Name: Stephen Ogbolu, Esq

Title: Owner

Organisation: Stephen Ogbolu & Co

Stephen Ogbolu holds Bachelor of Laws from the Prestigious, Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, Nigeria. He's a Master of Laws (LL.M) graduate of Syracuse University College of Law, New York, USA and he's currently applying to pursue his PhD in Environmental Law. He's currently pursuing Masters in Business Administration (MBA) at University of Missouri, Kansas City. He's a seasoned Lawyer, Author, Life Coach, Personal Development Expert, Nation Builder and a Social Entrepreneur.

He's the owner of the Stephen Ogbolu & Co, a law firm that specializes in Real Estate Law, Corporate Law and Entertainment Law. He's the President and Chairman of the board of the Stephen Ogbolu Foundation, a nonprofit organization that has a vision to provide food, shelter, education and mentorship to about a 100 million Africans.

He's also member of several other professional boards including One Million Leaders Africa (OMLA), Jewish Vocational Services Young Professionals Board in Kansas City, Missouri etc. His works have proven him to be a tested and trusted proficient speaker as well as a prolific writer.

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

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

Cheers,

Jonno White

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

What I have found most challenging as a leader is trusting people to carry out tasks and then later finding out that the tasks were not carried out particularly as I want them done.

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

First of all, I believe that a person can be a born leader. I'm a born leader and I discovered that I'm a leader when I was 6 years old when I would literally teach my friends and classmates stuffs I knew but I started living out Leadership in a better and different way when I started having mentors.

So, my mentors would guide and challenge me through my potential and purpose. Later on, I got to realise that I was always made a leader in one capacity or the other, from High School to my Masters Degree level. There's hardly a place I go that my potential in leadership is not visible.

This is the reason, I started an annual Leadership conference with audience and speakers all around the world, tagged, "Eagles Leadership Conference." The theme for this year's conference is, "SHINE" because as a leader we have to shine wherever we go particularly being visible in order to solve problems.

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

First all, when I wake, I would pray with my wife, kiss her and secondly I'll meditate on the word of God. Thirdly, I'll brainstorm on some projects. Fourthly, I'll hit the work station after which I'll return home, kiss my wife, eat, respond to texts and then Fiftly, I'll pray, kiss my wife and then go to sleep.

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

The first leadership lesson I have learned for the first time or being reminded of particularly by my wife is to do everything with excellence and nothing short of that.

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 book that has had a profound impact on my leadership journey so far is, "The art of Leadership by Dag Heward Mills." This is a 512 page leadership book I bought when I was in university and the 5 amongst other great lessons I learned from the book are;

1. As a leader you must tell the truth

2. As a leader you must readily embrace new ideas.

3. As a leader you must maintain personal integrity.

4. As a leader you must take responsibility and give account.

5. As a leader you must know about the power of habits and develop good habits.

The above lessons have been such a guiding light for me in my path of leadership and till date, I apply them in all I do particularly in working with my team or staff at work.

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

As a young leader, you must work towards reproducing your kind in your followers or team by believing in them, impacting them positively and doing your best to solve the problems they have.

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

The one meaningful story that comes to mind whenever I lead is that of the animal kingdom and the Lion leading the kingdom. This is because a lion is always conscious of its position as a leader and everything it does is patterned after that. Secondly, the lion eats frest meat just like leaders must take steps towards trying new/fresh ideas always.