Lessons I learnt from The Amazon Leadership Initiative (TheALI) Annual Leadership Forum For Young Female Leaders 2022 (TheALILF2022)
Hello, fellow young leaders,
My name is Precious. I am 20 years old, and a second-year law student from Nigeria.
On 28 and 29 October 2022 during TheALI Leadership Forum 2022, I interacted virtually with other fellow leaders and listened to female luminaries that I would otherwise never have met at this age. I am grateful to TheALI for this opportunity and here are some of the lessons I learned, that I believe you should learn too.
- Be confident
Show up, stand out, and be counted. Do not hide and most importantly, do not hide your talents. Do it scared; do it unsure. Do not let fear stop you from grabbing wonderful opportunities. Take up that space, it was made for you.
- Understand yourself
Know who you are. Know what you stand for, your strengths, shortcomings, style, and tolerance levels. Take time to understand who you are.
- Speak up
Do not stay silent when you have something to say. Give yourself permission to know you have a voice. You can never have a voice if you do not learn to speak up. Learn to ask, as well. After all, the worst case is someone says no.
- Read wide
Arm yourself with information and knowledge. Do not focus on only one discipline. Read wide. Learn about other cultures, learn new languages, and learn new skills. Knowledge is power, tap into it.
- Silence unhealthy fear
That voice telling you, “You cannot do it,” silence it. You will never be able to accomplish anything great if you keep letting fear control you. Take that step. Make that move. Ask that question. Stop letting unhealthy fear disallow you from achieving your full potential.
- Bring Someone up with you
As you progress, make an impact in another’s life. Serve as a mentor to others. Present them with opportunities that will help them grow as well if you are able to.
- Think of outcomes, rather than methodology
You must have heard the phrase “The end justifies the means.” Most people only focus on the results, rather than the process, We are all different in so many ways. For example, we are different in the way we think, the way we approach things, and our varying work ethics. Therefore, instead of trying to imitate another person’s way of doing things, figure out what works best for you that will give you the same desired results.
- Set yourself apart
It becomes very boring when you have to read the same page over and over again. Be that refreshing change. Strive to be original and be the best you can be in whatever situation you find yourself. No matter how little or insignificant the task may seem, do it exceedingly well.
- Dare to dream
Sometimes, we view our dreams as being too much or too scary and while the latter may be true, do not stop dreaming anyway. If you have a particular vision or desire in mind, cherish it, and build on it. Do not be overcome by your negative thoughts or the negative words of others. Dare to make that dream a reality.
- Have a vision and a mission
Everyone on earth has a God-given purpose. There is no one that is useless. In order to make an impact in the world, we must always seek to discover our purpose. Find out the unique reason you are on earth. Not knowing your purpose can lead to you being tossed around and wherever the wind takes you. Having a vision and a mission for your life to give you a sense of direction and peace.
If you are a young leader that also attended the forum, feel free to engage with me by leaving your take ways in the comment section.
Thank you, and remember, black child, your dreams are valid.
