A bitter pill I swallowed that could help you
Our understanding of the world is shaped by experiences and people. Among these experiences was a course I took at LBS called “Analysis of Business Problems”, taught by Dr. Yetunde Anibaba.
I was not the biggest fan of the course or her person. I felt she was *thinking of all the curse words*
One thing about Dr. Anibaba is that you either hate or love her because she is comfortable in her skin and is not moving based on your opinion. I digress!
In class, she would ask us “difficult” questions and it felt like none of us gave her the right answer. She kept asking probing questions and I was like “Had it been I know her….”
The best way to describe the course is by swallowing a bitter pill that nourishes the body. However, the pill helps you become stronger.
Like kids who hate drugs, you pretend to take the medicine by putting it under your tongue or throwing it away. In the short term, You are smart but in the long term, you are exposing your body to sickness.
One major thing I learned from her course was that she was not primarily looking for the right answer, but she was trying to get us to rethink how we saw problems.
Probe deeper enough to know the difference between a symptom and a problem. Be clear on the objective and what is your expected outcome.
For example, a farmer is losing money as his farm trees (which have yellow leaves) are not bearing fruit. The farmer wants to ensure sales go back to normal.
The symptom is that the trees are yellow. On many occasions, people will suggest getting more water or manure because they assume the tree is not getting enough nutrients. However, you must probe deeper to know what the real problem is.
Many find solutions to the symptoms rather than the problem.
Many of us have applied the same thinking to our careers, marriages, parenting, and faith as we did when we obtained our first degree.
We must have a probing mentality to ensure we are not running with expired thinking that served us well in the past but hindered our future.
This includes thinking taught to us by the people we love. If you want a new life/career etc, you must ask probing questions.
When last did you probe your mindset? I wish you the best of luck as you start your journey.
P.S. She is now a good “senior” friend and confidant. My views of her have changed.
