Six tips to do the inner work when you want to grow trust, and relationships, and get an “in”.
Inspired by Scilla Elsthworthy, the Novel prize nominee and her mentor, as well as a rich professional and educational journey, spanning from Health policy, international development and art, Dr Ekua Yankah, my new guest in the House of Trust, believes that your capacity to do the inner work will strengthen your outer work, your ability to connect the dots, to connect people, and contribute to a better world.
“Third Culture kid”
An Afro-German social scientist and activist, born to German-Ghanaian parents, Ekua has a PhD in Social Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (UK) and a Master’s in Public Health with a focus on Maternal and Child Health from the George Washington University School of Public Health (US).
With her wisdom acquired through travels and living experience in various parts of the world, Ekua calls herself a “Third Culture kid”.
As a polyglot with and a rich professional background at the intersection of various domains, health, arts, sexual education, international development policy, youth, among others, Ekua encourages us to do the inner work to develop the capacity to start and maintain relationships, build trust and get an “in”.
So how do we get started to build our inner trust, when everything looks like a big jumbled mess…?
Try Ekua’s 6 short tips to do so:
- Start with a little life audit of what you love. Look at what you can do, and maybe what’s missing. It doesn’t need to be good or bad. It’s just that it’s not there just now.
- Then look deeper and see how your skills, knowledge and abilities complement the part of you that is “not there yet”, see how these strengths help you build relationships that facilitate your contribution to the world
- “Be better at what you are doing very well already”… she adds.
- Actively search for opportunities to get out of your comfort zone
- Look across sectors. Remember that arts help you make sense of the big issues of the world. Ekua is interested in how arts approach the issue of capitalism, the issue of colonialism, and how it contributes to our aim to decolonize:
Some of the big thinkers today really come from the art world, and they use their work to really propel us forward in ways that you can’t just by writing texts or being involved in policymaking…
Ekua is currently collaborating with Anoghana on the production of “Ghana Freedom”, Ghana’s first pavilion at the Venice Biennale.
- A bit of yoga doesn’t hurt.
I loved listening to Ekua in this brief conscious innovation conversation in the House of Trust and discovering how she effectively embodies some of her values which are to nurture and elevate her connections, to make space for others in her speech, and to connect the dots…
She shows us how to persist, look beyond our bubbles, and pursue that collective sense of growth and fulfilment.
Listen to the short podcast here:
References
Brands on a Mission: How to Achieve Social Impact and Business Growth Through Purpose Myriam Sidibe
Anoghana – Ghana Freedom – Producing GHANA’S FIRST NATIONAL PAVILION AT VENICE BIENNALE
Scilla Elsthworthy’s The Mighty Heart Online Course can exponentially increase your effectiveness as a changemaker
The people I coach are mostly leaders who move or influence capital for social change. Through Conscious Innovation, they learn to refuel on inspiration, inner trust and drive. They learn to use their voice, their listening skills and empathy.
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