Disturbing leakages that stunt our growth

In the closing paragraph of the last essay, I mentioned the imperative of getting quality workers and I suggested out-sourcing of recruitment to agencies as a way of getting the best.

Moreover, it reduces the chances of nepotism, cronyism, ethnicity, and other primordial factors, including religious consideration in the recruitment process. Workers could determine the success or failure of any project. Ask any employer of labour, they’ll give you some weird testimonies of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Most of the vices that plague corporate bodies and even government agencies are perpetrated by the personnel who work there. People account for these atrocities. It is at the recruitment stage that the bad eggs that corrupt and destroy systems are employed, and once they get in, they pollute the system. Manpower is the life blood of any institution, whether church, company, government, NGO, army, name it. It is the people, not the facilities or infrastructure that really corrupt the system.

You have to be circumspect, even in dealing with banks. Watch out for strange surcharges, double debits and illegal withdrawals, or the use of your account for criminal activities like money laundering. Your bank account details, passwords, ATM, cheque books and other financial instruments should be guarded jealously so that they do not fall into wrong hands. Leakages through the bank could be fatal to your cash flow.

You should screen your workers before they are engaged. Put them through probation, conduct occasional integrity tests, even after they have been employed. They have to be constantly tried and tested before they are given sensitive leadership positions. Leaders are made, not born. Even if someone has leadership traits, they still have to be groomed. Since a fish rots from the head, you must watch the leader you enthrone. A leader must also be wary of the kind of people they mingle with.

Watch the company of friends you keep; be careful with business associates, they could make or mar your business. Bad associates could be a source of terrible leakages. They could undermine your business if you allow them to corrupt you with bad ideas. Bad company corrupt good manners, according to Paul, the Apostle.

If you must advance in life, you have to do away with some people who do not buy into your vision; people who hold you back, those who refuse to maintain your standard or integrity, have to be dropped. Otherwise, such unprogressive elements could be a source of leakage. There are relatives who are always burdensome to deal with; they are like pests that can’t be killed.

Many fastidious relatives are irritants. They tend to suck you dry; no matter what you do for them, they’ll still complain. Pay their rent today; tomorrow, they’d come up with school fees. Deal with that, they’d come up with other bills. They are permanently on welfare; they never add value to your life. And these types know how to run their mouths. Such old friends and relatives relate to you with a feeling of entitlement. And, because they know your history, they can easily put you down, especially when you stop doling out the cash.

They believe you owe them an obligation to keep paying their bills because you were their former class mate, a relative, in-law, old friend or neighbor when you did not have money. This is hard to admit, some parents could be irresponsible. Because they are fortunate to have a rich in-law, child or cousin, they constantly distract them with useless bills that make no sense. You have to learn how to manage this kind of situation. Leakages stunt growth at any level. Deal with them before they deal with you because they are termites.

Bad spending habits are bad for your finances. It is a type of leakage; don’t buy what you want, just to show off. Spend only on important needs of the moment, or things you need in the future. Some pay house rents for girl friends while their own families languish in poverty and lack. Some buy expensive phones when their children’s school fees can’t be paid on time. You and your family must always come first. Your spending reflects your priorities, and your priorities reflect your character; your character mirrors your integrity.

If you want to grow, prioritise properly. Don’t spend on your girl friend or boy friend when your parents have not been given feeding allowance. Don’t keep adulterous relationships; they drain scarce resources. They’d leak you to death. And such affairs almost, always end in scandals. Don’t waste your money on sinful passions that may destroy you in the end. God didn’t prosper you to live a shameful, immoral life. Learn to save if you have enough cash to spare.

Watch out for pinching in the home. A thief by any name is still a thief. You must have zero tolerance for inefficient management of resources, if you want to grow strong and rich. Avoid loud, wasteful celebrations, social parties, anniversaries that add nothing to your networth. Save for the rainy day, pay your taxes and be a good, law-abiding citizen of Nigeria, the world, and the kingdom of God.

WEEKEND SPICE: Earn what you can, save all you can and give away all you can – John Wesley.

Folks, thank God it’s Friday. Let’s do it again, same day next week. Stay motivated!

               

Ladi Ayodeji is an Author, Conference Speaker/Pastor and life coach. He can be reached at ladibest16@gmail.com and 09059243004 (sms only).

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