-UMB CEO shares some lessons with youth
The Chief Executive Officer of UMB Bank, Nana Dwemoh Benneh, has advised the youth to constantly reposition themselves in order to take full advantage of the new world.
He said the world has changed several times in the last 20 years, and it is therefore important for the youth to reposition themselves to take advantage of the new opportunities which have come with the changes.
Speaking at the Springboard 2021 Roadshow, which was held virtually under the theme ‘Repositioning’, Nana Benneh shared with the youth some key lessons that will help them reposition themselves in today’s world.
Appreciating how the world sees you
He advised the youth to appreciate more how the world sees them, rather than how they see themselves.
“The big lesson I have learnt is that it is not about me, but what the world appreciates about me. The skills that you think are important to you may not necessarily be the skills others appreciate or want; so, when working with clients, you must pay attention to what it is they require from you.
“Many of us have lots of skills, but sometimes we tend to appreciate some more because that is how we like to see ourselves. But you must pay heed to what the world is telling you, what they appreciate about you – and that is the value of feedback,” he advised.
He urged them to learn to understand what the world values most about them and use that to be their success tool.
In doing so, however, he cautioned them not to compromise on their integrity and ethics just to please others.
“Your integrity and ethics must not be compromised, even in your quest to satisfy your clients or boss,” he stated.
He however advised them to do so quietly, firmly and consistently.
“It is often good to state your case quietly, firmly and consistently, so that people will associate you with a certain set of values,” he stated.
Continuous learning journey
Nana Benneh also advised the youth to see life as a continuous learning journey that only ends when there is no more life.
“Life is a continuous learning journey and the destination is where life ends. I smile when people ask me how I got to the top, because for me I do not recognise the top. It is a journey; when we say how we got to the top, we see it as a destination – but it never ends.
” In our repositioning, we need to realise that whichever level we get to is just another step in the life-long journey. Once we think that way, it enables us to continually reposition ourselves and make ourselves relevant in this fast-changing world,” he explained.
Survival in this world
The CEO also pointed out that the current world is a far cry from the Eden that the Lord designed the world to be.
“We are faced daily with stresses even as we continually develop, and we have to recognise that there is stress in the world. In the past, it was a sign of weakness when someone succumbed to stress; but in this new world, it is a sign of strength to admit that you need help.
“We have to own up to the stresses engulfing us and seek help. The very world we live in now has made it part of our lives, and therefore being proactive to deal with it is a sure strategy to help us reposition ourselves,” he stated.
Investing time and energy
Also speaking on the programme, the Founder of the Salt and Light Ministries – Dr. Joyce Aryee, urged the youth to invest their time, energy, and talent into repositioning themselves.
She also urged them to make integrity a key pillar in their lives.
“You must be true to yourself and to the people around you. Being true to yourself means you are anchored on some strong values.
“One of the strongest values is that life is not a population of just yourself, but about others and yourself; and that what you do in the public space to make the lives of other people better is best of all and makes you fulfilled,” she explained.
Need for a vision
Dr. Aryee also advised the youth to have a unique vision if they are to survive in the new world.
“What is your life about? Because we are not true to ourselves, we even try to grab the vision of others; but we are all different people.
“The world is so big and all of us can make huge contributions, but what we need is to determine how you want to contribute. Own your vision, believe in it and shape it,” she said.
About the Springboard Roadshow
The roadshow is a mentoring platform that generates conversation and interactions between achievers and young people.
It discusses topics ranging from leadership, entrepreneurship, talent, investments and career development.
This year’s event is the 15th edition, and was held totally virtually for the first time.
Executive Director of the Springboard Roadshow Foundation, Mrs. Comfort Ocran, said the Foundation will continue working with young people and equipping them to become significant leaders on the continent.
She said the changes that the world has seen – especially with COVID-19 and the growth of technology and innovation – means that individuals, companies and nations now have to radically rethink the ways they do things and reposition themselves for the future.
