Born or Got (#1)

In November 2020, I started posting regular thoughts on my Facebook wall. It has been a unique and eye-opening experience. What fascinates me is the fact that these #Nuggets are there on the marble for posterity. Once you begin to engage your mind, you will discover the innate abilities you never thought existed. The mind can be likened to a well that oozes out ideas, initiatives, innovations and creativity (I³C). The gateway out of the mind can also be likened to the water tap. Freshness comes through outpouring of I³C and rather than run dry, the well enlarges in geometrical proportions.

Occasionally, I will be documenting these Nuggets on this blog. You can peruse the first “Block of Refreshing Nuggets – B.O.R.N” posted under the title “Eureka Effect” following this hyperlink - https://a-ologunleko.blogspot.com/2020/11/eureka-effect.html. Under-listed are the next BORN containing Ten (10) Nuggets also referred to as “Group of Tens - G.O.T”. Feel free to join me as I unveil these typical posts under “BORN or GOT” series henceforth. 

1. Today’s worldview doesn’t account well for giving. Living is not just between consumer and seller as it seems, it’s also between giver and recipient no matter the obscurity. The beauty is that the giver is greater and more valuable than the gift. #Nugget11

2. It’s weird but true. A moment of decision between “Off the Mic” generation and “Speak-up” generation. It has never been the order of nature that the old will bury the young. One will outlive the other. It’s only a matter of time....#Nugget12

3. You see, there is something about the Pharisees. They gave themselves waivers to attend to their animals on Sabbath days but can’t stand the sick getting healed. “Phariscious” hearts need healing. #Nugget13

4. Pause, think aright: Ponder and consider for insights before acting without which error prevails. Regrets are products of hindsight through sober reflections while Legacies are products of foresight through purposeful resilience. #Nugget14

5. Special Brand: When you show up, which BRAND do you project or represent? Invaluable, priceless or worthless? Being Relatively And Naturally Different is the B.R.A.N.D. Whoever you are and whatever you do, be uniquely pleasant. #Nugget15

6. Game changer: It seems right does not make it right. Fundamentally, memorable change occurs after genuine reset akin to “systems’ reboot”. Be a positive change agent. #Nugget16

7. Wisdom Matters: Finding wisdom is like digging for treasures buried beneath the earth. There is no school curriculum specific to wisdom yet we see clearly that "Wise Instruction Settles Difficult Odd Matters". #Nugget17

8. The real deal: Test your assumptions; verify and validate. There is nothing as obsolete as futility of “APES obey”. The reigning one is Assumption-Prototypes-Experiments-Success (APES). #Nugget18

9. From “Digitally Yours”: Digital transformation (DT) is great but it takes greater deal of vision powered by astute discipline to move from the downhill of status-quo to the uphill of industrial internet of things (IIoT). #Nugget19

10. Critical offer: In times of crisis, people yearn for hope when the voice of the leader can inspire. Hopelessness and helplessness are unwarranted plagues that shouldn’t befall an individual or a society. Give hope, help someone! #Nugget20

Critical Questioning

An open mind does not adjudge any question as stupid. Does every question need an answer? The answer is outright "No". Does every question have an answer? Think for a moment. In my opinion, the answer is "Yes". Why? Every question - as a matter of fact must - have the right or wrong answers. The fact that a question is not answerable does not obliterate the fact that there is an answer. If we dig well enough following the right approach, we will definitely find the right answer.

There are simple questions that rather than elicit corresponding answers generate beefs founded on prejudices. Take for instance questions like, “Why does “white” Americans call Cops on “black” Americans?” and “What’s the difference between Nigeria and Niger? or “What will you do next, if patience and goodluck failed you?”. Let me take the last question for example. Politically inclined or adherents of APC or PDP (the dominant political parties in Nigeria) could erroneously relate the question to our former President and First Lady who left office in 2011 respectively. Just imagine what you could get in response to an innocent question begging for a sincere answer?

The act of questioning is one that every successful leaders have mastered with grits and guts. You can’t be a persistent/adept problem solver or change agent without being skillful at questioning? The importance of this skill is well crafted in a quote credited to Albert Einstein that says: “If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.”? This is highly instructive!

'Critical Questioning' belongs to the uncommon tripod or trinity of leadership's critical acts or traits. Others are 'Critical Reasoning' and 'Critical Thinking'. These demanding acts cannot be honed by lazy minds. The good news is that they can be learnt. Aside dedication and informed focus, you apparently need enduring patience to enable you make your own good-luck. Learn the habit of not giving up easily at questioning. Pay attention to successes and failures for continuous improvement. The fact that you can’t answer that question now doesn’t mean you should give up on finding the answer. We advance in leaps and bounds when enlightened in our dark areas. Never give up! I wish you Good-luck!!