4-Ways to Make and Execute Life-Changing Decisions by Benson Agoha

Make no mistake about it, you will face challenges. Alright, you have heard it all before. And you probably did from the best brains around. But no one situation is the same and life-changing decisions don’t come easy. There are always costs and sacrifices to ponder whether you really want to go ahead. There are also always peculiarities of situations, and decisions, though an everyday part of our experience, are not by any means easy.



So how do we make decisions that are life-changing – and more importantly, ensure we implement it successfully? There are four ready issues to consider:



Self/Situational Analysis: Organise yourself and ensure you understand your peculiar situation. Understanding who you are, where you are and what you are capable of will enable you to start out, making the right moves. It will answer such questions as whether the time is right, just as whether you are even ready or not.



Lack of self-analysis can have serious and devastating consequences. Imagine a neophyte, with no climbing, terrain or weather experience setting out to climb Mount Everest, just to make a name for himself. Not only will he have the tough terrain to contend with, but chances are that he could pay seriously for his nonchalance. If he failed to consult with his physician, he would be taking his health for granted. If he refused to train in advance, he has already prepared his mentality to accept failure. And if he failed to take the relevant kits, then he would have prepared himself for suicide. David Walliams, inspite of his preparations, took ill several times during his last adventure to swim the River Thames. Claire Squires died running the 2012 London Marathon. But although hazards do not deter the brave, it is always advisable to be prepared before stepping out.



Self/situational analysis enables a sincere evaluation of an individual’s abilities and capabilities. It helps him come to terms with his own peculiar strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (swot). It enables him set the right and achievable targets and sets a solid base for other plans.



Situational analysis helps him identify problem areas and see whether he can do anything about them. Does he have the right skill, is this the right time, will the project require funding and has he got it? If not, does he have access to available sources of funds? He must ask himself questions and try to offer honest answers.



Information: It is often said that information is power, and nowhere is this more relevant that when venturing into unfamiliar territory. Gathering relevant information educates and equips you with necessary tools for making the next logical step once the result of your self-assessment is positive. Through information gathering, questions about characteristics, possible problems, contingencies and possible sources of help, if and when needed, can be answered. Information enhances knowledge and knowledge empowers. Knowledge creates confidence and even goodwill.



Action Plan: Set up a plan of action to implement your program. Action plans are sequential programs for carrying out your plan. Your organisational skills and ability to get your ducks on a row are tested here. Action plans usually act as a guide and helps you maintain implementation along a chosen track. Action plans provide a streamline for implementing decisions and tests your self-discipline. Can you focus, and ensure that what you have set out to achieve is what you continue to aspire to achieve, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles?



Focus: Focusing is perhaps, the toughest of the challenges and obstacles a decision maker will face. There will be temptations, and distractions will threaten to derail you. But will they? Should they? To make it, you must be alert at all times, as this is the only way you can spot distractions timely and take the necessary decisions to ignore them. Focusing may require you to be mean. And may earn you bad names, hatred and envy, but if you want it badly, you have to put up with it. Friends and peers may have contradictory and maybe parallel opinion that insists on you making a choice between your goal and them or theirs – which will it be? If you need it badly, you have to focus to maintain course.



Focus will test your willingness, readiness, determination, shock-absorber and even poise. Focus is an important test of character and it is success is unimaginable without it. Focus is the one characteristic that all great achievers who have made life-changing decisions at some point, have in common. So if you want it badly, be prepared to ruffle a few distracting feathers.



And yes, as you go along, always remember to re-evaluate. Reviewing grounds already covered will enable you to spot mistakes and areas deserving of correction.



I see success not very far ahead!

Why ‘Employers’ Don’t (Appear to) CARE

by Alan Adler

A couple of weeks ago I published a blog titled: “How to Get Employees to CARE.” I received several emails from readers who shared experiences and examples of ”employees” who cared, but ”employers” who didn’t. To all who sent emails, thank you for suggesting this topic.

So, now for a different twist: “Why Employers Don’t (Appear to) CARE.”

It doesn’t matter if it’s a direct report manager or the president of the company, all too often; it appears that employers don’t care.

Today I’d like to focus on a few reasons why employers might not care. NOTE: This may frustrate some, making it even harder to have a good attitude at work; however, it’s good to know what may be, behind the apathy. In virtually every instance where employers appear not to care, the root cause can be traced to their practice of outmoded, ineffective, inefficient and obsolete LEADERSHIP SKILLS. After all, hardly any business schools in the U.S require courses on this topic. This lack of knowledge causes fear of changing the culture — the civilization we work in.

The upshot of this behavior is a “culture by default.” Where, more often than not, fear and distrust permeate the workplace. People feel they’re walking on eggshells. Most employees feel discouraged and have a “we vs. them” attitude. Their performance slips and either they try to hang in because after all, “it is a job and money,” or they leave. While this is going on, customers sense the negativity and take their business elsewhere. Vendors, suppliers and other stakeholders are also impacted. And perhaps worst of all, the longer an employer continues to accept a culture by default, the longer the business suffers.

A few other symptoms include, employers who: *Are not models but rather exceptions to the values they encourage and thus destroy their own credibility. ◦Spend so much time working “in” their business that they have little time to work “on” their business. ◦Are too often driven by performance and profit, rather than creating value. ◦Tend to be so focused on ”bottom line” that they miss the big picture. ◦Are not strategic thinkers and therefore, justify their existence by micromanaging. ◦Don’t seem to appreciate the value of intellectual capital. ◦Are in denial that “they” be may be the reason their employees are “disengaged.” ◦Fail to recognize how much happy, productive employees, impact the business in a positive way.

Now, as much as I hate to admit it, there is little that can be done to get employers to care. There are heads of organizations that simply Just Don’t Care. They’ve made it to the top, are making big bucks (with the lifestyle that goes with it), and if someone quits, they can be replaced. They don’t effectively communicate or interact with their employees; they give orders and expect them to be carried out, and typically are not interested in changing their own behavior. These heads of organizations either don’t know how, or are not interested in creating value for the business.

Fortunately, culture can be changed when employers are ready and willing to make improvements. However, the process requires employers who know how to listen and willing to modify behavior. There are several chapters devoted to this topic in my new book UpStream — Are YOU ready to turn YOUR business around? I’m also a strong advocate of periodically bringing in, an outside expert. Someone with “fresh eyes” and “fresh ideas,” who can coach key managers to become practitioners of today’s effective leadership and management styles.

When there is an (intentional) strong positive culture — employers and employees CARE and COLLABORATE. The results are endless. Just like the title from the classic Dr. Seuss book: Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

They say that great leaders are great influencers. And while we know that many great leaders don’t in fact, “lead” anything, they still can be great influencers on others, to do the right thing.

Please leave a comment about organizations where employers and employees CARE. It would also be helpful if you could share an example of how they do that.

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Alan Adler, a Management Consultant, Business Coach and Author, wrote in from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Developing The Inner H.E.R.O

by RD Kosor

Greetings! I wanted to share something with you that applies to everyone: developing the inner HERO!

What is the inner H.E.R.O.? Put plainly, it is the psychological strength and know-how necessary to take on the unknown. Consider the current economic environment. Program cut-backs, corporate mergers, downsizing, and lay-offs have littered the landscape for nearly ten years. No industry is immune to the reality of the new global marketplace. Hence, no one’s job is truly secure because no one can, with any certainty, predict what will happen tomorrow.

A little over five years ago, social science researchers began looking deeper into the psychological makeup of those individuals who calmly pull through challenges and don’t allow adversity to impact their output. What they landed on was the existence of four key psychological components necessary to withstand the professional unknown: Hope, Self-Efficacy, Resilience, and Optimism. Once discovered, they set out to determine whether those four psychological characteristics could be developed in people. The results of the research overwhelmingly support the development of psychological capital.

Unfortunately, social science researchers are not trainers. Their interest is purely empirical. As a researcher myself, I understand the necessity of being removed from the process. However, my background is all about taking the impact that human capital has on businesses and molding it in such a way that improves competitiveness and strengthens the bottom line. How better to do that than to train.

The Metamorphosis leadership training program begins with the development of each trainee’s inner H.E.R.O. Hope development is very goal-focused. Once individual goals are defined, hope is created through the process of crafting specific and multiple pathways toward the end result. From there, willpower becomes the focus of the overarching theme of Hope. Self-Efficacy requires task-mastery and understanding how to pull strength from teammates engaging in the same activities. Resilience requires learning how to bounce back stronger that before after experiencing disappointment. Learned optimism is a shift in the mindset created by fear of the unknown. Perception and reality are primary learning topics during this portion of the training.

The results of developing the inner H.E.R.O. include diminished occupational stress (considered an epidemic by the World Health Organization), decreased negative turnover, and increased job satisfaction. For an organization, it is imperative to have employees who feel value and purpose in their jobs on a daily basis. Taking it a step further, organizations can help each employee develop a psychological skill set that will enhance their performance and create positive attitudes in the workplace.

I’ve seen people who walk through their daily jobs with negative attitudes and fear of the unknown. That kind of fear can be debilitating, not only to a person’s outlook and positive approach to life but to a company! Owners want to employ the kind of people who will add value to their product or service. Being an employee is so much more than collecting a paycheck! It’s about being an essential part of producing a product or service that someone truly needs. It is when that connection is made that employees become part of the solution rather than the problem. It’s my job to make that happen and the development of psychological capital is step one toward achieving that goal.

Metamorphosis is not your traditional training company. Our purpose is to elicit the kind of change that takes time and continues indefinitely. Each trainee is equipped with the knowledge and skill to implement their learned material immediately upon returning to work. Our pull through program brings the trainer back six weeks after training ends to ensure that implementation is occurring, that challenges to the change process are discussed and overcome, and that each trainee is focused on continuing the metamorphosis over the long term. For six months following training, each trainee has continued access to the trainer for advice or to bounce ideas off of.

Awesome, isn’t it? And that’s only half of the program! The second half is just as amazing. I haven’t even begun to explain the kind of workshop activities that engage our learners! Metamorphosis is the only training company in the country with this curriculum. I never tire of hearing how unique this curriculum is or how effective it is at building innovation and team creativity. This experience truly packs a punch!

When you’re considering the training needs of your internal customers, take a moment to shoot me an email. I’d love nothing more than to schedule a conversation that will undoubtedly launch you and your workforce into an exciting shift from the status quo.

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RD Kosor PhD, Trainer, Author and Transformational Leader, is an Adjunct Professor at the Arkansas Tech University, and founder of Metamorphosis.

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Articles for publication must have full contact details, including name, address and telephone number of sender and sent by email to: onlinewoolwich@yahoo.co.uk.

IMPORTANT TIPS FOR MOTIVATING YOUR EMPLOYEES Benson Agoha and Divita Hubuto

* Divita Hubuto.

The importance of motivation means that we will continue to study, motivate, evaluate and adapt to necessary conditions capable of achieving the desired results from employees.

1. You can’t actually motivate the employees. What??!?? I understand this first tip seems just a little counterproductive, but bear beside me. You see, motivation is internal, not external.

You are able to motivate individuals with carrots and sticks for some time, but it can’t last. Long-term, people need to motivate themselves. You aren’t powerless, however, because motivation originates from inspiration. So offer your people inspirational goals and they’re going to take on the task of motivating themselves.

2. Create a motivating environment. What’s it like at the business? Do people hit the floor running on Monday mornings, or will they live for the weekends. Your working environment includes a greater effect on your productivity than it may seem. The thing is, watch has a culture. But many have evolved through happenstance and that is far too risky a method to grow your company. From your office décor for your meeting schedules will effect your environment, so assess the impact of each and every move you are making on your culture watching your productivity soar.

3. Involve the employees in decisions affecting them. The employees don’t simply want a job; they would like to be part of some thing. So allow them to. It’s a win-win scenario for everyone. Your employees win as their work becomes fulfilling, and also the company wins, since it benefits from the contributions in excess of just those towards the top of the organizational chart.

4. Share your plans for future years with your employees and obtain them active in the process. If inspiration is paramount to employee motivation, then keeping the employees in the dark about your plans for future years is a sure-fire method to kill your company’s potential.

5. Hire motivated people. Brian Scudamore, president and founding father of 1-800-Got-Junk?, says “we don’t motivate our people, we hire motivated people”. Screen candidates carefully, to check out a history of productivity. Technical skills alone will never be a good enough reason to provide someone employment.

6. Encourage independent thought, creativity and initiative. At Wardell, you will find there’s weekly meeting to go over our progress like a company. Most people are expected to participate and contribute. For instance, one of our agenda items asks each consultant to show something of worth to the remaining group. Its not all idea will probably be as helpful because the next one, but by encouraging this kind of “teaching environment”, we keep everyone growing within the right direction.

7. Profit share. Generally, money is an undesirable motivator if you have nothing else opting for you, however it can be a great supporting tool once you have your people aboard. Profit sharing, obviously, is only one of numerous ways you may do this, but used properly it may be extremely effective. Whether you are offering your employees company shares, options, an added bonus based on clearly defined goals, a portion of your margin, or perhaps a percentage of your profit, what matters most is they don’t feel powerless to affect its outcome. The aim of a bonus would be to support the employees feeling of ownership for his or her work.

Being an aside, steer clear of the dreaded “Christmas Bonus” if possible. Any amount of cash given in this manner will be appreciated the very first year, but will ultimately be seen being an entitlement. Then, in case you have a bad year and can’t afford to offer it, rather than understanding, you will get resentment.

8. Offer varied and interesting benefits. Benefits, unlike bonuses, form a part of an employee’s compensation package. And therefore, represent a chance to impact your working environment. Certainly, standard benefits for example medical and insurance can be area of the package, but think away from box too. For example, you could negotiate a price reduction for your employees in a local health club or restaurant. Our clients has negotiated a price reduction for his employees in a local course.

9. Fire unmotivated people. It’s as vital to get the right people about the bus because it is to get the wrong people from the bus. It might sound harsh, but when you have anyone on your side that you would not re-hire because of the opportunity, make them go away as quickly as possible. It is the right move to make. If you’re unhappy with them, odds are they’re not happy either.

This isn’t to say you should not give people an opportunity, but don’t enter the trap of attempting to motivate somebody that simply can not be motivated. If the employee isn’t inspired with a future together with your company, free these phones find a place that meets them better.

10. Thank the employees for a nice job. For a diligent, dedicated employee little is much more important than genuine appreciation. Demonstrate to them that you notice how hard they work and they’re going to go to the mat for you personally each and every time. Never underestimate the need for a “thank you”. In case your employees don’t feel appreciated, they’ll leave the moment someone offers them more income, but if they love their job, it will require more than a few dollars to lure them.

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Benson Agoha (MIPA) is the founder of Woolwich Online

Divita Hubuto is an Independent Entertainment Professional.

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How to spot a fake £1 coin By Jane Baker (Yahoo! Finance - Family Finances)

Counterfeit £1 coins circulating in Britain right now are worth tens of millions of pounds. You need to learn how to spot a fake.

A fake £1 coin in your wallet is not only absolutely worthless but of course, it’s also illegal to pass it on to anyone else. Nevertheless, you might do so quite innocently as new figures estimate that as many as one in 36 coins in circulation is counterfeit.

How bad is the problem?

The latest data, published in a parliamentary answer from Justine Greening, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, indicates that the value of counterfeit £1 coins circulating today could run as high as £41 million.

This has been a long-standing problem. In 2003/04, when figures were first collated, 85,000 dud £1 coins were returned to the Royal Mint. Five years later the figure had jumped up to a massive one million fakes. And the trend continues to climb ever upwards, reaching a record high of almost two million coins which had to be disposed of by the Royal Mint in the last financial year.

In fact, there are now so many fake coins in circulation that the Royal Mint could be forced into the costly measure of scrapping and reissuing the whole lot with new designs, especially if the number of counterfeit coins continues to increase at a similar rate. The most recent Royal Mint survey indicates that 2.5% of all £1 coins are forged.

Clearly, re-minting all £1 coins would be a nightmare for consumers, retailers and banks up and down the country. But taking no action may undermine confidence in the currency if the problem worsens. A lack of decisive action could lead retailers and businesses to start rejecting the coins, even those which are perfectly genuine.

Spot the difference

Counterfeit coins are becoming a closer match to the real thing, making it incredibly difficult for consumers to spot the difference. In fact, we often only notice we have a fake when it’s rejected by a vending machine, ticket machine or a parking meter. Of course, it’s a huge concern that the counterfeiters are becoming more sophisticated when it comes to passing off fake coins as legitimate ones.

How can you tell if a £1 coin is a fake?

Fake coins are most definitely not easy to spot, but here are ten tell-tale signs you should always look out for:

The coin has been circulating for some time according to its date of issue, yet it looks surprisingly new.

The design on the back of the coin doesn’t match the official design for the year it was issued. You can check which designs were used in each year at the Royal Mint website. £1 coins were first introduced in 1983 and the design has changed every year since. Check out Britain’s £1 Coin Designs which shows the designs that should appear on the reverse of the coin for every year from 1983 to 2010. Remember, if the date and the design don’t match up, you’ve got a fake.

The lettering or inscription on the edge of the coin doesn’t match the corresponding year. Take a look at the Counterfeit Coin Guide which will show you the correct specifications and inscriptions on £1 coins according to their year of issue.
The designs on both sides of the coin aren’t well defined compared with a real coin.
The alignment of the design is at an angle. Hold the coin so that the Queen’s head is upright and facing you. The design on the back should be upright too.
The ribbed edge of the coin is poorly defined.

The lettering on the edge of the coin is uneven, badly spaced or indistinct.
The colour of the coin doesn’t match the genuine article. Fake coins are often more yellow or golden than the real thing.
Fake coins are often thinner and lighter.

Remember, most counterfeit coins won’t be accepted by vending machines unless the forgery is particularly good. This is a clear indication that you have a fake.
So now you know exactly what to look out for. If you do find a counterfeit coin, make sure you hand it in to your local police station so that it can be taken out of circulation.

How Best To Sack A `Manager’ - By Benson O. Agoha

In my continuing treatise on `Leadership Qualities’, I have to visit the issue of dismissal of a Manager. In this case the use of `leader' is to be read as Manager. Now, even leaders can be sacked, but what is the best way to do it? Before making my recommendation, I have to discuss one real life case, which will show that management, though now regarded as `science’, sometimes has no fixed solution to any problem. The course of action is sometimes contingent upon the situation, but a Manager must accept responsibility for his actions and, therefore, must take the course he can defend. Here we go:

Case 1
Prof. Abdul was a renowned lecturer of many years. Borne of Pakistani origin, he has been a visiting lecturer to many Universities and Business Schools around the world and is therefore, a well respected voice. One day he was presented with a situation by one of his students in an MBA class. Odeon was already a General Manager of a Bank before deciding to do an MBA course. He has been facing a situation at work. One of his subordinates was in the habit of flouting some of the bank's policies with regard to the use of office telephone.
The young man has been bringing in large income to the bank and has been responsible for winning big accounts. For that reason, he feels he deserved some special treatment and his behaviour would soon result in protests if Odeon does not act on time. So in this situation, what should he do? Prof. Abdul looked him straight in the eye, adjusted his tie and said `sack him; otherwise he will introduce a bad culture into the organisation'.
Odeon noted the advice from the authority and when he returned to work, was ready to implement the advice which he was sure will send some signal across the organisation. The day after his return, the young man brought in another account of £5m. The General Manager sat back and thought about it and decided to pursue a different course.

Now in my earlier post on Organisational Policy, I stated that policy must be flexible to allow organisational members to exercise discretion during implementation. Had Odeon not used his discretion, he would have sacked a resourceful employee who could have been corrected using a different method.

But what is then the best way to sack a `leader’. Managers across disciplines and organisations do not resort to one best method to sack a leader. The truth is that because leadership position is an enjoyable position, if for nothing else, for the respect and other perks that accompany the position, it is often difficult for occupants of exulted positions to want to leave. They would always like to cling to their position even at the worst of times.

A manager in charge of a restructuring exercise may be tempted to resort to dismissal as a cost saving measure. I have already kicked against dismissal in a restructuring exercise because it could result in one or more of the following:
· It posses its own problems eventually
· Competitors who have been unable to lure your staff away to their own organisations will then find them easy targets.
· If key staffs are affected, it is easy to pass on organisational secrets.
· An employee feels loyal to present employer, not the previous one.
· Only a carefree manager would like to pass on his distinctive competences to other organisations without serious consideration.

How to remove a Leader or sack a Manager

As for other `leaders', they can be removed by an internal coup or by a collective resolution of the group members. It could be by democratic means like voting, or by an external force, as in cases where the leader was also appointed by an external force. But to remove a Manager, I would recommend that the best way to sack a `Manager’ is to promote him. Every promotion is not necessarily laced with financial compensation. Some leaders are happy enough to have attained and been designated a certain position. And because money is not always the best guarantor of satisfaction, some people are satisfied to have their esteem needs met. Therefore a manager who is capable of proving his mettle will appreciate an upward push and perform. Those who cannot, will not and then you will be justified to show them the door.

Identifying Leadership Qualities (Part 1) - By Benson O. Agoha

Identifying leadership qualities in individuals is not as easy as it seems. Yet the world is a `class' environment where no matter how equall we are, some of us must emerge to show the way. And others must be obedient enough to follow their lead. Age sometimes does not matter, nor does education always. Neither does physical attributes such as strenght, beauty or might. Instead, a leader would posses the `X'-Factor which makes others respect and obey his directives. Where this is absent leadership sometimes faces more problems than imagined. In this article we will look at those attributes that a leader should posses so that managers can easily identify those worthy of leadership positions.

See the following people: Jonathan Rock oversees a battalion of infantrymen fighting at the war front. Michael Cains wears the armband and walks ahead of his team-mates to football matches. Oklaman Bart is in charge of workmen every night for maintenance and engineering works at the underground and Mickey Barns heads the South East branch of the bank of commerce. Which of these could be described as a leader?

To answer this question, we must look at the role of each of the men and determine whether they provide any form of `inspiration’ to other team-mates because leadership is not complete unless it inspires others to act and to keep acting in a way necessary, which they would otherwise not have been willing to act, to accomplish a set common objective.

Leadership is important for any group activity to succeed as otherwise, the group will be like a herd of sheep without shepherd.This is the reason why this article will try to show what leadership is and how it is important to the success of any group activity, including organisations. More importantly, it will show that for any organisation to succeed, the organisational members must act in consonance with the direction and example displayed by the occupants of the top hierarchy.

It has often been said that `leaders are born’. Maybe this is true, maybe not, but undoubtedly individuals are born with different traits such that some possess noticeable charisma that enables they win the approval of the majority. In this wise the above phrase might be considered correct. Management however, does not always only look for innate character traits or abilities, otherwise it will no longer be `science’. In seeking out a potential `leader’, Managers are concerned with finding that individual who possesses qualities or skills that can consistently be trusted to inspire others, all things being equal, to work towards the common goal. And even when all things are not equal - such as in periods of industrial action, the leader must have the quality to `manage’ the situation and restore order. Whether these traits and qualities have been acquired as a result of exposure to some conditions such as training, which in turn made it `a relatively permanent observable trait’, or simply traits that are inborn and have been residual for long is immaterial. Equally, and perhaps even more interesting, is the fact that leaders can be removed if they fail to, or stopped being an inspiration to the group.

For so long, a simple definition of `a leader’ was disagreeable until the key phrase `to inspire’ was recognised as providing the clearest clue to what leadership constitutes. And no matter what we want to write about leadership, a distinction must be drawn between Political Leadership, as provided by Jonathan Rock above and Managerial Leadership, which Mickey Barns provides for his bank. An important point however is that both men point to the direction their group members must go and provide the actual inspiration that enables them to go that way. It is because leadership provides the vision; strategy and the inspiration needed by organisational members to follow that direction that they must accept responsibility for whatever goes wrong in the process.

Because the `group’ phenomenon is very important to the issue of leadership, it is important to discuss a bit of it.

The Group Defined

A group simply refers to a situation where two or more members come together to interrelate and to be interdependent in other to achieve a common objective. The key words are `two’, `interrelate’ and `interdependent’. For this reason:

· A class of 10 students is a group. But if the teacher splits them into 5 groups of 2 members each, in order to share assignments and eventually produce one outcome, each of the subsets of 2 members also represents a `group’.

· In our example above, the group members must interrelate with each other and the groups with one another.

· The groups must be interdependent such that none of them working independently can achieve the desired results. It is the cooperation and interchange among them that will enable them to attain the desired goal.

The group maybe formed by an outside force or it maybe self-forming. In the same sense, the leader may be appointed by the organiser of the group (the outside force) or nominated by members of the group (the in-group). In some cases, such as where a group is to a great extent democratic, elections are held to choose the leader of the group.

A manager faced with the need to appoint a leader in his organisation, has to watch out for certain attributes, which are identifiable from the study of their behaviour, which include but not limited to the following.

Factors You Must Watch Out For Before Appointing That Next `Leader'

· Considerate: Does he possess traits or skills that mark him out as considerate? When he speaks, how he speaks, does he appear to have feeling for colleagues and the organisation? Being considerate of others enables a leader to treat them with the respect and recognition necessary to avoid rebellion.

· Respectable: Does he attract respect to himself in appearance, conduct and speech? And do his colleagues respect him? A person who is considered respectable by his colleagues stands a good chance of being made a leader without revolt.

· Knowledge: Is he considered knowledgeable and does he possess the technical or commercial skills needed within the group? A leader must be able to display or assess knowledge whenever desirable. Appointing an individual who does not possess known relevant skills for the task can be counterproductive.

· Strength: Does he posses the strength of character? Is he perceived as strong enough to force down mutiny? Strength includes agility. Physical, spiritual, mental and psychological strength are also important.

· Follow: Does he have the right mental attitude not just to lead but also to follow? Can he follow when not leading? A leadership position can be a `tenured’ position. In this wise, a leader must have the ability to follow when he is no longer leading. A leader who cannot follow might not be a good leader. Who needs a dictator for a leader anyway? In any case, an organisation piloted by a dictator will soon be doomed.

Whatever method used to choose the leader, he must posses some or all of the following basic attributes:

Five important attributes of a `Leader'

1. Trust: A leader must have the trust of his teammates which means that he will act in an open transparent manner always and will not act selfishly against them.

2. Intelligence: a leader must have adequate or more knowledge and be able to think fast in case of need. Where he does not have this knowledge, he must have easy access to a source that does and in the even of need, he or this other source must be able to think fast in the case of need. This display helps him to win further trust of his teammates.

3. Power: while a leader should have the ability to `influence’ others to work with him to achieve the common goal, he or his team-mates must have the power to suppress any form of external aggression whenever the group is threatened.

4. Competence/Ability: A leader must be perceived as competent or able or fit as a leader. If it is an intellectually based group, the leader must be competent and perceived as such to leader the group. Imagine a group whose leader is perceived as a square peg in a round hole! Or imagine a person who has no mathematical knowledge being appointed to lead the review of Maths curriculum.

5. Consistency: He must be consistent in speech and action. A leader must also be consistent in his protection and defence of the group and group members. This wins him more trust and support from the in-group as consistency means that the members know how they can expect their leader to behave given challenging situation.