Special Brand

Hello World! That’s supposed to be the first cry of a new born baby. Contrarily, the process begins with a bitter cry that elicits a better feeling for the parents, health officials and others. That first cry is golden! It is one that assures everyone that a sound, healthy and unique “new life” is birthed. According to J. D Vinge, “We are all born with a unique genetic blueprint, which lays out the basic characteristics of our personality as well as our physical health and appearance... And yet, we all know that life experiences do change us”. At every stage in human’s growth and development cycle, there is the need to consciously re-birth or refresh “the unique you” for greater exploits.

We have seen how corporate organizations invest heavily on branding to attract huge patronage, gain considerable market share and gain competitive edge. In addition to this, successful companies offer special employee value propositions to attract, manage and keep unique talents. This is very important because of the “known secret” that no society or organization can excel beyond the quality of its people. One of the ways to improve people quality is through individual identity branding. “Personal branding is the conscious and intentional effort to create and influence public perception of an individual by positioning them as an authority in their industry, elevating their credibility, and differentiating themselves from the competition, to ultimately advance their career, increase their circle of influence, and have a larger impact”[Wikipedia].

Personal branding (PB) entails self-discovery towards carving a niche for yourself in certain areas of influence. It involves “finding your uniqueness, building a reputation on the things you want to be known for, and then allowing yourself to be known for them. Ultimately, the goal is to create something that conveys a message and that can be monetized”[Wikipedia]. Perhaps your greatest motivation at PB is the direct connection with building leadership capabilities. Unless you can lead yourself (the foundation of which is self-awareness), you can’t lead others. The uniqueness of successful leaders is in their brand. 

Do you know that you are a special brand? You can’t afford to leave your success to chances. It takes deliberate efforts and consistency to succeed in any life’s endeavor. The good news as well is that you can ignite the consciousness at any phase of life. It is never too late to define your 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.

Addendum: you can follow my last post “Eureka Effect” here - http://a-ologunleko.blogspot.com/2020/11/eureka-effect.html

Eureka Effect

Learning should be habitual to every one of us. There is a quote attributed to Ray LeBlond that says, “You learn something every day if you pay attention.” Early this year (not new year resolution), I purposed to learn at least one new thing every blessed day and it has been an amazing journey. Even when I am not conscious of it, I discovered that I can no longer stop adding to myself daily. 

Surprisingly, I have this sense of discomfort “consuming without giving out”. I just have to fashion a way out to give back. Social media is one ready avenue to reach out or give back to people. However, it’s not only crowded with diverse characters, it’s also clouded with gloom. So, how do I start? How do I pass my thoughts out daily and gracefully? How do I make it brief, sharp and straight on point? How do I avoid controversies, arguments or unprofitable contentions? Fortuitously, I settled for Facebook and I must say that I finally “cracked the code”. Truthfully, I am savouring the Eureka Effect. 

Let me share ten quotable quotes that I have posted in the past few days with you here. Enjoy the “Nuggets”.....

1. “Character first: you pray amiss without good character...#Nugget1”

2. “Life is win some, loose some: when you win, win gracefully and when you loose, loose gallantly. Beware of the underdog! #Nugget2”

3. “Liars can’t earn respect: As lies become the nature, shamelessness takes the centre stage. Lying diminishes relevance. #Nugget3”

4. “Let there be light: Light differ in S.I.B.L.I.N.G.S (source, intensity, brightness, luminance, interaction, nature, gain-factor and spectrum). #Nugget4”

5. “Unhealthy but necessary choices: When life throws two options at you and you choose one that you think is better, wisdom knows that time will tell. Choice has consequences. #Nugget5”

6. “Be calming down": It's foolhardy struggling hard or "breaking tables" to convince those who can't see what you see. It's your picture, be strategic about your vision. #Nugget6”

7. “Thinking straight: Forget the past but not the lessons. The future is a mirage without lessons-learnt wisely applied. All the best! #Nugget7”

8. “Clarion Call: Those who have nothing to live for have everything to die for.  Selfless leadership stems perditious tide, not business as usual. #Nugget8”

9. “What a year? 2020 is one year to remember in all ramifications. Full of surprises yet filled with intentional hope. A lot can still play out before day 1 2021. Watch and Pray! #Nugget9”

10. “When is self-reflection wrong? Never! It’s the prerequisite for growth, progress and success. Develop the habit of looking into the mirror and truthfully describing what you see. You will be amazed..... #Nugget10”

Digitally Yours

Think less about why you are working, think more about why you are here because work is only one means to an end. Understanding the purpose of life is the beginning of purposeful living. No one is immune to the act of ‘labeling’ others. You most probably have had course to adjudge someone good or bad. It doesn't mean you are right neither does it mean you are wrong. It’s about perspectives. Perspectives sometimes is founded on perceptions and perceptions may be deceptive. I think I have made this statement (or something close) before in one of the series but it’s worth repeating here: “No one is absolutely bad” and in like manner there’s no one that is absolutely good. Therefore, welcome to the digital world peopled by digital folks.

The digital world is one of 1s and 0s. In its basic form, the digital signal takes on one of two voltage levels: 5V or 0V. Reality is that these are not absolute numbers. For example, you may represent any voltage between 3 to 5V as “1“ and any voltage between 0 and 2V as “0”. As you can see, in digital world, “truth” and “false” are never absolute but remain abiding principles that aids digital transformation. The most important factor is in crossing the “tipping point” above or below the threshold. In the same vein, you don’t need to be perfect to be useful. What qualifies you for value addition is crossing the threshold. It’s the reason nobody calls anyone that adds little or no value for help. You qualify by choice and not by chance.

“I am digitally yours“. That was the last sentence of my opening address as well as closing address during one of the key sessions of the recently concluded Corporate Digital Week. It was one week to remember for a long time to come. Digital transformation (DT) is great but it takes greater deal of vision powered by acute discipline to move from the downhill of status-quo to the uphill of industrial internet of things (IIoT). Any business leader worth its salt needs to get involved or risk being left behind. You need to watch before you leap but doing nothing will not be a good option. We are at a point in time where any business that will not deliberately infuse DT into her overarching business strategy will hardly be successful few years from now. Concurrently, we are also inching closer to a point where anyone that doesn’t upgrade his digital competence will be as obsolete as outdated technology.

Digital is our world - the world of electronics, communication, industrial automation and so on. Everything around us is digitally framed. Our words frame our world. The world of word or opposite, True or False, Yes or No and so on and so forth. The mouth with which we praise also spills out condemnation. Most times we do so unwittingly. We expect our leaders to be perfect yet we excuse our inadequacies. If we would rise above prejudice, we must have a large heart that accommodates human frailties and inconsistencies. Also, we must understand our purpose per time as a central glue for managing relationships either laterally or vertically. The one who lends helping hand will not lack help.

Sometimes around 2010, out of necessity and in my quest to answer the critical leadership question for direction into the next phase of my life, I invented the profound leadership mantra - “SOAR-HIGH”. SOAR-HIGH is the acronym for “Secure Our Asset Responsibly - Helping Individuals Gain Height”. It was borne out of the philosophy of Eagle’s flight as it soars nicely on its wings against all odds. SOAR can be likened to the right wing and HIGH as the left wing. As the bird cannot fly with one wing, you can’t succeed managing the business without carrying people along. What is interesting about this decade long leadership philosophy is that it is based on time-tested digital logic. While writing for Control Engineering Asia, I adapted the principle for automation engineers' career development as published in one of their magazine's edition. I hope to document this broad-based digital leadership principle in a book in the nearest future. Till then, take nothing away from the fact that I am digitally yours.

Acting Mirage

Life can be innocently interesting saddled with riddles, rhythm and rhymes. We are all actors on the world stage. Yes, we are! The difference between us and professional actors is that while we act real, they sometimes (when at work) act fiction. By and large, we are all actors. I can tell you from my observation that all humans are the same but conditioned by their environment and prevailing tenets in their locality. Your confine confines you to behave in the way you do but most especially, the value system you choose to imbibe is principally responsible for how you show up. That's why racial or tribal profiling is not only meaningless but extreme foolishness. There are only good or bad human beings, simple. There would have been no clamour for "Black lifes Matter" if we all know and act 'in-tandem' in demonstration of our equality that "All lifes Matter".

Why is there so much blood letting in our world? Why is there so much crave for money, comfort and power? To what end? While it's great to aspire and to have, why do so at the hurt and detriment of others? Why steal the commonwealth only to die unsung where illicit wealth "lost the saving power" it never had? I pulled a call to someone recently and while chatting, we reflected on something that "strucked" me profoundly. It is the fact that those who have peace of mind hardly age. Do you agree? As we reflected, we felt this observation have medical basis in that it is propounded that those who are happy (smiling) have their facial muscles more relaxed while those who are often angry exercise theirs many times over leading to ageing. Then came the question, what about those who are wicked and not ageing? We figured out that it could be wicked acts that gives them happiness. Why will someone be happy hurting others? Hmmmm....there are good actors and bad actors.
 
Puzzling - at the same time - is the fact that those who hurt others most times protect, defend and love their family. For example, Evans (the notorious kidnapper) actually relocated his family to safe haven about the time he was caught by the law enforcement agents. To his family, he was a 'good man'. What a life? In the same vein, highly revered General Abacha's family and acquaintances defends his goodness to high heavens but to some Nigerians, he was an "usurper of the throne who ruled with iron fist". He was so dreaded (or was it down to his benevolent act?) in his days that five (5) political parties endorsed him as their presidential candidate in an election that he was supposed to preside over as the umpire. Unbelievable! How dramatic is it when folks are reminded not to speak ill of the dead but the dead cared less what you say to their faces when alive (at least judging by the choice(s) they made acting in their role)? Our prejudices are symptomatic of our acting prowess. Can't you see that we are actors indeed? 

Recently, I read a book - "Jokes Apart" - by Julius Agwu a veteran stand-up comedian and actor. In "419 comes to Nollywood", he narrated a real life story of how a young man came to town as a producer of "Mirage" (supposed title of his film in collaboration with Warner Bros)". He succeeded in fooling the entire Nollywood system - including the great and mighty - feeding free on caterers while conducting auditions for Mirage that never happened. Before they knew it, he had disappeared without a trace after some of them had spent the US dollars they never earned "Acting Mirage"! What an act? On your part, choose how you act well on this global stage. You are as insignificant in size as COVID-19 is to you in comparison to how you are to the world. What you do or what you give may eventually have such a huge (but positive) global impact. Be conscious and be deliberate about how you want to be remembered when you've left the stage. Even if no one remembers you or your works afterwards, choose to die acting well and hurting no one (at least try your very best). Die in peace so you can truly rest in peace. Live as a man or woman of conscience. Act well, don't act mirage. Bye for now and all the best!

Uniquely Special

Life can be so beautiful or so arduous depending on the ‘frame of reference’. In the midst of the ‘pendulumlike’ hustle and bustle of life, we still find time to unwind. A little work here and a little relaxation there with family, friends or leisure activities yield comforting ‘work-life balance’. Striking the balance is the hallmark of perfection. As Dr Raashidah wrote, “…a perfect life has many phenomenal essences to each and every individual. It can be perfection in things we do; it can be having everything perfect around and feeling perfect. We have this pipe dream about everything……Perfect life, perfect relationships, perfect career and perfect amount of money that we need to earn, no matter what”.

So, today I want to take a slightly different approach around the imperfect perfection. We are built for relationship. Of all relationships, family life is germane, foundational and very crucial. It’s been said that the nation prospers whose people have strong family values/virtues. We can be truly happy - in this global village - if we get family life right. There is a unique place for a life partner as we journey through life. If you are fortunate to have one, please cherish and protect it. If there’s strive, learn to resolve amicably and swiftly too. If you are single or a single parent, you can also make the very best out of life. We have a way of adapting/coping with the diverse odds of life. The vagary is our lot under the Sun.

A little over twenty-three years ago, I tied the knot with the only one I ever proposed to as my wife. Together, we are still learning and aspiring for a better home. It has not been 'a bed of roses' but we are thankful to God for life. Growing together through seventeen years of waiting to have the first child was one trial of faith we are so blessed to have overcome gracefully. Grace saw us through it all. The experience built us up as 'sounding board' or 'reference point' to willing partners who are going through similar experience. We are content being instrument of hope and joy in this aspect of life in modest ways.

About this time last year, while on holiday with the children away from base, she had a terrible fall that left her numb for a while until she regained consciousness. I was in a meeting when incessant calls kept coming-in on my mobile phone. Learning about the incident and the fact that she was on her way to the hospital took me by surprise. Head injury can be fatal but I hoped for the best. Not being there with them to see things by myself added to my anxiety. However, I am so grateful to God that she made it through the medical examinations/support and came back to me safe and sound. I appreciate the support from friends and associates who took care of the logistics and post-incident Medicare. We are here today – so truly grateful that it turned out well for us.

Now, this amazing woman is uniquely special to me. As she turns Fifty (50) years old today, many ideas are running through my mind on how best I could again convey my love and admiration to her. Words alone will fail me. Gifts will fade away. Memories will linger on. Incidentally, good memories are shaped by compendium of impeccable acts. Therefore, I have decided to take three steps – 1. Dedicate today’s blog to her, 2. Sing (and share) a short song to commemorate the day and 3. Celebrate her in a very unique way. My Olubunmi (her first name) remains the best ever. Ever charming, ever clever and industrious ever (https://www.instagram.com/creativethinkingheadpcs/). God fearing and loving. It is my prayer that the lord will grant her long life, graceful growth, sound health and all-round prosperity as we journey along. The least I set out to do this day is to thank God and celebrate her as a special gift to me and the children. Please join me in wishing her all the best of life.