Crafted in Crisis: The Power of Intentional Leadership.

Most leaders are made in different sets of circumstances and are not born. Taking on a leadership role is sacrificial, compromising, and condescending only those who are intentional will navigate.?

My first leadership responsibilities began in childhood as an "Ada" (first daughter) of my family. This experience provided me with leadership knowledge within and outside of academia. Some of which I applied while others I received nominations. One of the experiences that changed my life from childhood was the day I had a fight with my younger sister over a sachet of Cowbell milk. I probably would have done better as expected of me being the oldest and that experience taught me the value of calmness in the midst of challenges.

Intentional leadership is one we learn from other individuals as we make ourselves into good leaders partly through negative examples. This is why a leader must be very observant and swift at taking appropriate action that negates the tides of reaching established goals.?There's a need to learn the critical importance of looking out for the safety of your team, as Shackleton would describe it during his expedition?

?" It is Better alive donkey than a dead lion".?

Accepting defeat isn't a sign of weakness nor aborting a mission. It simply means it's necessary to retreat, plan, and re-strategize by taking a step back. It shows how valuable the safety of each member of your team is worth.

?Managing the energy, outlook engagement, and cohesion of your team is at least as valuable perhaps more valuable than any other resource that a leader has in a team's survival and success. The success of every mission is not just the effort of the leader but a collective effort of the team. When we stop to consider what happens if a leader does not pay careful, consistent attention to the energy of his team, it is inevitable that a downward spiral sets in. Boredom can become disbelief, despair, assumptions, and finally death of the mission (established goal).?To achieve an established mission, there has to be deep commitment, flexibility, adaptation, and improvisation because

" A man must shape himself to a new mark once the old one goes aground". - Ernest Shackleton?

?As a leader, are you threatened by Crisis, turbulence, and defeat? You must maintain credibility with your team, be interested in each member of your team, manage people that are potential disruptors, and great doubters capable of spreading doubt, dissension, and negativity.??In this case, the adage that says,

"keep your friends close and your enemies closer"

emphasizes why managing groups and individual energy has an additional piece to making sure that disruptors of set goals are managed accordingly.?

My Journey with the Hult Prize Foundation As a Campus Director?

The year 2020 was a remarkable period that tested my leadership skill, which I would title;

"leading in turbulent times".?Where I led over 20 teams on a mission that recorded great success in my career that attracted both national and international attention. In the wake of the global pandemic, the EndSars movement, shutdown of schools, and panic leading many people into depression. In the middle of this situation, I was planning to host the $1Million social entrepreneurship competition for students in Cross River University of Technology which is an impact program of the Hult Prize Foundation. It was an intense competition of over 20 teams of student startup founders while working to inspire a positive attitude among competitors void of the fear of failure following the challenges of limited funds, poor internet connectivity, and limited access to the student community. Regardless of these, volunteers and I successfully impacted over 5000 residents in Calabar through our impact driven programs and media rounds, had over 15 media publications, 20 plus partners and 7000 plus social media engagement.

?Major Achievements in 2020:

• I emerged one of the best Top 20 Campus Director in Africa out of 3000
• Three teams emerged winners in my University into the regional stage to compete with over 300 startups in Zambia, Nigeria and Indonesia
• A team emerged winner into the global accelerator in the UK
• Co-hosted the Calabar impact summit of the Hult Prize Foundation
• I was selected to invited the 2021 impact retreat in London as a reward for producing a winner to the global accelerator
• I was recommended to take the role as the Hult Prize Country Director in Nigeria with the responsibility of coordinating it's impact programs as well as provide orientation to Campus Directors across Nigeria Universities.

Key Lessons to Learn as an impact Leader;

• Consider your service as one above self and focus on serving humanity. That is called visionary leadership.
• Must be ready to take full responsibility for any situation and continuously try to improve on it. Also, desist from passing blames on members of your team.?
• Must be disciplined to continually face forward and never get stuck endlessly replaying the tapes of past errors. Learn quickly from what hadn't worked and look into the future.?
• Be willing to accept your mistakes, apologize and work at avoiding them next time.?
• Do not run out of options as a leader until the established goal is achieved. Be creative and teachable.?
• Always remember that quitting is not an option but can be considered only if the safety of your team members is threatened.

In conclusion, You may know the power of orders, lines, and chains of commands but lead with the spirit of empathy if indeed you want to get the right result.?If you can dream it, you can achieve it.

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