Add to your faith, hope

A better tomorrow is assured if men would add to their faith, hope and a determination to cause a change in their personal space.

Personality Types: A peep into reality, an opportunity for improvement

When I signed up for the “Career Transition Program” and subjected myself to the Myers-Briggs’ personality assessment test to determine my Personality Type, little did I know that I just opened myself to a new face in the journey of personal discovery. To me, it was just going to be an enjoyable period to interact with new people and forge alliances that could lead to whatever. However, this was not my main objective at that time, though I envisaged it and was set to make the best of it.

Katherine Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers developed their test model as a tool to indicate, validate, and put to practical use the work of C. J Jung’s work on Psychological Types [R. Martin, 2007]. Though Jung’s effort aimed to understand human differences, Myers-Briggs’ focus was how to apply these differences to making better career choices.

Subjecting myself to the paper and pencil test exposed me to questions I never thought would have mattered much and I further gained an appreciation for critical reasoning. At the end of the day, my analysis revealed ENTJ personality type. To give a general overview, this would mean that I am an Extrovert (less Introvert), more Intuitive (less Sensing), Thinking (rather than Feeling) and Judging (less Perceiving). Because of my limited education in this subject matter, I may not be able to provide in-depth explanation. All these functions have numerous indicators for work styles, direction of energy, attitude towards the outer world and so forth. Is this the absolute truth about me? I am still learning. Let me be swift to mention that the resultant personality type is a direct indication of the answers I chose while taking the test. Generally, the answers are supposed to result from natural preferences.

Our stories, friends, support systems, likes, self-perception and such things come together to shape our preferences. We would rather stick to our gut feelings than explore new terrains, buy a stick shift than an automatic, buy from the same business chain, write with the same hand, and so forth. Often times, we are boxed into our self-created squares when in reality there is a part of us that can develop, grow and endure a departure from the natural preference. My career coaching sessions have helped me to realize these things. The transition journey raises many questions and there is the constant need to balance confidence and self-image. Every part of our journey provides an opportunity to improve on one thing or the other, this may include choosing a new career or enjoying everyday living. Understanding oneself through this structured approach provides an avenue not to only take an honest inventory of skills, but also an appreciation of the need for continuous development leading to maturity both for once career and life.

Transition

Transition, both in the noun and verb form convey important two important messages “making a movement” and “leading to a change of state”. I am learning to understand transition as a journey and not an event. This understanding is a constant reminder and provides me a reality check when I pass through events that but for my change of state, I might not have experienced.
Like most people, back home, I had a nice job, an average salary, a car that served my purpose amongst other good things that were available at my disposal. Interestingly, my job involved a lot of business analysis and evaluation. Opportunity cost (alternative forgone in pursuing a certain action), payback period (shortest time possible to recover the cost of an investment), return on investment (the amount of gains from an investment), to mention a few are words I daily used in my work. I used these terms to provide more information to my organization and clients for the purposes of guidelines, forecasts or other investments decisions. Now, I use these terms in retrospect to my situation.
In an event, “Networking Essentials” conducted for the World Bank staff spouses by the Global Mobility, I observed the array of skills and expertise that are eager for a repeat or (and I am sure) superior performance. Dare I say that this be a part of the “Economic Stimulus”? One can imagine the difference the talents will make to organizations. Talents lay afloat, with earnest desires to deliver. In all, it is comforting to realize that one is not alone in this boat.
Without the support of World Bank Family Network and the Global Mobility not forgetting all the numerous friends I have made through these groups, my 9am – 5pm job would be active net browsing on recruiters’ sites. Ideal break time would be moments for wondering what is wrong with me spiced with occasional wandering-thoughts ending in deep slumber. In my reflection, I feel proud that I had the courage to fill the form and attend the first welcoming session. I have received tremendous support and I cannot stop thanking WBFN and Global Mobility for their services.

Redenomination or decimalization?

I listened with rapt attention to the new financial policy been proposed by the Central Bank of Nigeria. I was impressed that someone is proactive enough to want to experiment with such a concept as cutting down the number of Zeros on the Naira by two. In contrast to the Zimbabwean record of having the highest currency denomination in the world, the redenomination policy of the CBN is expected to strengthen the Nigerian Naira.

It is a wonderful idea to have the 20Naira note as highest currency but I just wonder how we would pay for goods and services that run into millions of naira. How much would we be permit as the highest amount to possess or carry about as ordinary citizens? How much bags of “GMGs” will an average politician be allowed to have in his trunk? Agreed that the currency will be stronger but do we have workable policies in place to migrate us into a cashless economy? Are the banks ready to make the necessary investment to support such infrastructure that is able to support the opportunities that is been thrown on their laps? If recapitalization has caused so much money to be in the coffers of our banks, how much more will this new policy create a challenge for the surge in growth we foresee?

It is not enough to plan economic growth and cause excitement to keen watchers and believers alike, it is also more important to work with other segment of the economy to strategically position them for the challenge ahead. As a lay man, I do know that the energy sector is a core sector that needs proactive fixing. Until things are put right in this important sector, financial policies may be frustrated. The banking sector is not enough to drive the economy. Electricity and other infrastructure that aid local production need to be improved upon and made to function effectively. A situation which still makes Nigeria an import dependent economy will only lead us back to where we want to run away from. We do have the raw materials and personnel to satisfy local production but the cost of running a cottage industry is so high that most people have abandoned such ventures all together. I still believe that if Nigeria is able to improve on the power situation and have constant energy supply, more than 75% of the problem will be addressed. Attitudes of people and the fight against corruption added to the course will lead Nigeria to the promise land earlier than postulated.

Despite the skepticisms of the past about the workability of the Nigeria state and the state of insecurity in the Niger Delta, a clear roadmap, sincere and concerted efforts are essential ingredients that will prove that Nigeria can solve its own problem. I do not doubt the input of international donor agencies in the development or otherwise of the Nigeria economy, but I am sure that Nigeria can also rise and grow its own policies in line with realistic and positive projections. With good intentions, governments in the past have bought already made quick fix solutions instead of observing local trends and prioritizing specific areas of growth. While those packaged solutions might have worked in some sectors, it is also obvious that a number of them have generated a lot of wastes and their residue of debt will be paid by generations yet unborn. I think it is time to act and the time is now. Redenomination or decimalization, at least someone is thinking of economic growth and he deserves to be supported. Prof. Soludo, its your game, you can be sure your fans are hailing!

How do you define success?

"Success has many family members" is a common saying in my place. Success has also been erroneously known to be synonymous to the acquisition of material wealth and such ephemerals that gladdens the heart of a fool.

In my view, a truly successful person is one who has been a blessing to his society. A patriot who is exemplary and has used his influence to build leaders and many more like him is an example. He may however not be wealthy in materials. Martyrs like Mother Theresa who modeled the life of Jesus, freedom fighters like Nelson Mandela and civil right activists like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are classically come to mind. Great men like Richard Branson, Aliko Dangote and Bill Gates are few examples of men who use their wealth to affect their communities positively are indeed successful.

Despite the fortunes made from their businesses, they still found delight in contributing to the course of the society. HIV/AIDS is a world pandemic; yet, the Gates family is staking a great part of their fortunes to combat the menace of the disease.

I have seen people who have great material wealth, but greed blinds them from enjoying it and helping others through their actions. They rather derive pleasure in seeing their fellow men languish in poverty. I consider these people poorer than those they oppress. The inability to make the best use of the opportunities created by their material wealth for the benefit of others is a classification of poverty. Poverty is not the absence of riches and wealth; it is the inability to create them, even in the presence of abundant resources.

Biggest manufacturers don’t usually have all the raw materials in their immediate environment, global companies do not pride in material assets, rather, in the intellectual asset that provide best quality. The same way, fashion giants and other franchising organizations mentor and help people achieve empowerment and make money. This is my definition of success.

Success and its definition portray a win-win strategy and one positively influences the other. Similar to a pyramid strategy as used by network marketers, success is all encompassing. It supports growth, development and such other terms that show the undesirability of waste. A system that permits waste is not successful.

My prefered training style

Amongst the numerous things I love, training is an activity that allows me to learn from others, check my knowledge and also share what I know. A sure sign that learning is taking place is when I observe facial expressions that show affirmation or reservation.

Training professionals about how to perform their tasks better is a humbling duty. Though I often draw from personal experiences, I have realized that they are best sought from the audience. Once examples that best describe the topic been explained are given, shared or elaborated upon by attendees, I am assured that learning is taking place or has already occurred.

I have studied various learning type, but for short-term refresher courses, my observation is thus: cognitive learning style helps to explain a lot of things. Time is saved explaining long concepts because participants can relate to the context and use their real-life experiences to boost understanding.

In a typical Project Management class comprising of professionals from all fields, my best facilitation style is that which breaks down the text and allows for dissection using various experiences shared by the entire class. Time and scope are always of essence, but an understanding of how best to help professionals grasp concepts has greatly helped me to minimize waste. I agree that if given the opportunity, people would talk endlessly and I have learnt to encourage this to take place out of class. This way, knowledge sharing continues and relationships are fostered and further strengthened. In most instances, these mark the beginning of community of practice.

Project Management Knowledge

Project management is an art people have engaged in from time immemorial. One wonders how the building of the Pyramids of Egypt and other world wonders were project managed.

Our abilities to deliver quality on time and within allocated resources are put to test in our daily tasks. Paraphrasing Project Management Institute's definition, Project Management is the use of knowledge, skills, techniques and resources within an agreed scope and time to meet an agreed quality.

Any venture that is time bound, has a budget (allocated resources) and has a defined scope is a typical example of a project. Consider a simple task of cake baking, wedding ceremony, home makeover, complex tasks such service rollout, system migration, building construction, and so on as examples of projects. Time, resources (budget) and scope are usually referred to as “triple constraints”. An attempt to reduce any of the three items most often has an effect on the quality level to be delivered.

To deliver to an agreed quality means that specific details need to be thoroughly thought out and carefully planned. The ability to successfully deliver a project on time, within budget and to specification depends on one’s level of planning for the different phases and aspects of the project. Typically, a project has five phase and they are
1. Initiation
2. Planning
3. Implement/Executing
4. Monitoring
5. Closing
These phases have different activities embedded at every level. To fail to plan is to plan to fail. Every phase needs to be carefully planned for overall success.

Different schools of thoughts have their unique methodologies for project management. Whatever designation is assigned to the methodology used, it is all a matter of nomenclature as they all go through the five stages. They all aim at delivering on time, to agreed quality and within budget.

Project management knowledge is not only essential to understanding the triple constraints and their effects on projects and quality levels, it empowers one to be able to effectively deliver projects successfully, gain in-dept knowledge of analysis, how to select and motivate a team, improves ones communication and so on.

The Project Management Institute’s methodology divides project management into nine Knowledge Areas (KA). This means that as a project manager, one is expected to possess good understanding and gain competence of those knowledge areas. Be not afraid, the Knowledge Areas are all a breakdown of the five phases.

In perspective, the knowledge of project management now helps me to take the history as an important element of project. By history, I mean what happened in the past to other or similar projects? Did they succeed, did they fail, how and why did these happen? These are all comments and observations that are recorded as “lessons learned” under the closing phase of every project. Experience has taught me that they play an important factor in the success of a new project in the performing organization as they help me to learn and understand the organization’s culture and what I may need to watch out for or do to successfully deliver my project. Project management skills make one to see life itself in a new light to be lived to quality and most especially within budget. The meaning of risk and the need to plan for and against it is also made clear. To continue to count will be to write an epistle.

Aside from being a certified project manager, PM knowledge is unending as one learns more by the execution of projects. They may differ in scope, expected quality, time frame or budget, one fact I have come to live with is this: I may have the best of sponsors and champions who ensure that resources are released on time, but my team members are my greatest asset and are to be motivated from the charter to the closing of any project. Waste is eliminated because of the understanding that occurs as a result of open communication with the team, hence we often work with sigleness of purpose.