What I know for sure; leaders, trailblazers, change agents, chief transformation officers, as the title of a new found friend of mine, Dr. Wale Akinyemi, reads, are found absolutely everywhere; at every strata in society, in every walk of life of every village, every town, every city, every country and every continent of the world.
How far their reach, how great their impact, how renowned their name, is subject to people’s experience of their contribution to transforming the world they set out to influence. And that is all I will say about that.
What I want to address myself to, without digressing too much, is what I have come to learn through either, first hand exposure to, or, from literature giving insight into, the minds and worlds of these boys and girls, men and women who have and, continue to live legacies in whose wake, entire generations are transformed and destinies unfold.
What I have been part of most of my life but only in the past 3 years been more conscious of, is just how many informed, engaged, creative, courageous, driven leaders there are out there and how little they (a) know of each other and where they do, (b) work together. Whether they champion youth empowerment, environmental protection, responsible business and governance, Africa’s renaissance, mobile money, equitable access to clean water, fair trade or freedom of the press, when I interact with them, whether in person or through the written word, I can literally feel the power harnessed and synergies possible from our combined strengths.
I often meet these phenomenal people because someone, somewhere, who has “experienced” their leadership, impact, solutions, has told other people, who have told other people who decided to organise something and when creating their guest list, decided that these great boys and girls, men and women, must be invited. I’m telling you, it all starts with a list.
I am forever grateful to my God that increasingly so, I too get on these “lists” and travel in Tanzania, across Africa and around the world to meet, strategise, work, debate, shape opinions and solutions to the world’s challenges (in my case, usually pushing on the agenda the transformation of youth competitiveness for responsible business in Tanzania and through Tanzania, Africa). With every assembly, I meet some of “the usual suspects” on the “list” but also each time, more of other trailblazers in their fields. I get humbled each time I consider the accomplishments of the people around me and bless my God for including me in their midst and I passionately and deeply engage in conversations that I know will sooner (than later) develop into ventures.
At a recent TUSSAA (Tanzania US State Alumni Association) Annual General Meeting, the U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania, Alfonso E. Lenhardt, congratulated us as alumni for being on a “powerful” list of Tanzanian men and women leaders, leading development interventions in our respective spheres of influence. That’s when it hit me; ‘Goodness, that’s true! As champions of transformation in the sectors we represent, we are looked upon as the opinion makers, the movers and shakers in our respective areas. Whoa! I can only imagine the inherent “power” of this list’ It blew my mind! You see, I define power as “exercising one’s inherent capacity to influence transformation” so if each of us holds the “power” to positively influence transformation and someone decided to make a “list” of as many people as they choose across the different interest groups that have this “power” then, just how “powerful” is that list?
It’s mind-boggling! Do you know what can be accomplished when we create “power lists” of different interests and we organise them according to communities, nations, regions, etcetera? Can you imagine the explosion of ideas, resolutions, actions, solutions that a critical mass of “powerful” people with a common interest, organised into a “power list”; a defined group with defined objectives, working towards meeting a defined vision, can produce? God Himself said, in reference to the people who decided to build the Tower of Babel in Shinar, that when people set their minds to something "as one people speaking the same language, nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them." There is power in those lists, ladies and gentlemen.
You see, what I have come to learn is that, just as someone, somewhere, somehow thought that it would add value to their endeavour to build a database, a list of people who they think “positively exercise their inherent capacity to influence transformation” and invite them to an event, an initiative, you and I can too. Instead of just networking and sharing opinions (which is also critical as it often informs and shapes thought (and our “reality”)), imagine the endless possibilities of actually mobilising chief transformation officers to work together to advocate, promote, build, break down, resolve, challenges currently blocking progress.
To bring this closer to home, so of the people in the panels, fellowships, conferences I have participated in, to pick just a few people I have been on “power lists” with, imagine me approaching and working with H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, Dambisa Moyo (Economist and International Author), Kariuki Gathitu (Mobile Money and ICT, Kenya), Brenda Phiri (Finance & Strategy, Zambia), Sir Richard Branson, Julie Gichuru (Media, Kenya), Mo Ibrahim, Anne Moore of Time Inc, Ben Stiller, Graca Machel, H.E. Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon, Theddy Ladislaus (1st year Mzumbe University, Tanzania) to address transforming youth capacity for responsible and competitive business in Tanzania and through Tanzania, Africa. Do you realise just how much we would get done?
So this is my take home; “power lists” are created because somebody, somewhere thinks or was told that the people on the list are already doing great things in their areas so would, at worst, just make brilliant conversationalists, at best, change the whole world as we know it. When you find yourself on these “power lists” and participate in programs with other people on these “power lists”, don’t be content to just meet and “keep in touch” with these people but endeavour to invite (and entice) them to engage in interventions that reap more than just reputation and association but actually provide tangible solutions to very specific and common challenges, the resolution of which will propel both your visions and vested interests forward.
It doesn’t matter what level you are at, whether it be at school, in a church community, on your street, in your department etcetera, find people already engaged in transformation and create a “list” of resource people to call on, when included on a “power list”, mobilise others on your list to create an interest specific list of people who are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work until positive change yields sustainable development.
I need to go back to my lists!
Mbarikiwe.
Modesta Lilian Mahiga
Group Managing Director
Professional Approach Group
No comments:
Post a Comment