Promote Incompetence.

I’m writing this while sitting at the duty-free zone of JKIA, having a beer. It’s 11:35 PM at Tembo Bistro and Bar, and I’m waiting to board my Qatar Airways flight to London. I’m feeling so cool with that first sentence—it’s like I’ve finally come of age and become a serious writer. I read such lines from big shots like my friend and writing mwalimu Biko, of Bikozulu. Of course, he would go on to describe the cold drink as ‘sweaty’ rather than just being from the fridge. Biko remains one of the coolest writers in the region; the other one is my editor, Hooting Owl. She may be silent and in the dark, just like the owl, but her writing style and content are epic. She’s a gem waiting to be discovered. Check out some of her work here…

I’m waiting to board my flight, thanks to my public service journey—the job I often say pays us with mandazis and parking, hehe. I recently secured a new role as Tournament Director of the Magical Kenya Open, which will take place next February. The prestigious BMW Championship is currently ongoing in Wentworth, London. As the promoters of the Kenya Open, they invited my chairman, two fellow directors of Kenya Open Golf Limited, and me to the European Tour, which includes our event as part of its global calendar.

I have been to Wentworth twice before, but this time feels different. I’m going with kidogo pressure after being elevated to this crucial position. The Tournament Director of such a big event is like the head cook in a kitchen. The delight of the many customers who come into the restaurant depends on how well he executes his magic to satisfy their taste buds. Previously, my seniors have done the heavy lifting; now it’s my turn.

The pressure increased when my new chairman sent the intro email to the European tour team, setting me up for meetings that are crucial for us to align and deliver a world-class event next year. One of the mkubwas offered to meet with me while I’m in London, but ended his short email with the line that I have ‘big shoes to fill’. That’s made me sweat kidogo, as I head out to the UK.

I’ve been gathering as much information as I can about the role from my predecessor and other parties, but I’m still carrying a slight case of imposter syndrome. I may appear confident on the outside, but that line from the mkubwa on the European Tour group has made me doubt myself a bit.

I’m writing this before I take off in an attempt to calm my nerves and remind myself that I’m here because I can do the job. A quote from Steven Bartlett that one of my readers sent me a while back has come in handy: “Stop telling yourself that you’re not qualified, good enough, or worthy. Growth happens when you start doing the things you’re not qualified to do.” That’s comforting, I must admit.

We could therefore conclude that maybe the best performers are slightly underqualified. Perhaps if I’m too confident in my abilities, I’ll go into this event with maringo. And the more maringo we have, the more our eyes and ears close. I recall another quote from Dan Allender’s book, Leading with a Limp, which defined a past role I had in 2019. One line has never left me. Dan says that the best leaders are those who don’t want to lead. That fit me perfectly because most of my roles in golf management have found me; I haven’t sought them.

The flight was good, and I’m now in the King’s land. My colleagues and I have a series of meetings lined up. Sir God came to my rescue in my morning devotion on Wednesday. The Good Book encouraged me through Colossians 3:1: “Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up and be alert to what is going on around Christ.” That’s where the action is—see things from his perspective. I feel I’m being called into bigger thinking here, and I like it.

Folks, sometimes we tend to impose speed limits on ourselves, like public service or commercial vehicles that are allowed to move at 80 kph max, yet our dreams, goals, and desires are personal and not public. We can drive to a maximum of 110 kph in our personal cars. Maybe we should apply the same in our personal dreams and plans by moving faster kidogo. If you find yourself in a new role or position and you haven’t forced it, then take that as readiness for the mission. You are cooked for the job when it finds you. Any more waiting or stalling will get you overcooked and unpalatable.

We often pray for opportunities, but then when they come, we panic and resist them. The best time to start a new season in life may have different indicators for different people. But that feeling of inadequacy often lingers. We should take that not as an indicator that we are unqualified, but as a sign that the task or season ahead is worth our attention.

When I decided that I’m not here by accident but just one more ‘God-incidence’, I relaxed. The meetings have gone well, and I’ve even started feeling clever again, hehe. Folks are also more willing to help when you seem genuinely keen to learn and advance.

We have heard that people are usually promoted to their next level of incompetence. This idea originates from the book “The Peter Principle” by Laurence J. Peter. The theory suggests that people are promoted because they were successful in their previous job, even though the skills required for that success may not apply to the new position.

I’ve always associated that negatively and interpreted it as setting someone up for failure. However, maybe when we feel most incompetent is exactly the right time to be promoted. A promotion is a vote of confidence in your potential, but it also comes with the responsibility of learning what it takes to succeed in that new position. So one benefit of promotion, at a minimum, is that we learn new stuff, which is always a great place to be in life.

Successful transitions are often marked by what new thing we’re learning. So feel the fear and do it anyway, even when that feeling of incompetence lingers. That said, please ensure you are fairly qualified for the role ahead. Feeling incompetent is good. It means there is room for improvement and growth. It’s the biggest room in the house hehe…