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.
Showing posts with label recession. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recession. Show all posts
Friday, November 6, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
So close to greatness...
“Whatever your hands find to do, do it diligently with all your heart”
-Scripture.
Working faithfully and quietly on a job you dislike sometimes may seem discouraging. The length of time you spend there may be like forever. It may look like there is no way out of the rut you got yourself into. I will tell you that when you are faithful there in that place. Promotion is certain…if you are faithful in little, God will make you master of many. You must have come across that scripture that said: “promotion does not come the south or from the east or west. Promotion comes from above.” God is a promoter and a rewarder. He rewards the diligent man and woman come what may.
I was at work going somewhere on bus when I met a certain lady who happens to be the Vice president and a Human resource manager of a reputable company in Manitoba, Canada. Sitting close to me on bus, she smiled like an everyday people. She was not dressing extraordinarily. Only heavens know what she was doing on bus. I would expect her to drive her own car around. Was she trying to conserve gas like me? Did she leave her car at home with her husband as I did with Ken? In a nutshell, we exchanged contacts and I was humbled that God can bring greatness to you right where you are. He knows your address. You need to understand that you are serving God and people… In that tedious job, work whole heartedly as a CEO or a clergy would do. Whether you are sitting on the board or serving God in the pulpit; put up a good attitude. You never know when greatness is closest to you.
Sometimes you never know who you are sitting next to. We come so close to greatness oftentimes than we can ever imagine. You can never know how much of greatness you may have snubbed on a certain day when you are having one of those bad days. You don’t even know who you are talking with or who is listening to you. Sometimes, somewhere close by is a stranger who is actually quiet but more interested in your conversation at times. That is why it is of utmost importance that we try to always show a good attitude. It is good to reflect the best side to people as much as we can. We should leave first timers and outsiders with a smile at any time we are parting from meeting. First impression always lasts longer. We should try to put up a good attitude everywhere we go. Being kind ambassador wherever we find ourselves is very important.
What really left an impression on me concerning my Vice president friend whom I met on bus was that, the humble lady happens to be so simple despite her reputable position in business world. She was just sitting by trying to engage me in a conversation. She already started talking to my company on bus. She was just being friendly, warm and pleasant to us. As she was being kind and friendly through her conversation, I was indifferent on my part. I was just there as though I was not there. I was not present minded as such. I sat tiredly on the bus thinking and reflecting… I was not really interested in talking with any one. I was interrupted by her question. “So how are you enjoying your job?” “It’s okay…it is all about being able to do something meaningful with your hands, investing your time and more. It’s a matter of having the gut to appreciate the dignity of labor.” I said. Sometimes it is not so much as what kind of job you are doing. Rather it is how do you really see what you are doing? Do you see it as an opportunity to pay bills, contribute your quota to the world, serve people and make a mark thereafter? These are what really matter. It is not that job in itself. It is how you see it. It is all about you. It is how you see yourself in that job. It’s about your ego... it is important that you take time to appreciate the opportunity to do, and to give something where some others can’t. When there’s a layoff here and there. It is vital you look beyond the brand of job to getting something to do which will bring in the money you need. As you do so diligently; God will look at your heart and bless you in turn...
-Scripture.
Working faithfully and quietly on a job you dislike sometimes may seem discouraging. The length of time you spend there may be like forever. It may look like there is no way out of the rut you got yourself into. I will tell you that when you are faithful there in that place. Promotion is certain…if you are faithful in little, God will make you master of many. You must have come across that scripture that said: “promotion does not come the south or from the east or west. Promotion comes from above.” God is a promoter and a rewarder. He rewards the diligent man and woman come what may.
I was at work going somewhere on bus when I met a certain lady who happens to be the Vice president and a Human resource manager of a reputable company in Manitoba, Canada. Sitting close to me on bus, she smiled like an everyday people. She was not dressing extraordinarily. Only heavens know what she was doing on bus. I would expect her to drive her own car around. Was she trying to conserve gas like me? Did she leave her car at home with her husband as I did with Ken? In a nutshell, we exchanged contacts and I was humbled that God can bring greatness to you right where you are. He knows your address. You need to understand that you are serving God and people… In that tedious job, work whole heartedly as a CEO or a clergy would do. Whether you are sitting on the board or serving God in the pulpit; put up a good attitude. You never know when greatness is closest to you.
Sometimes you never know who you are sitting next to. We come so close to greatness oftentimes than we can ever imagine. You can never know how much of greatness you may have snubbed on a certain day when you are having one of those bad days. You don’t even know who you are talking with or who is listening to you. Sometimes, somewhere close by is a stranger who is actually quiet but more interested in your conversation at times. That is why it is of utmost importance that we try to always show a good attitude. It is good to reflect the best side to people as much as we can. We should leave first timers and outsiders with a smile at any time we are parting from meeting. First impression always lasts longer. We should try to put up a good attitude everywhere we go. Being kind ambassador wherever we find ourselves is very important.
What really left an impression on me concerning my Vice president friend whom I met on bus was that, the humble lady happens to be so simple despite her reputable position in business world. She was just sitting by trying to engage me in a conversation. She already started talking to my company on bus. She was just being friendly, warm and pleasant to us. As she was being kind and friendly through her conversation, I was indifferent on my part. I was just there as though I was not there. I was not present minded as such. I sat tiredly on the bus thinking and reflecting… I was not really interested in talking with any one. I was interrupted by her question. “So how are you enjoying your job?” “It’s okay…it is all about being able to do something meaningful with your hands, investing your time and more. It’s a matter of having the gut to appreciate the dignity of labor.” I said. Sometimes it is not so much as what kind of job you are doing. Rather it is how do you really see what you are doing? Do you see it as an opportunity to pay bills, contribute your quota to the world, serve people and make a mark thereafter? These are what really matter. It is not that job in itself. It is how you see it. It is all about you. It is how you see yourself in that job. It’s about your ego... it is important that you take time to appreciate the opportunity to do, and to give something where some others can’t. When there’s a layoff here and there. It is vital you look beyond the brand of job to getting something to do which will bring in the money you need. As you do so diligently; God will look at your heart and bless you in turn...
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Silly escape from Recession!
This writing is all about providing simple solutions to recession. Most of the concepts discussed here has been published in my book: The Jawbone of an Ass: secrets to gaining financial freedom and getting out of life’s messy situations. [Feb 2008; iuniverse], I have warned my readers ahead of time about the present recession. I said it there that the tide could change, that the table could turn. I said it earlier that life is full of uncertainties and several unpredictable changes do occur. Slaves do become princes and princes do become slaves. And it can happen at any time. When home owners begin to lose their homes, when landlords, farm owners begin to lose their properties, assets; when mortgage owners begin to sleep in the streets without a shelter any more; then it is already happening. It takes strategies, innovation, wisdom and a miracle to turn around a situation of scarcity.
Miracle in time of old is experiencing new thing, new happening, and newness. It’s when something that has never happened before happened. Innovation means the same thing. There is a similarity between miracle and innovation. The stimulus package that Barack Obama’s administration is introducing is like a miracle. It is a miracle for those who have no way out of their financial mess. Somehow, a ray of hope has finally come at last; but there is more to it than that. It will only work if the right principles are adopted with it. If the same principle that Joseph used in Egypt was followed doggedly; if productivity culture, saving culture and investment culture is reintroduced with proper inspection; keen monitoring and much more constant feed backs are adopted. If consumerism is truly reduced in the people’s lifestyle, the end has come to recession.
It should be noted that God is not happy about scarcity. Through men, God will be bringing miracles into workplaces, communities, neighbors, et.al that will put an end to recession. God had made provision for this time ever before it happened. If nations facing recessions can go back to their foundations on God, and in God; there will be great turn around for them. For instance, I observed that a part of the Canadian’s Anthem said: “O Canada… we stand on God for thee”. And the American dollars have an inscription that said: “In God we trust. A part of Nigeria’s anthem has this: O God of creation, direct our noble path…” We all seem to have forgotten where we were coming from. The founders of our land believe in someone, in some certain principles. They are divine principles. They were dependent on supernatural power. They believed in God.
Today, we have a distorted concept of God. It is so sad that an average North American does not have a religion. If s/he does; s/he does not believe in sovereignty of the God of heaven. God can be anything to some people. He is not a buddy but a bad boss. Some do not even believe in anything. Little wonder; where we are finding ourselves. The provider of life and the creator of everything have been removed from the picture. Our lives and economy is falling like pack of cards. One of the truest ways to recession proof ourselves is to start thinking of going back to God. It is time to start asking the right questions, redefining what are the bases of life? What do we believe in? Who did the forefathers trusted in? Who was their help in times of old? God is His name. He is the help of the helpless. He is our help in the ages past; He is our hope for the years to come.
Another secret to getting out of recession is to ask ourselves these questions: what are we inventing now? What are we contributing to the world? What are we giving back to the society? What new concept, what new brand are we introducing? Barack Obama’s concept of Bio-generating plant for energy production is an invention, which will make a whole lot of difference in the America’s economy. If it is wholeheartedly embraced, without some people somewhere planning on how to frustrate this noble project. It will be one great way to surviving the present economic scarcity in USA. The secret is to become inventors. It is to become more creative. It is to look within for what is available as a leverage with which one can navigate the season of scarcity. It is by becoming more enterprising that recession is ameliorated.
An average individual needs to become more enterprising. Develop entrepreneurial spirit. Start your own business. Do not depend on one source of income. The fact that you are an employee does not stop you from having a trade on the side. You can use a part of your home for business. Then your home business can relieve you of the amount of tax that is being paid to the government. At your leisure, you can even make some crafts, arts, weave and paint to make some more money, rather than just wasting time playing away opportunities in guise of a time wasting game. Time is a valuable asset. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Once you become resourceful. You would have recession proof yourself. You will be difficult to sack during downsizing.
In bid to be retained during downsizing, some staffs in some companies, try to hide information from colleagues so as to be the indispensable staff that will be retained at workplace. The point is this that is a crap way of becoming indispensable. You are insecure because you know you don’t have what it takes to be retained. If you develop yourself, acquire multiplicity skills, you will be more resourceful to the company you are working for. And you will be confident about who you are where you are. We must try to be valuable anywhere we find ourselves. We must be the solution to the system. And this can only happen if we work on our selves. If we don’t sit on our laurels; if we continue to strive to become better citizens of the state we live in.
Recession is not new. It has happened before. It has happened in the time of Joseph while in Egypt. The bible recorded how they dealt with it back then. They went into production of more goods. They also saved more than they consumed. I talked about the importance of becoming a “positive human octopus” in my book, as a way of getting out of financial mess. A means to overcoming unpalatable financial scarcity is to acquire multiplicity of skills to the end of becoming so indispensable and resourceful such that you are ever needed irrespective of whatever happens. This self development principle needs to be adopted by every individual. The next age is going to be filed with uncommon things, new concepts, innovations and more. More of these will come through people who are prepared and whose minds have been developed. What we will be experiencing will be astounding. Brands will be seriously redefined. Corporations will be diversifying at the speed of light. Individuals will be loaded. Industries all over will improve, expand, increase to what we can not but pause and ponder over. There will be true miracles in guise of innovation in all sectors, all walks of life. There will be results that systems, nations will come and study as a program is being studied in the institutions. All these and more will work as the antidote to the present scarcity and the future recession once we start doing them. Once we start contributing our individual parts right now.
Miracle in time of old is experiencing new thing, new happening, and newness. It’s when something that has never happened before happened. Innovation means the same thing. There is a similarity between miracle and innovation. The stimulus package that Barack Obama’s administration is introducing is like a miracle. It is a miracle for those who have no way out of their financial mess. Somehow, a ray of hope has finally come at last; but there is more to it than that. It will only work if the right principles are adopted with it. If the same principle that Joseph used in Egypt was followed doggedly; if productivity culture, saving culture and investment culture is reintroduced with proper inspection; keen monitoring and much more constant feed backs are adopted. If consumerism is truly reduced in the people’s lifestyle, the end has come to recession.
It should be noted that God is not happy about scarcity. Through men, God will be bringing miracles into workplaces, communities, neighbors, et.al that will put an end to recession. God had made provision for this time ever before it happened. If nations facing recessions can go back to their foundations on God, and in God; there will be great turn around for them. For instance, I observed that a part of the Canadian’s Anthem said: “O Canada… we stand on God for thee”. And the American dollars have an inscription that said: “In God we trust. A part of Nigeria’s anthem has this: O God of creation, direct our noble path…” We all seem to have forgotten where we were coming from. The founders of our land believe in someone, in some certain principles. They are divine principles. They were dependent on supernatural power. They believed in God.
Today, we have a distorted concept of God. It is so sad that an average North American does not have a religion. If s/he does; s/he does not believe in sovereignty of the God of heaven. God can be anything to some people. He is not a buddy but a bad boss. Some do not even believe in anything. Little wonder; where we are finding ourselves. The provider of life and the creator of everything have been removed from the picture. Our lives and economy is falling like pack of cards. One of the truest ways to recession proof ourselves is to start thinking of going back to God. It is time to start asking the right questions, redefining what are the bases of life? What do we believe in? Who did the forefathers trusted in? Who was their help in times of old? God is His name. He is the help of the helpless. He is our help in the ages past; He is our hope for the years to come.
Another secret to getting out of recession is to ask ourselves these questions: what are we inventing now? What are we contributing to the world? What are we giving back to the society? What new concept, what new brand are we introducing? Barack Obama’s concept of Bio-generating plant for energy production is an invention, which will make a whole lot of difference in the America’s economy. If it is wholeheartedly embraced, without some people somewhere planning on how to frustrate this noble project. It will be one great way to surviving the present economic scarcity in USA. The secret is to become inventors. It is to become more creative. It is to look within for what is available as a leverage with which one can navigate the season of scarcity. It is by becoming more enterprising that recession is ameliorated.
An average individual needs to become more enterprising. Develop entrepreneurial spirit. Start your own business. Do not depend on one source of income. The fact that you are an employee does not stop you from having a trade on the side. You can use a part of your home for business. Then your home business can relieve you of the amount of tax that is being paid to the government. At your leisure, you can even make some crafts, arts, weave and paint to make some more money, rather than just wasting time playing away opportunities in guise of a time wasting game. Time is a valuable asset. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Once you become resourceful. You would have recession proof yourself. You will be difficult to sack during downsizing.
In bid to be retained during downsizing, some staffs in some companies, try to hide information from colleagues so as to be the indispensable staff that will be retained at workplace. The point is this that is a crap way of becoming indispensable. You are insecure because you know you don’t have what it takes to be retained. If you develop yourself, acquire multiplicity skills, you will be more resourceful to the company you are working for. And you will be confident about who you are where you are. We must try to be valuable anywhere we find ourselves. We must be the solution to the system. And this can only happen if we work on our selves. If we don’t sit on our laurels; if we continue to strive to become better citizens of the state we live in.
Recession is not new. It has happened before. It has happened in the time of Joseph while in Egypt. The bible recorded how they dealt with it back then. They went into production of more goods. They also saved more than they consumed. I talked about the importance of becoming a “positive human octopus” in my book, as a way of getting out of financial mess. A means to overcoming unpalatable financial scarcity is to acquire multiplicity of skills to the end of becoming so indispensable and resourceful such that you are ever needed irrespective of whatever happens. This self development principle needs to be adopted by every individual. The next age is going to be filed with uncommon things, new concepts, innovations and more. More of these will come through people who are prepared and whose minds have been developed. What we will be experiencing will be astounding. Brands will be seriously redefined. Corporations will be diversifying at the speed of light. Individuals will be loaded. Industries all over will improve, expand, increase to what we can not but pause and ponder over. There will be true miracles in guise of innovation in all sectors, all walks of life. There will be results that systems, nations will come and study as a program is being studied in the institutions. All these and more will work as the antidote to the present scarcity and the future recession once we start doing them. Once we start contributing our individual parts right now.
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