IT’S A NEW DAWN!

The pandemic came with lock down, shattered dreams, goals, and visions. At the beginning, I had no hint of what would happen next, or even how I would plan for the rest of the days. I kept getting restless as the number of infections kept rising. I embraced being still and walking into new paths and being available for opportunities.

While being still, I received an email from the from Emerging Leaders Foundation on African Biblical Leadership Institute (ABLI), a program I had applied for, informing me that I had qualified for the 2020 cohort. I got excited on hearing the news, I celebrated in song and dance as I waited for the training to commence.

Come June, the training was finally launched. I got so excited to see fellow participants logging in from across the country. The music at the waiting room was calming, I knew I had found a new home. As participants kept logging in, my heart leapt with joy on seeing Caren Wakoli. How I felt like reaching out to hug her, but sadly because of the pandemic the meeting was online. It was very great having her speak to us, because she is a lady I admire, and I look forward to meeting her. She warmly welcomed us and encouraged us to always be outstanding. She told us to always endeavor to bring out our ‘A’ game on the table and we should never hold back.

I have since learnt that most people make decisions based on their emotions. During this period, I have taken time to settle and understand myself. I endeavor to be renewing my mind daily, fixing my eyes on positive results and not getting overwhelmed with stress. I started buying books on leadership and self-awareness, to enable me learn from people’s perspectives and experiences.

The journey that I took is about learning, unlearning, and re-learning as well. As an aspiring leader, I am learning to lead from behind just as Nelson Mandela said “A leader is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, where upon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being distracted from behind.” Leading from behind means being a servant leader, taking care of the people’s needs first before your own. I am on course to becoming a servant leader.

In this journey that I took, I have embraced the power of having a vision, not just having it but learning to implement it step by step. ABLI has led me to understand that you become successful if you implement your vision. This is because visions keep us going. Having a stronger vision makes one not to easily give up.

It is a journey of learning in depth the habits of highly effective leaders. By this, I am working daily on conquering myself and my fears and sharpening the axe. This way, I can be able to conquer the world. I am practicing being decisive and balancing my life. This is to keep me away from having a successful business and a terrible family at the same time.

Being an ABLI fellow is a journey I took on my way to leadership.  I believe with God on my side, I am making it. It is indeed the rise of a New Dawn.

By: Catherine Khayali, ABLI 2020