Title: Leading an Extraordinary Life-A guide for personal transformation
Author: Kojo Kwarteng
Pages: 186
Publisher: Vike Springs Publishing House, London-UK
Distribution: Amazon, Apple, Smashword, Scribd, Kobo, Odil, Barnes and Nobles, Booknooks (Ghana), Sowutuom Total Filling Station Mall and all major bookshops
Reviewer: Hadiza Nuhhu-Billa Quansah
If you want to live an extraordinary life, you have to identify and appreciate the extraordinary things that are already part of your life.
For some, living extraordinarily could mean travelling full time. For others, it could mean raising a family or quitting their job to pursue their passion. But no matter how it manifests, living an extraordinary life comes down to harnessing your power and taking control of your direction.
The book, Leading an Extraordinary Life, with the sub title, A guide for personal transformation, is divided into 23 chapters with summaries and references at the end of each chapter.
It touches on various thought-provoking topics that seek to uncover the underlying issues that are getting in people’s way and stopping them from progressing.
It further sheds light on how to make one’s self marketable, staying employable in changing times, awakening the entrepreneur within, leaving a legacy, loving and protecting the environment.
The author, Kojo Kwarteng, also touches on topics, such as, project management, building confidence, fitting into the corporate environment, protecting one’s reputation, relating with the opposite sex as a single person, managing Small and Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), among other interesting subject areas.
Competition
Competition in the job market today is very keen. With the level of unemployment rate increasing year after year, the first page of the book touches on what it takes to be marketable. The writer believes that it is a commitment for people to continually expand their skills and knowledge to stay current, competitive and be in a strong position to compete for the jobs in different market contexts.
With a background in teaching, journalism, marketing and corporate communication, Kojo Kwarteng puts together his experiences from his various careers for people to know that harnessing the present moment is critical for not missing out on everything that is happening in anyone’s life.
As a professional Public Relations (PR) practitioner, the author takes a look at how institutions rely on a positive public image to distinguish themselves and retain their customers through strategic PR. The book captures that “strategic PR creates and maintains a good reputation beyond customers to include employers, employees, investors, media and others by communicating and presenting their service, products and operations in the best way”.
The book further looks at what PR is and what it is not. It brings to light the fact that there is an attempt to equate or degrade PR to certain functions, such as, practitioners trying to lie for their bosses or making everything about their brand look good in the eyes of the public.
For him, PR is not propaganda; this is because the actual rationale or purpose of propaganda is often hidden from the target group. As he rightly puts it, most propaganda tools and materials are half-truths or lies.
He puts it right in saying that with the changing face of businesses, the growing importance of PR and the sophistication of the public place a daunting burden on institutions for the swift delivery of service, social responsibility, media watchdog role and ethical standards’ call for a corresponding demand for professional PR work.
Environment
On the environment, the author, who won the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) Award for the Best Environmental Reporter in 2007 and also won other international awards in biodiversity, raises concern about the wanton destruction of our forest through ‘galamsey’, bush burning and the removal of the top layers of the earth across the country.
The devastation of the environment impacts human health, biodiversity, tourism and the national economy.
Interestingly the last chapter, which is the shortest, was written by the author’s wife, Gifty Kwarteng. It is the only chapter that talks about the opposite sex and relationships.
She looks at the topic with a biblical eye and leaves some questions and warning signs as pointers for people to look out for in a relationship.
Background, style
Kojo Kwarteng is the Head of the Corporate Affairs Department of GCB Bank. He is a former reporter of the Daily Graphic and also worked with the Ghana News Agency, World Business Report and Environmental News Service.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, Master of Business Administration in Marketing, Bachelor of Law Degree, Master of Laws, Diploma in Journalism and certificates in Branding Media Management, Research, Digital Marketing and Public Relations.
Reading should be effortless, painless and easy, like a walk in the park. That is exactly what this book gives to readers. The font size enhances readability for all types of users, regardless of one’s age or quality of eyesight.
I must say this book will serve as a personal counsellor and career guidance for every young person and those who are still struggling to make their way in life. Grab a copy!
