MINDFUL REVOLUTION – CHIEF HON. MRS SHIMITE BELLO Covers Taylor Live Magazine’s Latest Issue
Q: Can you name someone who has had a big impact on you as a leader?
Ans: . My mother Mrs Roseline Nwakalo and Late Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa (Nakowa), the former Governor of Kaduna State.
Q. How did you build your personal reputation?
Ans: Through prayer, hard work, passion, compassion, some generosity and loads of focus.
Q. What advice will you give someone who is assuming a leadership position for the first time?
Ans: Don’t feel intimidated by anyone, no matter their experience. Learn from them. Listen more, talk less, shelve your knowledge at first and absorb as much as you can. Know you space, then own your space. Be ready to serve and love those subservient to you. Be wise, as many would try to set you up because of jealousy, intimidation, fear and sometimes for no reason at all. Own your mistakes along the way, keep your head up, keep improving and keep it moving.
Q. What keeps you up at night?
Ans: Work, work, work, work, work and some domestic activities lol.
Q .What improvement will you like to make regarding your leadership skills?
Ans: I would like to go to Harvard Business School to do a few short courses in specific fields. I went to Lagos Business School tho. I just want to keep reading and expanding my mind.
Q. What is your style of leadership?
Ans: Easy, inclusive, fun, modern and respectful. Very respectful.
Q. Do you lead from intuition?
Ans: I do a little bit, I also believe in structure and roles. I like a level of protocol or else there will be chaos and anarchy.
Q. Are you a risk taker?
Ans: A huge risk taker.
Q. Why do leaders fail? Can you give me some real world examples?
Ans: A leader will fail if they act like demagogues because that won’t last. If they just won’t listen and think they are above the law and everyone else. E.g. Adolf Hitler, Robert Mugabe (towards the end), many Nigerian Governors past and present.
Q. How do you bounce back from failure? Can you give an example?
Ans: A leader will fail if they act like demagogues because that won’t last. If they just won’t listen and think they are above the law and everyone else. E.g. Adolf Hitler, Robert Mugabe (towards the end), many Nigerian Governors past and present.
Q.Do you have any on going project?
Ans: I am just trying to move my NGO Quintessential Business Women Association to the next level. My hands are very full. I don’t need a new project for the rest of my life. I need to actualize my bucket list.
Q. What do you think is the reason why we have few women taking part in politics and taking up leadership roles in the country?
Ans: There are many reasons for Women not taking part on politics and Leadership roles.
A) Financial Obligation is very high.
B) The best mentors in Nigeria are the most rugged and wealthy men, they will intimidate most husbands.
C) Fear of name calling and image slugging.
D) Most politics meandering happens late at night, the woman’s role in the family will usually suffer if she is keeping up with the men. Politics and certain leadership roles keep both men and women absent from home and too exhausted to participate in domestic activities when they are home. You talk so much in the course of work, that you appreciate talking less, also sleep becomes your best friend. As a young mother personally organising children’s activities where possible is a nightmare. It goes on and on. PAs, SAs and EAs becomes a huge part of your life.
Q. How can this be solved?
Ans: Women have to get into high return in investment business activities and need to do more in real estate. They need to discuss extensively with their husbands and let them know what is involved and they must be ready to work late into the night sometimes and travel at very short notice.
Q. How do you develop new leaders in your team?
Ans: Through mentoring, close monitoring and tasks.
