By Deoye Falade
I think that in my professional life so far, what I’m most grateful for are bosses who push me.
I’ll be a hypocrite to say I enjoy it when it happens but at the same time, I’ll be a fool to say I don’t know that it’s good for me.
It’s crazy when you think you’re giving your best and it looks like someone disagrees by saying it’s not enough. However, I have learned that there is wisdom in trying to understand why that person disagrees.
Striving for Excellence
I think my best work happens in my head and I need a certain level of stillness to get it done. Some environments are great for creatives, others aren’t. In some cases, you have to create that environment for yourself.
I remember when my seat was changed two years ago. I couldn’t do anything tangible for a week. It almost happened this year and I stopped short of asking to stay home for a week because I would be useless at the office. Thankfully, my colleagues at the office understand this quirk and let things be.
For the past six months, a lot of my work has been a mix of both the creative and administrative. I absolutely hate the latter because I have to deal with more people than I would like. Still, it’s opened me up to learning new things and I’ve finally decided to trust the process.
Learning from my CEO and Group Chairman
My CEO is someone who demands the best and it’s right from the top. As a dynamic, energetic and passionate woman, she does not relent in demanding that we give our 101%. Then, there is our Group Chairman who demands perfection from anyone who has the opportunity to work with him.
Recently, the Marketing and Communication executives sat in a conversation regarding the recent TEF Selection Announcement, and right there and then, I got an insight into his quest for excellence.
I will never forget one salient lesson he shared that night which can be summarised as this: Don’t believe your hype.
He said that while imitation is the highest form of flattery, you should never relax based on past achievements simply because others are copying you. Look ahead and learn from those who are better because when you’re an African company looking to gain both continental and global relevance, there usually is someone out there who’s doing something you’ve never dreamt of.
And why would he demand more from us even though he acknowledges that we’re doing quite well? It’s simple. From where he’s sitting, he’s investing so much into us and expects to see that we keep breaking ceilings. What am I even saying? It’s how he got where he is now.
As I sat there listening to him and remembering all the leaders who have challenged me to do better, I could not help but truly feel inspired.
It was 11:30 and I wanted to sleep badly. I wanted to eat. Heck, I hadn’t had more than a croissant in the plane and a granola bar all day because my anxiety levels were up. I can’t eat properly when I’m not settled so if I feel like I would be on my second spoon only for someone to call me for a meeting or to get things done, I’d rather not eat.
I know, my dreams are somewhat simple. I want a quiet life but if there’s anything I’ve learned from my bosses, it is that you can’t run away from rigour when you’re at a certain level while hoping to rise higher. There are no short cuts. You have to painstakingly work at it, discipline yourself into finishing whatever you started within the time you set because when you do so consistently, it becomes second nature. Those guys aren’t necessarily workaholics, they just know when they have to sacrifice certain comforts to reach their goals.
So I have learned more than one thing… Another is that we shouldn’t be hard to teach because even though your boss knows you’re brilliant, they’ll discard you when you have an ego.
I didn’t know I’d write this much but I’ll give it a rest here. I’m tired so I’m not sure this is coherent either. I just needed to unload stuff.
