Mustapha B Mugisa had a one on one interview on his life’s lessons and below are the excerpts of the insights you need to excel from this maverick executive who was a high achiever at a global level. 1. Briefly, who is Sam F. Owori? How did you start and where? Am generally transparent. Born in Tororo 75 years ago at Kisoko, a famous place in terms of education. My father was a Head master of Kisoko Primary school. At that time, it was the main school for the Eastern region including Western Kenya. I used to see old boys…
A proposal that wins business
What is your proposal success rate? If you are a partner in law, accounting, an engineering firm, or any practice that involves selling intellectual property, tracking your proposal success rate is critical. You can use a simple formula. The number of winning proposals divided by the total number of proposals submitted in a given period – weekly, monthly, or annually. The leading experts have more than 90% proposal success rate. Writing a proposal is an investment. It costs time, money, and imagination. You don’t want to send a proposal to every small opportunity that you here about. You don’t want…
Are you challenged to surprise yourself daily?
The best freedom is an open mind. That is why outstanding leaders create an environment of frank and free communication. In today’s business environment characterized by ever-changing technology, there is nothing like ‘what I have done is the best.’ Anyone in a leadership position must focus on supporting staff to surprise themselves in terms of the quality of work done to deliver exceptionally outstanding stuff. RELATED: HABITS OF STAR PERFORMERS You must create an environment of openness to feedback. Are you open to questions and feedback from your peers, seniors, and juniors? A good manager should be. No person wants…
Is your role a striker or defender? Here is how to grow your career
Who of your staff is a striker and who is a defender? As a business leader, focus on improving the department in your team that shows weakness. If your strikers are losing the balls in front of the goals, are unable to get the ball past the keeper, consider training them more or substituting them. If your keeper is making simple mistakes even not under pressure, consider putting them under intensive training if they show talent or getting them off the team altogether. What is the essence of great leadership? Identifying the best people with talent and skills and nurturing…
Tool 43 of 104, is to be careful when lending money
Have you ever had someone approach you for a quick loan? Whether you are successful or not, you will receive a request to lend money from a friend or family member or relative. The problem with lending friends or relatives or a family member is that they take the loan as a grant and will most likely default on the loan. It is recommended that you always treat the loan as a business transaction. That will increase the likelihood that you will be paid. You are advised to first think hard whether you can afford to lend the money. The…
The rise and fall of Support Organisation for Micro-cent Development (SOMEDI) microfinance
My Dad’s best friend, Mr. Joseph Businge, used to own three shops and a restaurant in Masindi town. His wife, Beatrice, was an employee at Support Organisation for Micro-cent Development (SOMEDI) head offices in Masindi. They had five children in school who were very promising. Joseph was a successful man providing employment opportunities to other ten Ugandans working in his small businesses. He owed his success to SOMEDI Microfinance which gave him a small loan, through a group of five friends. In 2008, SOMEDI Microfinance once one of the top Microfinance institutions in Uganda with operations in over eight districts,…
