The Essence of True Leadership - Perspectives with Ambassador Maryben Akinyi Omollo

The Essence of True Leadership

With Ambassador Maryben Omollo

Global Mental Health & Leadership Coach | 50M+ Reached Globally | 14x Award Winner | Building Resilient, Inclusive Organizations | Humanitarian

Ambassador Maryben Omollo is a renowned global mental health and leadership coach, mainly across Africa and India. In this piece, Omollo shares her profound insights on the true essence of leadership. Despite the prestige associated with her title, she emphasises that leadership transcends grand titles and is rooted in everyday actions that leave a lasting impact.

Leadership Beyond Titles

Maryben acknowledges the ego boost that comes with being called an ambassador but quickly shifts focus to the core of leadership. She asserts that true leadership is not about the titles one holds but about the small, consistent actions that demonstrate genuine care and commitment to one's team.

Everyday Acts of Leadership

Leadership, according to Maryben, involves showing up for your team when it matters most, sharing meals instead of just meetings, and being the emergency contact they can rely on at any hour. She recounts a personal experience where she received a midnight call from a team member whose baby was rushed to the hospital. Without hesitation, she provided the necessary financial assistance, exemplifying that leadership is fundamentally about service.

Quiet Habits of Effective Leaders

Omollo outlines fifteen quiet habits that distinguish true leaders from mere commanders:

1. Listening to Understand: Effective leaders listen to understand, not to react.
2. Shielding from Stress: They protect their team from unnecessary stress.
3. Believing in the Team: Leaders believe in their team more than the team believes in themselves.
4. Trusting Experts: They trust the experts they’ve hired and allow them to shine.
5. Spotting Burnout: Leaders spot burnout early and encourage real rest.
6. Investing in Growth: They invest intentionally in their team’s growth.
7. Acting on Feedback: Leaders ask for feedback and act on it.
8. Valuing People: They value people over processes and profits.
9. Making Meetings Meaningful: Leaders make every meeting meaningful or skip it completely.
10. Celebrating Wins: They celebrate wins, both small and big, with genuine joy.
11. Nurturing Talents: Leaders nurture talents instead of stifling ideas.
12. Hiring Smartly: They hire people smarter than themselves on purpose.
13. Recognising Help: Leaders recognise when help is needed and bring it in before breakdowns happen.
14. Creating Leaders: They create new leaders, not followers.
15. Ensuring Safety: Leaders make their team feel safe enough to fail and strong enough to rise again.

Building a Foundation for Success

Maryben emphasises that these habits, though seemingly small, build a strong foundation for real success. Genuine care for the team leads to a reciprocal commitment to the mission, forming the only leadership path that truly works.

Lesson to Learn:

True leadership is not defined by titles but by the consistent, genuine actions that demonstrate care and commitment to one's team. By embodying these quiet habits, leaders can build resilient, inclusive organisations that thrive on mutual trust and respect.