Name: Patricia Dakouri

Title: Directo

Organisation: General Manager

I define myself as a visionary, a leader, a manager, a coach, and a person who likes to help people know themselves, push others to go ahead and exploit their potential to the top of their expectations. I'm a multi-talented person with a very pronounced entrepreneurial and execution streak.

I like challenges, I like to be positively noticed and above all I like to give meaning to my existence. For me, there are no limits except those we impose on ourselves.

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

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

Cheers,

Jonno White

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

The difficulty of imposing one's vision on the partners of a limited liability company, both as a general manager and as a partner. They don't understand until they've seen the results and understood why such and such a decision had to be taken unilaterally to achieve that result.

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

My passion for leadership began when I read the stories of leaders who had made an impact on the world as Martin Luther King when I was in high school. But as a woman, I've always been impressed by Michel Obama's charisma and leadership. She's a leading figure in women's leadership. What you need to know is that you can have a natural leader attitude, but to do things well and above all win over others, you need to read up and cultivate yourself. Leadership is an art. Personal satisfaction is acquired at the same time as celebrating results.

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

I'm naturally an early riser and I like it that way. I prepare for the next day the night before because I like to think ahead. I sleep very early, which allows me to work at night. It's a method that works, especially when you're a company director. Working in the silence of the night can be an option for you too. I prepare everything I need to work on in the morning the night before so that things fall into place naturally in the morning and I can meet my self-imposed deadlines. You're bound to get results, and what's more, you'll accumulate days of quality and productivity.

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

A good leader is not only a good speaker but also a skilled communicator. In professional life, just being a good speaker is not enough. You also have to be a skilled communicator. The difference lies in the circularity of communication. A speaker can speak one way, galvanize a crowd ,and then leave. Mission accomplished. A communicator will ensure that the word flows between him and his audience. He'll validate that his message has been grasped as it should have been.

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?

The Bible, the 4 Gospels of the New Testament. Jesus Christ is the most important and influential person in human history. For me, Christ is the epitome of leadership. His popularity demonstrates this even though he physically died over 2000 years ago. Yet he remains the most influential person in the world, whose story continues to spread everywhere every day.

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

You're not born a leader, you become one. It's important to know that influential leaders all have a history and a reference, hence the importance of mentoring in the first place. Mentoring can help fill leadership gaps in very concrete ways. It's also important to identify your allies - the people you want to surround yourself with and who will always be there to support you. Thirdly, determine the type of leader you want to be. You need to be able to ask for help and accept feedback. It's essential and important to adopt a growth mindset. Finally, always have the desire to learn and appreciate this quality in others.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far? The most important thing for me as a leader is to stay focused on my vision for the company and give myself the means to achieve our goals, grow, and succeed. I work hard to achieve this, and I do everything in my power to win the support of my team, which will show in the results.