Ibukun Awosika is the chairman of First Bank of Nigeria. She is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Chair Group, a furniture company.
In an interview with Punch, the business mogul shares tips on what young women can learn from her to achieve success.
Passion
I think it is really about the individual’s passion. I believe that whatever I am doing should be done with determination and passion. But whatever I discovered I did not really want to do, I never get stuck in it; so even if I am not sure of the next step, I move. Once I am sure of what I don’t want, I leave it and search for what I know I really want
Make the most of your opportunities
If you want to build a corporate career, then you have to make the most of the opportunities you have. You must be diligent at your work. You cannot play the gender card. If you want people to give you what you want, just because you are a lady, they would also ask you for other things because you are a lady. What you should do is make sure nobody can dispute the fact that you are good at what you do, no matter who you are competing with.
Honesty
You also have to be honest with yourself in terms of your strengths and weaknesses; celebrate your strengths and never apologise for it. But whatever you recognise as your weaknesses and you have the capacity to ameliorate by education or skill acquisition, you should do that. In cases where you cannot make the necessary changes, you have to accept that it is not something you are good at and don’t play in that field.
Head over to Punch to read full interview
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