, why are we advocating for effectiveness and efficiency? Why do we want our people to be proactive? Because these skills are not enough in themselves. All they need to be perverted skills are one bill that gets passed in the house, then politically correctness will no longer be what it used to be.

My humble submission is that we cannot afford to assume that skills acquisitions and trainings are the solution to the world’s problem. Why because the Nazi’s were obviously effective group. Adolf Hitler led a German army that were certainly efficient. They were dignified and disciplined in their cause. They had a singleness of purpose, which was extermination of the Jews. So the question is not about training people because that army went through actual military drilling. The question that differentiated them was the motive behind it all. The question of: 'was the cause noble indeed as they were led or misled to believe?' (Depending on where you pitch your tent). It was all about the rightness of motive. This is why the whole question does not lie merely at the door of management books and leadership trainings. It bores down to questioning of motives and weighing of driving force behind actions. 

When we have a vision or a purpose, it is not enough to stop there. There is more reason to ask and confront the motives behind that. How are we sure that our motive is right, pure as crystal, undiluted and faultless? How are we sure that we are right in our causes? Is it by hindsight? Is it by teaching people that their choices will definitely have consequence(s) or there are better ways to determine that so that people don’t wreck their lives and even go further in destroying other people’s lives?

Till date, many of the ninety percent unprosecuted offenders of genocides walk freely. 

Those who served in the Nazi’s army believed that they were right. They were more convinced that they were doing the right thing by exterminating the Jews. Similarly, the Hutu tribes of Rwanda were not acting under assumptions when they were killing the Tutsi tribes because they considered them as snakes and cockroaches. When a different tribe are considered sub-humans in terms of ethnicity, it was not assumption.  That genocide claimed over a million lives in  Rwanda. Yet those who started it felt they were right. The deception of human hearts could be traced back in history to the time of crucifixion of Jesus. Those who crucified Jesus felt that they were doing God a favor by killing Jesus. Why because this "Joker" from Nazareth is claiming to be God. And that was the highest form of blasphemy in history. So they killed the Messiah of the world. The question is how can we truly tell when motives are right or wrong? I strongly believe that one of the utmost teachings which the world is yet to seriously unravel is this teaching on the rightness of motive, the power behind motivations. Could this be a teaching the ancients missed till date?

"Until I bring you word…" Homicide of Proactivity (Part two)

Matthew 2:13 says: "behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word..."
Until I bring thee word, don’t move! Until I bring thee word don’t act on your own, until I bring thee word, don’t change your job. Until I bring thee word, don’t marry in haste. Until I bring thee word, don’t travel on your own. Until I bring thee word, don’t take any rash step. Until I bring thee word, don’t change your routine. Until I bring you word, don’t act smart in the name of pro-activity.

A lot of time we try to be smarter than God, because we have been taught the importance of pro-activity in the school of management. So, we usually go all out on so many projects without consulting God. Forget about your management technique when it comes to God’s specific instructions and timing. Don’t try to persuade God. Don’t organize your own programs. Don’t step out on your own. Don’t do anything without instruction. Joseph was warned in a dream. That was instruction. He woke up and obeyed immediately what the Angel of God told him in the dream. When we wake up, do we rationalize our God given instructions?

Matthew 2:13b says: "...and be thou there until I bring thee word"
This verse shows that instruction must be followed by another instruction in the school of the spirit if we are to be shielded to fulfill our divine calling and purpose. For line must be upon line, precepts upon precepts… Instruction must precede action and reaction for every child of God. Instruction is the utmost. I came to appreciate time and also value instruction more as a result of what I have encountered in dealing with God’s specific words. You got to wait until you catch a revelation. Until a Rhema-word comes alive, until a specific word jumps out of the reading of the word of God, don’t go out on a limb.

Homicide of pro-activity! (Part One)

This is a narrative of true event that will shape your life forever. You will appreciate the place of speed and accuracy in destiny. You will value instruction and timing based on divine direction. Your making it in life will be dependent on timing, instruction and direction. Timing actually informs speediness while instruction actualizes accuracy. We need both to be what God wants us to be. The earthly father of Jesus was warned in a dream to take the son-Jesus out of Bethlehem to Egypt. If he had lingered some months longer in Bethlehem, if he had waited for a year or two more; what do you think would have become of the baby-Jesus? Needless to say, King Herod would have killed him along with the multitude of children that were massacred from two years down. And the essence of Christmas would have become short circuited in history by now.

The place of instruction and timing gives birth to accuracy and speed obtainable in destiny. There are some things that cannot be overemphasised in the school of the spirit. When you hear from God, you will be sure, accurate and correct. You cannot go wrong if you heard directly from God. Just because you knew you heard Him precisely, you will have confidence. However, many people take God’s word and instruction slowly and inactively. The passivity they demonstrate aborts the process to their blessings and they question God over His "unfulfilled" promises. The truth is: when you hear Him, there is always a timeline within which His instruction is to be expedited. Sometimes, you are expected to carry out the instruction within a certain period of time. This is why speed is very important. It is by instruction through God's word that we stay ahead of the enemy's plans. It is by instruction-divine instruction- that we outwit the devil.

Matthew 2:12-15, says: "…And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
These were clear instructions given to the wise men that came to worship Jesus when He was born. Joseph the earthly father of Jesus was also instructed at the same time to run away into exile with the child in order to hide him for a season.
Matthew 2:14 says: “…When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod... Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men."

The obedience of Joseph to instruction led to the preservation of the Messiah from infanthood so that He could fulfill His mission. Simple instruction through a mere dream saved the life of the baby-Jesus from being killed along with other children that Herod killed. Let me quickly tell you these that: the enemy is always time conscious, even if you are not. The enemy is always angry at the seed of greatness in you and he is ready to destroy as many just for him to get hold of just one target. If you doubt that, you can quickly recall 9-11 at the world trade centre in USA. The enemy has come to kill, to steal and to destroy. You will wonder why I am talking to you about the enemy. The scripture says we are not ignorant of the devices of the enemy. Matthew 2:12 says: "And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way."
God's instruction does not always come in repetitive forms. So don’t wait till God speak the second or third time before you act on His instructions. His instruction doesn’t have to be repeated over and again before we obey. The wise men were warned in just one dream. Joseph was warned in just one dream. And they all obeyed.

Corporate Leadership

To begin this piece, let me tell you a true story. Recently I was talking to Dave; a security young man at a mall on a very cold Saturday morning. I was checking out a book to buy from one of the shops. Dave was going round to see to it that everything was going well around the mall. As he walked briskly alongside me, we greeted.I asked him about his present job, if he was enjoying it. He told me how happy he was. He said he feel so free and independent working as a security than as chef. Apparently, he was a fired chef. This former cook told me that he resigned from the job because of the way he was maltreated. He was being ordered around in the kitchen at his former workplace. So I asked why he is happy here as a security despite the higher risks involved with the security job? To me, securing lives and property when compared to cooking foods are two extremes when based on the associated risks. However, for Dave, the risks were nothing and the reason was quite simple. He has found an opportunity to bloom and blossom here as security than as a Cook. The chief chef had made life so miserable for Dave such that he had to quit. The reason is not farfetched. The initial plan of the creator was for man to subdue all creation. Man was never created to be subdued by his own kind. I have never admired any leader who made me feel so insecure and less important. And I am guessing that the same goes for you too?

The reason why people will settle for less paying job, less dignifying job sometimes is because of the leadership in those workplaces. Business leaders need to understand that their staffs deserved to be respected no matter how low they are on the organization chart. They should never be hauled, mauled or ruled. Staffs determine the strength of the organization and profits made therein. They are partly the powerhouse of the workplace. The longevity of the business depends on them. Hence they are important and must be seen as such.

If I may ask you at this point. Are you a leader or a follower? Everyone needs to know which side on the continuum they fall. If you are not a leader what kind of follower are you? What can you identify as the problems in leadership today? What do you think a corporate leadership should look like? What does a corporate leader require in a business sector? Have you ever worked with a business leader where everybody runs into hiding, pretending to be doing something serious or the other when he appears? What was your experience like? How did you see such “big boss”? What do you admire about him? What makes you envy him? What did you observe in his life that is so unique? If you are a leader? What kind of leader are you? Are you oppressive or supportive? Are you accommodative or a repellant?

What is Corporate Leadership?
“Corporate leadership is any business oriented leadership that believes in team work, harnesses the ability of the team in generating momentum; develops strategies in implementing models; maximizing potentials and building upon the strengths of the team in implementing projects to the intent of reaching exceedingly valuable and precise results.” –( Odunuga, 2009)

Using driving as illustration.
Driving on the highway can be synonymous with corporate leadership. Sometimes your speed on the highway can be determined by the speed of the vehicle directly ahead of you. And the speed limit, at which you travel, can be influenced by the person beside you. The speed, at which the person behind you drives, can also be determined by your speed. In a situation where you cannot overtake, when you have to follow a single narrow lane. You cannot over speed. When the person directly ahead of you is driving on 60km per hour. You cannot drive 80km/hr. If you do that, you would have hit him and you will have yourself to blame. The same principle of speed limit and limitation is observable in leadership. It is applicable in how driving a corporation towards a corporate goal can be a matter of team effort, team spirit, team work and team influence. As a leader, you will need to understand all these because they can impact you adversely if you don’t. They can determine how far your organization will go. They will determine at what pace your organization will go. They can determine whether or not, the people will grow or not.

Principles of corporate leadership.
In business, profitability edge does not come except by corporate leadership principles and more. When people identify with an organization, they work until such organization is strong enough to adequately pay their bills. They can stand by the organization even in recession. I have seen a situation where a business was about folding up and the staff refused to go on strike for not being paid simply because they understand and they have bought into the corporate vision, such that they would slog it out together through the crisis until the bad season is over. Loyalty is easily commanded in such situation.

There are certain conditions which must be present as prerequisites in corporate leadership. The best businesses that will thrive exceedingly well in the 21st century are the businesses that will rely on these principles of corporate leadership. These principles are as follows:
1. Strategy must be synergistic: they must continually be structured to build upon previous efforts and continually aligned with other team efforts.
2. Corporate leadership is a process. It must be seen as a process that can not be arrived at in one day. And we cannot graduate from the discipline thereof.
3. Indispensability: It is indispensable, if there must be a positive result in the organization.
4. Unison: Most business relies on the brain of the board of directors or the Chief executive officer. They usually feel the hardest blow when such leader leaves the organization either by resignation, death, or retirement.

A Case study of a corporate Leadership
I was privileged to visit one of the leading automobile companies in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. After a tour round their factory, observing and asking questions about regulatory standards, their corporate goals, their sales, social responsibilities, their best practice, their new management plan on marketing, their newest strategies and more. I asked a twisty question in an interview session with their president. Having been aware that his predecessor failed and the company was nose-diving when he took over the leadership. I asked: “How were you able to turn this business around? What was the secret of your success in this company?” He humbly said that the credit goes to all the people on his team. “Team work did it!” he replied. He was a man who understood how to redirect praise and give credits to others. Some CEO believed that people should not be praised because they will stop putting in their best. They don’t want their people to think they have arrived. The contrast is true. People want to be seen as priceless despite the fact that they are receiving salaries from the organization. They don’t fancy being equated with their paystub. Appreciating people who worked with you to make things happen will encourage and inspire them to do more. The president of that automobile company I mentioned refused to allow his picture appear on any column or magazine profile page dedicated to heroes in their industry. As the one who deserved the credits; he shared the glory with the average people on his team. It was the picture of a team of people who worked on the tool benches, sits on the security table, answered the telephones at the reception, and typed on computer in offices; that appeared on the profile page of the popular magazine column. These were the heroes! This was the secret. Little wonder they were all smiling and feeling accepted and happy with their job regardless of what happens.

Acronym of the ethics of corporate leadership:
1. Commitment: the leader is committed to fulfilling his promises to his team once he pronounced it. Broken promises breed doubts, discord and discouragement. It wanes people’s strengths.
2. Outstanding: The leader is exceptional. He is extremely result oriented.
3. Resilience: the leader is able to weather the storm for the organization rather than seek a bail out. He is not a quitter.
4. Productivity: he is effective and industrious. The people take a cue from him. He never loiters around the corridors or stays longer on break.
5. Openness: the leader is very transparent and accountable.
6. Reward: the leader sees win-win for all on board per time. He tries to ensure the team gets their raises at the right time.
7. Affirmation: the leader gives approval and acceptance. The leader understand that the mind of man is able to conquer any form of obstacle or challenge where there is a force of encouragement in guise of a pat on the back from the leader.
8. Trust: The leaders have faith in his people. In cases of unexpected melt down, in the face of bankruptcy, in times of mergers and acquisition; he tries to protect their interests.
9. Effective: the leader is able to bring success through. He maximizes resources in the organization.
10. Loyalty: the leader is the first person to sow the seeds of loyalty before he reaps it from his team. When the people see that he can be relied upon they follow him all the way through thick and thin.
11. Eloquent: the leader is well expressive. He has the ability to move an audience back to work in cases of union strike.
12. Ambitious: the leader is a go-getter. He is optimistic. Always seeing the positive side of things.
13. Determined: the leader is strong minded, unwavering. Once the target is set, he makes sure that the result is delivered on the due date and not excuses.
14. Extraordinaire: the leader is excellent and outstanding in his work.
15. Retention: Usually it is the man behind the big desk who decides if the people will stay or go. The leader believes in investing in people, developing people rather than laying them off.
16. Service: he sees his role as a servant leader. He is not bossy or oppressive.
17. Humorous: the leader is entertaining, he is able to slow down and play in the face of tension. He is able to handle a stressful situation with wits. He can easily accommodate people and he can go along with the team as well as the public.
18. Intelligent: the leader is smart. He is a thinker.
19. Persuasive: the leader is able to persuade, win sales, negotiations and deliberations for the corporate good.