Ben Oketola is a lawyer by training who out of passion ventured into writing, publishing and a public speaker. He does not believe challenges are reasons for failure in life. According to him, what God has endowed us with if we can discover, develop and package it well we will repeat it at the time delivery. In this chart with Saturday Vanguard Rising On The Job, he speaks on factors that can promote an employee on the job. Excerpts:

Ben Oketola

Sir, for the sake of this publication may we know you?

I am Ben Oketola a Lawyer by training; writer, publisher and public speaker by gifting. On his background, Oketola said nobody should use background as an excess for failure. When asked of his background he said, “No I was not born into a wealthy family but we were okay. As a matter of fact I started with Nothing! The first thing I did was to make business card, letter head and register my business name, all these is just a couple of thousands that many would use to buy blackberry!

I love to impact lives and when we were being called to the Nigerian Bar, we were told now you are a lawyer, don’t limit yourself, go into different fields and make the profession proud. So, publishing for me is reaching out and touching lives.

The only thing that keeps us relevant in life is making an impact. There are challenges for every stage that we get to in life. Before now, when I started my publishing outfit, it was difficult convincing people that we could offer impeccable services. Today, because we have physical evidence having done several publications, the products speak for themselves.

People don’t want to know what you can do, until you do it and say see what I have done!

Lessons for the youths…

It should be well understood that we are all gifted by God. There is something special that He has endowed you with, which when realised which I call “Discovered” needs to be “Developed” then “Packaged” and “Delivered” to get money and fame. Regardless of the unemployment situation you can gainfully employ yourself using your God given talent!

I started with zero capital but we bless God today. Go ahead and start, don’t procrastinate, your small beginning will grow if you don’t give up.

What you need to start a business is not necessarily money but determination and passion.

Secret of employee’s growth…

The number one thing is faithfulness and loyalty. It doesn’t matter what the working condition or remuneration is like, any employee who is faithful and loyal in the service of another will rise with time. Another thing that can keep an employee rising on the job is excellence and personal development. Don’t wait until the company sends you for training. Train and develop yourself on the job. Seek ways to improve and deliver better on the job. Become the best at what you do and you won’t stop rising.

Thirdly, be creative and innovative, don’t wait to be told what to do always. Put on your thinking cap, introduce something better on how to do what your company is doing. Lastly see the business as your own and be devoted and committed to it and you will keep rising.

On how career choice affects employee’s growth on the job, Oketola said yes career choice can affect an employee, especially in our nation where people make career choices based on the availability of jobs and remuneration and not because it is the area of their personal strength. If you are in that job simply for the above reasons you will get to a point that you become stuck and stop rising. It is only those who choose a career based on personal strength that can provide the innovation required on the job and only such people will keep rising!