Well, if you are ever in these babies, we’ll see if you feel the same way.

On leadership, making tough decisions, and bullfighting.

When I wrote my last newsletter about taking a break, I felt so much relief that I wouldn’t have to keep up with a promise (more with myself, really) I was too tired and burnt out to keep. If you had asked me how long my ‘break’ would last, I would have said probably a few weeks or months. But deep down, I was ready to go a whole year.

A year lol, who was I kidding? After 3 months of a well-deserved break, I began to beam with excitement at the thought of writing again.

Since I have decided to announce my not-so-huge comeback, I would also like to get some things clear and out of the way.

1. I’m not sure how frequent I want this to be. In fact, I’m probably just writing this because the idea hit me and my brain just wouldn’t rest till I put it to paper. So maybe once a month, once in two months, as the spirit leads? who knows.

2. I have decided to rename this newsletter to Risqat’s newsletter (pronounced Ris-qah or Ris-qoh with a silent ‘t’). This means you’ll see Risqat’s newsletter in your mail instead of Yosola's. It’s just a name change and pretty much the same person + content. Don’t get scared when you see this in your mail.

Now that we’ve gotten those two points out of the way, let’s get into today’s newsletter

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I started seeing a series Suits a few months ago, and it has me hooked. This is surprising because I almost never watch series (except sitcoms, of course) because I neither have the patience nor time to sit through never-ending episodes of drama that, in my opinion, would be better if compressed into a single movie.

But Suits is different. I am not sure why, but I made it past Season 1 this time (season 4). And throughout my hours of watching Suits, here are some things, amongst many others ofc, that struck me about making decisions.

Leadership is like bullfighting.

If there’s one thing I have learnt about Leadership from Jessica Pearson, it is that it involves making a lot of tough calls.

Let me paint you a quick picture.

Leadership is like being in the ring with the bull. There’s you, facing the bull —calling the shots, making tough decisions for the team’s survival, etc— and there are spectators, or team members —watching the fight/sport from a reasonable distance.

Image from Google, edited by me

You are trusted with the leadership position because you have proven you have what it takes —the skills, strength, and fortitude— to take on a bull in a bullfight. Being the one facing the bull, you have a closer, and maybe even scarier, view of what the problem is.

The spectators, on the other hand, have a completely different view of both you and the bull. They can see from a distance what you can not see, and are in a good position to yell out instructions (or opinions) to you in the ring, and you decide to use those opinions at your own discretion.

**I don’t even know if you’re allowed to yell instructions or advice to the player, but for the purpose of this newsletter, let’s just assume you are.

Although you have the support, cheers, and advice of your spectators, it may also feel scary and lonely in the ring. If you are lucky enough, you’ll have a co-founder, or maybe a name partner, to take on the bull with you.

Your actions in the ring may or may not be judged by your emotions. If you are as skilled as you claim, you know better than to let fear/uncertainty get the best of you. As a leader, in any position really, you are armed with spectators —team members, Directors, Partners, Ministers, or Commissioners —if you are looking to be the President someday, to constantly relay their own analysis of what the problem is.

Whether you decide to follow their instincts or not, you want to be sure that, at the end of the day, the decision you are about to make —whether acute or not— embodies some degree of open-mindedness, a moment of self-reflection on the right way to tackle the problem, and trusting your gut that you are about to make a decision that reflects your personal instinct and sense of what is right (and also your view of the bull).

** Most times, the right way to tackle the problem is subjective.

Of course, sometimes you make mistakes and miscalculate the bull. You took the very move your spectators told you would be detrimental. This only shows you are human, just like everyone else.

Or you may have watched long enough from the bleachers, and you feel you can do a better job. But once you step into the ring, it becomes a different game entirely. If it’s your first time, half the time you are playing to NOT get yourself killed by the bull, and once you learn some tricks about the game, you may begin to start playing to win. Either way, your view of the game immediately changes once you step into the ring.

**Everything looks easier when we aren’t the ones doing it. Leadership, Parenting, etc etc.

Leadership and People Management are no piece of cake. In fact, it probably is the most difficult (yet rewarding) task on planet earth.

Although leadership is mostly associated with leading people, it doesn’t rule out the possibility of self-management. Truth be told, we are leaders in our own lives. As we go on with our lives, we make decisions, both big and small, with (good) spectators around us. Our parents, friends, bosses, mentors, etc. People with a different view of what the problem is and how it should be solved. Their solution may or may not coincide with ours —if two truths can coexist, I believe two good decisions can too— and sometimes, they may even have a better solution.

Whether it is people management or self-management, it is important to know that we are expected to make some tough calls, one that should benefit both us and those that place a bet on us —investors, parents/guardians who paid our fees, mentors who dedicated their time to nurture us, etc etc. —while bearing in mind that when we miscalculate with the bull, most times, we take the biggest hit.

It is also good practice to let the spectators know that we value and trust their judgment/input. To trust them, and ensure they trust us. And whether we decide to go with their solution or not, we appreciate them for caring enough to yell out instructions to us in the ring in the first place.

“Everything I learned about making impossible decisions during the first two years of my presidency culminated in one of the toughest choices I had to make: whether to authorize the raid to take out Osama bin Laden. It was an operation rife with uncertainty and risk. So, I ran a tight process. I trusted my team. I listened to every voice in the room. I gave myself space to think. And then I made a decision that reflected my own personal sense of what was right.”

Barack Obama, in his article, How I make the toughest decisions. One of my favourite read.

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I write about my learnings on personal growth, life, lessons, and experiences. I’m not sure how to keep the train moving, but feel free to stick around while I figure it out. Feel free to share too.

See you when I see you,

Yosola.

**Jessica and Harvey’s conversation before he became name partner (what loosely translates to a co-founder)

Jessica: What did I always tell you when you were here?

Harvey: Don’t judge a man until you have walked in his shoes.

Jessica: Well. If you are ever in these babies, we’ll see if you feel the same way.