Jumanne Mtambalike: My Virtual Mentor
"You can’t be an introvert and an extrovert at the same time. Something that he mastered so well."
Jumanne Mtambalike:
I have few virtual mentors I have been following down the years without communicating to them for some personal reasons. Today I want to share few things I learned from this brilliant mind.
1. Recruiting Talents | The secret of successful leaders is building winning teams. Who was better than “Jasiri Muongoza Njia” on doing that? The talents that he has groomed over time is the testimony to that. Building winning teams is an art. He was the master of the art.
2. Unapologetic Capitalist | He goes for want he wants. You are either with him or without him. Wright or wrong to him was a matter of perception and unlike so many Tanzanians he didn’t think twice on grabbing an opportunity.
3. Working Hard and Smart | The 3:00 am incident, in 2015 a friend was about to set a strategic meeting with him. We went home shocked when I set the meeting at 3:00 am at night. He always wanted that extra one push-up that most of us hate to do.
4. Futuristic Thinker | Ability to see the bulb upside down and to be two step forward always in a game of strategy. We always had to ask ourselves several times what is in for him before engaging with him on anything.
5. Political Mastermind | Mixing business with politics is always a very dangerous game to play. He had a way with politicians. Something I’m still studying that might take me years to master.
6. Managing Talents | Recruiting Talents is one thing, making them work for you and deliver to the best of their abilities is another. I don’t know how he did that. It is something I’m still learning. I wish I had written a book about this.
7. Creating Niche Market | He always knew whom he want to communicate with and deliver value to. From day one, he knew the power of the products of the masses and speaking their own language. Something local media stations learned 10 years later.
8. Listener and Speaker | You can’t be an introvert and an extrovert at the same time. Something that he mastered so well. I remember when I was pitching AfricaSDGsPhoto concept to him. He kept quiet throughout and then gave me massive feedback.
9. Brand Agility | Building an agile brand which can be used to represent anything, from political rallies to SRH campaigns. Brand that reaches every upper class, middle class and even hyper local citizens.
10. Brand Loyalty | I asked my friend if it is necessary to call him “Boss Ruge” even when he is not around. He was puzzled and laughed. “Lakini Kweli Aisee.” What he didn’t know was that the trust and respect he had for the guy was nurtured and didn’t come naturally.