I have in the past, indicated that my work ethic and culture has been inspired by a number of people and events… today I draw inspiration for this article from one of the many leaders I have been privileged to work with.

Reporting directly to him and being in the position I was in, entailed regular interaction with my leader. We grew to understand each other’s ways of work and quite easily found a space where our individual capabilities intersected.

One of the key things my leader taught me, (albeit unconsciously on his part, I believe) is a technique on identification of key issues in an assignment.

One of the things we shared in common is the love of music. More than me, he is a connoisseur, collecting different genres of music and paying particular attention to the audio and performance quality, singling out amazing lead guitar, drum sequence and so on, in his rich collection of music and speaking knowledgeably about his love for music, when he had the chance. One time he told me “ One day, I would like to set up a media outfit that largely plays good music” . And a couple of years later… he did!

From that experience I used the technique in my work. I was able to identify the lead, base, rhythm, percussion, drums of a transaction and focus on closing those issues. These key issues once perfected, complete the transaction, just like the various parts of a musical piece!

Endeavor to draw up your issues lists in a proposed transaction and fine tune them to perfection… produce an amazing piece of work from which each key issue works like an instrument, adequately addressing the expectations of the concerned parties.

Let’s share…