Some weeks ago, I attended the 78^th Interdisciplinary Research Discourse of the Graduate College of Nigeria’s premier university: The University of Ibadan. The discourse was titled an approach to Research and Innovation in National Development: Entrepreneurship Culture in Nigerian Universities. This was delivered by Professor Adesoji A. Adesina, a former professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of South Wales Australia, winner of over US $15 million in competitive grants, a recipient of the Nigerian Order of Merit Award and currently the Founder/CEO of Atodatech LLC, at the end of the two hours discourse, he left no stone unturned.

At the sight of the notification of his presentation, the title attracted me that I quickly had to cancel a schedule so I could attend the discourse. Having walked the corridors of advocating for deliberate drive of entrepreneurship culture in various institutions of learning, the concept of driving entrepreneurship culture in the universities cannot be centered on “buying and selling books”, as this is a perception often held by a good number of persons in the universities. I will take side with the meaning of Entrepreneurship as contained in the EU 2011 Project Report of Entrepreneurship Education: Enabling Teachers as Critical Success Factors, Entrepreneurship for a teacher lies in the ability of the individual to turn ideas into action. It includes creativity, innovation, showing initiative and risk-taking, as well as the ability to plan and manage projects in order to achieve objectives.

On the shelves of libraries of our universities are innovative and problem solving researches that are lying dormant. With a low gown-town impact, this could be tied to a number of valid reasons, ranging from funding, intellectual property theft, bureaucracy of patent acquisition and you just name it. The issue of dormant innovative researches is not from a point of speculation or assumption.  In July – December 2018, I was offered a Campus Ambassador role by Co-creation Hub to comb the Nigerian Universities for innovative researches. My role was a component of the African Universities Innovation Accelerator (AUIA) Project. As I interacted with academics and PhD candidates across different faculties, I was literally blown away by researches that have been conducted (albeit with low social impact) or currently ongoing in the domain of Engineering, Education, Science, Arts, Humanities and Business.  Listening to Professor Adesoji’s discourse increased my interest to work on projects and researches that will drive Entrepreneurship Education (EE) in Nigerian Universities down to our secondary and elementary schools.

Here are ten excerpts from Professor Adesoji’s lecture:

1. Sustainable development is controlled by Technology, Innovation, Management and Entrepreneurship.
2. National Science and Technology Policy to drive entrepreneurship as a basis for sustainable development.
3. Our research must be driven by national priorities, not just an exploratory replication, appraisal studies and re-inventing the wheel.
4. Our Universities must change her operating paradigm from Anglo-saxion, Hublodotian, and Napoleonic to an entrepreneurial model.
5. Formation of research clusters for resource and infrastructure optimization.
6. Sync research clusters for industry-university linkages.
7. A seed fund for younger/emerging researchers and reinvigorate established researchers.
8. At the turn of the knowledge economy, everyone in the domain engineering, science, arts, humanities and business must develop competency in Entrepreneurship Education (EE).
9. A rapid growth in the economy must be matched with a rise in in Global Entrepreneurship Index (GEI).
10. Entrepreneurial Universities are needed as population grows, Nigeria is below optimum level in the current climate.

His concluding thoughts in one sentence:

“Entrepreneurship is the goal of research, innovation and societal transformation”.

At a cocktail dinner after the lecture, I walked up to Professor Adesoji to get his perspectives on driving this culture (competencies) to students at the undergraduate, secondary and elementary level; as his discourse focused on faculty members and emerging researchers ( candidates at Master, PhD and Post-docs levels). After my conversation, I thought along the following lines as articulated below.

With a rapidly rising unemployment index in Nigeria (36.50% Q3 2018), vis a vis poor employability skill set of graduates of tertiary institutions.  It is critical for Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Education (FMOE) to implement a pragmatic national policy on Entrepreneurship Education (EE) that is visibly working within the walls of the schools and not just a policy document on the shelf or web links of its web page. The FMOE must as a matter of urgency institutionalize a workable teacher education training to drive entrepreneurship as visible in other climes. This should also be complemented by a more robust private sector, non-profit sector, bilateral and multi-lateral agencies entrepreneurship projects to stimulate interest in entrepreneurial competencies among students. The efforts of Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) in stimulating creativity, innovation, design thinking, problem solving and entrepreneurship development among school children is greatly acknowledged.

Sometimes, we  come into situations where we have to deal with difficult bosses. I heard a sales girl say on one occasion that her boss is impossible to please. That it doesn’t matter what you do, that he always finds something to complain about. Yes, this is the situation many people find themselves even though there are legal boundaries as to how difficult a boss can be. It becomes a criminal offense when such boundaries are crossed. In that case the appropriate law enforcement agency should be contacted. Within the legal boundaries still, it is important to point out that striving to please a boss is an action whose outcome you cannot determine. Different things please different people at different times. Satisfaction is purely dependent on the individual receiving it.

It is also important to note that it isn’t your job to keep your boss happy or to keep him entertained. Your job is to do your job. So perhaps the first step to follow in trying to build a working relationship with your difficult boss is to have a clear job description. 

Have a clear job description and stick to it : “The Wikipedia defines “A job description  as a written narrative that describes the general tasks, or other related duties, and responsibilities of a position. It may specify the functionary to whom the position reports, specifications such as the qualifications or skills needed by the person in the job, information about the equipment, tools and work aids used, working conditions, physical demands, and a salary range “

Having a job description that is taken seriously can help eliminate some of the hurdles created by overlapping job functions. If a boss tries to override a job description, then it has to be with the permission of the employee, though it is common for that not to happen. Often times, friction occurs in jobs where roles are not clearly defined thereby giving some bosses the chance to take advantage of those existing gray areas.

Mind Your Business: Someone once  asked for my opinion on what to do as two of his immediate bosses were clashing frequently leaving him in the middle confused as to what to do or how to navigate those intricate spaces.  My advice to him was simple: mind your business. This is their battle not yours. so you are not expected to take sides or get involved in a clash of ego or personality.

Avoid Defamation: One reason why you have to avoid saying bad things about others is that you don’t get paid for it. Why not conserve your energy for the work you get paid for? Someone once said to me, “I avoid people who say a lot of unpleasant things about their friends or colleagues. I mean, if they can do that to these people who are close to them, what about me?  Bad words against a boss may eventually get back to them. Remember that walls have ears.

Identify His Interests: Finding out what interests him puts you in a position to know exactly what to do going forward. Some certain aspects of work may interest him more than others. It could be punctuality, it could be proficiency in carrying out some tasks or any other attribute.

Act Like A Professional: Don’t let his attitude affect your job. As much as you can, don’t let your emotions get the better of you. Try to detach yourself from the surrounding conditions. This is difficult but also possible. Remember “only sticks and stones can break your bones”.

Use Your Initiative:  This also implies that you know when to take the lead, when to ask for instructions and also understand that he or she doesn’t know everything and could get stuck sometimes.

Show A Level of Self-Confidence: People with low self esteem seem to be picked out more often than others. In this instance, little triggers which they could ignore could give them a reason to react. Generally, people tend to attack the vulnerable; I don’t know why.

Be Unpredictable: A level of unpredictability can put difficult people off. When people realize there is an other side of you that can spring up in desperate times they feel reluctant to push you to that extreme. Occasionally show your other extreme  in a legal non-destructive way.

Show Empathy: This can also help to bring out the good side of the relatively bad. It is difficult to react violently or aggressively to people who have shown genuine interest in you. 

These are suggestions that can help anyone handle or manage a difficult boss. In extreme situations you may consider leaving the boss completely especially if your mental and physical health is getting affected in unbearable ways.

Being out of employment over a time and job hunting is a reality most professionals will face at a certain point in their lives. Different people react to this almost inevitable season of their lives in varying ways. Some go into depression. Others immerse themselves in all forms of entertainment or even excessive drinking to escape reality. A few, however, have a natural tendency to be calm and calculated. They turn their period of lack of employment into a soul searching and career improving moment.

 During this period, what you do or fail to do may end up determining how long you stay out of job and what happens afterwards. It also impacts on the financial situation for those who don’t have the privilege of having excess savings to sustain them through these unpleasant moments (yes, it is usually advised you set aside up to six months of your average financial upkeep to live on in the event of loss of job).

How do you, then, maximize that period between the time you stop working and when you regain employment?

• Put your house in order. I do not literally mean house, I mean your inner or spiritual amour house. That part of you that sustains and determine your external outlooks. Know that being out of employment is not the end of the word and is just a phase that shall come to pass. Yes, please, mourn if you will but just for a short while. Then, it is time to find strength from within. It is time to find believe and steer yourself again. Take an assessment of what the events of your past job and internalize learning. If you are honestly reflective, there is always something to learn. Thing not to do again; cycle not to repeat; or better ways of handling similar future situations.
• It’s time to brush up or acquire skills. Identify new skills and latent personal attributes that can improve your employability and productivity. Go online, research and sign up on free platforms where you can learn digital marketing, excel, graphics, coding, presentation, communication, writing, baking, cooking, or whatever skills that’s important in your current or aspired career path. Take a personal strength finder test on a paid platform if you can afford it.  A similar free test is on www.high5test.com. That new skill may just be the catch for your next job  – created by you or offered to you. Going through this process may just open your eyes to things about you that others may be willing to pay for via consultation or part-time engagements. A new business may also be born. 
• Make your job search a full time job as soon as you resign or are relieved of your engagement, except if you are taking a recovery break. If your aim is to get back in quickly. Re-activate your subscriptions on www.indeed.com ; www.jobberman.com ; www.myjobmag.com ; www.naijahotjobs.com ; www.jobgurus.ng.com and of other online job platforms.  Get active on www.linkedin.com  make your profile visible through optimization, post contents that project you positively, engage with others, ask for recommendations and referrals, and apply for jobs daily. Also, optimize your CV and Cover letter to be ATS compliant and relevant to your field of interest. Again, apply daily for openings you are qualified for. Note that you will feel frustrated if you are applying for jobs you’re not qualified for or your CV is not projecting you strongly. Sign up and get linked up with recruitment service providers like eRecruit, Ascentech, Michael Stevens, Lorache or as per relevant in your part of the country.
• Get away from time wasters. Some emotional distractions for a lot of unemployed persons are excessive sleep, entertainment, hanging out with friends, sexual overindulgence and alcoholism aside other mental and emotional opium. Those have never helped anybody interested in bouncing back quickly. Complacency is not same as contentment. Contented people hold their activities in check to ensure they are channeling their lives’ outcome in the desired direction. The only mental and emotional distractions I recommend are healthy books. Get closer to your God, if you have one.
• Gather references from professional network. I have found that my best references come from former bosses. By asking former bosses for written references, I found they highlighted other skills and attributes I thought I wasn’t so good at. Employers find them more credible because they have managed you and can give near accurate analysis of your strengths and weaknesses. Aside Bosses, there must be other senior colleagues in your last and previous place of work that you that you still maintain good relationship with. Network with other professionals and engage them respectfully in your job search. Don’t bore them with calls as if they have jobs stored somewhere. Written relevant professional endorsements are superb attachment as cover letter.
• Earn petty income along the way. You may need it for upkeep during the course of your dry season or as transport fare for the next interview invite. Part time ‘runs’ can keep you running until you are gainfully employed again. Commission selling, day rate jobs, content writing, etc. In Nigeria, if you have been out of work for up to three months, you can access 25% of your Retirement Savings with your pension administrators. Ensure you approach them with evidence of your last disengagement, means of identification and passport photographs. It is unfortunate that there is no such thing as filling for unemployment in Nigeria. Our government has no unemployment support system so it is up to you to find local businesses that may be interested in your services on day rates.

Whatever you do, strive to keep a positive outlook going forward. What goes up must come down is a sure saying. It’s only a season and seasons come and go. See you at the top soon!

Often times I write from my own perspective , the construction industry. And sometimes it is difficult to say if some of the things I have written still hold in other industries or broader still, in other facets of life.

There are so many reasons why subordinates could be difficult to deal with, a lot of them. This does not necessarily mean that they are not willing to work, even though there are times when this could be the case. On one particular occasion while working in the Niger Delta, I was left with a group of angry poorly motivated workers some of whom were ex-militants. This was the case as the Senior Engineers could not handle them because of the threat of violence and the difficulty in dismissing them.  The terrain was daring; being left alone in a bush hundreds of miles away from the base, with a group of “armed strangers” to work alongside with, was something worth preparing for. I took my chance anyway.

First of all, there are reasons why subordinates could be difficult to work with, and they include the following :

• When they have a history of violence or rebellion: A worker with a history of violence or rebellion will find it difficult taking instructions from anyone. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter what is done to them, they tend to naturally return to the means of resolution or communication they are accustomed to when in seemingly difficult times.
• When they realize how difficult it will be to let them go: People know when they are indispensable. There was an instance where a particular crane operator bragged about how nobody could fire him as he was the only available person who at the moment could operate that brand of crane. The previous operator was an expatriate who left years ago. This gave him the rare privilege of tolerated insubordination. Another similar case is where a worker is related or close to someone of great importance to the organization.
• Poor remuneration: Workers who are poorly paid are rebellious in nature and subordination in this instance is also extremely difficult.
• Extreme pay inequality between the upper hierarchy and the lower hierarchy: Extreme pay inequality could be a disservice to any organization. The general feeling amongst the lower hierarchy would be that they are the one’s doing the work, where other who barely do anything are getting all the reward. The bigger the gap, the more unrest there is likely going to be . A typical case of “monkey dey work, baboon dey chop” (monkey works, Baboon eats) .
• Lack of career growth: When loyal workers have put in many years of service in a firm with little or nothing to show for it in terms of career growth, it leads to dissatisfaction. And this dissatisfaction is spread or transmitted to even new employees, who having heard stories of how loyal employees were treated in the past, tighten their seat belts for insubordination .
• Bad Management: Bad managers can make even good workers lose motivation. Acts like lack of professionalism, abuse of power, lack of empathy, not following due process etc can strangle out the order in an organization.
• Pride: Pride can make a worker exaggerate his influence and can even make him reluctant to respecting leadership .Instead of seeing work to be done, he sees a personality to attack.

I tried to highlight possible causes of rebellion in the workplace by listing the items above based on my personal observations.  So, now going back to the scenario at the beginning of this article, I will highlight also the techniques I employed to manage the situation. The point here is that it worked in the end. I was able to keep them motivated and working even though they may have done so reluctantly. I was safe, they worked, we delivered. These are practical steps I applied that really worked in handling workers in extremely volatile situations. 

1. Erase or suppress the feeling of fear: Your body language matters a lot. Fear could be seen as a sign of weakness, and people could read and smell fear from the way you talk, walk or even react to simple situations . Many of them are experienced in capitalizing on it to their advantage. Try anything legal that gives you the maximum confidence you need to meet them every morning .
2. Play along as a victim too: Playing along helps to. Be sympathetic to their plight and try to understand what life is from their end, or at least pretend to understand. Make them understand or think that you don’t necessarily like what you have to do,  but just that you have no choice. That all of you have a common “enemy”.
3. Never isolate yourself even in the midst of tension: If eventually there is tension, never isolate yourself. It is seen as evidence of fear and could be taken advantage of. Rather integrate and come as close as possible to the scene. It also gives the impression that you aren’t always just thinking about yourself.
4. Try some sense of humour: Good old jokes can help lighten situations. It works a lot of times.  Just don’t do it in every given moment. Timing is key.

I have written this down based on personal experience gathered from working in the field, it is left for the reader to use his discretion to know if this works for him. All the best.