Let love and talent drive you – Ofosu-Dortey
The definition of success, they say, depends on the person who is successful and the circumstances that gave birth to that success. Thus, one’s experience with success may not necessarily correlate with the success or failure of another.
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In ordinary terms, however, success can be anything from wining an argument, solving a problem, wooing a person to establishing a business, or becoming the president of a country.
More often than not, many people tend to entertain the erroneous belief that success comes suddenly. This could only be a proof of being forgetful of sacrifices that give rise to success.
Mr David Ofosu-Dortey, founder and managing partner of the multi-specialist business law firm, AB & David Law, affirms that success is inconclusive without hard work.
He explained on the weekly motivational talk show on Joy FM, the Springboard, that hard work was the key driver of success.
Mr Mr Ofosu-Dortey said: “People who are looking for success often get confused and focus on money, fame and power. Because people are not working for success, they often get side-tracked by other things, which destruct their objectives. So you need to be able to define your talent; that is the role God wants you to play,” he explained.
After founding AB & David Law in 1998, Mr Ofosu-Dortey and his partners have guided the organisation to grow beyond Ghana into one of Africa’s largest law firms.
It currently assists clients in 23 African countries through its branches, affiliates and network firms.
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Motivating people
He explained that the circumstances surrounding a person’s life mostly influenced his life direction and must, therefore, be considered when assessing success factors.
Mr Ofosu-Dortey made the remarks when he took his turn to share his views on what constituted the key critical factors that drives success in a person’s life.Last Sunday’s Springboard was the seventh edition of the series; ‘Critical Success Factors’.
The series is expected to inspire and motivate audience throughout the country to emulate and imbibe the successful life stories of people and use it to better their lives.
Critical success factors
Mr Ofosu-Dortey explained the need for people to be focused in their strive to be successful.
“For every idea that God gives you, He has probably given it to about 10 people. If you have any talent or idea, implement immediately. Therefore with me, any idea that comes to my mind, l immediately begin to put it into action without necessarily waiting to perfect it.”
“Start implementation and remain focused. Implementation creates small success and small successes and thereby creates the momentum,” he noted.
He also advised businesses in the country to focus on taking the lead in business transactions with their customers in order to avoid competitors wooing them away.
This requires individuals and businesses, in particular, to develop a strategy.
“But that individual needs to remember two key things about strategies; it must be context-specific and also take account of culture. The second implies that one may need to change the culture to help him or her survive,” he added.
For the business community, Mr Ofosu-Dortey explained that “the reason why most firms do not last beyond their founders is because the successor of the founder might not be interested in that profession or the firm and as a result.”
Develop a vision
People also need to create a vision for themselves while in difficult times, explaining that doing so in comfort could always be difficult to accomplish.
“Never have a vision before you get out of your box. You must have a vision of where you want to go but before you develop the vision, you must first get out of the box,” he said.
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The lawyer, however, discarded the notion that once an individual had attained a higher status in society, the rest of the world was below his or her feet.
That was because human beings were the most important partners, not technology, fame, self-aggrandisement or money.
Having core values is also crucial for a person because values drive everything a person does.
“My core value is trust. I must trust myself that I will not cut corners. Your staff must trust you”.
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Side-track
“On the path to success, there are side-tracks and diversions and I often see so many people getting diverted and side-tracked, which prevent them from achieving their objectives,” he noted.
Going forward, he advised the youth to stay focused on their objectives in life for a successful future.
He noted that the biggest hindrances to focus were challenges, money and ego.
“Set a benchmark and adjust it to trends, but there should be a benchmark or standard in everything you decide to do. Without that you are like everyone else,” he said.
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Mr Ofosu-Dortey indicated that it was important for an individual to develop a genuinely good image, product or service and market it to the public, saying “do good and let others know that it is good.”
Identifying his last critical success factor, the lawyer advised young entrepreneurs and businesses across the country to take advantage of opportunities, which he said, existed naturally everywhere.
Observation versus experience
Asked whether observation or experience was the best teacher, the AB & David Law founder opted for experience.
“I think it is more of experience than observation because I grew up and done the things I have done without necessarily having a mentor or mentors. So, I have to learn from people and even sometimes borrow ideas from others,” he said.
Critical success factors of David Ofosu-Dortey
1. Let love and talent decide your life’s choices; not money, fame, desire for power etc.
2. The Mathew effect (Mathew 25:29) start implementation and remain focused. Be grateful to God, colleagues. Implementation creates small success and small successes and thereby creates the momentum and the “Mathew”.
3. Have a strategy but remember two key things about strategy.
- It must be context specific.
- Must take account of culture. You may need to change the culture.
4. Never have a vision before you get out of your box. You must have a vision of where you want to go but before you develop the vision, you must first get out of the box.
5. Human beings are most important partners, not technology, fame, self—aggrandisement or money.
6. Have core values because values must drive everything you do. My core value is trust. I must trust myself that I will not cut corners. Your staff must trust you.
7. Have key areas of focus and stay on the focus. The biggest hindrances to focus are challenges, money and ego.
8. Set a benchmark and adjust it to trends but there should be a benchmark or standard in everything you decided to do. Without that, you are like everyone else.
9. Develop a genuinely good image, product or service and market it. Do good and letting others know that it is good.
10. Take advantage of opportunities-they are everywhere. Create opportunities.