Ask Chuka

  In one of our fellowships at the Patriot's Connect, our leader, Dike Chukwumerije asked a thought-provoking question: If you had to choose a leader from three individuals, each possessing just one quality— Competence, Character, or Commitment —who would you pick? Competence: The individual has the necessary skills to get the job done. Character: The individual is a person of integrity and strong moral principles. Commitment: The individual is willing to do whatever it takes to complete the task. After much debate among those present, both physically and online, we unanimously agreed that the best choice would be the committed individual. Why? Because we've seen highly competent individuals refuse to perform their duties. We've also seen people of impeccable character shy away from action when it is most needed. Nigeria—and indeed the world—provides countless examples of evil thriving because good people remain silent. Choosing commitment means selecting someone who will...

Recently, my friend Buife, who also runs a printing and publishing business in Lagos, visited me in Abuja. He was surprised that my company operates with only two full-time graphic designers, while the rest of the team works on an ad-hoc basis. This got him thinking about reducing his overhead costs. He wanted to downsize his team of five graphic designers to two, mirroring my setup. However, he struggled with the decision as he was emotionally attached to his staff—many of whom had become close friends. He asked me for my help making an objective decision, so I devised a plan to evaluate the team's performance. I created three distinct tasks in a Word document and shared them with the graphic designers at different times. When the designs came back, my friends and I evaluated them—not just for aesthetics but for attention to detail. Who made fewer typo errors after feedback? Who adhered closely to the instructions and content? Who followed the specified colours and details? In the...