We all knew him as an eloquent speaker. Talisman motivational speaker. Member of toastmasters. Leadership guru. Insurance expert. As they say - you are as good as the company you keep - his social ecosystem constituted of top academicians and business executives. He wasn’t a minnow by any standard. For this reason, what happened on that fateful day remains a mystery. To all of us who knew him and his work. The only thing that we’re aware of was that he was nominated and scheduled to testify in a court hearing.
We’re told that eight days before the hearing, he received a phone call from defense lawyer, “ . . . Mr. Igunza, we have been referred to you by chairperson of ANI (Association of Niassa Insurers). We are looking for someone to offer insight in a high-profile court case. We scouted the insurance market countrywide and settled for you. The chairperson assured us that you’re well-read not only in insurance but business management. With this background, we and ANI feel you are the right person to testify in the matter.” He thanked the lawyer, accepted the nomination, and promised to put up an impressive presentation in court.
We’re told that eight days before the hearing, he received a phone call from defense lawyer, “ . . . Mr. Igunza, we have been referred to you by chairperson of ANI (Association of Niassa Insurers). We are looking for someone to offer insight in a high-profile court case. We scouted the insurance market countrywide and settled for you. The chairperson assured us that you’re well-read not only in insurance but business management. With this background, we and ANI feel you are the right person to testify in the matter.” He thanked the lawyer, accepted the nomination, and promised to put up an impressive presentation in court.
Before he hung up, the lawyer offered that two days before the hearing, they needed to meet to rehearse the hearing. Igunza assured the lawyer, “ . . . sir, I don’t need rehearsals. I’ll put up a gallant show. Trust me . . .” and turned down the offer for rehearsal. Reflecting on Igunza’s impeccable public speaking and business management skills, the lawyer conceded without any reservation.
Date: 25 February 2015. Venue: Kivukoni high court. The courtroom was jam parked. It was a high-profile case that was likely going to re-define not only the direction of the company defending the case but bear upon the insurance fraternity in the country. All the ‘who-is-who’ in insurance in Niassa were in attendance. The courtroom was a sea of men and women in dark blue and black suits.
At exactly 14:00 hours, Ludovik Igunza stepped into the witness box. Bobbling with confidence, he underwent all court protocols. He took the first three questions well. Then the claimant’s lawyer made a slur that irked Igunza. The lawyer said something that sent Igunza off-track. He did not only lose his composure but his thinking aptitude too. He started to perspire. He knew that he was being roasted for breakfast by the claimant’s lawyer. He fumbled for answers. Sensing that his key and principal witness had lost flow, the defense lawyer asked the judge for adjournment. The judge granted the request and adjourned the hearing sine die. Two days later, Igunza received a phone call from his lawyer, “ . . . monsieur Igunza, bon jour! Sorry for what happened in court. If we had created time to prepare and had gone through rehearsals, perhaps it could have helped.” He paused, then continued, “Monsieur Igunza, you see, when one is in court witness box, it’s like being on the front page of a newspaper. Everything that one says and does goes into record and is interpreted against relevant laws. Distorted fact, truth presented with an element of arrogance, choice of words, display of frustration against cross-examination, late reporting, hesitant speech can influence judge’s determination of a case one is defending or testifying in. It’s advisable to always make time and rehearse the trial. As they say - preparation is the antidote of despair.”
It happens a lot. Too many people think that expertise in one area of life will make them successful in another area. Too many people think that success garnered in a junior position will generate similar successful results in a senior position. Too many people admire and model industry icons but are unwilling to undergo the processes the idolized icons underwent to reach that level. Too many people prioritize results over the process. That’s where we miss the point and is our major source of poor performance, at work and in private life.
But champions are different. They’re not in a hurry. Champions respect and believe in the process. They understand that performance is a product of a process. Flawed process produces weak performance and poor results. Legendary leaders have the patience of a farmer, who knows exactly when to plant and when to keep the land fallow. When he plants, he follows a process. He breaks the ground. Digs a hole. Puts mango seeds. Covers it with soil. Waters the soil. Routinely. Twenty, thirty days: nothing comes off the ground. But the farmer doesn’t despair. He has trust and patience. He knows that something is happening. All he needs to do is constantly supply necessary conditions. Then, from nowhere a mango seedling sprouts out. The farmer celebrates. But he doesn’t pack up his farm tools. He knows that there is still work to be done. To weed the garden. To feed the seedlings. Four, five years, the seedling develops and grows into a full tree ready to give the farmer the expected fruit harvest. Yes, champions understand that it is only in restaurants that one first enjoys the goodies and pays price later. In real life, one first pays the price and have the goodies later. When we see icons in action, we are seduced to believe that they were always that great; that they were born into greatness; that they had their wish granted by genie one evening through cosmic power by stroking the Aladdin lamp. The truth is that every person we admire and idolize wasn’t born into greatness. We’re looking at a finished product – someone who focused on a skill. Someone who created time to sharpen his skill. Someone who subjected himself to sleepless nights. Someone who allowed the process to get rid of impurities of his craft. Someone who followed the process to get to greatness.
On 20 November 2021, I had the opportunity of visiting my alma mater. It was the high school’s Founder’s Day – the day that the school honors its founder and venerates his vision for establishing the institution. Eventful day. State president was in attendance. Before commencement of the day’s planned activities, my friends and I, as alumni, went around the campus to relive our teen-age memories. Among the places that we visited was the popular band practice room (commonly known as BPR by the school’s alumni and alumnae). What I saw there stirred my curiosity. A little boy was sitting at a piano. He was itching to play some music but could not bring the keys into coordination. The young man looked dejected. Frustrated. I approached him. He narrated his story, “. . . . sir, I feel I’ve music inside me that I want to play. But I’m failing to bring it out. I can’t make sense of these keys on the piano . . .” I patted his head, saying, “ . . . don’t despair. Young man. Allow the process to work on you. Keep on practicing. By the time you leave high school in six years’ time, you’ll be able to play any music with ease. You’ll be a maestro. Virtuoso. The school’s Mozart. Everyone at this school and beyond will be awed by your great music composition and performance prowess.” I saw his face brighten up.
I don’t know what is wrong with people these days. We view the preparation phase as a delay in our future success. Everyone wants quick fixes. Quick deals. Quick money. Quick solutions. Fast food. We’ve even coined a business terminology for it - Quick wins. We would rather have an executive summary of a report instead of a full report. We don’t want to go deep. We are more concerned about expediency than excellence. We forget that diamond is referred to as precious metal. It is one of the most sought ore in the world. Here is the thing. When diamond is mined, it is crude and dirty. You have to expose it to a process that requires intense heat and deep pressure. Everything great in life was developed through patience and hard work. The old cliché is true. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders of modern world. It wasn’t built in a day. It took over 20 years to have it built to that grandeur.
Tiger Woods and Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electrics, are considered as the greatest professional golfer and business leader of their times, respectively. Tiger Woods didn’t reach that level of competence with a day’s whack of golf balls on a range. No. He subjected himself to tutelage of best golfers in his country, including his father, Earl Woods. If I present to you that Tiger Woods carried someone’s golf bag as a caddy, will you stomach it? In 2020, he caddied for his eleven-year-old son at U.S. Kids Golf Tournament. That’s what people with big dreams do. They provide leadership. Support. Mentorship. Guidance. They’re humble. They radiate learner’s mindset. They’re encouragers. Influencers. Coaches. Look at what he is doing now - coaching his son, Charlie. Will you be surprised to see the son on a golf digest magazine cover, in the next few years, as first-seeded professional golfer? Jack Welch is famous for GE’s lofty turnaround vision of ‘Making GE to be #1 or #2 in the business we operate.’ He didn’t only revolutionize GE but introduced certain business paradigms, such as boundarylessness, six sigma that are, today, used as benchmarks by the corporate world. He didn’t ascend to that level of business discernment in a day. He didn’t reach the life of his dream by day-dreaming. He labored for his craft. They nick-named him ‘neutron’ because of his agility and decisiveness. He redefined GE’s business fabrics and its DNA. Perhaps, Jesus Christ, the greatest leader ever lived, exemplified the best standard of all. He spent thirty years in preparation and three years in ministry. Look at the results that he garnered. Jesus’ movement, Christianity, is considered as the largest organization in the world by membership and geographical spread.
As they say in swahili, ‘jinsi unavyoandaa kitanda, inadhihirisha furaha inayojiri wakati umekilalia’ (the way you prepare your bed determines the comfort you derive from sleeping on it). Preparation is the medicine for despondency. Preparation time is never wasted time. People who invest time in preparation do not only produce stellar results but go on to do more, be more and have more in life. That’s the purpose of life.
Lester Chinyang’anya ǀ General Manager - Operations ǀ Minet Malawi
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