One of the most limiting things I encounter and sadly, far too often — is meeting a professional who has convinced themselves that the challenge in front of them is impossible to solve.
Not because the problem is inherently too complex, but because of a crippling fear of failure and the imagined weight of public blame.
Equally concerning is the person who has remained in one role for years, silently shrinking into the belief that this is all they can offer the world. They have stopped growing because they no longer believe there is more to grow into.
If you’ve ever met someone who points fingers outward but never inward, you’re likely looking at someone whose self-worth is fragile.
And the truth is, many of us even in the ICT industry are operating at less than 30% of our potential, often because we’ve either never discovered who we truly are, or have never worked under a leader committed to seeing us evolve beyond our job titles.
I’ve seen this up close.
Several years ago, while serving as Head of Marketing & Strategy at a tech company, I received a distress call from a client. Their equipment issue had remained unresolved despite repeated attempts. I approached our support engineer, expecting a technical explanation. What I got instead was a revealing confession:
“Oga, I’ve never handled this kind of issue before, and I’m afraid if I try something and it damages the system, I’ll be blamed.”
For me, that moment wasn’t about the equipment. It was about the Engineer’s confidence. I realised I first needed to address the problem within the man before we could resolve the problem with the machine.
I reassured him, shared the responsibility, and encouraged him to take the bold step.
The next morning, he visited the client site and resolved the issue completely. But more importantly, he unlocked a new belief in himself. That spark changed everything.
On another occasion, there was also a driver I worked with, he had spent 11 years in the same role, but I saw something deeper.
I listened to his story and uncovered a dream buried under years of limitation. He wanted more but didn’t know how to access it.
Together, we designed a growth path.
He began part-time studies while still working. Today, he’s a university graduate with honours; ready for new professional possibilities.
These aren’t just human-interest stories. They are leadership branding moments. They remind us that real leadership isn’t about titles or control, it’s about activating the greatness in others. And in a fast-evolving industry like ICT, this matters more than ever.
In the digital age, where systems, solutions, and structures are constantly evolving, we must not forget the most important operating system; the human mind. If you lead a team, manage people, or work in tech, here are three truths to build your leadership brand on:
- Inspire people to believe in more and help them achieve it.
- Serve with empathy and intention not from above, but beside.
- Unlock hidden potential because empowered people build transformative systems.
When we lead this way beyond fear, beyond ego, we build stronger institutions, richer lives, and a society that thrives on connection, growth, and value creation.
So, whether you’re leading a DevOps team or managing digital infrastructure, remember: the code you write or deploy is only as powerful as the people you empower. I believe we can create an ICT industry that’s not only efficient, but deeply human, deeply transformational.
[Featured Image Credit]
