Leadership Unleashed: Find Your Inner Chief | Chief Ife Bell | TEDxBGSU
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOj8sCY06I8 Video ID: WOj8sCY06I8 ============================================================ Transcriber: Rawan Alhamoui Reviewer: Almogheera Almamoun Greetings, esteemed guests and leaders, today I invite you to embark with me on a transformative journey guided by the powerful question that challenges the ordinary. What if I told you that unleashing your inner chief would transform global public good? It's not about wearing a crown, although that's not too bad. But it's not also about unbridled power. It's about something far more powerful than that. I am Her Royal Majesty Zosimo Lina of Dagbon. Effie Belle Tapia, a traditional tribal chief in northern Ghana. Woven into the tapestry of my life are the vibrant threads of my African American heritage, diverse leadership roles and academic pursuits. All of which have revealed the vast differences and potential within, when I dared to embrace my most profound capacity for leadership. You know, the strength of our leadership is not measured by our resistance to change, but our eagerness to pursue it and to flow with it. So as we delve into this exploration, I want to invite you to keep these four fundamental movements in mind. Pause, plan, pivot and pursue. They will guide us through our exploration into what it means to lead from your inner chief. And today's interconnected world. For me, it is the essence of my leadership that I've come to live by, and it promises to reveal the next level of leadership within you needed for this evolving world. Hmm. In my role, this is not my first role as a chief. My first role as a chief was chief strategy officer. In that realm, I was working to on growth, innovation, as well as guiding strategic decisions within the corporate world, leveraging the company’s most significant resource, which is its human capital. My approach created and centered on enhancing leadership capacity and not just for financial achievement, but for fostering healthy company cultures. This strategic approach to leadership involved guiding high performing teams to success with precision, demonstrating that financial prosperity, and employee well-being indeed could complement each other. Standing at the edge of outstanding achievement in that role. It promised prestige, financial gain and familiar territories and terrains known within Western leadership. Yet it required and demanded this toggling of my values of authenticity, integrity, and care for others. Principles of that are the cornerstone of cultivating collaborative communities and revolutionary change. I got to tell you, I do love this work. So Warren Bennis said, becoming a leader is a synonymous with becoming yourself. It is just that simple. And it is also that difficult. During my early days as a seminar, an elder shared a dagbani proverb that reshaped my approach to leadership. It says no one is up to ten. Only angels. Meaning chiefs must hold the people they serve in their hearts, making room for their growth Journey from 0 to 9 because only ten is accomplished by angels. This wisdom illuminated my path, underscoring the importance of leading with grace and forgiveness. It refined for me the true essence of leadership was not about titles, but it's about fostering space for each individual's talents to grow, to flourish, and to support that, they need to be empowered to grow. Musing from this new vantage point of my now tribal role, I visualized this drawbridge extending from the future back to us in the present. It was an invitation for us to embrace tangible demonstrations of public good. And here’s what I envisioned adorning the bridge. The future is calling, what must my inner chief say no to now to say yes to that future? The future where we create together, that which we cannot do alone and has the power to transform. This powerful question underscored the timeless wisdom of one’s inner chief, leading with heart and humanity. Inspiring others through the legacy of our lived actions, and the strength of being bonded together. This question resonated with me, rippling through the branches of my decision making tree. It was then that I realized that saying yes to the conventional path of Western success, meant saying no to a future overflowing with opportunities for genuine impact and transformation, one that aligns with my deepest convictions, and the legacy I aspire to leave. My ascension to lead as the Royal title of Jesus Seminar was not charted on any maps, but it was carved by my lived experiences that shaped my very essence. Rooted in navigating the rich interconnectedness of my complex identity, cultivated through Western leadership theology, and then profoundly enhanced by this timeless wisdom of African tribal philosophies. It was then further sanded by my passion for transformative change, and then polished with this unwavering commitment to the principle of we over me. These experiences, they have taught me the profound power of we. An epiphany struck me, When I paused and envisioned my role not merely as a leader for the present, but as a chief guiding people across this bridge to the future. A conduit connecting the enduring legacy of my ancestors with the communal focus of those yet unborn. This choice led me to say yes by any means necessary to an opportunity for a lifetime. Igniting my inner chief and propelling my leadership from a fleeting moment into a movement. Elevating my role from a title to a living testament. A pivotal moment came when I was scouted for this particular role, thrust into this rigorous vetting process. It wasn't just my experience and knowledge under examination, but my heart's dedication to truly serving. This path led me to northern Ghana, specifically to the beautiful city of Tamale and the thriving Kingdom of Dagbon, one of the oldest and largest tribes in Western Africa. It was there, at the intersection of the foreign and the familiar, that this significant evolution in my life’s mission took place. Again. This evolution was not charted on maps, but again, pairing my lived experiences with this new ideology of tribal leadership that now refined my essence and my approach. The coronation that followed was a vivid statement to the unleashing of my inner chief, attended by world leaders, tribal royalty, community members, friends and family alike. It underscored the universal desire for leadership that transcends borders and fosters a thriving society. This transition was more than a title change. It was a rebirth into a chief dedicated to multiplying friendships through development as a service to both local and global communities. It illuminated the power of leadership to connect people, cultures, and hearts with the communal focus of those yet to come. I have come to see myself not just as a leader for today, but as a chief charting new pathways towards a future where we collectively strive for and achieve that revolutionary change. So I’m sure at this point you’re wondering, why me? That’s a good question. I would ask you this question. If not you, then who? Beyond the allure of stunning regalia, the world is in dire need of leaders who can look beyond the immediate, who recognize that our collective strength and our most significant achievements arise from the dedication of the communal. That principle of we over me. By embracing your inner chief, it symbolizes the pinnacle of your leadership potential. Authentic, compassionately curious, as well as impactful and deeply rooted in the good of the whole. So how do we get there? Are you ready to unleash your energy? I couldn't hear you. All right. Great. So let me share with you these four fundamental movements for your journey. The first one. Pause, step outside of the echo chamber. Initiate and engage in meaningful yet uncommon conversations. Then plan. Approach leadership with the end in mind. Where can we amplify our curiosity about what truly leadership is and what it means? And then pivot. Or as we say in Dagbon pivot. The fear of change is greater than the insanity we live in, so confront it head on. Recognize it as a chance to contribute to, and learn from our collective wisdom. And what finally? Pursue. Be fearless in what sets your heart on fire. It is that pursuit, that unrestrained pursuit that will lead us to the achievement of global joy, which sometimes can be found on the fringe. The future awaits our shaping. Standing here, I offer myself as your chief. A beacon of hope, guiding you on this journey and challenging you to take the first step. What change can your inner chief drive today? Start with a pause. Make a plan. Be ready to pivot, and pursue it fearlessly. By unleashing our inner chiefs, we adopt a revolutionary form of leadership that knows no bounds, transforming lives and crossing divides. Let's commit to unleashing our inner chiefs for ourselves, our families, our communities, and our workplaces. A heartfelt conviction that is not just an act, but a way of life, empowering each one of us to lead from the very seat we are in. I want to thank you for joining me on this remarkable journey to unleashing your inner chief.