Bouncing Forward
A journey of resilience.
In a previous post, I shared my successful completion of the Oxford Senior Leadership Executive Programme. The experience was a deep introspection, allowing me to reveal the leader I am and the origins of my resilience.
Like the rugged peaks of my hometown in the picture above., resilience is forged in the fires of adversity. This land taught me that true strength isn’t about avoiding storms but standing tall, unwavering, and battle-hardened. Every challenge sharpened my resolve; every setback fueled my ascent. No matter how fierce the headwinds, I push forward, grounded by the lessons of my roots.
I was born in the desert north of Niger, West Africa. I grew up in a matriarchal nomadic Tuareg and Fulani society, with matrilineal descent, organized into autonomous tribes. Living in the hottest desert in the world taught us to live with very little. We lived from breeding camels, zebu, goats, and sheep.
There are two significant events in the lives of young men: circumcision and the ceremony of wearing the turban (taguelmoust). Circumcision marks the entry into adulthood, and the circumcised live isolated from society for a month.
The ceremony of wearing the taguelmoust is associated with the transition to virility and maturity. These events teach us the values of camaraderie, complementarity, and resilience. We can count on each other to move forward and sometimes survive.
Growing up in difficult living conditions, I learned early the values of integrity, honesty, empathy, authenticity, curiosity, and trust, helping me navigate adversities and challenges both in the workplace and my new communities when I left my birth home Niger and moved to France and then the UK.
I have become a better listener, allowing myself to step back and consider all options in times of adversity to achieve the best outcome. This has consequently made me a better negotiator.
My childhood experiences have shaped my career path, instilled in me grit and developed my self-awareness, competence, curiosity, perceptiveness, and service.
Now that I have shared a little of what has shaped me, a journey that has undoubtedly required resilience, it feels natural that I delve into what resilience means to me through the lens of my personal experiences.
Resilience is usually defined as the ability to bounce back, bend but not break, and grow in the face of disruption.
To me, resilience is about bouncing forward. When facing disruption, we go from a stable state to an unstable or chaotic state depending on our preparedness. We come out of this situation in a different, irreversible state and we grow. It has helped my leadership journey, vision, values, and drivers for setting goals.
My top resilience builders have been through practice, emotional intelligence, competency, and curiosity. I've also developed additional resilience needs: social support, improvisation, problem-solving skills, humour, and creativity.
I’m starting a new chapter in my career; it’s time to bounce forward. My life experiences, culture, education, and consistent self-development have strengthened my adaptability and prepared me to face and navigate adversity with courage and grace.
I am excited for this new beginning!
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