Name: Afa Pitts

Title: Partner at API, Inc.

Organisation: API, Inc.

I’m a medical doctor by trade, I practiced as an Ob&Gyn prior to moving to the USA. Once here, I started a business acquisition firm API, Inc. which I’m still running

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

I hope Afa's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

Delighting in order to be able to complete tasks on time etc.

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I think it’s safe to say it was quite natural, I remember taking over and creating groups, delighting, and working as a group leader starting at kindergarten, then school, then medical school. That’s why when it came time to take that role in business it wasn’t very hard, even though on a business side of things you end up managing many more and many more people, but I definitely enjoy what I do

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

I wake up quite early, usually before 6 a.m., it’s a perfect time for me. Work out to start the day, have breakfast, always spend some time in the morning with my family and then off to work. Usually at work till about 6 pm, then again, as a rule, always spend time with family in the evening after work. It’s very important to me to spend time with family and kids every day, No matter how busy it gets, when it’s family time - computers are off and phones are on silent. Then in the evening little time to relax and off to be at around 11 pm - 12 am. About 6 hours of sleep is always enough for me

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

It’s not always easy and sometimes you have to deliver bad news, It’s hard, it’s uncomfortable but it has to be done.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

I think the classic “7 Habits of Highly Effective People “ is the first book any leader should read. I read it very young and it shaped how the leaders should act, what they should try to implement at work etc.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

Give people chances, sometimes it’s a person with not so much experience that will be an amazing employee. It’s more important to me to speak with people and hear their ideas, enthusiasm to work and create

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

There are many stories that come to mind, but one comes to mind where we hired one of our employees, he didn’t have much experience in the field but we decided to give him a chance. Well not only he was a great employee, but we later learned how much that decision impacted his life, he was able to get a mortgage and buy a house, start a family, etc.

It’s amazing to be part of something so big as someone’s life and family