As you all know, the Young Leaders Mentorship Programme for the 2009/2010 period has officially come to an end. Again, I'd like to say thank you to each of you for being such an integral part of our pilot programme. We're grateful for all your hard work. Now that we've come to the end of the Programme - especially given that this was a pilot programme - we are in the process of evaluating so that the next YLMP can be even more effective.
As part of this evaluation, Keli and the rest of the team would like to meet with you all to talk about your experiences and about any issues you think need to be addressed in order for the YLMP to continue to be a success. The meeting will take place on Thursday the 26th of August at 12pm in the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Boardroom. We value your input and it would be great to see you all there. Given that the meeting is taking place at Databank, it is compulsory for all mentors (junior and senior) working at Databank to attend. For those of you that don't, we sincerely hope that you will be able to make it.
Looking forward to seeing you all (or most of you) on Thursday!
--Update-->
Just received word from Keli that lunch will be served, so here's an assignment for you - come on an empty stomach :)
Monday, August 23, 2010
Leadership & Communication
As a leader, one of the single most important skills you can have is the ability to communicate effectively. As you all know, communication goes beyond simply passing on information or getting a message/idea across. Effective communication involves being able to do that and much more. It combines internal and external factors such as body language, when and how you say what you say, and your general demeanor. It is important for all of us, whether we are leaders or not, to be able to communicate well. Not only will it help develop relationships with friends and acquaintances, but it also serves as a platform for you to sell yourself (in a good way, of course!) When it comes to moving jobs, getting promoted or even general credibility, individuals who can communicate well are usually the ones who tend to get ahead.
Aled Davies is an executive coach who works with senior managers, directors and partners in a variety of companies in order to maximise their individual effect. This, of course, includes developing their communication skills. He has written an eBook called 'The Difficult Conversation' which may be an interesting read. It should certainly be helpful in helping you deal with the kind of conversations that can be tricky to maneuver (for example, dealing with conflict, breaking bad news, asking for a pay raise etc). To view/download the eBook, click here. It is possible he has another one in the works, so check back if you're interested.
--Update-->
Click here for information on Aled Davies' latest eBook, Why First Impressions Count.
Aled Davies is an executive coach who works with senior managers, directors and partners in a variety of companies in order to maximise their individual effect. This, of course, includes developing their communication skills. He has written an eBook called 'The Difficult Conversation' which may be an interesting read. It should certainly be helpful in helping you deal with the kind of conversations that can be tricky to maneuver (for example, dealing with conflict, breaking bad news, asking for a pay raise etc). To view/download the eBook, click here. It is possible he has another one in the works, so check back if you're interested.
--Update-->
Click here for information on Aled Davies' latest eBook, Why First Impressions Count.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
YLMP Awards Day
On Saturday, we had our first ever YLMP Awards Day (can I get a woot woot?!) It was a day to sit back and reflect, to take stock and analyse, and of course, to appreciate all of you for all the hard work, time and commitment you have put in over the past 10 months. We couldn't have done it without you guys, kudos to you!
If you're wondering about the award winners, here they are:
Mentee's Choice Awards
Most positive: Erik Daak
Most hardworking: Jeffery Akpadzi
Natural born leader: Daniel Owusu
Always on time: Jeffery Akpadzi
Most likely to write a book: Julien Kofie
Mentor Awards
Best junior mentors: Anthony Tawiah, Thelma Owusu-Abrokwa & Samson Tingbani
Best senior mentors: Aba Tetteh, David Agbenyega & Dorothy Ametefe
Congratulations to all mentees who have been actively fundraising - collectively, you've managed to raise over GH¢200 for the refurbishment of your library!
If you're wondering about the award winners, here they are:
Mentee's Choice Awards
Most positive: Erik Daak
Most hardworking: Jeffery Akpadzi
Natural born leader: Daniel Owusu
Always on time: Jeffery Akpadzi
Most likely to write a book: Julien Kofie
| Future President: | Joseph Odoom Victor Lartey Richard Boamah Jeffery Akpadzi Julien Kofie |
Best junior mentors: Anthony Tawiah, Thelma Owusu-Abrokwa & Samson Tingbani
Best senior mentors: Aba Tetteh, David Agbenyega & Dorothy Ametefe
Congratulations to all mentees who have been actively fundraising - collectively, you've managed to raise over GH¢200 for the refurbishment of your library!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Do YOU want to be a mentor?
Morning everyone! It's a great day -- the sun is shining, birds are singing, and we are now accepting applications for YLMP mentors 10/11! All the information you'll need is on our Become a Mentor page, so if you're interested, head on over there and get cracking! As you will probably already know, the 09/10 Programme ended on Saturday with our Awards Day -- there'll be an update on that coming soon, so stay tuned!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
We've been reading...
US billionaires pledge 50% of their wealth to charity
BBC -- Thirty-eight US billionaires have pledged at least 50% of their wealth to charity through a campaign started by investor Warren Buffett and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. They include New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, CNN founder Ted Turner and entertainment executive Barry Diller. "The Giving Pledge" lists all the families and individuals who have committed to the project. The site says the pledge is a "moral commitment" not a "legal contract". The campaign was started in June to convince US billionaires to give away at least half of their fortunes either during their lifetimes or after their deaths. "We've really just started but already we've had a terrific response," Mr Buffett said in a statement. He added: "The Giving Pledge is about asking wealthy families to have important conversations about their wealth and how it will be used"...
Sierra Leone's model for improving maternal health & women's rights
Huffington Post -- Continuing high rates of maternal mortality and persistent gender-based violence must be addressed through a holistic and rights-based approach that strengthens health systems and empowers women. As we approach the ten-year review of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals in September, we have an extraordinary model of leadership to look to in Sierra Leone of how such approaches can be implemented in practice.My last trip to Sierra Leone was in 1999, when I was serving as UN High Commissioner of Human Rights. At that time, the country was still in the midst of terrible conflict. I returned last week to a nation still struggling to rebuild following more than a decade of civil war. But much has changed, and those changes are nothing short of stunning. One area were Sierra Leone has made important advances is in addressing women's health...
Brain gain: African migrants returning home
GhanaWeb -- Africa may still be suffering from a chronic brain drain but some of the continent's elite are turning their backs on the West and taking their talents back home according to film-maker Andy Jones. The story is as old as the hills. Man leaves village to seek riches in the big city. In recent years, the village has been the continent of Africa, the city represented by the bright lights of Europe and America. Any number of Africans seek to cross the ocean and make their fortunes, never to be seen again. But when our team travelled around Africa recently to film a new TV documentary series, we found a different story. Many of the Africans I met had worked or been educated in the West and come back. Across nine African countries and a journey of 7,000 miles from Mali to South Africa, from Ghana to Ethiopia, the story was often the same...
BBC -- Thirty-eight US billionaires have pledged at least 50% of their wealth to charity through a campaign started by investor Warren Buffett and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. They include New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, CNN founder Ted Turner and entertainment executive Barry Diller. "The Giving Pledge" lists all the families and individuals who have committed to the project. The site says the pledge is a "moral commitment" not a "legal contract". The campaign was started in June to convince US billionaires to give away at least half of their fortunes either during their lifetimes or after their deaths. "We've really just started but already we've had a terrific response," Mr Buffett said in a statement. He added: "The Giving Pledge is about asking wealthy families to have important conversations about their wealth and how it will be used"...
Sierra Leone's model for improving maternal health & women's rights
Huffington Post -- Continuing high rates of maternal mortality and persistent gender-based violence must be addressed through a holistic and rights-based approach that strengthens health systems and empowers women. As we approach the ten-year review of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals in September, we have an extraordinary model of leadership to look to in Sierra Leone of how such approaches can be implemented in practice.My last trip to Sierra Leone was in 1999, when I was serving as UN High Commissioner of Human Rights. At that time, the country was still in the midst of terrible conflict. I returned last week to a nation still struggling to rebuild following more than a decade of civil war. But much has changed, and those changes are nothing short of stunning. One area were Sierra Leone has made important advances is in addressing women's health...
Brain gain: African migrants returning home
GhanaWeb -- Africa may still be suffering from a chronic brain drain but some of the continent's elite are turning their backs on the West and taking their talents back home according to film-maker Andy Jones. The story is as old as the hills. Man leaves village to seek riches in the big city. In recent years, the village has been the continent of Africa, the city represented by the bright lights of Europe and America. Any number of Africans seek to cross the ocean and make their fortunes, never to be seen again. But when our team travelled around Africa recently to film a new TV documentary series, we found a different story. Many of the Africans I met had worked or been educated in the West and come back. Across nine African countries and a journey of 7,000 miles from Mali to South Africa, from Ghana to Ethiopia, the story was often the same...
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Applying for our next Programme
If you're interested in applying to be a mentor for the next Young Leaders Mentorship Programme starting this October, details will be up on the 16th of August. Make sure to check back if you want to apply. If you've already been a mentor and would like to re-apply, details for doing this will be communicated then too.
Also if you're a current YLMP mentor, don't forget about our Awards Day on the 14th of August!!! And one more thing -- if you have any sponsorship money for the Library, please bring it on that day as we will be collecting it then! Thanks a lot :)
Also if you're a current YLMP mentor, don't forget about our Awards Day on the 14th of August!!! And one more thing -- if you have any sponsorship money for the Library, please bring it on that day as we will be collecting it then! Thanks a lot :)
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Young African Leaders Conference
Today - in a year when 17 African countries are celebrating their 50th anniversary of independence - President Obama's three day Young African Leaders conference will start. The conference was announced during this years G8 summit, which was extended to include various African leaders. He will be meeting with 115 young African leaders to discuss "their vision for Africa for the next 50 years". It will be very much in the spirit of a sentiment expressed during Obama's visit to Ghana earlier in the year that Africa's future is very much up to Africans themselves. It will be interesting to see what they are able to come up with. More information here and here.
--Update-->
If you'd like to see a transcript of the entire meeting (including questions and answers at the end), click here.
Click here to download the video and here for the mp3.
--Update-->
If you'd like to see a transcript of the entire meeting (including questions and answers at the end), click here.
Click here to download the video and here for the mp3.
FLEX Youth Leadership Conference
An interesting article I found on GhanaWeb:
"Mr Albert Ocran, the Chief Executive Officer, Combert Impressions, a print service company, has called on the youth to develop strategic partnership in order to become future leaders.
"Leadership is not about position or title one holds but how one influences and motivates." Mr Ocran said and noted every leader has power and must be able to manage it (power).
By strategic partnership, he urged Ghanaian youth to create network among themselves as well as develop mentorship programes that would enable them to learn from each other.
Mr Ocran said this at a maiden Youth Leadership Conference organised by the Foundation for Leadership Excellence (FLEX) in Accra on Saturday under the theme: "Shaping the Destiny of our Nation."
FLEX is an organization that helps mentor individuals on career development, social responsibility, entrepreneurial, personal and leadership development.
In an interview with journalists at the Conference, Mr John Kissi, President of FLEX-Global, UK, said the event was to help network, mentor, and create leadership opportunities for the youth in order to equip them with requisite skills needed in entrepreneurship.
He said it was also designed to provide new understanding and fundamental principles of leadership development in making the youth proactive in their daily activities.
"Mr Albert Ocran, the Chief Executive Officer, Combert Impressions, a print service company, has called on the youth to develop strategic partnership in order to become future leaders.
"Leadership is not about position or title one holds but how one influences and motivates." Mr Ocran said and noted every leader has power and must be able to manage it (power).
By strategic partnership, he urged Ghanaian youth to create network among themselves as well as develop mentorship programes that would enable them to learn from each other.
Mr Ocran said this at a maiden Youth Leadership Conference organised by the Foundation for Leadership Excellence (FLEX) in Accra on Saturday under the theme: "Shaping the Destiny of our Nation."
FLEX is an organization that helps mentor individuals on career development, social responsibility, entrepreneurial, personal and leadership development.
In an interview with journalists at the Conference, Mr John Kissi, President of FLEX-Global, UK, said the event was to help network, mentor, and create leadership opportunities for the youth in order to equip them with requisite skills needed in entrepreneurship.
He said it was also designed to provide new understanding and fundamental principles of leadership development in making the youth proactive in their daily activities.
Friday, July 30, 2010
A little housekeeping
Just to let you know, posting is probably going to be a bit lighter from now on given that we've only got the Awards Day and fundraising for the library on the agenda until the next Programme starts in October. Do keep checking back for updates though, especially if you are interested in applying for a place to be a mentor when the time comes (which will be very soon!) You can expect to see information about the application process after the Awards Day (which is happening on Saturday 14th August). Spread the word!
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