Monthly Archives: April 2023

Empowerment is a commonly used word that I believe should provoke a discourse to avoid misuse. For an undiscerning mind, I fear that enslavement could be mistaken for empowerment. If you are successful, it is most likely that you want your children to take after you. It is also likely that you would prefer your children don’t make the mistakes you made on your path to success. If we all agree that the road to success is laden with missteps and mistakes, expecting your child to do things the way you did it is like saying s/he should also make the mistakes you made. Don’t forget that your child is not you. As you raise your children, you may, unknowingly, erase their sense of good judgment if you don’t allow them exercise their independence of mind, even when at variance with yours. Empowerment is not limited to giving your child the best education. It includes allowing the education to count when your child is able to question your judgement when s/he needs you to rationalise your reasoning.

If you know how to ask questions, you are most likely to know how best to answer questions. Knowing how to answer questions is as important as knowledge itself. Communication is two way and listening has been proven to be an integral part of communication. Great leaders are listeners. They not only ask questions, they listen. What is communication if not to pass your message to sell yourself, your idea or your product to the would-be buyer? Be that as it may, some things are better not said except you are asked. It’s good to display your knowledge with convincing words but knowing where to stop is wisdom. You may have good knowledge but still blow away a good opportunity if you say more than is required. Sometimes, you are better off if you save the details. If you are not sure of the interest of your audience, it is unsafe to reveal all that you know before you are asked because an unsolicited information may be your albatross. Reserve some words for later.

I have read a lot about purpose. I have heard about influence. I have not only been led, I have had the privilege to lead. I have taught and I have written on leadership and leadership development. Studies revealed to me that leadership and influence are strongly connected. Leadership involves influencing others to a particular way of reasoning or doing things to achieve a desired objective. One common denominator to leadership and influence is purpose. It applies to every individual or a group of two or more. What is your reason? What do you set out to achieve? That is your purpose. One of the ways to know if you are achieving your purpose is to weigh the impact you are making on others. After all no man is an island unto himself. An influential leader with a purpose as clear as the crystal glass may fail the test if his impact is not felt. No one is created to live for himself alone. Whatever your calling is, others should benefit from your ingenuity.

I once bumped into a conversation where someone asked what is the best time for one to plan for his retirement. Stretched a little further, what is the best time to plan for old age? This question is often reserved for middle aged and working class but I believe it is a question to be directed at everybody, even life starters. In essence, my message is for all my readers. In my opinion, the best time to plan for old age was the moment you became conscious of yourself. If you did not do it then, the next best time to plan for your retirement is now. Important as it is, the anxiety that surrounds retirement could make one to get immersed in planning for the future to forget the now. You have to live in the now before you can enjoy life in the after now. It is common practice to yearn for the counsel of financial experts and investment gurus while one is planning for his retirement. This is not enough. What about relationship experts? Health advisors? Spiritual mentors? Fun makers? Fitness experts? Holiday planners? Content creators?