GREY MATTER

AESTHETICS

EXPRESSIONS

SOLUTIONS

by Paul Shola Oguntade

...on brand image

TOPIC AREAS

EDUCATION

EMPLOYABILITY

TALENTS

ABETTER

PERSPECTIVE

CAREER

SELF DISCOVERY

Paul Shola Oguntade

I am an author, a Career and Talent Coach. I help people to

discover what they have, to grow, nurture and position it for

relevance and economic value.

I advocate two things; A right perspective and the need for the

expression of one's unique creative capacities.

I think, I speak, I write, I design, I earn...

One of my heart felt pursuit is that the education system will not

only equip for literacy. But will routinely develop the unique

capacities of all young people, and as well as essential human

competences (in terms of spirit, soul and body). To provide a basis on which they can each

build a life that is purposeful, fulfilling and is a contribution to their society.

I am employed at FOCUS a Human Capital Development organization committed to the

educational sector. I am also a trainer at FORTEQUIP a Talent Management and Career

Service organization…

Being more verbal and spatial in intelligence than being numerical, I am a writer (poetry

and prose majorly), a good analyst, an ardent researcher of knowledge (very inquisitive), a

contributor to both local and international fora, and I have an eye for art and beauty. I

maintain a blog at www.oguntadepaulshola.wordpress.com

GREY MATTER

AESTHETICS

EXPRESSIONS

SOLUTIONS

by Paul Shola Oguntade

1.

1. GREY MATTERGrey matter represents intelligence, deep thinking and thoroughness. Intelligence is the aggregate or global capacity of the individual to act purposefully, to think rationally and to deal with his environment ~David Wechsler. It is the factor behind the inventions and innovations the world has experienced so far; to not be on the thinking side is to fall on the irrelevant side of things.

Ponder on these; the pyramids of Egypt, medieval age architecture, the industry, the Silicon Valley, the fortune 500 companies, the world powers...Since the happening of time; the world has always been embossed and embellished with people, works and products full of thorough, creative and innovative thinking.

Think of GT-Bank, Microsoft, Apple, Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, Chinua Achebe, Olakunle Sorinyan, Leke Alder, Akpoveta Valentine 'Tejiri, Pablo Picasso, Michael Angelo, Steve Jobs, Cohbams Asuquo, Meyer Briggs, Socrates, Steven Covey, Malcolm Gladwell, Sir Ken Robinson, and Suli Breaks.

Mediocrity as well as foolishness has an expiry date. If it must stay long and travel wide, then it must be something deeper than the surface level.The 80/20 rule applies here also, only a few would go in this direction. However the truth is that no one is condemned to be on any side of the divide; where ever we find ourselves is where we have chosen to be.

It is wisdom to ensure that in building a personal brand, a product, or services, intelligence must be a characteristics and a key element. It could be applied in production, administration, marketing and sales, distribution, financing, advertising, and all other organic functions.

To achieve it; persons and organisations must first ensure that they are in their comfort zone, or what is termed as one's element. No entity can express its creative genius in a field that does not connect with their person and is not natural with them.

GREY MATTER

AESTHETICS

EXPRESSIONS

SOLUTIONS

by Paul Shola Oguntade

2.

2. EXPRESSIONAbraham Maslow; a musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What one can be, one must be

In this world, we only get recognized, accepted and celebrated for our difference. The same applies to organizations, brands, products and services. In the previous element (Grey Matter), I mentioned the need for finding your element; it is not an option if success is what we desire. Finding one's element is a necessary prerequisite.

I hold a view of the world as a jigsaw puzzle; where every piece is unique in shape, function, position and essence. To have a successful personal brand, product or service, the subject concerned must be true to his/her essence, be YOU- Your Originality and Uniqueness.

EE Cummings; “it takes courage to grow up and become who you really are” and “To be nobody but your self in a world doing its best day and night to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle any human can ever fight and never stop fighting”

The world needs you to EXPRESS ALL of your creative capacities; whether it is in the arts, technology, business, politics, fashion, medicine, or in ministry. What ever is your place, it is important that you give expression to your talents; it is what will get you rewarded in life.

In expression of your creative capacities, you must understand that there would be factors that would tend to hamper such efforts; some are personal, others are not. That is why we must come up with a better view and definition of failure and obstacles. Both are feedbacks in disguise instructing us about the faulty and the better strategy.Apply these things in building a personal brand, product or service, the flavour you can bring to the table is desperately required by the world.

GREY MATTER

AESTHETICS

EXPRESSIONS

SOLUTIONS

by Paul Shola Oguntade

3.

3. AESTHETICSAllow me explain some thing fantastic about nature and we humans. Creation has made us as beings who appreciate beauty, taste and colour. Take a good look at nature; it is filled with variety and colour. We humans have five sense organs that values aesthetics over blandness, even our sixth sense understands the beauty of the divine.

As an entity seeking to build a successful personal brand, product or service, one must accept that we are in a sensual world. The world is going right brain as of now; taste, colour and passion in this vein is also a key element to add to the game.

We live in a world where people judge the book by its cover; where people buy the biscuit wrap before thinking about the content; where people go for the physique and looks before considering the content of the person; a world where people buy the design and sleekness of a device before considering its functionality.

As faulty as this pattern may appear, it is what successful brands, products and services are employing as an element of success.

Have you been to any GT-Bank building before; have you seen a typical Google office; have you operated any device by Apple; have you been opportune to access products by Alder Consulting; do you watch Indani TV, ON TV, or Nat-Goe; have you seen designs by Oluwole Fanegan?

Adding some aesthetics to your personal brand products or services would go a long way in sending your work and enterprise to places you can't imagine.

Let your logo, complimentary cards, envelopes letter heads, website, blog, office building, product design, advertisement and such like portray a good deal of aesthetics.

The magic of aesthetics is that it lifts the soul of any one that engages a product characterised by it, it gives them an experience of spirituality that makes the soul flourish. And if this is achieved by you, who says you won't sell.

GREY MATTER

AESTHETICS

EXPRESSIONS

SOLUTIONS

by Paul Shola Oguntade

4.

· It must be beyond selfish motives

· It must be simple, accessible and easy to use4. SOLUTION

· It should be usable across cultures and bordersContribution is at the heart of solution, it is a credible need meeting a credible need.

Just like I said in the second element; “I hold a view of the word as a jigsaw puzzle, where every part is In the preceding pages we have addressed three elements which are Grey Matter, Expressions and unique in shape, function, position and essence”. Behind the veil of any product, service or organisations Aesthetics. These are essential and very important; however they do not pass the ultimate test on their are humans; they determine the solution these three provide. It is therefore imperative that they take to own without this fourth element. heart to provide solutions that are credible.

Lets be honest; the prostitute passed the test of aesthetics and expression in some way, the con artist Take a look at these ones;passed the test of grey matter in some way. However what kind of contribution are they making?

Bill Gates; making computers very personal, Leke Alder; creating brand solution for nations, Any endeavour that causes a disruption or imbalance to humanity or the environment directly or corporations and SMEs, Peju Alatise; speaking for women with the use of paint and brush, Akpoveta indirectly does not pass the test of solution. We have brands, products and also services that passed the Valentine Tejiri; bringing thought revolution to the table like no other. Mercy Damilola Oguntade; test of the first three elements, but fail a lot in this last one. creating fashion accessories characterized by sanity and elegance, Olusola Amusan; ever committed to

securing Africa, Oluwole Fanegan ; giving brands the expression they need using vector images, bitmaps In defining success, I believe we should also consider the impact of such achievement on humanity, the

and type faces. Aladesuyi Tolulope Helen; merging fashion with creating a future for the younger environment and the world, both in the short and long term. So as much as our endeavours must be

generations, Sam 'Neye; ever committed to raising a purpose conscious generation, Pastor Olabanji intellectually probing, original and beautified, it must also pass the test of positive and humane

Oladipo; churching the un-churched, and Last but not the least, Paul Shola Oguntade; ever advocating a contribution.

better perspective and the need to express one's creative capacities to building it for relevance.

So for solution, I believe it should have the following attributes;I'll like to meet you too;

· It must be humaneIn the parlance of Akpoveta Valentine 'Tejiri, I'll say to you; in that place of men and women whom the

world would be forever grateful for their existence, I do hope to see you.· It must be human and environmental friendly

· It must be for the advancement of the greater good