My 2024 Open Letter to African Female Executives- Building a Global Thought Leadership Brand out of Africa, Lessons from Afrobeats

Dear Female Executives,

Happy New Year! I hope this year is filled with all the joys you expect and more.

Over the holidays, I spent a considerable amount of time with family and friends. Plates of food, chilled drinks, great conversation all flowed with the sound track of the best Afrobeat Hits of 2023.?

Unavailable?

Last Last?

Amapiano

Say what you like about Afrobeats and it’s artists, African musicians have worked hard to launch themselves into global limelight and they remain a shining example for how African female corporate leaders can do the same.

Gone are the days where African radio stations played songs from western shores alone, now, on both African and global platforms- afrobeats has gained acceptance, importance and even influence.

It didn't come easy but the rise of Afrobeats on global platforms shows us it is doable.

We too can create a world where we walk into a bookshop and see books written by African female corporate leaders not only on bookshelves but on best seller lists.

We can see more women of colour speaking on global platforms sharing challenges and success stories on the ingenuity of pushing Africa's corporate sector forward in these time.

It can become commonplace to see women of African descent, women from Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt etc featured on international media platforms sharing African perspectives on global issues.?

But we have to do the work and here is how?

1. Let go of negativity bias- as women we seem to have a tendency to pay far more attention to negative information than to positive information. This means we remember the criticisms from years before. The off hand comment from a boss, supervisor or colleague. My experience from coaching senior female leaders, over the years, tells me that this penchant for negativity bias keeps women from finding their voice and sharing their expertise because we all want to avoid criticism.

2. Stop using impostor syndrome as an excuse- the literature on impostor syndrome is as prolific as it is confusing. Are we really impostors or is this a clutch we use to prevent us from stepping into the spotlight. Whatever it is, fear of the unknown or inadequacy, let's leave it firmly in 2023. If you’ve done the work, talk about it.

3. Use your uniqueness to dominate- this is what Afrobeat artists have done. Riding on the unique twists and sound of their music they continue to demonstrate the versatility of the uniqueness that is Afrobeats. As African female leaders, we too have that uniqueness. Many of us are using novel approaches to solve problems that are uniquely African and deeply challenging. Instead of thinking ‘who wants to hear about this?’ We need to think, ‘the world needs to know how we are accomplishing this in Africa.’

4. Collaborate internationally- Rema’s Calm Down, featuring Selena Gomez made history as the highest charting Nigerian and African song of all time staying on the billboard hot 100 chart for a record-setting 57 weeks. Previously the record was held by fellow Nigerian Afrobeats star Wizkid’s song Essence ft. Tems and Justin Bieber which stayed on the same chart for 35 weeks. See a pattern here? Building international networks which could potentially lead to collaborations provide exciting opportunities for African female leaders to gain international recognition and rewards.?

5. Use social media- Many Afrobeat songs owe their viral nature to TikTok. Songs like ‘Water’, ‘Unavailable’ became trending TikTok dance tunes. Afrobeat makers have learnt how social media acts as a gateway for international reach. Many female leaders ignore social media completely, instead of seeing it as a way to broker international recognition and opportunities for the great work we do. Platforms like Linkedin, offer opportunities for thought leadership conversations that lead to global engagement. In 2024, don't shy away from social media. Engage with it.

6. Be willing to spend on opportunities that enhance your visibility- It would be unwise not to recognise the heavy PR machinery deployed by Afrobeat artists. While you and I may not have the same level of resources, we must realize that global relevance of this nature does not happen by chance. It involves strategy and resources both in terms of time and money. This for us might include self funded international travel, enlisting a paid PR team, getting a coach etc.?

I know implementing these tips may seem easier said than done, which is why I have a few resources to help.

This January, I will be hosting a 9 day summit, with top female leaders across the world!?

- Seasoned NEDs

- Established c-suite executives?

- Award winning experts?

- Globally recognized thought leaders and much more!?

In addition I will be hosting a one time webinar on how you can launch your Global Thought Leadership Brand in 2024!

The goal of these sessions is to help you build influence as a leader, secure your c-suite and/or board role, build political alliances and power networks while becoming highly visible and known in your sector!?

To be part of the miniseries please click here and feel free to let me know which of the lessons shared would be the easiest and/or the hardest for you to implement in 2024 and why.

#executivevisibility #africanfemaleleaders #womeninleadership #personalbranding #thoughtleadership

About Glory Edozien (PhD): Glory is an award winning thought leadership branding and LinkedIn visibility strategist for African Female Executives. She is a LinkedIn Top Voice and a member of the Forbes Global Coaching Council.