Archives December 2020

Many Scholars, experts, technocrats, and innovators have over the last few years shared their insightful thoughts about technology, innovations as what will sustain organizations, businesses and even countries and give them a competitive edge. According to research data by The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), technology has become the new normal, it’s everywhere around us. ITU shared that over 50% of the world’s population uses the internet, over 4 billion daily searches in major search engines, we are just at the start of a revolution that is already touching every business, organization and life, over 90% of the world’s data has actually been created in the last few years only.

The future is for sure, uncertain and semi-predictable, many of the scientists and even technocrats and techno enthusiast don’t have 100% clarity, if there will be solutions for a number of issues facing humanity and organizations today; will we find the cure for cancer for example; how will the economy behave with COVID-19 now as part of us; will we be living in an algorithmic world, will majority of the workforce roles be replaced by machines, robotics? There is actually no 100% clarity of the future facts on these and many other aspects of technology and science. Critical though for individuals, businesses and organizations to understand is that there is for sure need to look at this aspects as opportunity presented. Many organizations and businesses have already embraced digital disruption and are reaping the potential that advances in new technologies, data analytics and artificial intelligence.

The pressure to keep up with the innovations amid technological progress however need not to make us obsessed, and keep thinking that innovations and technological advancement alone will drive our organizations, businesses and countries competitive edge now and in the future – NO! Whereas these advancements poses an opportunity for individuals, businesses and organizations to rethink the work they do and the way they do it, this will not entirely provide the competitive edge anymore; this is the new normal as we progress, you cannot survive as an organization, a business, without the basic foundational aspects of technological advancements, this is not and will not be a competitive edge.

Our research shows that the ability to transform & adapt is one of the single most important competitive edge that will separate progressive sustainable organizations from average ones. While there are plenty of admirable and great organizations out there, there are only a handful of organizations that have shown so far the last couple of years and even couple of months in 2020 that they are able to pervade vigor, rigor, connection and intensity into their daily actions, behaviors and culture for them to have sustainable greatness in the future.

This therefore, gives rise to the new competitive edge, which is – The Re-Invention of Leadership – The Transformadaptive leaders in organizations. These are leaders who are both Transformational, which means according to businessdictionary.com that these leaders identify the needed change, creates a vision to guide the change through inspiration, and executes the change with the commitment of the members of the group; and Adaptive, which means according to Cambridgeleadership.com these leaders help individuals and organizations adapt and thrive in challenging environments, they are able, both individually and collectively, to take on the gradual but meaningful process of change, diagnose the essential from the expendable and bring about a real challenge to the status quo.

From our research where we engaged with a number of key leaders in Kenya, we found that, more that 75% of respondents shared they agree or strongly agree that many leaders are not transformadaptive or are not executing their organization vision with full commitment from them; many leaders are not fully able to diagnose the expendable and bring about real challenge of the status quo in their organizations; and more profound is that many leaders are not fostering engagements and not modeling the progressive champions mindset of their organizations.  

It’s important to realize that transformadaptive leadership in the new competitive edge 2021 and beyond for many organizations and businesses that will support them integrate the uncertain future of technological advancements and innovations with the human innovations and provide sustainable environment for their teams, within the organizations to perform at optimal levels that will ensure their organizations survival beyond the chaos, disruption and environmental changes both economical, physical, and human as we progress.

To understand what makes a leader transformadaptive, Accent Leadership Group (Step-Afrique) from its launched research, found out that leaders self-drive, or vision or interrelationships alone are not enough; the leaders, who have clarity of vision, are self-drive and relate well with colleagues and teams may find that they are driving performance yes, they are hitting the targets yes, they relate well with teams and colleagues for purposes of driving performance only but their performance may not be sustainable for the long term, their team relationship may not be sustainable for the long term, and may be the leaders who come in bring results short term then leave the organization is a much worse state as a result of the short term damage they have done and they move to other organizations to do the same.

Instead Transformadaptive leaders are those who use their unique combination of strengths like being self-aware, self-led, and have clarity of their esteem to drive strategic thoughts in their teams, instigate strategic actions and create strategic influence in their organizations and business; they then move to a higher scale of driving inspirational connections with their teams, mindful of their environment and nurture the culture of self-care in their teams to avoid stress and burnout in their teams and are have clarity of their ability and efficacy; this is their pinnacle of consciousness as leaders and this is what makes leaders transformadaptive.

Dr. John C. Maxwell said that: “leaders get the culture they create, and the nature of the culture affects what they can or cannot do in their organization”.  And am emphasizing from an organization point of view that organizations get the leaders they create, and the level of their leaders affects what they can achieve now and into the future and what they will fail to achieve. Their organization level is determined by the level of their leaders.

“leaders get the culture they create, and the nature of the culture affects what they can or cannot do in their organization”

Dr.John C. Maxwell

How can organizations ensure they have the leaders that will definitely drive and champion their sustainable future based on all the uncertainty and unpredictability of our environment?

This will only be possible when the organization systematically SHARPEN their leaders IN – their leaders’ capability to Self-Leadership; BUILD their leaders – OUT, their capability to drive Strategic Leadership; finally DEVELOP their leaders UP – their aspects to be Conscious Leaders. This is how organizations can kick off, creating Transformadaptive Leadership Culture in their organization that will give them a competitive edge.

Step-afrique desire is to take you through the entire process of creating a transformadaptive leadership culture in your organization step-by-step. If you desire to improve your organization, your leaders, your team and be sustainable and have competitive edge moving forward, you will definitely need to learn each of the steps that enable your leadership be transformadaptive.

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Gilbert Ang’ana (PhD Scholar)

I help leaders sharpen their Self-Leadership, build their Strategic Leadership, and develop their Conscious Leadership, so that they can be transformadaptive.

For the better part of this year, I have been studying some patterns of leadership, looking at the traits, behavior, and actions of various leaders both locally and globally, and what really makes such leaders transformational besides the usual theoretical frameworks of being charismatic, being emotionally intelligent or serve others.

I have heard various discussions and interviews with a number of leaders here in Kenya from spiritual leaders, to business leaders, to corporate leaders, leaders in government public institutions, leaders in private institutions, leaders in non-government or not for profit institutions among many others just to try and understand the common patterns among these leaders and what is the recipe for the inspiration they share with the teams that lead to transformation in tasks and organizations they lead.

I went further to review their application of the common leadership values below that based on various empirical studies are key traits that transformational leaders portray and I summarized only key traits that cut across them as below:

• Vision; here I reviewed their abilities to understand their goals and develop clarity on the action plan with the team to achieve them. 97% of them feel this is a critical value they developed earlier in their leadership and continually nature.
• Passion; In our discussion, I gauged their personal level of fulfillment and motivation that drives them even in the midst of challenges and setbacks and how this is transferred to their teams. All leaders engaged agree that without passion they would not have achieved what they have.
• Elasticity; we review their level of mental stretch or resilience amidst adversity; and how fast they recover or recovered despite the obstacles. 82% of the leaders position this as critical but, others felt it a difficult value or skill and they are not sure if they have grasped it yet.
• Influence; where I reviewed their ability to encourage, motivate, and guide their teams to think or act differently to achieve certain goals. Without influence, there is no leadership and therefore you are not inspirational. All leaders were aligned leadership is influence.
• Devotedness; here we discussed their commitment to follow through with their teams on specific tasks they are keen on without fail or dropping; their daily schedules based on impact. All leaders were aligned on the aspect of setting daily action plans that are both non-negotiable and negotiable to avoid being swayed by the daily wild winds of activities.
• Pliancy; we discussed and reviewed their level of preparedness of the mind and character to accept and respond to change. For a leader to transform and inspire their teams this level of mental and character strengthen is key, which was unanimously agreed by all discussed leaders.
• Probity; their perspective on honesty, genuineness and focus on doing things right or the right thing. 80% of the leaders agreed probity is what they aspire to be and most were, however, some unwarranted business ethical issues and dilemmas sometimes crop in, but they strive to ensure they make the best or closest ethical decisions.
•  Compassion; their ability to connect with the feelings and emotions of their teams and understand their actions and behaviors.
• Advancement; their strong-willed, non-negotiable focus on their continual learning, and personal growth.

The above values and skills if I could call them so, were common and at a higher scale for all the leaders, I interacted with and discussed on matters leadership and what has supported them over the years as inspirational and transformational leaders in their spaces.

Based on the above, at Step-Afrique we went ahead and do some further analysis and summarized the above into three main focus leadership areas that all such transformational leaders have developed over the years and are still developing at the specific level that continues to support them to inspire, and transform the various leadership spaces they are in and we called this Step-Afrique Leadership Loop (SALL). This loop as can be seen below focuses on three areas of any leader and if well-developed will be the recipe for inspiration and transformation in them, their teams, and in the organizations they operate from.

Step-Afrique Leadership Loop (SALL) has been originally developed by Gilbert Angana (PhD Scholar) and CEO of step-Afrique based on engagements, with various local leaders considered inspirational in their spaces and study of with various leaders across the global on patterns, traits and actions.

If an organization can focus on developing these three critical focus leadership areas, then they are likely to have optimal productivity from their leaders, and consequently, their teams will have a long term transformation in their organizations; The Step-Afrique Leadership Loop covers the: IN (Mind of the leader); OUT (Will of the leader): and UP (Heart of the leader). to break t down further;

1. The IN – MIND covers the aspects that develop the leaders Self-Leadership capabilities and specifically from our research and findings develops three critical areas of developing the leaders: Self-Esteem; Self-Awareness & Self-Management.
2. The OUT – WILL covers the aspects that develop the leaders’ Strategic-Leadership capabilities and touches on developing leaders on their Thinking, Action, & Influence to enable them to be strategic. You cannot develop your OUT as a leader without developing your IN.
3. The UP – HEART is the result of the above two and the most critical aspect of a transformational leader, but it cannot be developed in isolation without developing the IN and the OUT. This is the expression of the leaders’ Self-Efficacy, Relational Awareness/Connection, and Environmental Mindedness. This is the apex of Conscious Leadership and leaders at this level are truly inspiring and transformational in every aspect of their lives.

In conclusion, it is important to understand that these aspects are also intertwined in as much as they are anyone sequential and anyone can develop their capabilities and be inspirational and eventually transformational, but it is a conscious journey that they have to take to continually develop their IN, their OUT, and nature their UP and in that loop. Even as transformational leaders today, they still are in this vicious circle of frequently developing their IN-OUT-UP at their level for them to maintain their focus, and inspiration across their lifetime.

This is what we specifically at Ste-Afrique, to help individuals and organizations develop their leaders through the Step-Afrique Leadership Loop (SALL) with customized, globally tested leadership programs that are also John Maxwell Certified Programs. We walk with you on a journey to continuously help you develop your IN (Mind) so as you improve on your Self-Leadership; Develop your OUT (Will) so as you develop your Strategic Leadership: and finally nature your UP (Heart) to start applying your Conscious Leadership in all aspects of your life.

Article and Research by Gilbert Ang’ana CEO Step-Afrique who is also a PhD Scholar in the area of Organizational Leadership Development. For details of this contact him at angana@stepafrique.com

Engage us for details on how we can work with you on this journey.

Step-Afrique Consultancy trading as Accent Leadership Group; contact details below:

Email: info@stepafrique.com

www.stepafrique.com

Why Your Organization is Deeping this Season?

We have seen how COVID-19 has affected the business environment, even organizations that were thought to have strong foundations especially here in Kenya have been shaken and affected, we have seen a huge dip in many organizations revenues and consequently profitability, most have actually moved into losses these couple of months so far. This business environment will not go away in a flash, it’s here to stay for a while, that means that organizations that still drag or fail to move with the tide, are highly likely to be left on the shores of failure, losses and possibly shut down.

So what has really changed this season compared to all past such Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Unpredictable (VUCU) seasons in the past that some organizations have survived?

The simple answer for me is that, many organizations have been on a roller-coaster and had neglected for a long time the aspect of developing conscious leadership in their teams. Don’t get me wrong many organizations have been developing their teams through trainings and most of the trainings are generic, internal, and mainly meant to satisfy their balance scorecards and those who have taken it a notch higher are mainly to develop some aspects of leadership capabilities that are basic and not necessarily strategic and conscious.

So what exactly is conscious leadership and why is it important?

Conscious leadership is a transformational leadership style with a critical focus on growing and strengthening the people, and teams, who in turn will grow and strengthen their organizations and their surrounding business environment. This then makes this leadership more responsive and not reactive by ensuring that they continuously strive to improve under any circumstance and create an inspiring environment with those around them for continual creativity, innovation and growth.

Conscious leaders are not only cognizant of themselves, and their teams, they are also cognizant and aligned with their customers’ current demands and future needs.

When you understand what the world needs from you, then you are able to build solutions and create a profitable business out of it.

Many organizations today have invested their energies and resources in technological advancements in light of the digital transformation which is a great investment no doubt but most of them at the expense of their people from a consciousness perspective. Here in Kenya there are numerous examples of both blue-chip organizations and even local companies that have spent fortunes to upgrade or bring onboard new technological solutions but their people aspect have been heavily hampered resulting into their current predicament in their business revenues.

It’s important for organizations to understand that in as much as technological advancements will take us into the future, it’s the aspect of consciousness that will keep humanity from extinction a sentiment that is also opined by Deepak Chopra founder of Chopra Foundation.

With many organizations today hanging in the balance, those that are likely to survive post-this season, will definitely have to change their view on business and restore the aspect of conscious leadership in their organization.

They have to take an intentional shift to developing leadership consciousness to restore their competitive edge.

So how do you do that? How do you power or align your organization or business through consciousness?

Go back to the basics: Renew your Organization Purpose and ensure everyone is re-aligned.

Conscious leadership requires that all that you do as an organization or business is impactful and fully owned by the people driving the purpose who are your leaders, staff, teams and more so your customers are fully aligned and also own your organization purpose.

All your teams must go back to the basics, to being passionate about your organization and in synch across all units, divisions and segments in driving and generating revenue with clear focus on positively impacting the customers.

The key to going back to basics is for the organizations to think outwards in delivering value to the customers while looking within, their teams must own and understand their purpose, share the purpose internally through synching processes, systems, teamwork, and inspiring leadership among others. This is where most organizations have lost touch in the current season.

Promote Flexibility: Allow teams to challenge the organizations beliefs, policies, and develop the reality of the new business model.

I have had a chance to work for the last 13 years in great regional organizations here in Kenya, with great structures and policies but the reality is, those structures and policies many of them are outdated and not in synch with the current realities, but built on the premise of political alignment within the organizations. This then creates bureaucracies, rigidity and inefficiencies that might not be easily realized since they are at the heart of the system and many other parts somehow keep moving thus making them operate at sub optimal level. However, many of such organizations have been shaken now and if they do not relook at their systems efficiencies, structural integrations, flexibility in their people and policies to challenge some of the traditional status quos, then they may not necessarily grow past this season to their trajectories.  

The only way organizations will survive and thrive in such times is by allowing their traditional beliefs and policies to be challenge by their teams in order to come up with contingency plans that will help them stay on top of any situation.

Organizations that allow their policies and traditional beliefs, to be challenged are likely to disrupt their strategic thoughts and result in strategic innovations and a way forward where everyone else sees a dead-end.

Step up; Develop Conscious Leadership Culture

Our society today is an open book so to say, consumers are very keen on service, experience, but more so can see right through the value an organization adds into their lives and even business. Consumers also wants to deal with organizations and businesses that are conscious of who they are and live up to that.

Start this radical mental shift and re-define your organization.

More so engage us, we work with you to develop and help you build a base of conscious leadership culture within your organization.

A conscious leadership culture is centered on coaching and trust – trust between colleagues, customers, leaders, stakeholders, partners, communities and so on. In a culture of trust, people can speak their truth knowing they will be heard and respected. This is what will make you survive and thrive.

Step-Afrique Pitstop is a Leadership publication authored by Coach Gilbert with the aim of teaching and coaching matters leadership and how it shapes our society and world. Get in touch for details on how we can create a customized Coaching & Training Program for your teams and organization

Accent Leadership Group (Step-Afrique Consultancy) www.stepafrique.com : info@stepafrique.com Office: +254762990422

About Coach Gilbert: Gilbert Ang’ana is the CEO at Step-Afrique, an Author (BREAK OUT & SPEED), a Ph.D. scholar in Leadership development, a Leadership Coach & Trainer; Passionate about Leadership Development, and more so on Conscious Leadership.

This year has been a great year for me by any standards, but also had its share of disappointments. When my dad passed on this year, I had pushed myself hard and say no, I don’t want to cry, God gives us life and God takes life, and I remember reminding myself in my head several times that NO – I will not cry, even when I saw my sisters and brother crying, I kept the focus and for sure I did, until the last day when we were laying him down the grave and I busted out into a loud cry that I couldn’t even control. I wondered how, and where did this come from?

And I don’t mean here physical cry like I did when I saw my father going down the grave.

In my book – BREAK OUT, I wrote about my journey to discoursing my calling and purpose; right from birth God had a design for my life, from my unique blackness to my journey throughout, being that leader from young age-prefect in primary, in high school, taking on leadership realm in the campus at front line political change champion in the first year to building and supporting other leaders in the consecutive years, to my corporate journey starting from the entry-level to where I am today, is a testament of HIS purpose in my life which He has allowed me to take every step. However, this journey of DISCOVERY was not smooth; I have met good leaders along the way, I have met bad leaders, or not so good leaders, I have met good individuals who became a friend and even brothers, but I have also met individuals who have not been happy about my journey and my path, I have had personal issues, falling along the way, but fallen forward where I had to pick myself up and focus on the call, the goal. I knew along the journey that I had a greater calling and Purpose, which I am living today!

I recall my times across the corporates I have worked with, KCB Bank, Co-op Bank, and recently Airtel; and in all these areas, I have had very emotional send-offs, of my teams sharing very deeply emotional stuff of how I had impacted their lives, the great change they have created in their lives as a result of our interactions, the stuff they have learned ad implementing as a result of our engagement, the value they have found in me, the challenge I have given them and the story can go on and on. I have been overwhelmed with all the comments and emotional sentiments from my team – BUT, I kept asking myself, what did I do? I did not see how I did, but I came to discover that, it’s the way I valued people, the way I carried myself from an Integrity and character, the way I challenged people to move from their status quo, the way I challenged people to STOP managing TIME and manage themselves, and the way I had to find the greater meaning of my life myself, the contributions I intentional made in the lives of others and the way I enjoyed that journey and many other ways. This is what made people cry every time I step into other journeys, I was living the journey that God designed me to, the path that I needed to go through, to learn, add value to people as I moved to the bigger picture which was HIS calling for my LIFE. And today I am living my journey, my calling, and my Purpose, just because I never lost focus along the PATH.

The question you need to ask yourself as you read this is;

How can you find the greater meaning of your life?

How can you make a lasting contribution through your work?

If you want people to CRY when you “DIE” when you move to other steps in your life be intentional. I read a book sometimes back by Robin Sharma on this topic and some key profound things I learned are:

1. Every day be kind – Add value to people
2. Focus and keep your perspective – your bigger picture should dictate your daily actions
3. Every day keep your discipline – this is what will make you strive
4. Be honest and trustworthy – we don’t have many people today in this space
5. Your past is your past – learn & focus on your future and towards the bigger picture
6. Keep off detractors – could be your closest friends, your boss, say NO to such, and FOCUs on your priorities
7. LOVE what you DO and DO what you LOVE
8. SERVE – all GREAT LEADERS live a selfless LIFE

DISCOVER YOUR CALLING!

RE-WRITE YOUR LIFE STORY TODAY!

LIVE YOUR LEGACY ONE-LIFE AT A TIME!

This is what will MAKE people CRY when you “DIE”

See below detailed download

Step-Afrique Pitstop is a Leadership publication authored by Coach Gilbert with the aim of teaching and coaching matters leadership and how it shapes our society and world. Get in touch for details on how we can create a customized Coaching & Training Program for your teams and organization

Step-Afrique Consultancy www.stepafrique.com : afriquestep@gmail.com Office: +254743990422

About Coach Gilbert: Gilbert Ang’ana is the CEO at Step-Afrique, an Author (BREAK OUT & SPEED), a Ph.D. scholar in Leadership development, a Leadership Coach & Trainer; Passionate about Leadership Development, and more so on Conscious Leadership.

How to Be a Producer Christian

Covid has come with its effects, both positive and negative and the majority of the sectors have had a negative effect and I continue joining each of us in prayers and pushing particular policy agendas that will see some cushion or at least some improvement in the heavily affected areas. However, Covid has also come with positives, which are a shift, a spark, a new focus for each of us and even organizations to move from their status quo to new territories, new grounds, and new beliefs without forgetting our foundational bearing in Christ.

Download the attachment at the bottom for detailed read on this article and share your comments and feedback.

How do you know you are Consuming?

1. You just want to be served, the church to care for you, the church to call you, the church to tell you what to do next – Why can’t you start producing, add value, contribute positively to the plans, call the church share your views – SERVE.
2. You feel entitled, that the church should be doing things for you for it to be a church – start having a GRATEFUL HEART – The church did something for you, why not start doing something too.
3. You keep asking your church what they are doing – why not change that to – what do you need? – What Can I do?
4. You have an issue with your cell group, missional group, or whatever your church calls, you don’t feel that is church enough to fill your spiritual cup –  Why not join that group and champion for the things that you need to fill your spiritual cup so that every one spiritual cup can be filled too at that level?

What are you Producing this season? Or rather what have you been Producing?

1. A Producer Christian is focused on advancing the mission of Jesus – the Great Commission.
2. A Producer Christian understands the truth – it is more blessed to give than to receive.
3. A Producer Christian does not expect everything to go their way.
4. A Producer Christian is open to sacrificing for an opportunity for someone else to come to know Jesus.

Jesus says in Matthew 20:28, that he “did not come expecting to be served by everyone, but to serve everyone…”

For a detailed reading click on attachment below.