Favor has a fragrance

 

Mantras are powerful chants or incantations that the exceptionalists and virtuosos use to launch and set themselves up for a top day to garner stunning results. Most favourite mantra? Favour has a fragrance. Why? Because it speaks for itself. You don’t need to announce that you are wearing Narcisco Rodriguez, Tom Ford, Acqua di Gio, Gucci, or Coco Chanel cologne. Or that you crushed a rose flower. People will catch the sweet scent themselves. For sure. No need to shout it from the rooftop. Benevolence is like an exotic fragrance. Like a designer perfume - it speaks for itself. 

When you wear a philanthropic, humanitarian, and charitable heart or attitude under your sleeve, day after day, don’t be surprised if your accomplishments and success story unsettle some people. When the high power approves you, everything that you put your hands on distils and becomes a magnum opus.   

No book of science can be written without referring to the works of Sir Isaac Newton. He is said to have revolutionized the scientific world with his laws of motion, universal gravitation, and the development of calculus, and indeed laid the foundation for modern physical optics. Despite his unrivalled eminence, Newton never possessed an inflated view of self-importance. He was egoless. When he was asked about how he managed to pull off so many achievements in a short period of time, he did not shout it from the rooftop. He neither bragged about the feats nor did he become big-headed. Instead, he credited the accomplishments to other people. He humbly remarked, “... If I have seen further than others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” He neither tooted his own horn nor sought praise for the achievements.

Two questions. What do you think about the people who helped Newton achieve the feats? How did these people feel when they heard Newton attributing his accomplishments and success to them? Your guess is as good as mine. It really feels great when you see or hear that someone is happy or making good progress in life or business because of something that you did or said to them. The universe is governed by laws, one of which is the law of return. Everything that you plan and do comes back to you. Benevolence and malevolence have boomerang effects. They ripple. They bring goodwill or ill-will to the benefactor, beneficiary, and the bystander who witness it in motion. When you do something good for someone - or when you generally have a habit of uplifting others - karma will positively pay you back, 101 times as much. The Chinese have a proverb, “... a bit of fragrance clings to the hand that gives a rose.”  The opposite is true as well; when you illtreat others or when you are mean to them, Karma will one day pay you a visit in a negative way. It will strike you 102 times as much. Was it not Jesus who said, “... he who draws a sword, dies by it?” 

One attribute that legendary leaders, high achievers, and the virtuosos have in common is that they operate from a position of humility and generosity. They are simply meek and benevolent. When you associate with them, the phrases you hear time and again are: ‘... I give credit to Messrs X and Y for the positive role that they played in shaping up and sharpening my thinking.’ ‘. . . I honour my parents for not only bringing me into the world but for standing by me, believing in me, and supporting me.’ ‘. . . I owe my success to my mentor, whose tutelage I sat under and benefited from.’  ‘. . . We credit the success of this project to Ludovik Ogunza. It was largely due to his hard work, commitment, and expertise that we finished the project ahead of deadline.’ Next time you buy a new book, immerse yourself in the acknowledgement page. It will give you a clue about how the great ones think about the closure of exploits. They recognize helpers and heap praise on collaborators.   

Brazilian soccer star Joao Pedro was signed by Chelsea FC from Brighton and Hove Albion FC in the transfer window of the summer of 2025. That Pedro signed for Chelsea is no brainer. He is genuinely a super-gifted footballer. His story is admirable and worthy learning from. Barely two days after being signed on by Chelsea, Pedro was conscripted and selected to play for his new club in the maiden edition of the Club World Cup tournament in America. What made his account more appealing was that Chelsea had reached the semifinal of the tournament and was set to play against Fluminense FC. It happened that Pedro launched his football career at Fluminense in Brazil before moving to the English Premier League. What is even more fascinating is that Pedro scored twice against his former club to send Chelsea into the final. These events put Pedro in the limelight and on the centre stage. 

An energetic reporter caught up with Pedro for interviews to learn more about his background and career. Pedro shared his story, “... my parents lived a life without luxuries. We lacked many basic things. The football club I was attached to, then, approved my move into its academy. Still, life was difficult for my family. We shared a house with another family. We went through difficult financial times, and there were moments when even food was scarce. My mother had to give up a meal so that I could eat better. Through personal grit and support from my mother, coach, and club, things started to move in the right direction. I managed to reach the professional level. I am grateful to my former club. And coach. I honor my mother for believing in me when the tide was tough.”   

It is not coincidental that you hear these positive sentiments or viewpoints time and again. Icons of industry and great achievers believe that no one obtains greatness without the help of others. All geniuses operate by a different playbook. They are humble enough to give credit where credit is due. Giving credit where it is due, in my personal opinion, is the greatest measure of one’s internal power, humility, civility, and decency.

The statement ‘give credit where credit is due’ is synonymous with philosopher and statesman, Samuel Adams. Although Adams pronounced these words two centuries ago, the validity of the statement still stands today. True, many people find it difficult to honor others. To praise others. Some people even steal other people’s work and claim it as their own. For a team leader, giving credit to others is obligatory. It triggers collaboration. It deepens camaraderie. Claiming credit for someone’s work is not only unethical but seditious.   

The Taj Mahal in Agra, India, to you and me, is just another attention-grabbing architectural structure. But to the one who conceived the idea, it’s not the workmanship of the structure that is of essence but the significance behind its construction. It was erected as a symbol of honor and fidelity. The Taj Mahal is reported to have been built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in honor of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. She died in combat while accompanying her husband to fight against the rebels. In her honor, the husband decided to build the structure. Yes, to you and me, it is the structure’s grandeur that makes our jaws drop. The tale ends there. Some writers have even described the workmanship that the Taj embodies as ‘having been designed by giants and finished by jewellers.’ Nonetheless, it is the motive behind its construction that is worthy of writing about – it was built solely to honor a deceased partner. To give a mate a dignified resting place.  

Now, let us talk about you. I may not know you. I may not be familiar with your background. But I owe you the truth. Go back in time. Reflect on your past. Ask yourself some soul-searching questions. Did you grow up in your parents’ house or someone else’s? Where are the people or is the person who raised you? Who helped you get to where you are today? Is it your parents? You sibling? Or someone you are not even related to by blood? Were you adopted? Who met the cost of your studies? Your uncle or aunt? A scholarship or bursary, the benefactors of which are not even known to you? Whatever answers you may have to these and other related questions, the follow-up question is: What have you done to recognize and thank the people or the system that assisted you in getting to where you are today? Perhaps, you are a chief executive officer of a blue-chip company, a senior officer in government, an affluent entrepreneur, a budding musician, a certified leadership and personal mastery coach, a prominent university professor, or a country director of a multinational organization. You are swimming in glory but you have forgotten to honor the person(s) who suffered the heavy burden to put and carry you on their shoulders,’ to support you to where you are today. You have forgotten that you are who you are today because of someone who sacrificed their space, resources and glory for your sake. 

Modelled on the United Kingdom's Eton College, Kamuzu Academy is ranked as the most admired international grammar school in the southern part of Africa. Located in the prairies of the undulating plains of the central province of Malawi, the Eton of Africa, as the academy is fondly referred to by its alumni, is an ensemble of beauty, exactitude, and proficiency. The academy is situated in a pocket-sized warren village called Mtunthama in the periphery of Kasungu town. The campus’ structures possess a mixture of rich archival, classical, Victorian, and modern architectural designs. As you enter the main gate of this colossal centre of excellence, there is one feature that you cannot miss - a large lightbox bearing the iconic emblem of the school with the following Latin strapline wonderfully hewn at the foot of the emblem - Honor Deo et Patriae. A photograph of the founder, Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda, the first president of Malawi, is perched by its side. Honor deo and patriae is Latin for ‘honor to God and Founder.’  

Yes, honor to God and Founder. Whoever came up with this tagline was not only a genius but also selfless. Ask any person who has walked the corridors of this revered establishment and passed through its magnificent gate as a student, and they will emphatically tell you that the institution is a magnum opus. It does not have its match. It is a masterclass. Volumes of books could have been written to thank the founder for the contributions he made to the nation and world at large. Songs of worship could have been composed in his praise and veneration. Statues could have been erected to deify him for this priceless work of art. None of the above could have been more befitting and complete than to honor him with a merited tagline ‘honor deo et patriae.’

Success is defined as the achievement of personal goals. However, as Ralph Waldo Emerson advised, “... without a rich heart, success is an ugly beggar.” Yes, success without generosity is an empty victory. Embody a charitable heart and uplift others along the path as you ascend your Mount Everest. The African philosophy of Umunthu [Ubuntu] suggests that our personal well-being is tied to the well-being of the people around us. Umunthu encourages you and me not only to think about personal achievement but also about societal advancement. 

It takes more than just ourselves to achieve success in life. Our success is a result of the contributions and roles of others, such as parents, teachers, workmates, friends, mentors, etc. If you grew up in a working-class family, where both parents were working, chances are high that you were raised by or spent a great part of your adolescent days with housemaids or garden boys who, in turn, influenced a great deal of your thinking. 

Next time you take the centre stage or make it big in life, make sure that the glory does not solely go to you. Learning to appreciate all who contributed to our success is a trademark of great leadership. Why? Because we unlock extraordinary goodwill. Karma is real. So are blessings. Take time to honor and give credit to those people, organizations, or systems that you know took part to contribute, in whatever form, toward the success and glory you are enjoying today. Pick up a phone and call them. Pay them a visit. Arrange a simple gift. Pray for them. Write and send them a postcard. If it’s a system or organization, make a donation to any of its noble causes. 

The message, my dear reader, is: thank the people who journeyed with you when you were an unpolished gem. Acknowledge the people who mentored you. Pay homage to the person who labored to pay your school fees. Appreciate the contribution of the person who sacrificed their personal glory for your sake. Honor the people who took you under their wings as mentors to help you get where you are today. Revere the system that supported and promoted you to your position. Above all - give credit where credit is due. Oh, lest I forget, people who understand and practice this principle rise to stardom and become great. 

Lester Chinyang’anya ǀ General Manager - Operations ǀ Minet Malawi