Transformational Leadership With Muideen Adebayo Ibrahim (MAI)
“If you truly want to change your life, you must first be willing to change your mind.” (@mindshiftquotes)/X
Quora defined Mind shift as “a change in one’s perspective, way of thinking, or approach to a situation. It can also refer to. Being alive is what it is all about not the thought of it.”
You cannot be doing the same thing in the same way and expect to get a desired result. It is a truism that Nigerians are suffering unabated and the leadership is unperturbed because it is still business as usual.
In the light of the foregoing our leaders need serious mind shift so that they can give real dividend of democracy to Nigerians.
There is need for our leaders to shift their perspectives to that of the people or electorates or stakeholders on what what they value.
Linda Neima in an article entitled; Break Through Your Obstacles with 3 Simple Mind Shifts stated that “when Toyota asked employees for ideas on how they could become more productive, they received few suggestions. When they reworded the question to: how can you make your job easier? And were inundated with ideas. This is a simple mind shift strategy.”
This presupposes that our leaders can also embrace mind shift in its entirety by asking simple questions pertaining to the people they lead or govern.
Frankly speaking, we shouldn’t have business with hunger, poverty, suffering and what have you with the quantum of what we have in the country in terms of human and natural resources had it been our leaders understand the concept of mind shift in totality. If they do, Nigeria would have been far better for all and sundry.
The importance of mind shift cannot be emphasized and some of which are as infra:
Sensitivity: It enables leaders to be very sensitive of the yearnings cum aspirations of the people and as such, they will serve them diligently by giving them their needs as at when due.
Milk of Human kindness: Mind shift enables leaders to have good milk of human kindness. This will make them to serve optimally.
Behavioural Change: Mind shift ensures that leaders behave very well towards the people. They will be compassionate and do the right thing at the right time without bias.
Effectiveness: It promotes superlative effectiveness in all ramifications and leaders that embrace mind shift would be very effective and efficient at all times.
From Mindset to Mind Shift: Leadership is now from mindset to mind shift. Because if you don’t embrace mind shift as a leader your performance would be too low and will eventually be at an abysmal level which means that type of leader has a fixated mindset already.
Transformational Leadership: Mind shift promotes high transformational leadership symptoms because it makes the leaders to think critically and not laterally in order to solve the challenges of the people.
Awareness: Mind shift enables the leaders to be aware of what is happening within and around them from time to time and they take action promptly.
Proactiveness: Leaders with mind shift are very proactive and not reactive. It is sad that most of our leaders in Nigeria are reactive.
Susan Goldworthy stated in her Book entitled: From Mindset to Mind Shift: Transforming leaders for a Changing World that “Leaders can contribute to creating a secure base space with a growth mind shift by practicing five simple steps daily as below:
First, cultivate curiosity, by asking open-ended questions (such as who, what, why, where, when, how?) and encouraging others to share their thoughts and feelings.
Secondly, practice active listening, by showing your interest in others and giving them your undivided attention.
Third, express gratitude by reminding yourself daily how you are blessed and how fortunate you are.
Fourth, learn to learn, as our brain can grow and strengthen itself — called neuroplasticity. Most of us are the habitual hamsters running on the wheel; we need to have the awareness to step off and notice ourselves on that wheel.
Fifth, schedule a short daily reflection and get into the habit of asking yourself and those around you some simple questions, such as: When did I/we have a fixed mindset today, and why? Or when did I/we have a growth mind shift, and why?
In a world facing multiple crises and uncertainties, it is imperative to focus on how individuals and organizations can not only survive but thrive. By acknowledging that we are part of a living Earth, rather than apart from it, and by practicing a growth mind shift, as well as creating a secure base space and a psychologically safe environment, together we can find ways to co-create a more sustainable future for all.”
I am of the firm opinion that if all our leaders can embrace mind shift, they will perform optimally, be very efficient, be superlative in all their actions/dealings and be extremely effective in all ramifications whilst the people will enjoy good leadership delivery at its best.
It is well!
Muideen Adebayo Ibrahim (MAI) is an entrepreneur: the Founder, LIBRA CONSULTING; a Management Consultancy Firm and BAMIB RESOURCES (a Premium Pencil Company) and can be reached via [email protected] or 08037221517 (sms) only please!
