Start Quitting On Arrival.

About three weeks ago, a pal invited me to an executives’ event in Westlands. Who are executives by the way? I think it’s folks in corporate Kenya who wear charcoal grey suits and park German cars in basements all day. Plus, they carry iPads along with their expensive phones. Based on that description I don’t consider myself an executive. Jua Kali is still deeply ingrained in me. Moving into coaching has cleaned me up kidogo so I figured my pal was confident that I won’t embarrass her. It was also the most expensive afternoon gathering I have attended in a while. It cost me about 13 bags of cement equivalent hehe. See my Jua Kali-ness can’t help it hehe.

The event was the first anniversary of a company or movement dubbed Executive Connect. As the name suggests it’s a gathering of executives to connect and share their stories. From the impressive attendance of about 250 people, it was clear that there was a need for an event like that. We were told that it was even oversubscribed and they had to turn folks away. Imagine refusing many 10ks in this economy hehe.

Maybe the topic of Humanizing leadership drew the crowd. Having meaningful conversations was the theme. It shows there is a shortage of that and folks may have come to shop for some good connections. The panel consisted of corporate heavy hitters and that could have been the other crowd-puller. Titles are huge in corporate but I like that the host Frank, told all of us to leave our titles and positions at the door like muddy shoes. I advocate for that because oftentimes it’s business cards that talk and not people. That’s why when we lose our jobs and positions we feel lost and like we cease to exist. Yet we were not born with the titles. It’s time to go back to the basics folks and let our authenticity rise.

It was a 6-hour event mostly hearing from the panellists on their remarkable journeys to the top of the career ladder. From humble beginnings to chance occurrences (described by a big word I learned, serendipity), it was indeed humanizing to hear these wakubwas share. I realised that inside we are all the same. That beyond the appearances and the perks we are just people trying to be better people.

During the Q&A people took to the mic to share their reflections and ask for more from the panelists. I was tempted to weigh in but being my first time, I thought it was better to try and be the most interested person in the room by hearing from others. It felt good resisting to be the most interesting person in the room by talking. We learn and grow faster when we listen more than we speak. But my contribution still lingered in my mind.

Let me pick the mic now and share my thoughts here,  almost three weeks later. If I had to speak I would have posed a challenge or maybe food for thought by asking the panellists if they had started figuring out what their next season of life would be once they exit their current roles. That’s because the best time to think about our next move is when we are doing well in our current season. When we are at the top of our game, that’s when we should test-drive various interests and ideas we have. They may be clues to our next phase of life. It’s worth mentioning that this forward curiosity is often driven by the desire to live significantly and leave an impact. In halftime, we call them low-cost probes.

I would have asked the General’s daughter, “Have you imagined life after Deloitte? What would make you wake up and take that morning walk energetically ready to dive into the day?

I’d have asked the Knight bila amour,” What will be the destination of the next ticket you buy after you leave Safaricom? Have you given that some thought and how can you start preparing now as you grow our fuliza limit hehe…

I’d have asked the girl who never cried, “What cause would you engage in after you leave Breweries that would mean so much to you that it would make you cry?

I’d have asked the nomad with three lives, “Any idea how your fourth life would be the most impactful so far?  And how would the sum total of your three lives so far be used to make bigger and more meaningful deposits in people’s lives for eternal dividends?

Finally, I’d have cheered the village girl for her courage. She has begun her journey from success to significance. She left a huge job in a huge bank before her time was up and is having a blast helping villagers both in shags and in town get a better start in life. I’d offer to coach her through that transition to maximise the second half of her life.

You see folks transitions are inevitable in life. The ending of one is the beginning of another. We invest so much in career and business advancements but do little or nothing to prepare for the transitions that are sure to come our way. We often find ourselves stranded in a new phase of life yet we could have prepared better if only we had started interrogating clues indicating the new season is round the bend.

Transitions are the personal side of change. And since change is inevitable we should enjoy the comfort zone of success with our eyes open. Folks, the best view is often from the top. Enjoy the landscape of your success but don’t forget to look beyond the horizon into what may be coming your way. That’s how a successful life is lived. By anticipating and preparing for transitions adequately. That makes the road of our lives less bumpy.

I’d have passed on the mic at this point and sat down waiting for dinner. Remember we paid 10k each hehe. Thanks team Romo House for the initiative. It cemented my convictions about transitions (pun intended) hehe…