Linus Okorie contends we must change the way we think if we want change in the country
The whole country at the moment is at a very critical state. The level of anger and frustration is unprecedented. Those at the lowest ebb of the economic ladder are actually in pains. We cannot confidently say that we have a middle class but for the sake of this article let us pretend there is a middle class. These set of people are just going through challenges that have put them in a place of confusion and uncertainty. Let us say that the followers and citizens are obviously reacting to the hardship that is biting hard in the land. The most annoying part of this whole happenings is the behaviour of the political class. Those entrusted with leadership and responsibilities have also fallen into a mood that proves their inability to practice mind leadership. The outcome of this stark reality is the anger, frustration and outbursts that is unhealthy for our polity. It only heats up the political system and makes it difficult for there to be a very peaceful atmosphere for the conduct of 2023 elections.
Nigerians as a matter of urgency must equip themselves with the fundamentals of mind leadership. Mind leadership is the ability of an individual to create a state of control, excitement, peace, insight, inspiration and perspective in his or her mind, consistently transmitted from the subconscious mind. You recall September 2011 during the attack on the World Trade Centre. President George Bush was in Florida to visit the Emma E. Booker Elementary school in Sarasota to highlight education reforms. As he entered the school, he received a report that an airplane had crashed into the World Trade Centre Network. At that point, it was believed to be an accident. While he was taking part in a reading lesson with the children, his chief of staff informed him, “A second plane hit the second tower… America is under attack.” Bush’s response was not to jump up and scare the children. His response was calmness and a sense of confidence. He actually practiced mind leadership. He had control of his mind and created a body language that inspired hope and inspiration to the American people. His rating shot up.
A leader must develop the capacity to go through very challenging situations but still give it an interpretation that enables him to function effectively and still be in control. Mind leadership is the ability of an individual to continue to plant positive thoughts, ideas, values, dreams, and positive emotions in his or her subconscious mind with the purpose of getting direction, motivation, inspiration and perspective from his or her mind for daily living.
When leaders are angry, they control their anger, create a state of instant forgiveness and stay in a state of control and calmness. They can then become so proactive that they set the standard of influence and respect. When the people are dehumanized, they refuse to fall into a state of depression but create a new state where they experience unlimited joy and happiness while reinventing their lives.
Nigerians and their leaders must as a matter of urgency see a country that is not finished but a country that is expecting a coming prosperity. Each Nigerian will take on the role of leader in influencing change. Mind leadership that is well practiced would lead to effective personal or self-leadership. The moment you become very effective with self-leadership, you would gain influence and begin to lead others which is referred to as leading others. When you succeed in leading others effectively then you begin to lead for impact. You begin to have great accomplishment and exceed goals both at organisational and at national levels.
Currently if the practice of mind leadership becomes a critical mass of Nigerians who adopt this principle, it will give them the ability to see beyond the difficulties, the capacity to interprete the difficult happenings around them to give it a positive interpretation that will strengthen their resolve to go through the challenges, keeping their focus on the success that is to come.
Institutions fail, organisations crumble, companies go into oblivion and nations go on the path of decline as a result of deficit of mind leadership. The pain we go through each day as a people is overwhelming. We must all work on our minds so that we can develop mind security where our state of mind is free from internal and external threats such as fear, confusion, anxiety, bad news, small talk and gossip. We must build our mindset with positive emotions like love, compassion, kindness, caring attitude and a sense of possibilities.
Empires, nations, businesses, companies and individuals have been built as a result of quality mind leadership. These leaders succeeded as a result of solid mind leadership that found expression in certain ways; you can call it the language of leadership. These leaders spoke the language of leadership. They spoke courage, possibilities, passion, success.
If we must build a country that works for all of us, we must take advantage of this election to reinvent ourselves, speak positives words, believe that Nigeria can elect credible leaders and that our votes will count. We must believe that the time has come to unify our country and get it to work. Let us with our new mindsets prepare to elect leaders that believe in possibilities and a sustainable future for our country.
According to Alexander the Great, “I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep. I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.” When leaders who practice mind leadership step up their game, more Nigerians will join in its practice and the whole idea will be to get every Nigerian to begin to think like this.
If we want to change this country, then we must change the way we think. I will be interested to know the prevailing thoughts in the hearts of Nigerians now. If we can change these prevailing thoughts, like “Nigeria is finished,” “votes don’t count,” “it’s not possible to have a new Nigeria,” “Nigerians are not ready to vote the right people,” and replace them with possibility thoughts, then that becomes the foundation for the practice of mind leadership. Then we begin to take the necessary actions of going en masse to ensure that only leaders with the right competences are voted into power with the belief that we can achieve a Nigeria that works.
Okorie, MFR, is a leadership development expert spanning 27 years in the research, teaching and coaching of leadership in Africa and across the world. He is the CEO of the GOTNI Leadership Centre.www.gotni.africa. email me linus.okorie@gotni.africa
