LESSON I LEARNT RECENTLY

Career Mastery Certification Programmes was a huge success, not just because the name of the convener is TS- Tunde Success but it was a success for me and (all other participants) because I had hitherto walked into the class room not knowing what I wanted. However, because the student in me was alert, my Teacher - TS (as he is fondly called) showed up to enlighten everyone on several career related topics, ranging from what and how to write on your Career Dream Canvas, the impact of industrial revolution on your employability, different types of career outcome, and shared insights from locally and globally conducted research.

I gained the vital information required to take me to my next level and to prepare me for the next phase of my life. I became clear on the things that need my focus and careful attention, few but strong enough to change the tangentry of my life for good.

Among several group activities and exercises that we shared in the class, a particular game that stood out to me. It is called – Who Is in The House? This game stands out to me in three different ways that I would like to share with you but let me explain briefly, how it is played. There are 25 boxes drawn in an A4-size sheet, in each box is a description of a person either by who they are, what they have or a feat they have achieved. As a participant, you are to find people (from the class) who possess these qualities and get such persons to sign in the corresponding box that best describes them. You must continue this until all blank spaces/boxes have been signed and no single individual is allowed to sign more than twice for you while you are not allowed to sign in your own sheet. Hence, the rule goes thus;

“All space must be filled, you must collect the name, phone number and signature of other participants, they can only sign twice, you can’t sign on you own form.”

The first to fill up all blank spaces wins the game.

I bet you know the import of the game already. People began to read out the qualities from their sheet to one another e.g. “Single”, “Plays Golf”, “Arsenal fan”, “Has relatives in CBN” Etc. asking the other individual if he/she possessed such qualities and we began to exchange sheets to append signatures and share contacts on any corresponding box. But for me there was more. I found it pretty difficult meeting an individual and reading out questions from my blank areas to them, I saw that they looked aggressive in search for answers to their own questions as well. Out of frustration for the too many blank spaces on my sheet and because I hate to struggle to get things, I stood at a strategic location inside the class and yelled out – “I have a relative in CBN”. The impact blew my mind. One by one, my co-participants began to bring their sheet to me for sign off in that portion. While signing for each one, I asked them to go through my sheet to see if there was a blank space that matched their quality/achievement and they were over joyed to sign for me, why? Because I had first signed for them.

FROM WHERE YOU ARE, GIVE VALUE.

In order to find your solutions quickly in life, you must first solve other people’s problems. Once people can identify that you are willing to aid them in achieving their set goal satisfactorily at minimal or no cost at all, they will naturally gravitate towards you. Service and value to others must be your watchword.  Eventually, you will realise that your own needs are also being met.

At some point in the course of the game, I could hear someone telling another crop of people to take their sheet to me – once you give value, a good word will spread for you. Within a short space of time, the signatures on my sheet increased rapidly, because I did not have to walk around the class but, for every signature I got, I first gave out mine.

THE MORE YOU DO, THE MORE YOU WANT TO DO.

As the signatures increased, I became more excited because I could clearly see the very few boxes on my sheet now begging to be filled - I was close to the finishing line. That is how we are when we set goals. Every mile stone excellently achieved is an encouragement to do more. This is why I strive to win and succeed in anything that I do because achieving one feat will definitely propel me to desire more.

GET MORE PEOPLE IN YOUR CIRCLE

Imagine if this was a real life scenario. Imagine that my career was hanging on a thread and the only redeeming feature would be my connection of someone who plays golf or someone with the royal blood or someone who has relatives in the Presidency etc. if they were not in my circle, I may be stranded. My Pastor taught me that I would improve my productivity and output exponentially by knowing what to delegate, what to relegate, what to eliminate and what to concentrate upon.  I have realised that an unproductive life is a life that is diluted. As much as relationships are very key and important, you cannot continue to add every relationship if you are not subtracting - doing it strategically and wisely.

These are the few lessons I gained from participating in this game. I urge you to seek to know “who is in your house”, by giving off value from where you are, striving to succeed excellently and increasing the people in your circle.