I do not keep an exhaustive record and I estimate that so far I have had the opportunity to personally meet more than 1,000 women leaders, some of them in leadership positions in large companies, others in smaller companies and many others leading their own projects. One of them is Bisila Bokoko , considered one of the 10 most influential Spanish women in the American business world. A woman leader I admire and do not know personally.
What makes Bisila Bokoko an example of a woman leader to follow?
In his lectures he says: “Bibliographies are actually my inspiration, that is, I can find solutions through the authors, they are mentors for me”.
As she herself says, her biography is a source of inspiration for anyone who reads it. Born in Valencia in 1974, the daughter of black immigrants from Equatorial Guinea, we can imagine from the mentality of the time that her childhood was not easy. In fact, she tells an anecdote from school where she explains that a boy started crying when she was sat next to him, as he didn’t want to be stuck with being black. When she got home, her father said to her in front of the mirror, “You have two problems, you are black and you are a woman, and that is what you are going to have to deal with”.
She tells us about her childhood reflection on the subject: “What do you want to be different, to be different from others or to be special? In the end we are all special and we all have something that makes us different from the others.
This does not mean that in order to become the recognised woman leader that she is today, it has not taken a lot of effort, sacrifice, perseverance, courage and a lot of work on her self-esteem, as she tells us. I invite you to take a closer look at her biography, it will be an inspiration.
What are some of the claims I share with her?
- “Thinking that I have it harder is a limiting belief, what is really difficult is to fulfil your dreams and, in this, we all have to take the first steps”.
- “The first barriers to be overcome are your own, those of your mind”.
- “You have to think big, don’t let labels limit you, let what you believe you create”.
- “You have to find the story you want to be and write your story, I have written it”.
- “Fear is a great teacher, it shows you unsuspected paths, you have to listen to fear”.
- “You have to get inside fear, when you make friends with fear, you embrace it, it gives you a message”.
- “Fear teaches you your weaknesses as well as your strengths”.
- “You have to fail several times and find the strength in yourself to be able to change things”.
- “It is important for the 21st century entrepreneur to change the attitude to failure”.
Failure is an opportunity
With this last “claim” I remain, the change we need in the attitude towards failure in organisations. Failure is not a loss, but an opportunity to learn, to explore unknown places, to get out of our comfort zone, to move forward, to improve, …..We need leaders like Bisila Bokoko, humble and sincere, who share their failures and take pride in them. Leaders who do not conform to the limits of organisations, who do not lag behind and step up to the challenges. Leaders who feel the need to change the mindsets and attitudes of those they want to support. Leaders who can guide others to success.
[shortcode_curso_lider_digital]