Howdy ,
About seven years ago, I listened to Mr. Olu Onakoya speak at an event.
If you haven’t heard of him, you are not alone, I hadn’t heard of him till that event. He was the first Nigerian Managing Director of Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc, an ExxonMobil affiliate company, from 2004-2008.
He chose to retire from the job and the company at the age of 57 – well before the required age of 60. The company had hoped they could keep him longer but he kept to his decision.
His reason for this was more personal than professional. In his words, he was missing out of the important times that his family needed.
At a point in his career, his daughters had to plan breakfast with him at Heathrow airport since the free time he had was a layover. They just could not get his time. He evaluated his life and made the decision to retire earlier
But this is not just about him making the decision to retire. It’s about the quality of the way he executed it. There are 3 essential aspects to his decision:
1. Empowered His Team
It’s funny that for a business that often relies on government patronage, as MD, he did not visit the seat of power until almost a year after he was appointed. He let other members of the team attend those government meetings.
2. Planned For A Successor
It wasn’t just about selecting the person but training him for the role. He had the successor brought in ahead of time to work with him as preparation for handover
3. Created Family Security
Even though the family would be the biggest beneficiary from having more of his time, his wife expressed concerns about their financial security. That fear was assuaged when she saw that the investments he had made could sustain the current family lifestyle
I saw integrity at play in the way he executed his retirement plan. He did not leave his company high and dry but systematically prepared his team and successor to take responsibility.
This is how we should play at all times – in fairness to the people who will be most impacted by our decisions
It’s no less than God would expect of us
But we don’t have to wait till retirement is staring us in the face before we start making the best decisions in the interest of the people who will miss us the most.
It’s one of the reasons I am committed to being fully present when I am at work with the people at work and being fully present when I am at home with my family.
When I get home, I lock my phones either in a drawer or wardrobe in my bedroom. They stay there until the kids go off to bed. This is how I let them know they have my full attention.
I manage my energy levels throughout the day to ensure I still have the energy to serve my family. I get home to cook, handle the kids and do anything needed for the family.
One of the things I love doing is telling stories from my childhood with my kids. They know about the chickens & goats I took care of in my father’s farm. They know about the dogs we had growing up.
During a trip to my parents’ place, one of my kids asked that he wanted to visit the farm. The goats and chickens were long-gone but the farm with a mostly plantain trees was there. He and his grandpa went through the farm as he asked various questions. It was a lovely bonding moment for grandpa and grandson.
And me? I stood on the sidelines and let them enjoy the moment. I was glad that being present for my family daily created this moment.
Don’t let work steal these wonderful moments from you and your family.
Make the decision every day to work well and live well.
Make the decision to win at work and in life.
You will deliver better results at work.
Your family will be better for it.
Don’t wait till retirement.
Tata,
Tola Akinsulire
I am a Workplace Multiplier
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