KOFI ANOKYE OWUSU-DARKO (BLOG2)

  Vision and Mission statements ensure better focus, consistency and unity of purpose. The challenge with the statements I have come across is that they are long and winding, full of words and at times both seem to be saying the same thing. In addition, there is likely to be different versions of the Vision and Mission statements emanating from sources such as the website, annual report and the existing strategic plan of the organisation. Restating or validating an organisation’s Vision and Mission statements should be part of the process to review its Strategic Plan. The need for a restatement is prominent when staff, unless they describe the statements, are not able to recall or communicate both statements readily to guide their dealing with clients, the media, visitors and the general public. I intend to give a guide to what must constitute good Vision and Mission statements, comparing some selected organisations and why the not so good ones would need to be restated. Rest...

  The Government has given indications of an impending debt restructuring that will involve Bond Swaps including zero coupon bonds for domestic bondholders with possible “haircut” for institutional investors which includes the banks. The Government has however assured individual Treasury Bill holders that their investments are safe and this is a relief. There has been concerns as to the impact of these decisions on depositors’ funds with the banks with stories of some banks being unable to meet repayment of depositors funds or reducing the amount expected by way of interest earned by the customer, with strange reasons being attributed to the debt restructuring of GOG securities. So whereas the Government has assured individuals with Treasury Bills that they are safe from any “haircut” it seems some banks have started giving the “haircuts” on deposits. The relationship between the bank and the customer is contractual and no bank has the unilateral right to vary such contracts with...

    It has been in the news lately that about 94% of tier 2 private pension funds will be affected by an imminent debt restructuring by the government. If done, this would amount to bad faith by the Government and eventually will kill the goose, private pension funds, the patient long term capital, that is supposed to lay the golden eggs for economic development of the country. First, the government compulsorily paid the Temporary Pension Funds Account (TPFA) funds in government securities instead of cash to the Corporate Trustees, then reviews the private pensions investment guidelines to allow Government to off take 100% of all the funds. Now Government goes on to make the treasury bills and other government securities attractive with good yields above other investment instruments. This then naturally attracts the pension funds since they are deemed to be risk free. All of a sudden boom, a “haircut” and this will be bad faith. It is like luring a cat with fish into a cag...

  In my quest to want to be a great leader, I have had to read and research into what leadership is all about and how to be great one. I have combed through the Bible to books written on leadership. In the process, I bought any book that I came across that has leadership as part of its title and listened to anything that sounds leadership. This incomplete journey has brought me to understand my goal as a leader and for that matter anyone aspiring to lead. What I intend to do with this article is to have a conversation about leadership by summarizing or demystifying what I have discovered in my journey so far from my perspective. I will start with what leadership is about, talk about the goal of a leader by introducing my model of a “leader’s goal of influence” and adjourn the conversation to another time in my journey of discovery, should I have something to share since a new perspective could enhance this conversation. WHAT IS LEADERSHIP ABOUT? There are many definitions of leader...