LESSONS LEARNT IN 2022

Reflections, reflections, reflections…. a popular word around this time of the year, yet one I have avoided for years?not so sure ?whether it’s by design or by default. Not that I do not appreciate its value to help us look back as we look forward. Reflection, whether done daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually affords us the opportunity it affords us to pause and appreciate not only the highlights, the achievements, and the lessons gained during the period, but also who we have become and the growth we have experienced personally and professionally. Armed with this, reflection is a welcome idea as it ensures that we are poised to do amazing things in the next season, next chapter of our lives. ?

I began the year declaring that it will be an EPIC year even though at the time I was facing an extremely challenging time in key aspects of my life and felt like I was on a plateau. Talk of stepping forward in faith! ?It wasn’t flawless, its wasn’t a bed of roses. Shift happens. 2022 was a rather mixed bag of the unexpected?highs and lows, confusion, frustration and depression, moments of elation and happiness, of massive growth and unexpected blessings. I was stretched?beyond what I thought was possible for me at that point in time.

So yes, finally I am becoming more intentional in reflecting because 2023 has to be a better year. More importantly as I turn a new page today. With the learnings, the insights and the growth I have experienced, I want to write my story more deliberately and determine how the year will end at the beginning.

But before that, once more I took stock of the ?key lessons I learnt in 2022, I hope it will inspire you to do more, be more, have more because you deserve it.

Let’s dig in, shall we….

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1.????Always Show Up

?This was one of my biggest lessons of 2022. Showing up mainly refers to being reliable, responsible and dependable. It also means being present and bringing your whole self to the table to share your perspective, insights and contribution to the discussion/ tasks/project. I didn’t realize it earlier but this is the one quality that earned me a sit at the table, invited me to rooms I did not think I belonged to and got me engaged in projects and discussions that were way above my pay grade as some would put it.

?When you get a chance, don’t be a wall flower as one of my mentors would say. Use your voice and add value wherever you find yourself whether in meetings, forums, elevator etc. It all adds up. Show up, not only with your voice but being present, being on time and add value .

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2.????Big Brother is Watching

??The?year was one with unexpected surprises. I was entrusted with the responsibility of leading the Market & Business Development team of destination marketing specialists?at my workplace, got selected as one of Akwaaba’s Africa’s Top 100 in Travel & Tourism and featured by Pyne Awards as one of the professionals in the sector to watch and even attracted a head hunter for a higher position with quadrupled pay. These recognitions in my ability and contribution inspired and humbled me at the same time. Always be grateful to those who whisper your name in rooms that you are not in. In the spirit of Ubuntu, I am because you are . I have only been able to see further and be better because of those many amazing souls that allowed me to stand on their shoulders, turned their spotlight on me and lent me their voice at times so that I can be heard, included and recognized.

?3.????The Gift Of Rejection

Rejection is one of the biggest fears for human beings alongside fear of failure and fear of loss.

I have come across repeated quotes on social media that “Rejection is Redirection”. While it’s a brilliant & somewhat uplifting way of putting it, it doesn’t quite take away the sting of rejection. Leaders cannot escape this as they deal people every single day and people indeed come in various packages with diverse expectations, backgrounds, abilities, perceptions and mindsets. Besides in most cases, its never really about you?as people project what is in their world that has nothing to do with you.

Anyhow, this is one of the lessons I learnt. As painful as it maybe to be rejected, when looked at positively, it is a blessing as it provides a fresh perspective to look at people, and situations as well as reflect on our own values and expectations in the day to day interactions. I am grateful that the experiences stretched me to discover the immense resources within me and around me that allowed me to grow as a leader. We only get better and learn to appreciate more those who despite everything, walk alongside us everyday to encourage, inspire, advise and carry us if required, providing us space to be and to become.

It helps us to be more empathetic leaders, appreciating the fact that everyone is in their own growth safari of becoming, yes even the sandpaper people sent your way for character development ??.

?4.????Keep Learning, Keep Growing

You stop growing when you stop learning.

We can learn something new every day, from everyone we come across if we choose to.?In 2021, I had spent over 300 hours on personal growth courses, webinars, summits and mentorship sessions. Although I did not do similar hours in 2022, I still had the opportunity to invest in myself throughout the year. As they say, if you cant run, walk. If you can’t walk, crawl but keep on learning and growing yourself.

Investing in you is the best investment you could ever make. You are the biggest asset you have.

Books, articles, summits and webinars have been my go to resources to for personal and professional growth this past year. Some of the notable books that I have read recently include: Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 and Leadershift both by Dr. John C. Maxwell which have been instrumental in shaping my leadership journey and experiences. ?The Gift by Dr. Edith ?Eger was sobering and empowering at the same time as she narrated her experience in the Nazi Camps in Germany and its impact in her personal and professional life. On the professional front, regular articles by Destination Think, Skift, Booking.com, Expedia and UNWTO among others have been key for me as a destination marketing professional. LinkedIn Learning has been a tremendous resource for quick & relevant bite sized courses over the past year.

This year, I look forward to finish these books which are part of my reading list for 2023: Choice by Dr. Edith Eger, The Four Dilemmas of the CEO by Tom Biesenger and others, Brand You by Mike Kim, Woman Evolve by Sarah Jakes Roberts,?Man’s?Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl, The Code of an Extraordinary Mind by Vishen Lakhiani and the Infinite Game by Simon Sinek

Mentors have been another invaluable resource for me to grow personally and professionally. I have learned from many ?mentors this past year, both near and far through their experiences, their work, advise and resources shared on various platforms.

?5.????Say YES to You

Growing up we’ve been told to think of others first. Thinking of self was frowned at as selfish, ?as we grow older , many seem to still maintain these mindsets and beliefs no wonder we are rarely on our own lists for investment in terms of time, money, gifts, support, etc because it feels selfish and self-serving.

There comes a time when you have to say yes to you. Everybody else may say yes to you but that can only take you so far. At some point you have to say Yes to you in-order to soar!

I learnt my lesson a while back in 2015 and it felt great to get to finally say yes to me and include me in my own list of people to gift, support, and thank etc. However, it’s a journey of learning to say yes to you every time, every day, and every moment, ?not just one time.

For this reason, #betonyoualways has been my mantra for a while now. ?After all, people can make meaningful investment in you when you also invest in you. I know there are times in this journey called life that we loose belief in self and sometimes have to borrow confidence from others in-order to pull through.?But gradually we learn, we grow and build the muscles required to always bet on us because sometimes you may find yourself standing alone. Just like King David of the Bible, in midst of a painful and terrible battle, he had to look within for strength in-order to take on the enemy, recover his family and property and won.

?6.????Leaving Room For Grace

Life happens. Even as a leader you do not know everything about everyone, and everything. This calls for leaders to do their best to provide the guidance, the support and the resources required to deliver. As may you know by now, sometimes this is not enough as shift happens, with many variables beyond your control. Sometimes not knowing is ok and together with the team, find a way out to the solutions. You will be surprised that solutions are always in the room.

In addition, giving room for God’s grace to cover the distance that we could not cover by ourselves is smart leadership.

From the leaders table, we need grace more times than we care to admit. I look at leadership as a call to serve, to inspire each individual to be their best self in-order to deliver for the whole.

?7.????Trust But Verify

Trust is the currency of leadership, as John C Maxwell always say. One of my mentors always reminded me that always trust but verify otherwise a leader you will be cooked. 2022 has been that year where I had to remember this always which has saved from grievous mistakes even from well-meaning individuals.

As a leader you have the ultimate responsibility for results. Delegation does not transfer this. The challenge is in creating a system?to verify processes and results so that as a leader you are not caught off guard and ensures that you have all the details you need to make informed decision.

??9.????Embrace the Journey & Turning the spotlight onto?others

?Leaders are change agents and dealers of hope. The transition to leadership is a shift from a solo performer to a conductor in an orchestra hence requires a mindset shift and a set of skills to keep you ahead of the game.

The spotlight is always on the leader by virtue of their position. This draws praise and criticism in equal measure as everyone watches your every move. I love the speech of April 1910?by Theodore Roosevelt “The Man in the Arena”. While all these come with the territory, I have learnt to find my pace, understand my self and always be curious about the situations, the team, and issues in the sector.

I have also learnt that as a leader I could ?leverage every opportunity to shine the spotlight on other emerging leaders and sharing my platform and opportunities for them to grow. I am a beneficiary of such thoughtful and empowering leadership and I look forward to do more of this for others in their own journey of becoming.

?10.?It Indeed takes a Village….

Collaborations has proved to be a key tool in a leader’s toolbox to stretch the dollar and accomplish so much more beyond available resources. The little and the much that I have achieved to date was never a solo act. ?There are many people behind the scenes that played critical roles that allowed me to do what I do and achieve what I have achieved for self, family, organization and the destination. Bosses who gave me an opportunity because they saw the potential in me even when I could not see it, family members that watched my children when I had to travel, team members that stayed late to deliver reports before deadline or take a last minute project, trade partners that accepted our invitation to attend workshops, forums and participate jointly in our programs and partners who said yes to mutual collaboration.

It indeed, takes many people to achieve anything worthwhile.

?Finally,

Reflection time allow us to mine the lessons which helps us to enhance our strategy to win in life and work. With these lessons, you I hope you have taken sometime too to reflect and mine the lessons.

?As we embark on yet another adventure in 2023, Your Mission, should we CHOOSE to Accept it, ?is to Become all that we ?can be, to bet on you always and lead self and others well in-order to be the change the world desperately needs.

?#betonyoualways #personalgrowthsafari

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Fiona Ngesa is a destination-marketing specialist with over 18 years’ experience in the tourism industry.?She is well accomplished and educated to help destinations drive tourism in ways that are authentic and sustainable, as well as profitable and growth-oriented.

?She is currently the Ag. Director for Market Development at the Kenya Tourism Board where?she is responsible for leading the development & implementation of the business & market development strategy in collaboration with key stakeholders.

?She is also a Maxwell Leadership expert?and loves to help others in the tourism industry achieve results in a sustainable, & values-driven way. ?She is a mother of two. When she is not working, you are likely to find her reading a book or exploring a new destination. She lives in Nairobi, Kenya and is a proud advocate for tourism in Kenya & Africa on the global stage. Contacts: [email protected]??