I was ushered to his office at 9.00 am. I was following up on some promotion I had applied for and wanted to know the progress. What I thought would take the utmost 10 minutes turned into 60 minutes of communion. These are some of the best spent minutes of my life today. I brand myself a flaneur and take any opportunity I get to squeeze wisdom and insights from anyone. I ask inquisitive questions, and I listen. The conversations can wander to what direction they want; I steer the wheel.

Mr Kihoro Magu, as many who have interacted with him would attest, is a sage. Kind and generous with time and insights.  I can write a book from the insights that I received today. Considering that this is a simple post and that our attention spans are declining day by day, let me summarize the insights here:

1. Make the most of every opportunity, and don’t underrate yourself. If you’ve any opportunity to try something, try it. Don’t let naysayers dissuade you. He gave examples of staff who delayed applying for promotions and study opportunities since they considered themselves unqualified after consulting with their colleagues. He says, “You’re the best expert of yourself, and no one knows your capabilities better than yourself, even interview panellists.”. “When you try, the probability of success swings towards 1.” “When you don’t try, the default probability of success is 0.”

Take chances, regardless of how high-level the jump is. Adopt the maxim, “ Ready, Fire, Aim.” The adage, “Ready, Aim, Fire.” is outdated and may not be helpful when starting or establishing a career or business.

He gave me personal examples to illustrate this. I shall recount one:

When he was applying for an untrained teacher’s position after his A levels, he had an experience that has influenced his attitude towards trying out. On the due date, when he was inquiring about the position, the headmaster informed him that all teaching positions were taken up and that only the deputy headmaster’s position was available. Unperturbed by the turn of events, Mr Kihoro then offered to take up the deputy headmaster’s position. He says this bravely shocked the headteacher and the teachers. How can an untrained teacher, straight from school, think that he can be a deputy headmaster while experienced, senior teachers could take such a position. It turns out that these other teachers were just mark timing and waiting to be appointed by the Teachers Service Commission. Kihoro says that even though he didn’t get the deputy headmaster job, he was eventually offered a job as a teacher at the same school. After getting the job, he says he took a salary advance to clear the fee from his former school to collect his certificate. He had done and passed the interviews even without the certificate.

2. Image is everything. Market yourself and your services. He says that the old Kiswahili proverb, “Chema cha jiuza, kibaya cha jitembeza.”, is outdated. If you don’t blow your own trumpet, who will?

If people don’t know what you know or what you are capable of, how will they help you? How will you get clients? Brand yourself. Promote yourself. Don’t listen to the cowards who think self-promotion is a sin. Do this with tact so that you don’t appear egotistical.

Don’t hide your talent like the risk-averse servant( from the Parable of the Talents). Don’t let fear hold you back. The third man was so afraid of losing his ruler’s money; he hid it away. He was afraid that if he took a risk, it wouldn’t pay off. But the ruler saw it as slothful behaviour and cast the third man away.

3.Ask, and you shall receive. Ask, and you shall know. Don’t assume things and let life pass by. Whatever it’s that you want to know, ask. What’s the worst that could happen? Not getting the answer you wanted. But you learn.

4. Question received traditions and wisdom. Ask yourself, is there another perspective to this? Is there an alternative to this? Is this the only way to do this? Are there credible shortcuts to doing this or that? Can I skip the line(then skip)? Is there a third door(then go through it)?