My Struggle There are several times in my life that I have wondered if doing things across industries and disciplines reflect the ideal nature of a true career professional. I have often wondered about the concept of creating niches for career success. Why should I remain an academic because that was where I got my first expression for work? Why should I remain a consultant in Human Resources and People Management when Corporate Planning and Strategy is something I excel at effortlessly? These curious comments drove me to searching for what truly is a career. What Exactly is a Career? I believe very strongly that a career is a person’s long-term journey of work. It consists of your personal growth because it involves continuous learning, skill development, and self-improvement. I counsel people to embrace self development as the basis for determine the quality of their contributions to others. Your greatest gift to people, groups, institutions, societies, and nations, is your self development. When you become better, your outputs and contributions become enriched. a career is a person’s long-term journey of work. I also think that your career involves advancing through roles, responsibilities and even industries. It won’t be a career if it is static. Careers are known by their dynamism. They would evolve over time as they adapt to changes in the job market, industry, and even personal interests. Your greatest gift to people, groups, institutions, societies, and nations, is your self development. A career often time is driven by long-term objectives that can span from attaining a specific position to earning a certain income or even making a specific meaningful impact. Our careers are marked by their multifaceted nature. They are springboards for the fulfilment of our dreams and ambitions. Your career is not to be static, it should always be dynamic because of the cycles and changes of life. One major thing that we experience but don’t really talk about is that our career intersects with our personal lives. I have seen people take different jobs because of their family, and even marital relationships. Many people have moved into new fields of engagement because they have prioritised their well-being. Careers are springboards for attainment The Professional’s Playbook: Meet the Shapers of Your Career I said earlier that a career is a person’s long-term journey of work. I also believe that this long-term journey of work is shaped by certain forces. My intention in this article is to help you identify, describe, and maximise each of these shapers and influencers of your work life. Your career is shaped by: Close Out I am hoping this will help you gain clarity and focus for your career advancement. In Part 2, I’ll look at other shapers of your career. OAO
The Professional’s Playbook: A Strategic Guide to Shaping a Fulfilling Career – Part 2
My Pivot In the first part of this 3 -part series, I shared that curiosity drove me into a search for the meaning of a career. I believe we are capable of doing more than we do today. Many a time, we believe it will stretch us beyond the limits of our capabilities and cause us to lose. As we look into this second part of the Professional’s Playbook, i identify other critical factors that shape our careers. What are the other shapers of your Career? 11. Knowledge. What you find while learning directs your path. Our careers are shaped by our discoveries. If you embrace the principle of lifelong learning under the energy of curiosity, you’ll find for yourself that which adds value and maximises your capabilities. Knowledge enables you to secure validations for acquired abilities. It is a curator of your disposition and response to opportunities. Knowledge is a builder of your skills and a definer of the experience you should pursue. 12. Leadership. One great influence of our career is leadership. True leadership begins with oneself. If you can influence yourself, you can shape your journey. Our career is also shaped by the influence of other individuals, they play a pivotal role in how we deploy our capabilities. The impact of a leader on your career is such that you follow the tracks they lay, maximise the opportunities they offer for your growth, and deliver results to validate the trust they had in you. 13. Mentorship. A mentor is a trusted advisor. Sometimes, we find ourselves in a fix. Our professional life looks like an unsolved puzzle. These mentors come to our rescue with counsel that seems like laws and suggestions that have the effect of an instruction. This is because they are experienced and can see far ahead of us even when they are not in the centre of our situation. If you will allow mentors guide you with their counsel, you will take better decisions in your professional life. These people ensure you don’t do life alone. 14. Networking. One of my favourite quotes when speaking about networking is “if it takes you too long to get what you want, your network is poor.”. Many of us need to build professional relationships and connections that will contribute to our growth. Building this network begins with checking in with those you already know. It is like going from the known to the unknown. Many of us don’t know what we have until we ask those we know. Take time to connect others to more and they will introduce you to more as well. 15. Opportunities. There are defining moments in our lives that turn the tide in our careers. Many people have been bolted into prominence in their careers simply because they took up an opportunity. It is important not to pass on a chance to add value at scale. Any opportunity to do more is one you should embrace. Any call to do bigger things should be welcomed. Any invitation to collaborate towards greater impact, should be honored. Your career is your chance to serve with your capabilities. It is a calling that you must fulfil whenever you are called upon to do so. 16. Passion. The dynamic nature of our careers impact our energy levels. Passion is needed when there is no motivation and incentive to keep coasting in your career. The things you are passionate about will get your attention. Your passion is a shaper of your career. Check out the issues, events, and matters that make an impression on you, they signal where you need to direct your energy. 17. Quality. I have read that excellence is the greatest deterrent to racism and sexism. The desire for top quality is a shaper of careers. Don’t celebrate mediocrity simply because excellence is scarce. If you love growth, you will love quality. Those who desire improvements will always find ways to develop their careers in ways that adds more value to people. 18. Resilience. Life will not always be rosy. The times will not always be fun. Your career will present moments of trials to you. These experiences may be self-inflicted, others may be drawn by external factors. Nevertheless, the source of your problems are not material to your career progress as your ability to navigate through them. Develop a mindset that allows you to bounce back from defeat and pursue success against all odds. 19. Strategy. Nothing happens by chance. You will never experience greatness because you simply wished it. There is a need to plan for what is ahead. Your efforts becomes worthless if you have not factored the things that can hinder their valued impact to your stakeholders. Be intentional about developing a clear plan for your career. Don’t leave anything to chance. 20. Teamwork. Collaboration is an amplifier. Working together is a maximiser. Letting others be a part of your journey makes it more fulfilling. We all must learn to partner with others in order to make the most of our work lives. It is teamwork that brings the dream to reality. It is okay to conceive an idea, but it is more important to have persons that can join hands with you to birth your conception. We are better when we collaborate. Those who go far in their careers always journey with others. Have a core group of colleagues that you win and learn together. Close Out Reflect on these things and let them serve as a signal for the next action on your career journey. In Part 3, I’ll look at the final six shapers of your career. OAO
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The Professional’s Playbook: A Strategic Guide to Shaping a Fulfilling Career – Part 3
My Resolution This one thing I do, I forget the things of the past and pursue the things that are ahead. I have come to accept that all glory is fleeting, hence, seeking new challenges everyday is what validates growth. There is no place to plateau for the person who has seen both victories and failures. They look on to the new horizons and chase unfulfilled dreams. As we bring these series of ideas to a close in this 3rd part of 3 articles, be rest assured that you pass the torch to the next generation of change makers! Let’s Wrap This All Up! The Final List of Career Shapers 21. A Unique Value Proposition. The value you bring to the table is a determinant of your career. Always position yourself to be a contributor. When you choose a contribution mindset, you will find yourself becoming very creative as you seek to solve problems and not cause it. You will easily identify opportunities for service and not self gratification. Never remain on the menu, ensure you strive hard to be on the table. Those who are in the room when critical decisions are been made have the advantage of being first movers. 22. Vision. Another shaper of your career is your picture of the future. I recall a mentor of mine once asked me “Where do you see yourself making your utmost contribution to life?” That question influence the extent of my dreams. I expanded my expectations of a rewarding career. I started to look in many more directions than I have ever looked at. Vision is the image of the value we nurture to share with others. When we pursue it, we validate its authenticity. 23. Wisdom. Knowledge is good and so is understanding. However the ability to discern the right path is the value that wisdom gives your career. Those who work with contextual intelligence are always relevant for the moment and beyond. You must apply discernment in your decision-making efforts. Arrogance is the barrier to expressing great wisdom. A career laced with wisdom will surmount hurdles and maximise opportunities. 24. X-Factor. On a team of competent people, capacity is the difference maker. Your career is often time shaped by that extra thing you bring to the team. Your career is shaped by your distinction. The goal is not to compete with the people you work with, rather the quest is to be better than your previous best outcome. 25. Yielding Results. Nothing commands respect like results. It is only results that terminates insults. The proof of success is the results you deliver. A fulfilling career is marked by results. Results help to reinforce your relevance. They energise your team to surpass their last outing. Results set you apart from talkers and analysts. It is the lever upon which your uniqueness rides. Results confer leadership on you and make you a force to be reckon with in your career. With results, you become the talk of the profession and the source of inspiration for the next phase of the profession. To produce better results, pay attention to your thoughts, feelings, actions, capabilities, approach, and tools. 26. Zeal. Potential is not what makes you great, it is products. Products are outcomes of inputs of energy, enthusiasm, and dedication. Shared goals don’t drive success as much as an unflinching commitment to the demands of the goals. Situations can steal the glorious picture of your career future if you have got no zeal. Pay the price for greatness by embracing responsibility. Final Word Your career is your chance to change the world. OAO
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Delegation: The Unseen Engine of Greatness
Introduction Success is not a solo journey—it is a symphony of capabilities and strategic collaboration. The belief that “I can succeed even when I don’t have what it takes as long as I can collaborate with those who are skilled to produce my desires” underscores the power of delegation as a critical success factor. This philosophy is not mere rhetoric; it is the foundational principle upon which empires rise, businesses scale, and civilisations thrive. Many individuals and organisations fail not because they lack vision but because they don’t leverage the expertise of others to bring their aspirations to fruition. Delegation goes beyond assigning tasks; it is about acknowledging one’s limitations, pooling the strengths of others, and championing collective efficiency to realise desired objectives. It is the silent force behind every revolution, every innovation, and every lasting legacy. Leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals who master delegation understand that their greatest power lies not in personal strength alone but in their ability to distribute responsibilities effectively. This article explores how delegation serves as a critical success factor, highlighting its impact on productivity, leadership, innovation, and sustainable growth. It will delve into the mindset shifts required to delegate effectively, the common barriers that hinder delegation, and practical strategies to cultivate a high-performance collaborative environment. But when should one delegate? How should one delegate? Why should one delegate? And, perhaps most crucially, what should one delegate? Let us explore. The Right Time: When Should One Delegate? Delegation is not a sign of weakness; it is a strategic manoeuvre engaged at critical junctures. The right time to delegate is when holding on to a task or responsibility would mean stagnation, inefficiency, or missed opportunities. Moses, the great leader of the Israelites, was taught this lesson by his father-in-law, Jethro. In Exodus 18, Jethro saw Moses single-handedly resolving disputes among thousands of people and then advised him, “What you are doing is not good. You will wear yourself out… Select capable men… and let them judge the people at all times.” Moses, despite his divine calling, realised that his success depended on empowering others to share his burden. No one is too good to do things alone. Don’t ever assume that because you do things so well, others cannot thrive there as well. Break down the tasks and assign portions of it to others. The right time to delegate is when holding on to a task or responsibility would mean stagnation, inefficiency, or missed opportunities. Similarly, Steve Jobs knew when to delegate. Though a genius, he was not a lone creator. He entrusted Apple’s technical development to Steve Wozniak, and later, to the likes of Jony Ive and Tim Cook. Jobs’ ability to acknowledge his limitations in execution while holding the vision led Apple to become an unrivalled global brand. Delegate when critical points of your assignment requires focus. Not all tasks require your full attention. Let go of the ones that needs oversight while you pay attention to the ones that benefits from your expertise. The right time to delegate is when: Greatness is not achieved by holding on; it is achieved by knowing when to let go. The Art of Trust: How Should One Delegate? Delegation is not abdication. To delegate effectively, one must: Consider the case of John D. Rockefeller, the oil magnate, founder of Standard Oil. His brilliance was not in refining oil by himself but in creating a system where others refined oil under his strategic oversight. He delegated operational functions to capable executives and, by doing so, built Standard Oil into a colossus. His success was not in doing but in directing. He evaluated things with a leadership bias, knowing where the greater value lie in the process of building a world class organisation. The same principle was at played in the life of military genius of Napoleon Bonaparte. He delegated battlefield execution to his marshals, men like Davout and Ney, while he focused on grand strategy. His empire stretched across Europe not because he fought every battle personally, but because he entrusted execution to capable hands. Great leaders focus on what influences outcomes the most. What seems to be the core is what they bring to the fore. They know where their input is needed the most and they learn to stay there. They have also learned the great skill of developing the pipeline. Once you can develop people, you can multiply your results. Delegation is an art—a fusion of trust, clarity, and oversight. The Higher Purpose: Why Should One Delegate? The refusal to delegate often time is traceable to ego. A belief that no one else can do it better. This is one great enemy every leading professional should conquer. Leaders who want to do more, achieve more and succeed more must learn to delegate. Refusal to delegate is the death of scalability. Delegation serves three higher purposes: If you desire to scale, you must delegate. If you desire to last, you must delegate. The Right Things: What Should One Delegate? Not everything should be delegated. Some matters demand personal attention. So what should be delegated? There are 3 considerations you should make before letting go of tasks and responsibilities. Let these criteria serve as a guide when you are at a crossroad of delegation. Delegation is about ruthless prioritisation. The legendary Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, once said, “I was never a manager. I was a conductor of talented people.” He delegated the right things and focused on what mattered most—strategy, culture, and vision. Conclusion: Delegation as the Master Key History has shown that those who master delegation master success. Whether it was Moses structuring leadership, Rockefeller systemising oil, Napoleon entrusting battle, or Jobs focusing on vision, the principle remains unchanged: You don’t need to have what it takes; you only need to collaborate with those who do. Delegation is the difference between a leader who burns out and one who builds a legacy. You don’t have to lead from emptiness. Delegation is the bridge
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Driving Organisational Performance Through Strategic Leadership
Introduction The focus of strategic leadership as an art relies on exploring possibilities, anticipating future trends, crafting a clear vision, and mobilising resources to achieve goals. It pays attention to navigating disruptions, long-term Impact, and competitive advantage. Strategic Leaders are marked by their ability to be visionary, analytical, decisive, adaptable, and collaborative. The Performance Imperative for Strategic Leadership The value of performance for these leaders is expressed in enhanced profitability, increased market share, improved employee engagement, and even societal impact. The forces they contend with include but are not limited to competition, technological disruption, economic uncertainty, and talent acquisition. Effective Leadership is the key to navigating these challenges and unlocking sustainable performance. Pillars of Strategic Leadership There are four pillars of strategic leadership. They are vision, strategy, execution, and people. Crafting a Compelling Vision A vision is that clear and inspiring picture of the future state of the organisation. The leader is responsible for crafting it in a masterful and compelling way. Strategic leaders know that the vision has got to be ambitious, inspiring, achievable, and clear. The process of visioning requires executive sponsorship, stakeholder management, an analysis of the organisation’s SWOT, as well as the ability to galvanise collective ownership. When done well, it will attract the right talent, motivate employees, maximise corporate resources, and ultimately enable the realisation of business objectives. Developing a Robust Strategy A company’s strategy is a well defined roadmap to achieve the vision, considering internal strengths, and external threats/possibilities. Its main focus are: goal setting, competitive analysis, market research, risk assessment, and resource allocation. Strategic leaders often leverage tools and frameworks in the development of their strategy. Strategies such as SWOT analysis enables organisations to acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses while exploring the effect of opportunities and threats to their vision. Another tool used for strategy development is the PESTLE analysis. Leaders consider the impact of political, economic, social, technology, legal, and environmental factors on the possibility of success of the company. Others have leveraged on the four levers of the Balanced Scorecard as well as Porter’s Five Forces. I have been a champion of the T-ABOVE Model. This model identifies the indicators for determining the effect of a successful strategy on the people. It measures changes in people’s Thoughts, Actions, Beliefs, Opinions, Visions (Aspirations), and Experiences. A successful corporate strategy hat does not touch these points of her people will not likely succeed. The derivative from a well a crafted strategy will be currency and market relevance, competitiveness, business agility, resilience, and purposiveness. Execution Ideas may rule the world but executors of ideas are the rulers of the world. There is no success in view for an organisation that does not execute her plans. Execution is that flawless implementation of the strategy through effective communication, resource allocation, and performance management. Execution is often faced with challenges that include communication breakdown, misalignment of resources, resistance to change, lack of accountability, performance measurement, and insufficient training. The channels to successful execution will require tackling these challenges by ensuring clear communication, resource alignment, change management, accountability, performance measurement, implementing learning Interventions. People Leaders know that it is in empowering and engaging employees to contribute their best and drive performance that they stand a chance to succeed. Leaders know that people are the most important resource available to the organisation because of all resources, they are the only resource that can create, improve, replicate, deploy, and destroy other resources. The power that people bring to bear on organisational success rests on their capabilities; the credentials, attributes, skills, knowledge, and experience. They know that their competence is limited by the quality of their emotional, intellectual, social, physical and professional capacity. To make the most of them, leaders must acquire them, consult them, develop (grooming and growing) them, engage them, and where necessary exit them. Leading Through Change When the times are good, leaders are needed. When the times are bad, leaders are needed. When the times remain uncertain, leaders are needed. When the dynamics of society sets in and the economy keeps fluctuating, leaders have an opportunity to bring their prowess to bear as their organisations journeys toward success. The Four Opportunities in Change The opportunities that change brings to leaders include a chance to: Models for Leading through Change Several authors have suggested models and ways to lead change. I have curated from a few of them and believe that those who effectively navigate change do the following: Conclusion Leaders have an opportunity to galvanise their teams to succeed by ensuring they harness resources. They know they will never have all that they need; so they lean and leverage. Inspire greatness, they know there is value in their group; hence they ensure it manifests. Project and protect their legacy. The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men, the capacity and the will to carry on. OAO
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Deployed, Not Employed: Reframing the Focus of the Modern Professional
In an era where businesses transform at the speed of thought and where disruption is no longer the exception but the norm, the idea of being merely employed has become woefully inadequate. To think of oneself as an employee—tasked, tethered, and transacted—is to accept a diminishing role in a world that prizes adaptability, strategic acuity, and self-directed growth. The corporate landscape no longer rewards passive presence; it demands purposeful contribution. Organisations today are not hiring roles; they are deploying capabilities. They are investing in those who can convert knowledge into value and initiative into impact. And in this new paradigm, you, the individual contributor, the knowledge worker, the team player—must begin to see yourself not as an employee but as a deployer. You, the professional, are not a cog in a well-oiled machine. You are a deployer—of intellect, perspective, and solution. The new currency of relevance lies in your ability to diagnose, to galvanise, to effect. This is a call to reframe your career. Move beyond compliance and into consequence. This piece is an invitation to reimagine your role in the world of work. It is a call to rise above the transactional, to reject the passive rhythms of routine, and to cultivate a mindset steeped in value, vision, and velocity. If you have ever wondered how to become indispensable—not by title but by impact—read on. This is about managing your career. It is not about climbing the ladder to hierarchy to some new position. It is about carving—carving space where your presence alters the equation. I. The World Has Changed. Have You? To understand the urgency of this shift, one must first grasp the nature of the transformation underway. In decades past, organisations sought employees—people who could follow instructions, repeat processes, and minimise variability. Today, organisations seek deployers—individuals who bring with them the power to adapt, the courage to innovate, and the wisdom to contribute to purpose-led missions. The metrics of success have shifted. Attendance has given way to impact. Compliance now bows before creativity. The most treasured currency in modern enterprise is no longer time served but value added. You must quickly move on to become a value adding personality rather than an individual whose relevance is marked by social status symbols. John C. Maxwell identified a few practical ways to add value. I have listed a few here for your consideration: II. The Portrait of a Deployer What does it mean to be a deployer? A deployer is not defined by their job description, but by their disposition. Their identity is anchored not in a role but in a responsibility—to create value where others see routine, to drive transformation where others see stability. A deployer is a professional that has identified his/her capabilities and developed the mindset and pathways to enable its effective use beyond an assigned task or role in order to achieve corporate objectives. Consider the following traits: III. The Deployment Mindset: A New Internal Operating System The shift from employee thinking to deployer mentality begins within. It is, first and foremost, a mindset transformation: 1. From Execution to Contribution You are not hired to just complete tasks. You are hired to release your capabilities to advance corporate missions. Each task, no matter how small, is an opportunity to infuse purpose, to stretch value, to contribute meaningfully. The story of two masons come to mind at this point. Both workers were on a construction site and were engaged by a passerby. The passerby asked to know what they were doing. The first stone mason replied angrily, ‘I am cutting stones, can’t you see”, the second stone mason, replied quite politely and said; “I am cutting stones for the building of the cathedral”. One person infused their contribution into the response while the other did not. 2. From Job Security to Value Security Jobs may come and go. Roles evolve. But your value—your ability to think critically, act boldly, and deliver results—creates your real security. The deployer is not afraid to be thrusted into new assignments provided it presents an opportunity to engage their capabilities. What is important to the deployer isn’t the title or roles, it is the opportunity to deploy (release for use) their capabilities. Every opportunity to add value should be embraced. 3. From Resources to Capabilities You are not merely a resource to be scheduled. You possess capabilities to be unlocked. Invest in sharpening your unique strengths, and make yourself deployable in any context. Your focus for development should be on what ways can you become better so you can serve others better. I recall a statement from Jim Rohn, he once said, “never ask that your work gets easier, rather work to become better, because when you become better, your work gets easier”. Be conscious of the fact that you are not to be used but to be explored for engagement. 4. From Dependence to Autonomy The worker that embraces the deployer’s mindset has autonomy. They take ownership of their capabilities. They take responsibility for their usefulness in the organisation. Whereas an employee waits on directions and instructions. The demand in today’s world of work is for workers with a deployer’s mindset over those with an employee mindset. 5. From Reactivity to Proactivity Workers that have a deployer’s mindset are always seeking opportunities to apply their capabilities. They are problem-seekers and problem solvers. They are self-directing. They believe they are absolutely responsible for the outcomes of their career. 6. From Isolation to Collaboration The deployer believes in working together with other people. They believe teamwork is what maximises their capabilities. Inasmuch as they may be experts in their craft, they know the impact of collaboration on the results they would produce at work. 7. From Fixation to Progress Deployers believe that they are not good enough to remain the way they are. They have a growth mindset. They look for opportunities to develop and improve their capabilities. They know they are not limited by anything as long as they embrace change.
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