Motivation VS Inspiration

Do you find some things really effortless and other things needing you to push yourself, and really focus on staying on task to complete?... You do. Everyone does from time to time, in one sense or another, but why? What's the difference?

Simply defined, motivation is driven from external forces- like expectations, deadlines, goals etc. Something that you don't intrinsically have, or are driven for example you need to be 'motivated' to do it, whether you motivate yourself, or you have someone else motivate you, like a coach or mentor or friend or lover etc.  Inspiration comes from within, and is much more powerful as a driver for behavior and ultimately results, yet inspiration &/or motivation alone don't equal results without action.

How many times have you had a fleeting moment of inspiration? An idea that at the time you had it, stirred up a deep positive feeling inside you, and in the next instant it was gone! Vanished into the depths of your biological filing system, no matter how hard you tried to recall it, you just couldn't, and the harder you triedthe harder it was to recall, until you just moved on.

One of the biggest keys to a fulfilled life is to act on your inspirations, like the great artists, engineers, architects, authors, thinkers, doers, leaders & changers of our time did and do. All of these people were driven not by motivation, but by inspiration, or in other words their ultimate purpose, the thing that no one told them to do, and everyone said they would never be able to do.

If you get a bucket and put one crab in the bucket, the crab will crawl out of the bucket. The crab is instinctually inspired to get out of the bucket and back to the ocean floor, where it knows it belongs and loves to be. BUT, you put two crabs in the same bucket and neither crab will get out....true story. You see, every time one of the crabs gets inspired enough to escape the limitations of the bucket, the other crab will reach up and pull it back down... 

So what is your purpose? What inspires you? Which is normally the point where a person will say either "I don't know" or they'll say what inspires them, followed by all the reasons they can't do it, based on the size of their bucket and all the crabs out there that keep them in the bucket. 

Inspiration doesn't have to mean changing the world, or going into business, or anything for that matter, it means what ever it means to you, whatever it is that provides you with real fulfillment. I have friends that are inspired to live very simple lives, completely off grid, and I can tell you they are happier than most other people that need to be continually motivated to do something that doesn't inspire them, but "pays the bills", but you can find inspirations in your everyday movements... if you look for them!

The bucket is your comfort zone. Your limiting beliefs about the world and what is possible, and the crabs are the external things that limit you (money, relationships, government, opportunity, privilege etc.) 

When things seem impossible think about this. The Earth is 4.6 billion years old.
If you scale this to 1B:1, or in other words down to 46 years, then the human race has been here for just 4 hours & The Industrial Revolution began just 1 minute ago!

Forget about what you think is possible, and start to think about what inspires you. Steve Jobs once said "I want a phone with one button..." and everyone said he was crazy - to which he replied "the people that are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones that do"

Step out of the bucket and into life, and if you have crabs, ask a coach for some inspirational crab removal cream...

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This article was contributed by John Fell. For more about the author click the link below; Click here

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SPiD-UP® Performance Recognition Program Activated!

It is a known fact that there are countless unsung heroes around the world who’s efforts in their daily occupations have very significant impact on their environment. Yet they do not receive any recognition for their hard work. Indeed there cannot be enough award programs as we know them; to accommodate the many people who are making change and brightening their little corners. According to president of CSD-Africa and projector director of project SPiD-UP®; Markus K. Katey, the SPiD-UP® recognition program was created to meet this very important need.

According to him, the objective of the project is to help in the quest for a performance conscious continent and one of the ways to encourage people to strive to be their best as a way of life is recognition. It is therefore unfortunate that very few out of the many who are really doing great work get recognized. He said it is also a known fact that many of the awards schemes around are not authentic enough and therefore there is a need for programs like this one. He insisted that the program is different from any award scheme in that, it is not industry specific and literally everyone qualifies to be nominated. It will then be up to the SPiD-UP® team to examine the nominee and ascertain whether they are in fact high performing individuals in their occupations.

He added that the project hopes to recognize and award 10 nominees every month across the continent and encourages everyone to take the opportunity to nominate people who are demonstrating high performance in their work. He stated; “If you appreciate someone’s work whether an individual or organization, or perhaps impressed with a product, you have an obligation to nominate them just as you must speak up when you believe they are under-performing. Together we can get the whole continent performing.”  I would like to encourage organizations to outsource their recognition programs to us as all they then have to do is nominate and sponsor staff members. We will take care of the rest and arguably give the nominee more than employers possibly can.

Nominations can be made on the project website; www.spid-up.com by literally anyone. Nominees will be screened and awarded in compliance with the terms and conditions (available at spid-up.com). It is indeed a commendable effort and the SPiD-UP® and CSD Africa team deserves our support. The project is currently recruiting sponsors. Get more info http://www.spid-up.com/p/recognition.html

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Different or Attention Seeking Disorder (ASD)

A few years ago, I wrote a rather long article that got me into a bit of trouble. It was titled; the demons that haunt originality. I have since been trying to develop it into a book, I have titled “down Demon Avenue”. But this hasn’t been as easy as I thought with the myriad of other books waiting to be completed. God is in control. The purpose of that article was to treat the idea of originality that in my opinion many people only make an attempt at; but never really attain. This is a tragedy of the serious kind. It got me into trouble because I mentioned the names of specific individuals as examples to bring my point home. I shall now attempt to make a similar point under a cloud of all the ambiguity I can muster at the inimical expense of my innate need to say things exactly as I see it.

Because the idea of originality is too broad for the purpose of this article, I shall focus on the idea of difference (being different and making a difference) which as far as I can see, is an aspect of the originality discussion. Nature itself thrives on diversity. We see the manifestation of this in the many different varieties it has of each entity. There are many different species of apples as there are of oranges. A larger variety is the citrus family and the much larger fruit family—yet they form a unit that integrates with other units to make a larger unit. No aspect of nature is without this diversity and no where do they not unite in one way or another. Yet it is the unity of this diversity that makes nature what it is in a plug and socket manner. What kind of life will this be if all the fruits were the same and had the same properties? So that nature needs this heterogeneity that it will unite into one working unit with many different players. Any attempt to deprive it of this difference is error. Let’s put that in the bag for now.

With the forgone as a premise therefore, we must see why it is required by nature that every one of its constituents be different, unique and original no matter how apparently similar and nature indeed makes the so by default. To be different therefore, one only has to simply allow the different and original that one already is—we have seen this in performance theory as a necessary ingredient.  The challenge most people have starts with the attempt at being different. Often when a person decides of their own accord to be different, they are forced to think up ways in which they can appear different from everybody else. This is not very difficult to achieve as a simple thing as walking around without shoes in a society where wearing shoes is the norm can make one significantly different in the immediate environment. Yet when we look far enough, we will quickly learn that there are others who already walk around without shoes. At that point what seemed different begins to lose its authenticity and starts straying towards normal in a certain sense. Walking around without shoes can easily be replicated by literally everyone. It is a falsity then to think that is how one is different from others. It is a learnt and created difference. It is attention seeking that became necessary because one somehow learnt that you can gain attention by being different. When it wears out, one will have to think up other ways in which they can be different.

For this group that tries to be different, they are often not very conscious of the effect of their actions and its consequences. What is most important to them is to gain the attention that being different or being seen to have challenged the status quo brings. It is a need being met by any means necessary and this is not different from a person who decides to rob others so he might feed his children. A musician who decides to perform stark naked in front of an audience will gain some attention no doubt. Possibly even world-wide fame and some have done that. However, we will have been attracted by a naked body or eccentric behavior and not great music. So perhaps this individual is not a real musician—his authenticity as a musician is then challenged by his own need to be different. His attempt at being different is actually a retrograde of civilization as we know it. Man left the walk-around-naked zone thousands of years ago because we decided that wearing clothes and shoes was the better option as far as our need for continuous improvement goes. As a matter of fact, all those who have made a difference did it with their clothes on. There is nothing special then about the act itself as it can be replicated by anyone and therefore not that different in essence. That which is different in essence cannot be replicated by another. Put that too in the bag.

Difference; when allowed to be what it is; brings humanity to a new level of progress its seeds rests within everyone. It is running the same one hundred meter sprint that many have ran for a millennia and bringing something new to it. Win it ahead of the elite, break the record and stand out. Be known as the only man who ran a sprint and actually slowed down in order to make room for a future breaking of your own record. A feat like this one can barely be achieved by simply showing up naked on the tracks. It is only with a certain capability (a unique combination of talent, skill, traits and interests) possessed by one person only. Of course the one who shows up naked will be remembered as the only one who showed up naked but that is as far as he will go. Should he break away from the pack and win the race by a significant margin, he would have made a real difference. However a person who has the capability to break records barely thinks about ways in which he can be different—he is already different.

My second concern is those who say that their life mission is to make a difference in the world. Fantastic! But they must by their occupation improve some aspect of our existence and be of benefit to many and not so much themselves. Benefit for the self is what most people do and hence we cannot claim difference when we do the same. It means going out there to do something phenomenal that inspires someone to do something too. Most importantly the conditions of others must change for the better because of something you did. So that beneficiaries can look at their situation at some point and say to themselves, I am different now because of something Mr. X did. Or perhaps an aspect of the world changed for the better because of something we have done. When we can make this happen, we can say that we have made a difference. It is for this reason that the expression change-maker can be equated to one who made a difference.

In conclusion, we should see that merely choosing to be different will not necessarily help us make a difference. To make a difference therefore, one has to just remain different. Simple as this is, it has eluded many. They therefore look outside of themselves for the solution to being different. This can only be described as a tragedy. The need to be different is ASD (Attention seeking disorder); it can be treated. Go make a difference with your already different self. #spidup
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We are glad you stopped by. You may download your free copy of the Peak Performance Scrapbook here http://www.spid-up.com/p/books_19.html, its our gift to you

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Africa calls through Black I

The review section of project SPiD-UP® helps to expose and promote great accomplishments by individuals and organizations who consciously and unconsciously pay attention to quality thereby bringing us all to a new level of development. We are especially interested in those that promise to push the set limits and take their vocations to the next level. This is based on the premise that; the world is the way it is because of what we have all done and not done. A better world therefore, is only possible with better performing individuals and organizations. To us at SPiD-UP®, quality equals high performance. It is when expectations are exceeded in a positive direction. In that spirit, we deem it fit to recognize a great piece of work delivered to us by Black I (AKA Nii Quarcoo) a Ghanaian reggae musician based in Atlanta, USA.

I personally chanced upon Black I’s work a few years ago when I heard a song titled “Tiniini kwano” on radio gold. I was quickly taken by the melody, arrangement and delivery. It was by all standards an outstanding piece of work. At the time I couldn’t figure out who the artist was as the presenter made no attempt at enlightening his listeners whatsoever. It will take a few years before I will meet the gentleman who will claim ownership of that outstanding piece of work. His proof ; a well packaged CD titled “African skies”  which represents his depute album. “Tiniini kwano” (“The right way” in Akan) which speaks from the very soul of Rastafarianism; reverberating the need to travel the right road by the guidance of God himself was the number 12 of the 13 track album. Anyone who has lived in Ghana long enough will understand the timeliness of this call. The focus of this article however, is another offering which is not even on the African Skies Album.

Our many conversations (primarily driven by my ever probing curiosity) will land me in the musical goldmine of works that are to constitute the many albums he plans to release in the next few years both on the local and international scenes. Among the many great songs I heard, one stood out: Africa Calling. The song featured a fellow reggae artiste Jah Hem a Bahamas born asset who’s vocal excellence is easy to confuse with that of reggae titan; Jah Cure. Those familiar with the work of Jah Cure will have an idea of what Jah Hem adds to the song as he opens with the unforgettable hook that is bound to leave even non-reggae fans asking for more. The song was recorded in Atlanta where Black I has worked extensively with ace producer Kaddafi to create masterful works of art in the reggae/dancehall genre.

The unusual thing about Africa Calling is the distinctly world famous Ghanaian Yaa Amponsah highlife guitar work that forms the base of the clearly unmistakable Jamaican dancehall rhythm. It is an enigmatic blend of Africa and the Caribbean. The song promises to redefine what Ghanaian dancehall is and provides answers that are certain to put critics in their place with its sheer authenticity.

It is nature’s way; that every now and then something comes along that redefines the thoughts of the day and takes the world forward one step. For dancehall fans and all concerned, this could be the one song that sets the trend that Ghanaian and indeed African reggae dancehall must follow. Fusing highlife with reggae is not exactly a new idea as many prominent reggae musicians such as Peter Tosh, Buju Banton and Ziggy Marley have experimented in that area; yet this one brings the whole idea home to where it really belongs. We rate Africa calling a five star high performance product and encourage you too, to put more effort into whatever you are doing. So this world can improve because of you. Like I said, the world is the way it is because of what we have all done. #spidup

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The Travesty of Second Nature

That something is referred to as second implies the existence of a first—the superior. So that, when it comes to one’s nature, what room is there for a second? Will this be necessary because one is unhappy with the true nature and for that reason is in need of a second? In my effort to answer a question that recently reached me by email, I turned to the Marriam-Webster dictionary to see what it has to say about the second nature idea. What I found was barely unexpected:

“something you can do easily or without much thought because you have done it many times before”

A rather trite phrase comes to mind very quickly; practice makes perfect. A very appealing idea and a common prescription by most motivational speakers. But practice in something you abhor is incredibly painful and requires an unreal helping of emotional labour. This affects the will to engage in the first place and one finds himself practicing in agony.  Concentration develops a heavy appetite for effort and very often the subject is reluctant to engage in practice in the practice that is to make perfect. Feedback also challenges the will by painting negative mental images of “I am not good at this”, or “I can never be good at this”. This is the result when the target nature that is to be second is in conflict with the true nature as is often the case. For no true nature will like to lose its place to second. This is conflict of the highest order.

The case however, is different when the subject is allowing his true nature to be trained towards its perfection. Practice in itself becomes an enjoyable experience ensuring that one is practicing more than others. Feedback is fantastic and it fuels confidence which returns more practice. The result is the very elusive cycle of performance.

After all, the titans of performance have already taught us that one must be more of what one already is to make peak performance a possibility. I.e. what you already are is a clue to what you must perfect through regular engagement. The high performer functions by his competitive advantage (his true nature). No second nature is as good as true nature and hence; he who functions by a second nature will at best be second only to others but to himself.

Peak performance is effortlessness and it comes from deep within when one has all conditions right. It is a simple matter of understanding and accepting what it is you are built for and functioning by it. On the football field, it is not so difficult to identify those who are naturally gifted and those who play with effort because they have learnt and practiced with hard work. I could give you two examples from Spain but I’d rather not. The idea of second nature is a tragedy to be avoided at all cost if one wishes to be their best. 

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Understanding the Tri-Benefit Principle

In Uptimetrics© it is postulated that self-preservation is a key driving force behind all human behavior. Given that man is the dominant force on the planet this drive and its attendant thoughts and actions influence our environment in a miscellany of ways. And also because of the integrated nature of the universe itself, all things have an influence on other things in one way or another—NO! I won’t explain that; not in this article.

The tri-benefit principle is the next generation tool for self-preservation. Although the idea itself is not new, it is the understanding of it that has eluded the run of people.  It is the next big thing after the famous win-win idea. In fact the term Tri-benefit is simply a $20 world for win-win-win (notice the third win).

Prior to the win-win idea the majority of our specie functioned on the I-win-you-loose principle. It was thought then that the best way for one to perpetuate their own existence is to take from others and accumulate for one’s self. If necessary, the opponent must be eliminated. The place of others was not that important beyond serving our needs. Nietzsche and his cohorts might find this enchanting. It is the survival of the fittest idea and it is not sustainable as it is self-destructive. This is because in the long term when the one superman has eliminated everyone, he will be on his own. And since he cannot take from himself beyond what he has accumulated, he will bring the existence of the specie to an end. Sadly, many still practice this as it appears to have been wired as the first method for survival in all species-- instinct.

The next stage of human development saw the win-win idea brought to the front as the better method for self-preservation. With this thought system it was necessary to ensure that one’s opponent didn’t walk away with nothing as the deprivation of all opponents will ultimately mean (ceteris paribus) their demise which will in turn mean we are on our own. Because of the fact that the strength of any specie is directly dependent on the ability to collaborate, it is clear that we need the existence of others in order to perpetuate our own. And that our own existence is guaranteed by the continuous existence and strength of our entire specie. This works very well and it is evident that species who know how to collaborate are among the most thriving. 

The most advance idea of all is the tri-benefit principle which translates into win-win-win. The idea insists that there is a third (often silent) party to any transaction. This third party is the larger system that holds the two main parties together and makes the transaction possible in the first place. For this reason the two parties must not only think about themselves but also about the third party. Our classic example will be a business transaction between two businesses within a locality. They must pay taxes and levies to ensure that they both have a place to continue doing business.

In recent times, we have seen businesses taking an interest in the communities they work in. They are interested in matters to do with climatic changes and energy saving green solutions. They want their products and process to be not only customer friendly but also environmentally friendly. The reason is simple; in a matter of time they won’t have a place to operate anymore unless they are conscious of the environment enough to put some of their resources towards its maintenance. So now they research into safer production process in order to sustain the environment that makes them possible in the first place. They will continue to exist if the environment remains conducive.

Members of families must recognize that it is the family that makes them possible and that no matter how much progress they make by and for themselves, they are only as strong as the family they are a part of. It makes sense then that a fraction of their earning must find its way into the family’s well-being. Families who know how to manage its constituents well are among the most powerful. By this principle therefore people must be interested in contributing to all entities they are part off even in the smallest ways. From schools, to halls, to teams and tribes etc. we are all responsible in our own small ways for the groups we belong to.

Anyone who practices the tri-benefit principle understands that they must give something towards the welfare of the larger entity that holds everything together. If you are in church it will be your tithes and offering. If you are a citizen of a country it will be your taxes and CSR activities. If you trade in a foreign land, pay what is required of you. In a family it is your simple contributions towards its welfare. Modern businesses recognize this and make an effort in this new direction. When you are in a boat, it wise to ensure its safety as your own life and that of others depend on it. The tri-benefit principle is the future as it does not only ensure your own existence but that of others and the environment you are both part of. Man who hunted other species indiscriminately now thinks about preserving them. He is wiser and knows now that his true source of power and influence is not dependent on what he can take from others but instead what he can give.

What you do for yourself benefits only you and barely attracts appreciation from others. What you do for another person might attract their appreciation. What you do for the community is likely to attract the appreciation of the whole community. For peak performers, this is often the goal. The more people who benefit from our existence, the more useful we are. Driven by this idea, even the products we create must meet the needs of many people in an environmentally friendly manner for us to be truly wealthy. The maximization of any existence will be challenged in an insensitive environment and the environment is only as sensitive as we make it.

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Configure Q2

http://spid-up.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_31.html

Ok folks the first quarter just ended. It is the perfect time to review your activities so far to see whether your strategy is working and whether you are in fact working with it. Also it is important to know whether your goal for Q1 has been met and explore the “why” and the “how”. It is also a good time to re-examine your configuration to see if it’s the best for your particular circumstance. Some 523 people are using configure to ensure the best results for the year and I am assuming you are one of them. If you are new to the program however, do not worry, it is a good time to start. Download the file here now and begin configure yourself for your best year yet. Configure answers the questions the success proponents leave unanswered. It is the “how” which must be addressed once you decide on a goal (The “what”).
In my work as a Peak Performance Coach, I noticed that people are always excited to talk about what they want to achieve (goals). That’s easy; believe me everyone has a goal of some sort at any point in time. But as soon as you start a discussion about how they intend to achieve it, confusion sets in. 

Deciding on “the how” of things is not so easy. Configure solves this problem. If you have never answered 125 questions about how you intend to reach your goal, now is your chance. New actions automatically bring new results. Using configure for the first time will change how you see yourself and your life. This must trigger new actions that will ensure a better year than the last one.
While reviewing, it is important to remember that using a program like configure does not necessarily mean you will do the right things all the time. What it does is to give you a picture that will tell you the true state of affairs so you see clearly where you need to make changes. It gives you a structure which you can follow as perhaps a car follows a road that will take it to the intended destination. This makes all the difference. Now you can plan and engage with the future with more purpose, clarity and confidence.

On Saturday 18th of April 2015 at 6 - 8pm prompt, I will be with the folks at Kingdom Flame Missions in Dansoman (near Enso Nyame Ye). You may join us there for a free coaching session made possible by the good Bishop Amponsah and his hardworking team of ministers. Join us for a live experience and ask all the questions you want. Get configure now to prepare!

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Citi; a fantastic ten years

Last year Citi FM turned 10. Naturally this called for celebration but I do not believe they got the attention they deserved. I expected recognition from government and other institutions for the contribution of this small organization towards our democracy and the general welfare of this nation’s citizenry. The impact of Citi’s contribution is enormous and for us at CSD Africa and SPiD-UP® they epitomize high performance in every sense of the idea.

A high performance organization is intelligent; it understands itself, it understands its environment and knows the manner in which it can maximize its existence by affecting its environment. The folks at Citi have done this in the deftest manner. They appear to also understand performance theory and how the world works. They clearly ensured that every individual in the organization meets a certain standard. This comes about with the understanding that the performance of an organization directly depends on its individuals as the most active sub-components. High performing individuals makes high performing organizations and it is a simple as that.

A high performing organization understands how to leverage strength in order to make impact in an already saturated market. When Citi came into the business of radio broadcasting, there was a clear leader of the Bolt Caliber. To outclass them must have seemed an impossible task unless you understood strategy and had an unfathomable amount of confidence. This says a lot about the leadership of the organization as they clearly set out to lead the market with what will be referred to in business parlance as product leadership. Every single product they put out was above average and they seemed to have mastered the art and science of brand building quite well. In every area they appear to lead with a brand or two. This includes news and current affairs spearheaded by the nation’s number one breakfast show, entertainment, events and sports. 

The intelligence of the organization is clearly demonstrated in the brands as they appear to be aware of the idea of the influence of the sub-component. To have a high performing organization you need high performing units-- high performing products that are created by high performing individuals. I dare without sounding too esoteric; postulate the as above so below concept as the driving force behind such thinking. For a breakfast show for example, they pack in five people who on their own could have given any other breakfast show a run for their money. This is a clear demonstration of the intention to lead the market with a high performing product.

Intriguingly, they did not do all these at the expense of operational excellence. From where I sit, they match every best practice in running a modern business. They appear to have not have thrown ethics out of the window either and have consistently contributed to the welfare of the underprivileged. To understand our findings on the Citi performance analysis, it is necessary to discuss some thoughts from business theory and a bit of our own performance theory without over-digressing. 

According to business theorist, very rare businesses are able to master two of the three driving forces of business strategy i.e. Product leadership, operational excellence and customer intimacy. Most successful companies focus on one of the three and this enables them to lead the market in a way. This of course makes sense given that there is the need to prudently apply effectively the limited resources available to organizations. At CSD Africa we proposed structure and content both being of high quality as the means by which high performance can be attained. This is a question of what is being delivered and how it is being delivered both being of high quality. In practice this will mean that an organization must be high on both product leadership and operational excellence. This is not a deviation from the business theory of course as it proposes that whiles one may focus on one of the three, the other two must also be at appreciable levels. (I recognize that this needs further discussion)

Citi appears to understand both theories and have broken the barrier building the much needed bridge. Perhaps a new theory can now be formulated based on how they run their business. Although, I suspect the new theory will validate the idea of quality in both what is being delivered (content) and how it is being delivered (structure). We do not always have to look outside for our success formulas. We can formulate our own based on our own narratives.

So if there are any hints there, they will point to

Understanding your market and developing the right products
Understanding your strengths and weakness (I know it sounds a bit cliché-ish but it’s useful)
Being clear about your target
Having a reliable and modifiable business model and a clear strategy (extremely important as it shapes how the business creates and delivers value)

If you have any fear of a Goliath in the field the above will kill it in your head and you will walk confidently into your victory. Just like Citi has done. With that; it is appropriate to recognize key individuals, who by their performance as micro-components have ensured that the larger organization performed at a very high level.

Samuel Attah Mensah -        
 High performance in leadership

A great personality by all standards, it took one meeting which lasted not more than ten minutes for me to conclude that he is a masterful judge of character. By our second meeting which did not even involve a direct conversation, I begun to understand the depth of his social intelligence and integrity. Frankly we don’t have that many of his type in Ghanaian leadership.

Indeed one cannot discuss leadership in our time without mentioning John C. Maxwell. In his book 21 irrefutable laws of leadership, Sammens as he is affectionately called was clearly captured in the first law. A true leader is the one who raises other leaders. If there is any leader within visibility who has achieved this, it will be Samuel Attah Mensah. Another lesson from the Maxwell leadership class is: leaders are trail blazers, they lead by example and this man iconizes this in more ways than one. He has a great connection with his team and his leadership can only be described as exemplary. Bernard Avle appears to have learnt from this as he demonstrates this through his leadership of the market leading Citi breakfast show. 

Bernard Avle                   -         
High performance in radio broadcasting (Current Affairs)

As far as I know, breakfast show meant Kumla Dumor. Prior to that, it was good old TAF and Charlie Sam. In fact one might even argue that Komla brought the whole breakfast show hosting thing to a new level standing albeit, on the shoulders of the giants before him. I did not see how I was going to listen to anything or anyone else. What were they going to say and how were they going to say it?

All that changed of course when I stumbled upon the Citi breakfast show. I honestly didn’t know what it was that captured my attention. It appears the structure and the content were both right (pardon my need to use performance lingo). This means that both what was being delivered and how it was being delivered was of a high quality. The voice was distinctively Ghanaian without blemish and so was the language with traces of useful verbosity. Soon I was imagining a great personality behind the voice.  My dial started shuffling between Komla Dumor and Benard who? This was happening subconsciously until I woke up one day and realized I was listening to Bernard Avle all the time. When Komla left the local scene-- that was it. We gained in Bernard Avle an indisputable king of breakfast show hosting who did not drop the standard as we have seen happen in other areas. The lanky Ewe boy has taken the place of his mentor after giving him the only real competition in his breakfast show hosting career. To say it is possible Bernard was the reason why Komla moved on will be a fair speculation probably not too far off the mark. 

Bernard’s achievement can fairly be described as phenomenal and his portrait rightfully belongs on the same wall as the greats. He is clearly a market-leading individual who runs a market-leading product in a market-leading organization run by a market-leading leader. This is no coincidence at all if you understand performance theory (the behavior of the micro-components determines the behavior of the larger entity). He learnt from the best and is clearly applying his knowledge through the engagement of his gift. My only problem with him is that, he has done it all and doesn’t appear to know where to go next; this worries me of course because I happen to believe that it is continuous progress that sustains an entity’s existence and ensures its maximization. If you like something, you want it to be the best it can be. And that is what I will continue to insist on as far as Bernard Koku Avle is concerned

Jessica Opare Saforo - 
High performance in radio broadcasting (Entertainment)

I was being driven from the airport on the day I had returned from my sojourn in another country for a considerable number of years and naturally I had lost track of what was going on in the country. I asked to listen to the radio and when it was turned on the voice hit me. Who is that I asked almost instantly? Jessica-- came the answer. Wow! came my only response. That’s what happens when you encounter a great product. It was almost like my first encounter with the iPod.

I really didn’t care much for what she was saying and that is being plain honest. She was in argument with another presenter whose name I don’t remember (funny) about the man and woman difference thing. The question is; how do you like someone who is arguing against your very nature. High Performance. If it’s Jessica then you really don’t mind. You just want to listen.

There was another shift in power base when Jessica started hosting the Citi mid-morning show as she clearly took some shine away from good old Doreen Andoh who a priori had been the undisputable queen of mid-morning radio. It will be surprising if Jessica didn’t look up to her at some point given the age gap and depth of experience.

The thing with Jessica is this; she is just entertaining to listen to. She is incredibly smart, adoptive and a super-talkative. Most importantly, she has high social intelligence which makes her a great conversationista. Have you ever met someone who knows what to say and when to say it in the most entertaining way-- all the time? Erm…that will be Jessica. I guess you can call it versatility. Such persons are very aware of their environment and how it works. This makes it easy for them to fit in and affect it in their own way. Put her on another planet and all she will need is a microphone and some music.

Whiles there are other great personalities at Citi who by their effortless hard work have made it the outstanding radio station it is, these three personalities have been the key driving forces behind its leadership. However, it is important to mention names like Shamima Muslim; who put the evening news on top of the list, Gary Al Smith and Godfred Akoto; who put the sports in its own class, and Richard Sky who made short documentaries fashionable again. There are several formulas for performance as we have discovered at CSD Africa in our research. The one I would like to share in concluding this article is

What you choose to do + how much of it you do + the nature of your output / the period of time in which you do it – the comparison to others.

 

That may not sound functional now but take some time to think about it. Over the last ten years Citi have decided to do radio and they have done a lot of it consistently. I truly cannot recollect any down times since I have been listening to them and comparing them to the best, they have done better bringing broadcasting to a new threshold. All of this has been made possible by great leadership and performance consciousness. 

This article was written for the sole purpose of recognition based on our evaluation of the organization in question over the period of its existence compared to others.  It is possible that the writer may be Citi's number one critique. I do it for the good of mother Ghana and Grandma Africa. May you also be the best you can be in your field and get recognized for it. To ensure high performance this year get configure 1.0 now

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