G.G.Gatambu – LEAD AFRICA (COHORT 3)
Lapid leaders Africa is a leadership development organization that targets youths with a view of preparing them to drive change in the African continent, through tailored coursework, guidance, mentorship, coaching, and -my favorite- experiential training. This wrenches one from their comfort zone towards the journey of achieving the greatest & ultimate version of self.
The Lapid experience is designed like the traditional African three-legged stool and is comprised of three pillars namely Lead-Self, Lead-Marketplace, and Lead-Africa. Here, I outline my experience in and with the Lead-Africa Pillar.
To start off, this third leg is majorly focused on impartation and acquisition of the necessary tools and skills to ensure one does not report to the world half-baked, the specific context being entrepreneurship, corporate leadership, and public service.
It is this pillar that challenges one to shift from the consumerism mindset to one of a designer and creator. It challenges one to generate and implement innovations in whatever sector they are in. To not just swim with the flow, but to fix what is -or might- not be working within the systems they find themselves. To be fruitful where they are planted.
The pillar is therefore keen to an in-depth manner walk you step by step through modules that are primarily centered on tackling the above-mentioned issues and are such as Identity, Purpose & Passion; Identity, Voice and Impact; Ideation and Idea implementation, Personal and Business writing / Branding, Marketing, Wealth Creation, Leadership Values and Ethics, Research Development & Governance just to mention but a few.
In my specific case, this pillar was very impactful. The skills garnered and practiced therein have helped and are continually helping in my growth journey both in Leadership and in business. I have come to realize that it is impossible to alienate leadership from the business. As such, leadership is a necessary, in fact, a compulsory tool for anyone in or aspiring to be in business. In any case, is it not leadership even without the business that determines which and how much tax to subject to business, policies that either encourage or trod business and eventually dictate how a business performs?
It is in this pillar that I got to begin getting a foothold in business and the working principles of the same. It is in the pillar that some of the content I use to date was birthed. In the pillar, the mindset I acquired and the concepts I learned such as designing good business plans, marketing, business ethics and concepts of research and development have helped me navigate from ideation to designing of effective prototypes for my business not to mention other ways that the principles are applicable in life.
It is this journey that keeps teaching me that consistent improvement is what breeds small successes, which lead to achievement of one’s greater goals which lead to ultimate excellence. It is here that I learnt in not so many words that “Slowly is the fastest way to get where you are going.” Why you may ask? I’ll give you a snippet right before I send you to enroll for the Lapid Leaders Africa Experience.
While going ‘slowly’, you are able to envision and handle challenges you encounter with the grace and attention they deserve. You are able to learn better from mistakes made by yourself and others and it is slowly that you build a stoic business and leadership foundation and consequent unshakeable progress that will stand the test of time.
I can confidently say that though I am not yet where I intend to ultimately be in terms of both Leadership and Entrepreneurship, I am slowly but surely heading in the right direction thanks to Lapid Leaders Africa.
Apply for the Lapid Leaders Africa Experience now and I guarantee forward and upward will be your only trajectory.
