Erasmus Rwinkesha – Assessments – International Institute for Global Leadership

As a Man Thinketh
Assessment by Erasmus Rwinkesha (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The main idea the author is trying to convey is about how to use mind for thinking.
Mind is the part of a person that enables him/her to think and even feel emotions and being creative and innovative. It is in that regard that the author is reminding us to use our minds and not letting them be idle. There is a saying that an idle mind is devil’s workshop. We should use our minds to think and think rightly not wrongly.

A case in point is where I used my mind to think of applying for this course of leadership, someone who has not thought of applying for this and yet hard the capacity and means will never acquire that knowledge in as far as leadership is concerned. It is only good thought that drive world. If a person is sick and does not think of going for treatment in time at the right place, he/she can definitely die or get serious complications as a result of using his/her mind accordingly. The author indeed wants to mean that our thought tends to governor our lives, without thoughts, we can remain ragging behind, compared to the ones with good thoughts. Projects are born because of thoughts and later on they are implemented to bring production, for our prosperity. Therefore this book has good teachings to us and to them.

2. What were the seven ideas which were personally Most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use examples from your own life.

i. Most people do not control their patterns of thinking and are therefore controlled by endless assaults of fruitless thoughts and regret accompanied with wishing for more.

There is a saying that time wasted never gained. Most of the people think but the problem is that, they don’t think rightly. If I give a personal example, one time I had a thought concerning piggery farm. I remained with this idea until I planned to implement it .I looked for finance (money).I built a pigpen and was slightly expensive. When I finished that, of course I brought pigs which were also part of the project to start as it was thought .There was a need to look for a person to care for them in as far as feeding was concerned. According to my reflection afterwards, I did not think deeply on two major elements and these were not deeply on two major elements and these were:
Food for the pigs: These were very expensive and since I was not the one to care for them as I hard another job that couldn’t allow me, then the pigs started to starve.
The farm was far from me: This was also a major factor to consider. It was far from me and the shepherd could not tell me rightly the prevailing situation.
Therefore I regretted due to the fact that my project did not succeed as it was expected.

ii. The idea about “Knowing.”

That allows us to set bigger goals dream bigger dreams and feel good about ourselves when the goal is attained. A goal is something one is looking forward to achieve .It is like an ambition one has for his future. One cannot set bigger goals without having the information all knowing the area targeted. I set a goal to attain my masters degree in business administration .However, this planned after getting the information related to the course .If I had set it without knowing it. That is the value of it, the cost to finish it, the competitive result; I would not achieve my goal as expected. It is that perspective that one has to first get the information or knowing the area, exhaust the concerned project, business or job to mention but a few. This will allow he/she succeed.

iii. Every act of human springs from the hidden seed of thought, and could not appear without them.

This idea is very important to me as it teaches me that there can’t be any action which does not come as a result of though .At the beginning of this year of 2021.I talked to my elder brother who is a PHD holder, he had a thought of starting as school. He thought of commencing a nursery and primary school due to the fact that the homes surrounding his home had no enough schools for their children and there are a lot of different levels in as far as income is concerned. He wanted all levels to benefit because one couldn’t find that those families which have high incomes couldn’t be able to pay school fees in expensive school and even transport .The middle and low level incomes had also to be thought of paving a way for their children. He later on started the school as result of the idea delivered from that thought.

iv. The human is made or un made by him or herself.

This goes with use of his/his thought. When a thought is used badly, it bears bad fruits and if used in a good way, they will be able to give goal fruits.
A case in point is where we see youth taking drugs and opium, they become addicted to these and they don’t look for other means of development. If they can think of charging their bad actions, then think of making some income generating activities or look for jobs which can permit them to have proper survival.

v. Man’s mind may be compared to a garden.

He this idea given by the author is telling us to use our mind in a good way. He tries to explain in comparison with mind in a garden which is not well cultivated and allows useless seeds to grow like weeds. If a human mind is not usefully used. It will create problems instead of preventing them. If my mind is trained only to abuse people, beat them, one day they will defeat me and beat me serious to the extent of being hospitalized hence loosing time, money, and trust.
This will lead to decline lead to decline of my family’s well being

vi. A rich who is the victim of a painful and persistent diseases as the result of gluttony.
Gluttony means an excessive greedy eater.

There is a saying that too much of everything is always bad. When one is aware of the cause of something like a disease, he/she should stop it otherwise it can’t be a good thought if it continues with it.

vii. Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results.

Concerning the two above mentioned phrases we have very good examples here in our country Rwanda where the leaders of Rwanda before 1994 that bad thoughts which brought bad ideologies that later on led to Genocide that killed more than 1M of Tutsi people.
We also got other leaders after Genocide who reversed the situation and used their good thoughts to re-build our country. We had as if we started at zero and went on improving till today where there is a tremendous change in all sectors, economical, politically, and socially. To mention but a few.

3. How will these to ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so how?

All the above mentioned ideas and even the ones I have not mentioned will help during daily working conditions and even at home as a manager of my home or even in the society since am a leader in local level. They will help me to pay attention on my thoughts and for the other like my colleague where I can even advise them where necessary and possible. They will also help me to make rational decisions that cannot bring problems or make me regret due to negative results.
Not forgetting creating love among people be it at home, in the society and even at work. These items will be reminding us to avoid being selfish.

4. Quotes: Are there any statement which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“Man is Mind.”

This statement is important is important to me because it has made me think deeply to find the reason why man is mind and yet has many different parts that function differently.
I realized that mind is the one which contains thoughts and thoughts play a very important role in the life of a human being.

“Man is the make, Master, and Molder of character.”

Before reading this book, I didn’t know exactly that a character of a person can change from bad to good.

“However, a man is the Maker, Master and Molder and this means that a character can change and this is a very important idea I have gained from the author of this book.”

The statement telling us who is a foolish Master, wise Master and conscious Master.

“Foolish Master. The one characterized by weakness and degradation. The one with weak thought cannot help him or others. The wise master makes a reverse of the foolish master.”

This statement will be reminding me the categories of master and indeed help me to avoid being called a foolish master, but fight wholeheartedly to be a wise master.

“When a man earnestly applies himself to remedy the defects in his character, and makes swift and marked progress rapidly though a success of vicissitudes.”

This statement reminds me how I can change my characters that are not pleasant or good to the society. This can help me to fit in the community and even at work to mingle in joy and cooperation among the worker.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are un clear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and ,if so, how?

Nature helps every man to the gratification of the thoughts. I have not understood how nature is connected to the gratification of thought since there is somewhere else the author wrote that people are not taught how to think. I think nature of a person cannot change but people can be taught how to think and think in the right way.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises, and did you find them helpful?

No, this book does not contain exercises. Yes, question 6 concerning exercises .The author did not include exercises in his book to make the readers understand.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? if so, please comment.

None.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 9
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10

Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment by Erasmus Rwinkesha (Rwanda)

1. What is the main Idea that the author is trying to convey in book?

The author is trying to teach us that we should always aim higher and never be discouraged by other people. Jonathan Livingstone whom we are told in this book started flying but, he had a lot of discouragement even from his parents but, continue without fear.

2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you? List these seven idea followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.

i. The idea that the kind of thinking Jonathan Livingston, found, its main intention was not to make him popular with other birds.

Always if one makes new things or becomes creative and innovative, the popularity comes towards him/her running after him though it was not the aim of doing that. His intention was to know how to fly and this was not known by other birds.

ii. Jonathan Livingston”s parents were very much dismayed indeed.

His parents had a lot of pain and anxiety due to Jonathan Livingston’s act of flying many meters when for them wanted him to look for food only like other birds. Jonathan Livingston. Jonathan continued to do his practical work of flying since he knew what he was doing .An example is where many people can tell me to stop studying this new course of leadership that Iam using a lot of efforts, instead of using them in enjoying like drinking and eating with other men and women. I know I want to study it and when I complete it, can be very useful to me in as far as life is concerned in one way or another. Here I can keep deaf to them and later on they can realize the importance of studying such a course and start also looking for it asking me how to trace it.

iii. Jonathan Livingston was told by his parent that he should know that he is a bone and a feather.

He didn’t mind because he was interested in knowing what he can do in air and what he cannot manage to do. It is like when a person wants to do business and he /she first do fusibility study before starting. This ends with results that help in making decision.

iv. Jonathan Livingston seagull reached the point where he could not be careful enough on upstroke.

The wings started to be pulled up. He tried ten times to overcome that as he was passing seventy miles per hour. This point is very important to me because it is reminding me that I should never give up. I should stick on what I have thought and expect it to be useful to me. One should always try until succeed.

v. Jonathan Livingston seagulls

By the time he passed fifty miles per hour, he started rolling into his dive, beak straight down. He gained momentum and continued his work. There is a proverb which says that one should try and fail but never fail to try. Therefore Jonathan did not cease to try and as he tried. He could get strength instead. This teaches me to always try until I reach my expected.

vi. We can lift ourselves out of ignorance; we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence, intelligence and skills.

This teaching teaches that we people for example should fight our ignorance ,value the fact that we are very important creatures and on addition to that we should find ourselves and increase skills and use them. He also emphasized the element of freedom.

vii. The one who were against Jonathan Livingston that he should not go to fight.

They later on joined him and mistook the place with heaven and started to have a lot of smile. This reminds us that we should never discourage other people in case we have not made any proper analysis.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

I have learned a lot in this book and will help me in my future .This story teaches me to learn and understand, discover, and to be free .These three elements have a very great relationship in life. When one understands the situation or what need for development is for example and he is free, can discover. A case is Jonathan we are told in this book, he used his time though people including his parents were not supporting his idea, but later on other gulls which had refused his ideas followed him and even requested him to teach them how to fly. This book therefore will teach me how to stick on my decision so long as it is the rational one.

This book also teaches me how to fight boredom, fear and anger. When I fight these, will help me to work well with others and not only cooperating with others but also getting an opportunity to be creative and innovative at work and even in the society. Many people do not make such changes due to fear and not using their time accordingly. This book reminds me that there is no gain without pain. Jonathan worked very hard and with a lot of discouragement, advising him to look for food only and leave that business of flying. He did not get any fear but instead his efforts were increased and worked wholeheartedly.

Jonathan in his last words advised other gulls to embrace love among themselves. This is as well a lesson to me now and in the future. With love everything will be possible. Love makes people free and if I become a leader and I shall make that sure I manifest love among people I shall be leading. Jonathan in this book is seen practicing his kindness. This indeed teaches be to be always kind. This will help me a sense of control hence building a good home, village and my country at large. Kindness will also help me to a very good people to other people since a leader should be exemplary according to the qualities of a good leader. This is of course linked to the good performance of a person as here in our country Rwanda we work basing on performance contracts we given by the one responsible for that.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

This kind of thinking he had was not the way of making him popular to other gulls. It was not his intention. He was not interested in that above mentioned idea but he wanted practice for his own benefit.

“I am limited by my nature. If I were meant to learn so much about flying. I would have chats for brains, short wings, and live on mice instead of fish.”

This reminds people who are lazy and don’t want to do something or work, they look for various excuses and at the of the day fail to perfume for their betterment.

“As he sank low in the water, a strange hollow voice sounded within him.”

This is not common where one can hear a voice in himself.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are un clear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and ,if so, how?

The statement: He learned to sleep in the air. I don’t understand how one can learn to sleep in air. Sleeping is the act that comes involuntarily, it happens without ones attention. Therefore it does not need learning. It different from driving or flying where one can learn how to do it.

Another statement he made that surprised me is where he said, so this is heaven, he thought he had reached heaven and could smile at himself. Heaven according to bible is a holy place where one cannot feel any pain, hunger and angry and no thirsty. Is I therefore asked myself whether heaven is the same as the sky where he was flying or may wanted to use a metaphor!

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

This book does not contain exercises. This book could have covered that book of exercises as it is used in the area of academics.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I conclude my work thank you from the bottom my heart for having accepted my request and permitted me to do this very interesting and helpful course. I shall try by all means to use a lot of efforts and do whatever you will ask me do.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 10
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10

Keys to Success
Assessment by Erasmus Rwinkesha (Rwanda)

1. What is the main Idea that the author is trying to convey in this book?

The author is trying to convey the Idea of not limiting ourselves in as far as richness is concerned. He has shown us various ways or keys we can use to grow rich .Some of them are as follows:
The major one he continued to emphasis in this book as a foundation of success is that of developing definiteness of major purpose. Others are like to establish a mastermind of alliance, assemble an attractive personality, to use applied faith, Go the extra mile, create a personal initiative, Build positive mental attitude .All of these and others that are not mentioned, can open the doors of success so long as one uses them accordingly. Most of the people use some of these principles without knowing them, just because they see their friends and co-workers using them and succeed.

2. What were the seven Ideas which were personally Most important to you and why? List these ideas followed by explanation after each one as to why it was important to you? Use personal examples from your own life.

i. Develop definiteness of major purpose:

This idea has opened my mind to the extent of start asking myself some questions:
What is the major purpose of studying this course of leadership?
This because I previously knew that these courses of leadership are studied by those big officials or top managers (leaders) heading big Institutions, Politicians and many others in big posts. I made a reflection to myself and asked myself, what the major purpose is then if at all am not among these leaders of the above mentioned levels.
However, I came to realize that I also need this course and my major purpose is to acquire knowledge of which I can use in different aspects of my life. I can get a promotion, change a job or create myself, hence reaching success. This is accompanied by a proverb in this book which says; “if you would plant for days, plant flowers, if you would plant years, plant tree and if you would plant for eternity plant ideas.”

ii. Alertness to Opportunity: The story of Edward Bok written in this book reminds me an assistant to my mason who were working together on my house.

A month ago they were doing various activities on my house like making a siring, painting the house to mention but a few. That assistant was a hardworking young man. He works wholeheartedly, could work as if he was working on his own house. The mason also works very hard, but the difference was that he was very expensive. He charges a lot of money compared to the work. The assistant is a quick learner. One day, I wanted to give the Mason another work that was remaining and it was not a part of the work he had completed, he charged me a lot of money and yet the work was very easy.
Due to the fact that the assistant had been manifesting is attractive personality and self –discipline while at work and on addition to that, he was not all that expensive .I gave him the work instead and did the work as it was expected. If one can see the opportunities as quick as possible, then he can succeed if you marshal then efficiently and effectively.

iii. Select the members of your alliance

The author advises us not to select or choose people for alliance merely because you like or know them .There is a friend of mine who established a business that was dealing with constructive materials. The business started booming at first because his wife was doing it herself. They earned their profits, paid taxes accordingly and customer loyalty was among her considerations. The woman became sick and let the business to be managed by her young sister. Her sister did not bother to prepare her books of accounts as well as paying the required taxes like before. The taxes accumulated and later on the business became very complicated and then collapsed. This was due to the choice that was made basing on the family relationship and neglecting the major factors such as the ability to do the work, ability to do the work in harmony and other considerations that are very crucial for success.

iv. Flexibility

The author of this book wrote a statement saying that, being able to adapt yourself quickly to changing circumstances and emergencies without panic or loss of temper is a significant skill as you struggle to succeed. I am among the local leaders at a village level in charge of development. Our top leaders at the District level promised to work on our road(fund) it to make it tarmac .However, the rain continued to damage it meanwhile looking forward for the starting of our funders. It was in that perspective that we as a team of a leaders had an initiative to try by all means and mobilize funds from people to at least put on a gravelly lateritic material (Marram) as a prevention for further damages which would likely to extend to the houses of the people around due to heavy rain which brings floods. The alliance started to succeed almost to begin implementing the action derived from our much effort. Nonetheless, some few people started to bring negative attitudes, discouraging people. Different reactions started on what sup platform until we decided to stop for a while since it had brought a lot of disagreement .We developed flexibility by allowing numerous ideas that can drive us towards our major goal.
I liked the phrase the author of this book wrote saying, A Chameleon is still a chameleon regardless of whether it is brown or green. We remained to be firm although we permitted flexibility in our plans.

v. Positive attitude, the cornerstone of an attractive personality.

I Am sure I do more than an paid for with good heart A case in point is where am caught with a lot of work at the office and I work wholeheartedly to the extent of exceeding time. I don’t ask for extra money for that but instead I become very happy and being excited by the reasonable production derived from the work done. The writer of this book also reminds me the “Golden rule”. To treat other people precisely as you wish to treat yourself. Where one finger is pointing to others, the rest of the fingers are point to you. Instead of judging for others, I first examine myself and see whether am thriving to do the right things in the right time to the right place.

vi. Criticizing without Destroying Enthusiasm.

The story of Andrew Carnegies and his Secretary is an amazing story and has taught me a lot in as far as criticism is concerned. At first he was efficient, dependable, and had a pleasing personality. The approach Carnegie used changed his secretary from bad to good behaviors and him to succeed. I myself I believe in dynamism of a human being. Firing an employee is not a priority before approaching him/her for the mistakes, errors, and indiscipline. One should first ask him to change.

vii. Tolerance

It pays a lot because you may make an immediate decision and fire the employee when he could change and make wonders .A person can change and become a good employee hence reaching his/her success.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

These Ideas or lessons will help me in a practical way both in your life and helping me to create a better world as follows:

Develop definiteness of major purpose: Most of the times we move without knowing where we are going. This idea will help me to first understand and define the purpose of my journey towards achieving my goal. This will help me on my side and even to be able to help others be it in business and to different people working in various institutions, hence reaching success.

Alertness to opportunity: This has taught me to pay attention to every opportunity and make sure that I don’t lose it anyhow. It will indeed help me to encourage other people most especially the ones I work with, the community not to misuse the opportunities they come across and through this, the idea will extend worldwide. This will result into success of many people. The idea that tells us that the intangible power of thought is our wealth, has taught me a lesson of knowing that we should think deeply to be creative for our betterment. I shall be spreading the gospel of saying that thought of a human being is the major resource as the so called minerals and other natural resources can lead us to success when there are no good thoughts to use them for the benefits of people. The emphasis that will be invested in this will yield much harvest to me and many people in our country and beyond the borders

Selection of the members of the alliance. The institution which has poor performers caused by poor selection of employees cannot develop .This idea of good selection of members of alliance is very crucial to me .I will embrace the idea of good selection of alliance in whatever I shall be planning to do in my family, at work, and beyond that, hence helping for my success.

Flexibility: This lesson will help me to use flexibility disposition where I shall be able to harmonize any situation without panic or losing temper. Sometimes, the situation, environment, conditions change from negative to bad and people leave their responsibilities. This has therefore to always be flexible and adapt with any situation prevailing. This will not only help me and my family but also the people I work with or I shall be leading.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got attention? Or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

“The Six departments of mind over which self-discipline can be maintained.”
The author mentioned different departments such as the ego or the will power, the faculty of emotions, the faculty of conscience, and the faculty of Memory. I paid attention to this because I only knew the parts of brain uch as the Medulla Oblingota, the cerebrum, celebelum, frontal bones, parietal bones and the occipital. It was very interesting to know all the departments of mind and understanding their functions.

“Going the extra mile means that you strengthen your ability to do your job and to do it well. The author explained that carrying out your tasks in a state of mind focused on improving the best service possible in the best possible attitude reinforces your skills.”

This phrase or statement of extra mile helped me to get more understanding it since am always eager to make an extra mile at my work.

5. Is there anything in this book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

The Ideas which I disagree with are:
People who have money to give will expect to receive something in return. I disagree with this statement because I know that there are very many people who do work of charity without expecting something in return. May be if he was also including heaven which one acquires after death.

A person’s salary is determined by the sort of service he/she renders. I also disagree with this statement since some people determine salaries basing on sentiments, relationship and many others.

6 .Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the excises and did you find them helpful?

No exercises, I did not complete the exercise because the book does not contain them.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous question? if so, please comment.

This book did not include the part of exercises that would help us to get more understanding.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

PyschoCybernetics
Assessment by Rwinkesha Erasmus (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that he author is trying to convey in this book?

The main idea the author is trying to convey in this book is about the relationship between self-image and the success of a human being .Self- image means how a person perceives himself or herself. The author went on giving us examples like for example the person who had a very ugly face and looked for a surgeon to change his face due to the fact that she could always have inferiority complex whenever he could be with other people. After making that surgery there was no change. He remained the same because he could as well feel the scar. Self-image should instead give person self-confidence in his or her thoughts and actions or negative, making a person hesitate or doubt of their capacities and ideas.

2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by explanation after each one as to why it was important to you Use personal examples from your own life.

i. All your actions, feelings, behaviors, and even your abilities are always consistent with this image.

Self-image means how we see ourselves both internally and externally .This idea is very important to me since it reminds me the importance of the fact that these elements mentioned above such as actions, feelings, and behaviors and even abilities should always be accurately go hand in hand with the self-image. At certain level when I was still in primary school I knew that I could not score a lot of marks in mathematics because may be I failed to score highly in secondary school. Nonetheless, when I reached secondary school I decided to change that mentality and worked very hard thriving to pass it with flying colors .I was as if I wanted to remove that scar .I managed to pass it well after moving heaven and us .It is therefore very important to match all actions.feelings, behaviors and abilities with your or our own image.

ii. Self-image can change

Self–image in brief means how one perceives himself or herself .The author of this book gave us various examples, However, every person can find his own examples because this happens a day after a day in various aspects of life. I have already mentioned an example related to the change of self-image above where I could know that could manage to pass mathematics with good marks but after changing my self-image I made it .Perhaps people do not change their self-images due to the fact that they don’t have the ideas or the information on how they can change it. They instead continue to think that there is nothing the can do above it.

iii. Lecky theorized that if a student has trouble learning certain subject could be because (from the student’s point of view),it would be inconsistent for him to learn it.
He went further by saying that if the student whom he mentioned as an example could change his self-conception, which underlines this view point, his attitude towards the subject would change accordingly. This means that the change of-self-conception is proportional to the ability to pass his exams to the concentration on his studies. There is a very big relationship between those two ideas.

iv. A scar that brings happiness instead of a shame.

As this statement given by the author of this book indicates, a scar can bring happiness and this is followed by examples of an American guy called Nick Vujicic who was born without limbs (legs and arms).This man entertains thousands of people and give them pleasure and also becomes very happy regardless his big scar of not having legs and arms. This man can do various activities including swimming .He does not get any shame in his life.

v. A computer does not have a forebrain; it cannot pose problems, has no imagination and cannot set goals for itself.

Our brain and nervous system constitute a goal-thriving mechanism which operates automatically to achieve a certain goal. A computer which does not have all those important elements but still when it is used, it operates and functions well and helps to get production. What about a person or a human being who has a forebrain, can pose problems, has imagination and more so can se goals. He should change his negative self-image to positive self-image in order to set his goals and able to achieve them accordingly.

vi. If you really mean business, have an intense desire and have to begin to think intensely about all angels to the problems.

This is very good advice the author gives to the beginners of a new business. When one wants to start a business and wants it to prosper, he or she should consider the following:
The type of business, whether it is a sole proprietorship business or a parterneship, or a company. Whether it is a wholesale business or retail or a manufacturer.
He should also consider where the business is going to be located.
Should conduct those who are experienced in the same or related business, such that he can know how to go about the difficulties or challenges he may come a close
How and where to get capital to start with.
All these mentioned and many others not mentioned will help the business person to handled problems accordingly hence success to the business in place.

vii. The biggest secret of self-esteem is this: Begin to appreciate other people more, show respect for any human being merely because he is a child of God and therefore a thing of value .Stop and think when you are dealing with people.

As the author of this book said, this is the biggest secret of self-esteem.
Yesterday but on, it was on Sunday in the afternoon where we had a meeting on village level and am among the leaders on that mentioned level in charge of development. We had invited the whole population of adult people within the village to come for the meeting. In the middle of the meeting one of the speakers told one of the women who had attend by pointing to her to stand up and came close to him and started asking the attendants if they know he. They responded by saying that they know her and mentioned even her job. She is among the richest people in our village. The speaker said that it is known that mostly rich people do not attend general meetings because of raising themselves .I thank this woman who is exemplary by humbling herself. The whole congregation clapped for her. Therefore the biggest secret of self-esteem is to appreciate other people and give them respect and this will help you to get self –esteem.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way both in you daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so how?

The idea which says that all my actions, feelings, behaviors, and even my abilities should be always be consistent with this self-image. I shall make sure that they are always consistent with my self-image and this will help me not to limit myself since this will also bring self-confidence in during my actions and aspirations.

Self-image can be changed. Sometimes I argue with people telling them that I shall not get a lot of money in other words becoming very rich giving them the reason of age as a factor. That above 40yrs cannot give me an opportunity to reach that level of acquiring richness .I say that because of the comparison I make with the people of my age. After reading this book, I found that it possible if at all I change my self-image.

Scar that bring pride instead of shame. After reading this book I got this idea that a scar can bring pride instead of a shame. I always meet people with such problems .I shall make sure that I help them most especially at work through reminding them that self-image can change. All these seven ideas will help me to change my attitude and other people’s attitudes hence leading to good performance, good leadership, prospering businesses to mention but a few.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you?

“Many people are indecisive because they fear loss of self-esteem if they are proved wrong. This statement is very crucial to me because it has made me to reflect to my daily working conditions with my collogues where some employees delay to make decisions due to the fact that they fear to be wrong and thus losing self-esteem.”

“The goal of every human being should be become a self-fulfilled person. He say, its something your born with, but must achieve it.”

This statement teaches me that things we take to be impossible to us can be possible if one changes his/her attitude or self-image.

5. .Is there anything in this book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

Yes,if you cannot ignore the response delay it. It is well to get clearly in your mind the fact that our disturbed, feelings, our anger, hostility, fear, anxiety, insecurity are caused by our own responses. I understand how those are caused by our responses.

6. Did this book contain excises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

No exercises.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on what was not covered in the previous question? If so, please comment.

No further comment.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 7
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 7
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 7

Success through a Positive Mental Attitude
Assessment by Erasmus Rwinkesha (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in this book?

The main idea the author is trying to convey in this book is about the relationship between success and positive mental attitude. With positive mental attitude one can succeed whereas in negative mental attitude (NMA) pulls you even where you have reached. Positive mental attitude goes with amazing power which can attract wealth, success, happiness and health and concerning negative mental attitude, it repels them or in other words, pulls you from top where you have reached to downwards.

2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.

i. Don’t ever let me hear you say that it is God’s will that we are poor. We are not poor because of God.

This idea has reminded and taught me a lot.15 years ago, I remember a woman whom I know, she used to go to pray most of the times and had a lot of faith but which was if it was mixed with ignorance or may be exaggerations or pretence. I am saying this because her prayers could not positively manifested in her actions. She was actually not good. One day in the morning we were together in the sitting room and she told me that she wanted to pray for a very expensive car such that God will send it to her as a gift. I argued with her that she should pray but they should be accompanied with working .I further gave her an Idea of starting a business or look for any job that can be a source of an income to her hence reaching her desires as said above. No sooner had we almost concluded the conversation than her husband came and she asked him that similar question and the husband responded her like me. She was not conversant with our responses. She believed in miracles without working .She had faith without actions. This did not yield anything for till today. Sometimes people become poor due to negligence. Others try by all means but all in vain.

ii. Our attitudes shape our future:

This idea is very paramount to me due to my past situations. I remember one time when I had spent 2 weeks in bed suffering from malaria. They informed me to go to do an examination for a job which I had applied for in Rwanda Revenue Authority and then was shortlisted for a written exam. I felt I could not manage to reach there and do that exam since I had still have general malaise. Not until my elder brother kindly convinced with a lot of faith that I should try my best and go there because God answers even in difficulties, he said. He drove after accepting and managed to reach there safely. I did the exam and when the results came I was among the few people who successfully passed. Positive mental attitude leads to success if one embraces it .Up to today I still work with Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA).

iii. PMA can help to overcome your difficulties and to discover your strength.
At a village level, we have a committee of 5 people that are elected by people. I am among those 5 people in charge of development. Besides this committee that is put in place through electoral commission. We indeed put on another committee (ad hock committee) in charge of development and I am the chairman of it. However, we got the idea of making a renovation of our road in other words to make it better. People started to discourage me that we cannot manage it without government’s intervention is as far as its budget was concerned. We said we can. I started what sup group and started mobilizing funds from people residing in that village. They then manifested a tremendous participation beyond our expectations. Today we have covered more than 95% to complete that project. We have invested a lot of efforts in making mobilization of those funds and not withstanding those who are against it. With positive mental attitude one can succeed even in hardships and difficulties.

iv. Tools used by a genius like Thomas Edison were a pencil and a pen.

This is very important to me because as I get an idea and write, will help me to crystallize my thinking and then it becomes an obsession .It remains in my brain until I look for the means of implementing it. If I don’t write it there are a lot of possibilities to forget the idea hence loosing it.

v. When you invest, seek expert advice on safe investments and thus you won’t gamble and lose your principle.

This is very important idea. I know different people who make investments but because they have not consulted experts on issues like how to make financial statements, marketing their products, customer care to mention but a few, and end in loss and later on the business collapses.

vi. Share what is good and desirable and withhold that is bad and undesirable.

The more you share, the more you will have. I found this as a pleasing Idea to me. When I was still in ordinary level, they used to teach us three important words that go together and of course they encouraged us to practice them. Receiving-giving-sharing. We indeed know that when you share what you have with others in a good way, you receive blessing from God and give happiness to others as well to yourself. I cannot the statement in this book which says, one of the surest way to find happiness for yourself is to devote your energies towards making someone else happy.

vii. Formula for getting rid of guilt.
The steps which the author indicated are so much helpful to me and even to others who are interested in getting rid of their guilt .He mentioned them as follows:

Listen as you hear advice, a lecture, an inspirational sermon that could change your life.Then you count your blessings and thank God for them.
Feel sincerely sorry and ask for forgiveness.
And truly repent.
Then you will have the courage to ask for forgiveness from GOD.
Apply the golden rule.
I found this formula very important to me in my daily life be at work or in society.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, why?

These ideas will help me in a practical way both in my daily personal life and to create a better world. For example, this formula of getting rid of guilt will be helping me in case I become guilt of something and get rid of it. This will indeed help me to mingle with other people like at work or in a society hence leading to better achievements. The ideas that remind us to share what is good and desirable and withhold that is bad and undesirable will also help me during my daily working conditions to avoid conflicts among workmates.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why were important to you.

“Anything in life is worth working for. This statement is very important to me because it reminds me where St.Paul also said that he who does not work should not eat.”

This statement discourages laziness.

“That which you share with others will multiply and that which you withhold will diminish.”

The bible also tells us to use money to get friends.

“You maintain your mental and spiritual vigor by absorbing mental and spiritual vitamins from inspirational and religious books.”

This statement is very important to me because it gives me a very good reference where I should get mental and spiritual vitamins.

“If the man is right, his world will be right.”

There are very many people in the society, institutions, countries who create or cause problems. If these people change the world can be better than it is today. If we can reflect to the history of Adolf Hitler’s past actions that resulted into a world war which left the world with un-countable problems the way we can wholeheartedly fight for a good change.

5. Is there anything in this book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

“We are poor not because of God.” This sentence is not very clear because nothing happens that God doesn’t know. God is supernatural. He can change everything from bad to good. When the Israelites were in the desert, they cried a lot and started to abuse Moses regretting why they didn’t leave them in Egypt and instead they caused that resentment to them. This was due to a lot of famine and hunger they were experiencing while in desert. God gave them a very positive response through Moses by giving them breads and meat from heaven.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

Yes, I completed all of them. The exercises are so much helpful because they help the reader so much for the understanding of the content of the book and how to use it in our daily responsibilities.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

No, the book gives enough knowledge that is required by the reader according to me who has read it. It was much helpful.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1–10. Ten is good and one is poor.

How to Win Friends and Influence People
Assessment by Erasmus Rwinkesha (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The idea the author is trying to convey is about how to win friends and influence people of different categories .This idea is very important most especially to leaders and to the people who manage their families .The leader who has an influence to the subordinates or to the society can speak to them and pay attention to him/her hence success in as far as his plans are concerned.

2. What are the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by explanation after each one as to why it was important to you.

i. It is frequently easier to find to find fault than to find praise.

This is very true that people always magnify faults or mistakes other people have done but forget to praise them for the good things they do. Last year when I was at work my workmate made a very small error and our immediate boss started to criticize him upon that small error. I kindly told my boss that if one has a lot of work, it is very possible to make an error and if you count all the things he does well and you compare, then you would not give much value this small error he or she has made. According to the author of this book, it is not good to criticize an employee before people.

ii. It is more natural to talk about what you want than to talk about the other person wants.

This is very crucial in as far as leadership is concerned. A leader should give an opportunity to the subordinates to raise or give their ideas. Being a leader does not mean you are the only adroit person among others, but, it only due to the fact that you got a chance to be a leader and if you have both it your great advantage that you should not refrain yourself from not having good conditions with other employees or the society.
Leaders should always look for the thrilling factors to make their employees or the society good working condition or environment. Should not infuriate your subordinates as this can affect performance expected.

iii. B.F Skinner, the world famous psychologist, proved through his experiments that animals rewarded for good behavior will learn much more rapidly and retain what it learns far more effectively than an animal punished for bad behavior.

Later studies have shown that the same applies to human. Some people for example leaders rash by giving punishments like firing the employees. This results into different bad effects such as delay of work since they first look for the replacemt by recruiting other new employees or workers. The employees should know that it is possible for people to change from bad to good as the experiences show that and should indeed not forget to give rewards where it is found necessary. The leader should not wait for the mistakes to enjoy giving punishments.

iv. The desire for a feeling of importance is one of the chief distinguishing differences between mankind and the animals.

Many people do not know how important they are but they should thrive to that and value it. God himself created man in his image to distinguish him/her from other creatures such as animals and other living things and non living things. People should therefore respect each other because of their importance they have. Self importance is one of the phrases the author of this book went on emphasizing that can help to win friends and influence people. Most of the people lack this and instead start to undervalue themselves. This hinders them from making progress expected.

v. The greatest assert I posses and the way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement.

This is very important to a big number of people .A case in point is where in my institution that I work with, when we hit the target, our Commissioner General writes to us a message of encouragement thanking us for the efforts invested to make the target achieved. Where one does not communicate giving that encouragement and appreciation some of employees cannot be motivated. It is in that regard that leaders /managers should always remember to deliver words of encouragements to the employees for their betterment.

vi. So, the only way with earth to influence other people is to talk about what they want and show how to get it.

This is commonly used by politicians where they know for example that people within the society are in need of water, roads or electricity (infrastructure) and they start campaigning telling them that they will provide them. What abit pains people is when they don’t fulfill what they promised the people who gave them their votes. Otherwise if they can do what they promised would be very great ideal that can encourage them to always have thirsty to give their votes.

vii. Show respect for the other person’s Opinions.

Never say, you are wrong. I used to follow different talks and conversations and even meetings. Some of able leaders in our country when they are asked questions or given ideas even when they are asked wrong question and poor ideas, they don’t criticize them negatively of give them direct attack. They tell them that their ideas cannot help them. However, they answer them indirect to make ends meet. If one tells them directly, this can discourage others and no more ideas or questions can give hence affecting the progress.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world?

All these ideas I have chosen among very many ideas the author wrote in this book, will help me to create a better world in that, they will help me to be a good leader. If I become a good leader who respects all the above mentioned ideas teaching me good leadership, I shall succeed, hence developing the Institution, the Country and extending it in different institutions through the people who will have imitated me and spreading good leadership worldwide.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.”

This principle is only done by very few people. People stick on their mistakes when they are leaders.
I know it wouldn’t do any good to argue.
I think there are some arguments which bring good things depending on who are arguing and what they are arguing about and how they manage the arguments.
If you want enemies, excel your friends, but if you want friends, let your friends excel you. I haven’t got this sentence clearly. It is as if it has contradiction.

5. Is there anything in this book that you do not understand or are un clear about, or are there ideas which you disagree and if so, why?

I know it wouldn’t do any good to argue. Only those generals who gain success can set up as dictators. Dictators cannot be found in generals only but also in other categories of people.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

Yes, the book contains exercises for the leaders at the end of the book and I found them very useful to me since they helped me to examine myself.

7. Was there anything you read in this book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous question? If so, please comment.

Yes, although the author of this book did a lot of work, but, it would be more beautiful and most attractive if he would have used chapters like the previous book I finished reading.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Awaken the Giant Within
Assessment by Erasmus Rwinkesha (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in this book?

The author of this book is trying to convey the idea that many people have gifts but they don’t use them due to the fact that they are in the envelope. He is indeed trying to remind us to uncover our talents, gifts and use them for our development. To use unlimited power that lies sleeping within us all.

2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.

i. I have come to believe that all my past failures and frustrations were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy.

My reflection to my past history is related to this idea.
I remember I became an orphan when I was very young and my education started to decline compared to how it was before. I continue to force it though difficult it was until I reached secondary school and later on at the university. I experienced a lot of failures, difficulties and frustrations but I never lose hope. I continued think deeply and worked very hard to reach where am today. Am a man with a stable and reasonable family.

ii. When we focus consistently on the improvement in any area we develop unique distinctions on how to make that area better.

This idea is very important to me in that it tells the truth. Some people start a business and fail due to different factors like little capital, bad products, poor service delivery, to mention but a few. Instead of looking for the improvement, they stop the business and lose their jobs. A small number of people who focus consistently on the improvement in the area of business or other areas succeed.

iii. We have all been created unique, but with equal opportunities for experiencing life to the fullest.

However, every person was given freedom to make decision. One may spend much time in bar drinking ,while others choose to spend their time in business or in any other activities or work that generate income to them and their families.

iv. I have learned that the resources we need to turn our dreams into reality are within us, mealy waiting for the day when we decide to wake up and claim our birthright.

This idea is vital to me because it reminds me how resources are within us and always read for us to turn them into production. There was a teacher at the university who used to teach us and could tell us that resources are there but we don’t know how to marshal them. This is so much related to what the author of this book wrote about.

v. Changing an organization, a company, a country or a world begins with the simple step of changing yourself.

This reminds me that one gives what he owns or what he or she has, cannot give what you don’t possess. Therefore in order to change your company, a country, but you should first change yourself.

vi. I attracted the woman of my dreams, married her, and created the family I desired.

This idea is exactly like what happened to me, I had a dream of marrying a woman whom I desired and this helped to create a good family.

vii. You must know that you can make a new decision right now that will immediately change your life.

There are many decisions I made and changed my life. There are others I don’t make and yet they are within me but because of fearing risk, I don’t make them.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, why?

These ideas above are very important to me are very useful to me when I want to make a decision. These ideas have taught me how I should uncover the resources, ideas I have that can help me change my life. I have got different examples the author has wrote in this that can open my mind to help me create a better world. If I become consistent on something very important, it became successful to me and then to other people.
It has told me not to delay to make a decision. The more you delay because of fear, the more you lose chances to change yourself. It is therefore very important to stick on an idea that seem to be useful and not necessary to keep postponing at it was seen in the last books also that procrastination is not good since it hinders your success.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that made that particularly got your attention? Please quote them and comment as to why they were very important to you.

“You must know that you can make a new decision right now that will immediately change your life. This has reminded me the reality be it on me or to other people who do give their experiences.”

“Even before you turn the page, you can make use of the power that already resides within you. Most of the people do not think about the power they have in themselves.”
I have been impressed with the ultimate formula: “Success as follows: Decide what you want. Take action. Notice what’s working to go. Change your approach until you achieve what you want.”

This formula can help me to awaken that giant within me and to the others of who can come a close to this interesting formula.

5. Is there anything in this book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and If so, why?

The author made the clear and therefore I have understood them to a very big percentage.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

This book has no exercises to complete though it is an interesting book.

7. Was there anything you read in this book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

They were covered but if the author could indicate the chapters and questions to complete, would be more interesting to the reader.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Creating Your Path Through Leadership
Assessment by Erasmus Rwinkesha (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in this book?

This book is different then previous one I have covered, it was written by different authors with different ideas. One of the writers of this book is Michael Lightweaver, the founder of IIGL. He wanted to show us how one can determine his/her incredible creative powers for his future. He indeed reminds us that every challenge carries a gift. Deborah Rosen also manifested her course of journey within IIGL until she became the director of IIGL program and the evolution of IIGL. She never hesitates to write about how she is grateful for what she learns from IIGL students and graduates on a daily basis. It is really amazing. All these authors gave us their testimonies that will help us we students of IIGL to fulfill our desires, dreams and aspirations.

2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one to why it was important to you?

i. Every challenge carries a gift.

This idea is derived from what Michael Lightweaver the founder of IIGL wrote in this book. This idea is vital to me because it uncovers the truth that is in the challenge we always get in our lives. I connect this to the challenges one of my family members got recently where he was given letters of unpaid leave one following another for three month at work .This was done against the law. However, this guy started analyzing the law and looking forward for getting a help from the responsible leaders to protect his human rights.

ii. Through IIGL I realized that leadership is about taking responsibility.

Responsibility is the state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or having control over someone. This idea given by an author called Felix Iziomoh from Nigeria and a graduate of IIGL is very important to me because it reminds me that a leader should be responsible in many aspects such as in decision making, positive mental attitude towards the challenges.

iii. Discovering your leadership potential is a journey, not a onetime discovery.

This is true because there some people who have the gift/potential but don’t have where exercise them, hence not known. If these people get the opportunities as time goes on, then start to unveil them step by step.

iv. Every great leader I know has been mentored by another great leader.

This idea written by Noeline Kirabo from Uganda and an IIGL graduate is very important to me. Not only in institutions where mentors help to deliver great leaders but also in families we see great families produce good families who manage their families greatly.

v. People follow leaders, not because of their eloquence or renditions, but because of their quality of character.

This is another good idea from Ethelbert Obinna Umeh from Nigeria that impressed me. Leaders who are eloquence without quality character are like ideas that are never implemented even if they may be good ideas.

vi. I have discovered that temporary failure contains the seeds of success.

This is the idea written by Charles Kabera from Rwanda and graduate from IIGL. Very many people who succeeded in their lives one got failure in their lives before. This needs people who are not easily frustrated, who build in themselves positive mental attitude and where possible can consult other people who succeeded. There are some people who start their business/projects and not succeed not continue. Very few continue trying others due to becoming frustrated and decide to abandon it instead. At the end of the day, find that those who continued trying reach the level of benefiting from their businesses.

vii. Your mind should constantly exposed to materials that grow the mind and not depreciate it.

This is the idea from Lawrence Afere from Nigeria and an IIGL graduate.
Here I have an example of these materials that can grow the mind and not depreciate .The books we read from IIGL, they build our minds and sharpen them, help us to think positively and not negatively.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily persona life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, why?

I am very happy to have got this great opportunity to access these ideas from the IIGL writers. There are a lot of rich testimonies which open my mind to think big since am also among IIGL students. These lessons therefore will help me to work hard, visionary, and with positive mental attitude that will enable me to use my acquired skills to do my work accordingly and later on start my projects for my own development, the family, the community, the country and the world at large.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? Please quote them and comment as to why they were very important to you?

“It doesn’t matter where in life you may currently be, but where you want to be in future.” By Erick Omari from (Kenya).
This is very important to me because, it reminds me not to use our time reflecting to our past bad situations but instead maximally use our time to plan for the future to make it colorful.

“Don’t try to compare yourself too much to others.”

Most of the people make comparisons to others and these bring limitations/boundaries to their success. One day I talked to someone, he was a man and he told me that if I want to compare myself with someone for example the one I studied with at jobs, the University, I should compared myself with those who failed to develop, didn’t get jobs, otherwise if I compare myself with those who currently better than me, this may affect me negatively and start to embrace negative attitude instead of positive attitude, hence not good to me.

“A creative leader is always a head of his team members in thought and imagination.”

This is true because if he is not like that, he cannot be a creative leader. He should always think a very good thought and imagination.

5. Is there anything in this book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

The smile can solve the problem, silence can avoid them. These are people who are not interested in your smiles. Silence also cannot solve a problem, may be if a person is abusing you and keep silence, he at a certain point leaves you and go.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

This book does not contain exercises for the reader to practice.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

Not Applicable.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Maximum Achievement
Assessment by Rwinkesha Erasmus (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in this book?

I have never read such a very good book like this before. The author of this book almost summarizes all the books I read for this level one. It has really astonished me. Nonetheless, the author is trying to convey the idea that health, happiness, success, and peace of mind all share the same principle and require people to do things in the right way and in the right time in order to get the desired results.

2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you?

This book is very good as I have pre-mention and therefore it is not easy to choose the important ideas since they are many that are very crucial to me. However, I have tried to choose seven important ones among others and they are as follows:

i. It is a complete and comprehensive approach to the business of living well, of living a life characterized by happiness, harmony, health and true prosperity.

The author of this book opened the doors of excitement .This above mentioned idea impressed me so much that I attract the person who is characterized by those qualities to be ready to true person of whom I admire .Indeed the author continue to direct us how we should get them. We must first become absolutely clear about what we want if we are seriously about unlocking the extraordinary powers that lie within us.

ii. All great achievement begins with your deciding what it is you really want and then dedicating yourself wholeheartedly to attaining it.

This idea has helped me to reflect to my past experiences. One of the experiences that is related to this idea is that one where I decided to do my private examinations for senior six. During this time, I managed to seek for advices from few people close to me, but some of them didn’t support me telling me that I cannot manage, I can’t pass exams. Only one relative supported me and told me that with God everything is possible. That I should trust God since he is powerful and merciful. I resisted to my idea and started to say, am responsible, am responsible although I had not read or known this interesting book called the maximum achievement.

iii. The furniture and fixtures can be replaced, the products, services and customers will change, but if you have the right people, the company will continue to prosper.

This idea is also very important to me since it tells me the truth of what happens and I know some of the examples where businesses reach the level of collapsing and then people who friendly to the owner of the business organize themselves and support him/her to continue operating.

iv. The idea which says that incredible brain can take me from rags to riches, from loneliness to popularity, from sickness to radiant health, and depression to happiness and joy.
This is a very important idea to me because I relate it to different laws the author manifested in this book that can help me to get this incredible brain. Some of them are the laws of substitution where by the brain cannot accommodate both negative and positive thought and therefore there should be a substitution for a positive thought to replace a negative one. This law can help to almost all the above mentioned problems and where need, one can use the law of concentration and the law of attraction.

v. Your beliefs about yourself, especially yourself.

Limiting beliefs and doubts, are not based on facts at all. Negative ideas about yourself and your abilities are usually based on false information and impressions you have taken and accepted. Eleven years ago, I had applied for a job in an institution of which I currently work with. During the time of written examination I had finished two weeks seriously sick with Malaria. They informed me that I should go to do my exam for that job. I felt that I could not make it and therefore no need to waste my time going there. My elder brother intervened in that deal and approached me wholeheartedly to go and do that exam. I listened to him .He actually used a simple reflecting. He gave me a lift in his car up to a bus park where I managed to the one to go with to reach the final destination for the examination. I did it though I was still very weak slightly to recover. Amazingly, after sometime when the exams were out, a friend of mine whom we had studied together at the university called me on my phone and informed me that I passed the exam. Unfortunately for him he did not pass the exam. According to the author of this book, as soon as one begins to reject the self-limiting ideas, they begin to lose their powers over him/her .By deliberately changing my concept, my true potential became un limited.

vi. Couples and families with positive self-concepts are happy and enthusiastic about each other about being together.

This idea is very important to me because it has made me to reflect to my family and analyzed it and found that it has positive self-concept. This is very paramount to me and it encourages me to continue with the same momentum to embrace positive self-concept even beyond that current level.

vii. The reason the self-concept of most people does not change appreciably overtime is that they continue to think about the same things in the same way day after day, year after year.

This is true and very important .A good numbers of people not only in our country but also in other neighboring countries are agriculturists and most especially practice subsistence farming where it is just from garden to mouth .Some do that for many years without trying other aspects as if is due to inheritance. From the grandfather, to the son and then to children (off springs).The don’t think out of box and substitute that thought.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, why?

The ideas will help me to get a tremendous change and this change of attitudes, attributions, thoughts will indeed bring me peace of mind, happiness and success. All of these mentioned above can help me to unlock my mental powers hence achieving my goals.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? Please quote them and comment as to why they were very important to you?

“If a hen, with a brain the size of a pea, can discipline itself to sit on an egg for twenty one days without seeing any change at all, then it is probably not too much to ask you to persevere patiently for the same period of time before expecting to see any change.”

The author is surprised of how people have the brain powers fail to change them but, instead we don’t persevere .If a hen can have that discipline why not us as human beings who have the powers to command the conscious mind which also does the work of identification, comparison, analysis, and makes decision. This information is sent to the subconscious mind where the information is stored and retrieved ready to be transferred to the super conscious mind to be worked on. We are supposed to make remarkable changes most especially from negative attitude to positive attitude or from negative emotions to positive emotions.

“Your subconscious mind is enormously powerful. When you use it properly, it can help you to move more rapidly toward the achievement of your subconscious mind for creation or destruction, for good or evil.”

This statement has taught me to know that I have the power to use my subconscious mind for good or destruction. Here I can as well use the power of control and the law of substitution activity which states that any idea or thought you accept as true in your conscious mind will be accepted without question by your subconscious mind.

“The more you think of yourself and your life as uniquely blessed and important, the more you attract to yourself the ideas, opportunities and people that make your dreams come true.”

This is important to me since it tells me how to attract myself as well as the ideas, opportunities and people and all of these can be useful to me.

5. Is there anything in this book that you do not understand or are not clear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

One statement says: You are where you are and what you are because you have decided to be true. I don’t find this one to be true because they are sometimes when people fight for something but all in vain. The don’t achieve it or attain it.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

Yes, it contains some work to practice.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

None.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Goal Mapping
Assessment by Rwinkesha Erasmus (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The main idea that the author is trying to convey is about how to make goal mapping that will help an individual achieving it and be successful.

2. What are the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.

i. Whatever form of success you dream of, goal mapping can help you to achieve it.

I have been showing how I do achieve my goals in different aspects of my life in the previous assessments I completed for various books of different authors. However, I currently use goal mapping to achieve my goal of constructive project of my personal residential house .I am lucky to be doing it while having an idea of goal mapping from this book of Felix Iziomoh as well as that one of maximum achievement by Brian Tracy helped me so much. It is really very fascinating my life.

ii. Everything begins in the mind. This idea is very important to me.

It has indeed made me to reflect to the previous book of Brian Tracy, the maximum achievement where he talked about how to replace negative thoughts by positive thought using the law of substitution. This has made very tremendous changes in as far as my attitude is concerned. I have very many experiences of goals I started and achieved them and definitely I shall be achieving more and more since Iam acquiring a lot of knowledge from this course of global leadership.

iii. For me, there are particular goals that are important depending on how I placed my goals, and there are some goals that when achieved they automatically help you towards achieving the others.

This is true and very important. An example is the goal of getting my bachelors degree helped me achieving the goal of getting a job which changed my life and still going on helping me to solve different problems.

iv. Our priorities are the areas of our lives that are meaningful land very important t to us.

These priorities are usually activities, practices, careers, health, or relationship, that we will like to real effort and time into. This is very important idea because there at times when one has different activities of which cannot do them simultaneously. For this matter one should start with priorities be it a company, and an individual.

v. There are many ways to activate your right-brain and most of them involve some form of relaxation and change in breathing.

It is very important because I didn’t know whether this relaxation helps to activate the right –brain. I shall be relaxing while activating my right –brain for proper function.

vi. The left side

The Left side thinks in words while the right-brain thinks in pictures, and it is important to use both to powerful command our subconscious mind. It is good to know this idea since one helps another. It is like when one studies theory and put into practical form becomes more important than using one aspect only. The pictures start to attract hence using the law of attraction for success.

vii. If you are creating a specific business, academic, team or project goal mapping, then on the major benefits of achieving the goals.

The idea is also very important in that it gives me an idea of a specific business, or project with major business to achieve. It is better to consider they are beneficial to me and to others. Some people start their business without putting into considerations the benefits that will be derived from those particular business or project.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a particular way both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

These ideas or lessons help me practically in my daily life. According to the author of this book, Goal mapping is the interaction between people, the knowledge and determination to be successful. As a human being, I am desired to be successful. I need therefore this goal mapping to help me establishing goals and directing me or guiding me on how I can achieve them, hence reaching my success.
The author has an experience in teaching other people. I can also use this opportunity of teaching other people how to make goal making. This cannot only help me only but also helping various individuals or companies for their success. The author has an experience in teaching other people. I can also use this opportunity to teach other people how to make goal mapping. This cannot help me only but also helping various individuals or companies for their success.

4. Quotes: Are there any statement which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“My goal is to help you achieve yours.”

This is a very strong and amazing statement. If all of us could manage to think in this perspective, it would be very developmental to a good number of people.

“Your dream won’t just happen.”
You need to sit down, on a regular basis, and plan out your strategy for achieving the dream. This statement has reminded me what to do about my dreams that I should always plan for them. Very few people take time to plan for their dreams.

5. Is there anything in this book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree and if so, why?

On goal mapping where the right-brain map using pictures. He explains by using pictures and this brought me to the question of asking myself whether when making goal mapping, needs to draw pictures using a pencil or a pen? Or maybe he meant the images in the minds of the one owning the idea.

6. Did this book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

Yes, the book contains excises for the leaders at the end of the book and I found them very useful to me since they helped me to examine myself.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

No, this author did a lot of work what is to give a lot of concentration and digest them.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10.Ten is good and one is poor.

Goals
Assessment by Erasmus Rwinkesha (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in this book?

The main idea that the author is trying to convey is the relationship between the goal establishment and the success of a person. Experiences have shown that many people who do not make goals don’t reach their success accordingly. His idea is indeed teaching us to always put our goals on a paper whenever we want to achieve them. In other words he is teaching us the importance of setting goals.

i. Your time and your life are precious.

What I realized is that most of the people have ideas or plans but do not make goals (setting goals).Due to the fact that the ideas are not written on a paper or somewhere else, they tend to forget those very important ideas and don’t put on timeline to trigger the super conscious. I heard an interesting speech of one of the prominent important leader who was addressing people in a meeting and reached the point where he asked some of the other leaders among ones representing some institutions that were almost the same in as far as their responsibilities were concerned why they did not start a certain factory and yet very good needed raw materials are available in both good quality and quantity. He wanted that factory which will be producing final products needed on the prevailing market. They responded by saying that they were going to work very hard on that important idea. Nonetheless, it was not the first time to be told that. The problem is that they didn’t set their goals and able to put on timeline. Goal setting is very crucial for our successes .One can decide to put it on daily basis, weekly, Monthly or annually to mention but a few.

ii. Whatever you have accomplished up until now is only a small fraction of what is truly possible for you.

The author of this book likes to say that most of the times you become what you think. We do create our own limitations; we start to use age as a limitation. You start to say that what you didn’t achieve before the age of 50 years cannot be achieved today when you are old. Others say, they cannot succeed in getting a job, unless they have somebody to push them or support them.
They forget to say that there is no need to make savings since they won’t live on earth up to 100yrs.All the above mentioned limitations and many others tend to interfere with our success.

iii. The ultimate purpose of all human action is the achievement of personal happiness(by Aristole)
I remember one of the writers from Italy who differentiated between happiness and pleasure. He differentiated them in terms of period by saying that pleasure last for a short period of time while happiness lasts for a long period of time. According to Bible, the believers who are not sinful will acquire even the eternal happiness in other words, the everlasting happiness. Everything we do including praying are to reach our ultimate happiness.

iv. It is only when you free yourself from negative emotions, by taking complete responsibility that you can begin to set and achieve goals in every area of your life.

As the author continues to say, we should always use the law of substitution to substitute negative emotions with positive emotions. With negative emotions one continues to have fear of failure that cannot help him to reach his/her success. It is therefore very important to have complete responsibility.

v. It is up to you to determine the talents, skills, abilities, and competencies you need to earn the
kind of money you want to earn in the month and years. This idea is very important to me and it can as well be vital to other people since it reminds us to discover our talents, skills and abilities to enable us to earn the kind of money we want. Very many have talents in them but they fear to try and practices thus not succeeding .They have fear yet they have them.

vi. Leaders have vision, none leaders do not.

The leadership of our country Rwanda put on a vision immediately after genocide of 1994 against Tutsi. It was named Vision 2020.This vision helped so much although it did not reach the expectations 100%,but it changed a lot compared to where the country started from during that time. It was almost at 0% in as far as its economic growth was concerned. I totally agree with the statement that leaders have vision,non leaders do not.

vii. Napoleon Hill said, whatever the mind of a man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.
I am trying to provide this myself.

The problem is that I sometimes conceive something but don’t strongly believe in it positively. I doubt. This may affect me as Napoleon Hill tells us. This idea therefore reminds me how I shall be handling my dreams, thoughts and plans in order to be successful.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world?

These ideas and lessons will help me practically in my daily personal life and help me to create a better world. They will help me in my plans at work, at home and even beyond that. They are full of pieces of advice on how I should handle myself towards my success .They teach me to avoid fear and not to be desperate. All of these will help me to think deep and dream big and able to achieve my goals and avoid setbacks.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? Please quote them and comment as to why they were very important?

“The fact is that you have more potential than you could ever use in your entire lifetime.”

This is very important to me due to the fact that it reminds me that I have a lot of potentials in me and I am required knowing them and using them accordingly.
“If you want to be one of the top people in your business, dress like the top people. Groom like the top people. Organize your work habits the way they do.”

“Your beliefs are always manifested in your words and actions. It is very important to know that our beliefs are manifested in our words and actions. When one is a leader, this can help him/her to know how to handle people at work while observing their words and actions.”

“The most quality of leadership is the reality principle.”

This is also very important to me and I should tell other leaders that this is important. Many people believe that when one is a leader, he/she has to lie to people but the author of this book considers a leader who use reality principle to be the good one.”

I shall always thrive to use this principle too.

5. Is there anything in this book that you do not understand or not clear about, or are these ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

The statement that says that, it is almost as if nature rewards you for everything that do that is positive and life enhancing.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

This book does not contain exercises.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? if so, please comment.

Everything was covered and interesting.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Nonviolent Communication
Assessment by Erasmus Rwinkesha (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying convey in this book?

Nonviolent communication is an approach to communication based on principles of nonviolence. It is expressed through four components: observations, feelings, needs, and requests. Therefore, the main idea that the author is trying to convey in this book is that nonviolent is a powerful tool for peace and partnership. We should endeavor practice and value nonviolent communication or compassionate communication.

2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.

i. We often don’t acknowledge our violent because we are ignorant about it, we assume we are not violent because our vision of violence is one of fighting, killing, beating, and wars the type of things that an average individual don’t do.

This idea is very important to me because of the relationship it has with the history of my country Rwanda. Before and during the Genocide against Tutsi that occurred in 1994,Some of the people from what they called tribe called Hutu used to name or call others from another tribe called Tutsi Snakes in our Kinyarwanda language we call it Inzika and later on named the Cockroaches in Kinyarwa it is called Inyenzi. Those were humiliating people. In other wards that were violent communication that started like that and resulted into genocide against the Tutsi that killed more than 1million of Rwandans.

ii. Unless we become the change we wish to see in the world, no change will ever take place.

The author of this book is as if he is tired of seeing a lot of violent communication among people and even Nations instead of seeing nonviolent communication that would change the world positively. People should cease to exchange violent words and other possible means of violent communication. It has been realized that it is not constructive but it is destructive.

iii. Changing ourselves begins with changing our language and methods of communication.

We should thrive to always connect to compassionate nature and fight violent communication. Enjoy and receiving compassionate manner wholeheartedly. We should not imitate people who manifest and characterized by bad manners.

iv. NVC fosters respect, attentiveness and empathy, and engenders a mutual desire to give from the heart.

I give much value to some Christians we faith who organize themselves and joint there efforts to make contributions and buy things and give them to sick people(patients) in the hospitals. Indeed this applies to some of my workmates who use the same procedure to contribute and visit a colleague who has given birth to a new born baby .These are very incredible actions that show the importance of nonviolent communication.
v. NVC helps me to understand what the patients’ needs and what they need to hear at a given moment.

A medical personnel or a nurse cannot get a history from the patient which helps him/her to know the expectations of the patients’ disease without using NVC.I f one uses the violent communication, the patient can even run away from the violent communication, the patient can even run away from the clinic or hospital without treatment .Some medical Doctors use psychotherapy and this cannot work when you don’t use NVC.

vi. Worldwide, NVC now serves as a valuable resource for communities facing violent conflicts and severe ethic, religious or political tensions.

Many changes have been made in the current world situation whereby you find that Pope enters in the mosques and visit the Muslims, make conversations and share everything with Muslims without judging each other as nonviolent communication that not consider that but instead considers observations, feelings, needs, and requests. In past years Christians and Muslims were involved not in using nonviolent communication. This is applied also in politics although there is still a big gap according to my observations. A case in point is Russian and Ukraine which are using violent communication instead of using nonviolent communication and almost the whole world is being affected either direct or indirectly, economically, politically, socially and even mentally to some extent.

vii. Another kind of life alienating communication is the denial of responsibility.

There are some people who make decisions or do their work but when they make a mistake or mistakes or the customers complain against something, they start to say that it was due to their bosses who have required that hence resulting in doing it wrongly. This is denial responsibility. Otherwise when one has done something or made a decision he/she should stand on it.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

Where there is NVC, there is no much conflicts or no conflicts.
All the above mentioned ideas, do emphasize the importance of NVC which used expectedly can reduce conflicts among people in the community, Nations, and even in the entire world. When there is a conducive atmosphere, people can think well and work together for the development mentally, politically, economically, Socially, and physically.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

NVC helps us to connect with each other and ourselves in a way that allows our natural compassionate to flourish. This statement is very attractive to me because it advises people me inclusive to connect to each other through NVC, which is a good idea that brings joy among people.

5. Are there anything in this book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

I feel irritated because I am needing more order in the rooms that we share in common. I don’t understand how sharing rooms could make him irritated.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful? Yes, I completed them.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

No there isn’t.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
Assessment by Erasmus Rwinkesha (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in this book?

The main idea that the author is trying to convey in this book is about the relationship between behavior and success. The habits people should always have in order to success.

2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own.

i. The first idea that was personally most important is that, we begin to realize that if we wanted to change the situation, we first had to change ourselves.

This is very important and true idea because one cannot give what he or she doesn’t own. For example when you are a leader, you are not supposed to tell your subordinates to always manifest disciple at work when you are known as an indisciple person. For that matter, people cannot listen to you as an expected, should always be exemperly

ii. Smiling wins more friendly than frowning.

Frowning is the action of forming an explanation of disapproval or displeasures. You cannot win a friend when you show a grumpy face to people, but when smile to them; they also do the same, hence creating friendship.

iii. It also shows that these paradigm are the sources of our attitudes and behavior.

The common and known categories of attitudes are positive attitude and negative attitudes.

vi. Disagreements

When other people disagree with us, we immediately think something is wrong with them. People especially leaders don’t like disagreement, they always all the responses to be positive. However, this should be like that since the proverbs tells us that no man is perfect. Its only God that is ever perfect.

v. Each step is important and each one takes time. No step can be skipped.

This idea is very true and reminds me that all steps in life are very important equally. Sometimes people tend to force themselves to reach some steps by jumping others. No step that should be neglected. If one skips a step, it can affect his/her life in future when it has become rambunctious. We should therefore always value all the steps in our lives to meet our expectations, otherwise we get remorse.
vi. I borrowed strength from my position and authority and forced her to do what I wanted her to do.

This approach can be positive all negative. This depends on a leader. If a leader borrows strength from his/her positive and authority and uses it negatively can be like using dictatorship hence bad style of leadership and the reverse is true. Leaders should value the ideas of subordinates especially good ideas that very constructive and not forcing them to accept the ideas of the leaders even when they are not good ideas.

vii. If you want to more latitude, more freedom in your job, be more responsible, more helpful, a more contributing employee.

If you want to be trusted, be trust worthy. This idea has helped me to reflect in my past days whether what I want others to do for me that is very important. I do that also to them. If not, that can be called selfishness. We need to be vigilant and value others, give them freedom in order to also get them from others.

3. How will these ideas or lesson or lessons help you in a practical way, both in my daily life and in helping to create a better world? If so, how?

I shall be reflecting to them while at work with my workmate and know how to work with them accordingly. I have leadership roles in the community this is my opportunity to employee them so that I can exercise my leadership skills efficiently and effectively to meet the expected results. Not only I can use these above mentioned Ideas at work or in the community as already pre-mentioned, but, also at home in the family management to make it success.

4.Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“We each begin life as an infant, totally dependent on others. We are directed, nurtured, and sustained by others. Without this nurturing, we would only live for a few hours or few days at the most.”

This idea reminds us/me to respect each other because sometimes ago we all depended on others without our attention thus surviving.

“You can buy a person’s hand, but you can’t buy his brain. You can buy his back, but you can’t buy his brain. The author reminds us the importance of heart and brain .People can give you ideas but cant think on your behalf. That is why people should make their own decisions and make sure they make decisions that are rational.”

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so why?

Your ability to do what you just did is uniquely human. I have not understood this statement.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

No exercises.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

Nothing else to comment on.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10.Ten is good.

Leadership for Dummies
Assessment by Rwinkesha Erasmus (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in this book?

The idea the author is trying to convey is very huge and very important to the leaders including me, because it teaches the leaders most especially the heads of the organizations and many other leaders who lead people how to engage their directors, managers and employees to enhance their commitment and achieve higher levels of individual,team and business performance. He encouraged leaders to always enthuse, engage, and establish shared commitment and accountability for achieving success.

i. Although leadership is a common sense, leading people isn’t easy.

Human flexibility and adaptability are great strength. This idea is very paramount in that it teases people most especially leaders who are not flexible as an author indicated. I remember recently in a general meeting that took place using webex, a leader( head of an institution),gave some explanation using vivid examples that one could expect every individual to have understood, but some people in the meeting started to complicate things and asked confusing questions hence leading a leader to explain more and more times beyond our expectations. As the author mentioned ,this needed flexibility and adaptability otherwise ,that leader could have reacted negative towards that employee. The leader is an apathetic one.

ii. Leading people starts with leading yourself.

This is very important idea since one cannot give what he/she doesn’t have/own.
People who do lead others without leading themselves, their leadership don’t last for long. Lead yourself first followed by leading others. Charity begins at home. For that case you will become an engaging, enthusiastic, and an authentic leader, hence your success.

iii. People who work with and for you respect you when they perceive you as being genuine especially when you act with integrity and have a genuine interest in them.

A leader who works without integrity and genuine interest in the employees are not respected compared to those who do so. The employees are always considered negatively even though try to work very hard to manifest good performance but all in all their leader does not enthuse and engage the according.

iv. Success in all organizations depends on team work because almost all work is now done in teams.

The author of this book gave examples of roles of people in team for high performance as advocate, standard bearer, cheerleaders, facilitator, and agony aunt. Many changes always occur in organizations and need new knowledge to be used. You find that changes are known by few employees like when they need new technology. They start to work as a team in their daily operations and thus getting the expected performance. Employees who do not work as a team make various errors.

v. Invest time in identifying and using the vital leadership competences that are going to make a significant contribution to your own contribution and staff’s performance.

This idea is very important since there are some leaders who misuse their time instead of using it by identifying and using vital leadership competences. They use their time by harassing some employees and looking for the means of firing them. Leaders should help the employees to build confidence, commitment.

vi. Leading people involves having a positive impact on how they think, feel and act.

When you are a leader and you don’t have a positive impact on your employees in as far as thinking, feeling and acting are concerned. This is whereby you will find that the organization is not giving the expected performance because they don’t have the same focus for the future of their organization.

vii. Most people are uncomfortable about expressing their views in a meeting if they think they are going to be embarrassed.

There are some leaders known to give a bad reaction and start embarrassing an employ who has asked a question. The question may be even a good one but due to the fact that it has some kind of criticism in it, then the leader reacts towards it negatively. If the leader calls for another meeting next time ,the employees will be having a fear to ask any question and even not giving any idea, views or opinion to contribute to the success of the organization.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

These ideas or lessons will help me when exercising my leadership skills in an organization /institution, in society or even at home as a leader of my family. I shall be able to enthuse, engage and embracing commitment among the employees. This will help to develop the organization and myself due to this effective leadership that brings positive impact.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as why they were important to you.

“You have to focus on the most valuable tasks and activities.”

This statement holds my attention and very important to me, in that I should concentrate on valuable ones and no much time on invaluable ones.

“Being an engaging leader requires you to have and show genuine interests in the work-related needs, hopes, aspirations and concerns of each individual. This encourages all the leaders to always have genuine interests to the employees.”

“Improving the quality of thinking leads to improved mutual understanding of work issues, better decisions, greater commitment and improved results. When one improves the quality of thinking, thinks big and brings all about mutual understanding, better decisions, and greater commitment and improves results.”

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and I f so, why?

Encouraging your colleagues to critique constructively, instead of automatically accepting your suggestions and proposals. I rarely hear leaders who requests for criticism. Most of leaders don’t like being criticized, they like the employees to always say yes as a response even if the idea is wrong. Criticisms come without their attention and they’re not happy with that.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the leader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

Yes, the book contains various exercises and I managed to complete most of them.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

None.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Unlimited Power
Assessment by Rwinkesha Erasmus (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The Author is trying to convey the teachings or the information about how an individual can get a complete control of his/her mind and body in order to be successful. How one can be released from fears, stress, and anxieties. That is why he gave this book the title of unlimited power. A person who has unlimited power can make a lot of achievements.

i. The ultimate power is the ability to produce the results you desire most and create value for others in the process.

This explanation about ultimate power has triggered my mind and found it very correct and true. This ultimate power considers two sides .Your side and the sides of others should be valued.

ii. Success is not an accident.

One should work for it with faith, hardworking with positive mental attitude and indeed with unlimited power as the author continued to emphasize. You can’t easily get success when you don’t give your participation in different aspects of life. Some people believe that they can be successful without their participation and forgot that St. Paul said that those who do not work should not eat. We should thrive to work very hard and then have faith because none of each inhibits each other.

iii. Seven basic triggering mechanisms that can ensure your success.

Passion: If it is identified that he/she has a certain passion, he should start to use it without any fear.
Belief: We should always believe in our positive thoughts.
Strategy: One cannot succeed without making strategies.
Clarity of values: If one values something, gives it time and make an obsession on it till he succeeds in it.
Energy: When I was still in primary School, they used to give us a definition of energy as the ability does work. If you do your work in the best way you can, then you can reach your success.
Bonding power: This is somehow related to what Napoleon Hill called Mastermind alliance in one of his books.
Mastery of communication: This is very important element in as far as success is concerned since it provides information between or among different people.

iv. If you believe in success, you will be empowered to achieve it.

One time when I was still young in twenties, I had some bottlenecks that did not allow me to continue my education after completing Senior Six (advance level).
Nevertheless, I had in my mind some thoughts of joining University in the near future. I started to always tell people whenever they asked me what I do that I am student at the university. During that time I registered as a private candidate in order to be allowed to do National examination for senior six as pre-mention because during that time it was allowed. I sat for the exams as it was expected and surprisingly I passed my exams and got the required results to join the Government University and the dream became the reality. If one believes in success as the author of this book tells us, he/she will be empowered to achieve it.

v. There are no limits to what you can do.

Your key is power of modeling. This idea has made me to reflect to the past where I have been having positive thought in my brain and later on I become successful.

vi. Goals are like magnets.

They will attract the things that make them come true. For this idea, it has helped me because I agree with the author due to the related experience I have in my life.

vii. Success

These ideas can help me indeed on how to make a bonding power hence reaching my success at work, in my personal activities and even with the society.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

All of these above mentioned ideas will help me in my daily personal life and helping me to create a better world in that, they teach me how to use my physical energy, mental and even spiritual and as I said before they have been helping me to reflect to my past experiences and found that a goal is like a magnet, it attracts what you need to succeed wants you set it to your/my brain.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as why they were important to you.

“Your mind has the power to give you everything you want.”

I think the author here made some exaggeration because its only God who can give you everything according to his will.

“I got everything I programmed into my mind.”

This is a very impressive and fascinating idea.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree and if so, why?

Don’t ask your kid why he is having trouble with Algebra. I know that if one does not ask, can’t get a plan to get an answer or a solution to the problem. Therefore, I don’t understand why the author does not want us to ask our children.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

No exercises but has good examples that are important to the reader.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

No further comments.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Goal Setting 101
Assessment by Rwinkesha Erasmus (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea the author is trying to convey in this book?

The idea the author is trying to convey is about the importance of goal setting to a person whether you’re a businessman politician or any other kind of a person.
He defined a goal as an end toward which you direct specific effort.
He mentioned the values of goal setting as follows:
A goal establishes a direction for your life.
Goal identifies results.
Challenge you to grow
Goal setting improves self–image.
It gives you confidence and forces you to be specific.

2. What were the seven ideas which were personally important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each as to why it was important to you.

i. Mission statement

This is very important to me and even to others because it interprets the reason for being, it enables me and others to clarify the purpose hence helping me to achieve my goal in a specific, measurable, and time bound.

ii. You are born with great capabilities

The author tells us that, though you were born with capabilities, but you won’t achieve your potential until you call upon yourself to fulfill it. One needs to discover his/her capabilities through working.

iii. Goal setting gives the right to be successful, happy and prosperous.

When one sets goals, they give a direction until you achieve it. I set a goal of completing my level two of my course in IIGL before the end of 2022.If I achieve my goal as expected, I shall be successful, very happy and prosperous as the author indicated in this book.

iv. Know the purpose of planning

The author is reminding us that whether we realize it or not, we are almost always involved in planning. According to me, most of the times I plan but I don’t put it on a paper. I just keep it in mind and try to respect it and give it much value thus making sure that it is implemented. Sometimes when it is a plan that needs my families intervention. I just tell my wife verbally and share ideas.

v. Your initial step is to build a platform of choice.

This is a good idea .In order for a person to be successful; one should make a choice and regrets afterwards because of being poor choice. Analysis of choices is very paramount and thus should be valued.

vi. Planning must be done, analyzed, re-planned, and done again.
I am really impressed by all these steps mentioned above.
A plan that is not analyzed well, most of the times it fails. That is why it should be analyzed before it is implemented and where necessary after analysis one can decide to re-plan.

vii. Two variations of SWOT analysis.

\Internal SWOT analysis: These are circumstances, objectives and conditions that surround me personally and or professionally. In my life in as far as plans are concerned, I like using SWOT analysis. However, I didn’t remember how to categorize them as internal SWOT analysis as well as external SWOT analysis. A case in point is this course of Global Leadership am currently studying .I t will be my strength to me within the institution am working with and will open some opportunities to me in case I successful complete it.
External SWOT analysis: These are the circumstances, objectives, conditions of the situations in which you are competing. When I consider external SWOT analysis I find that there are where I have some weaknesses, opportunities, strength and even threats.
For example I speak only English language as an international language. However, there is a very good number of people in my country Rwanda who are fluent at both English and French. If that one is a requirement on a certain job of which am to compete with other people It cannot be easy to win/pass or qualify.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping to create a better world? If so, how?

All the above ideas mentioned above, will help me in a practical way in my daily personal life and in helping to create a better world in that most of these ideas are talking about how to first make analysis and where found necessary I can change the goal or re-plan to be successful, happy and enjoy the positive results.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“Always set a deadline.”

This statement has made my attention in that I always tell people that if one say something though it may be, when not given a deadline to do it or to complete it, most of the times, should not reach your target or expectations. Therefore once you set a got, or a plan for something, you should put on a deadline or a timeline.
“Categories of goals.”

Such as personal goals, health goals, recreational goals, family goals, community goals, career goals, financial goals, household goals, spiritual goals. I have got an attention on these categories because they are found very useful to me when establishing goals. I know only a goal without differentiating them. I have gained a lot on this point.

“The primary criterion of a leader is the ability to achieve the goal, whatever it may be.”

This has reminded a lot in as far leadership is concerned. I just reflect on a certain leader of an institution who almost always sets goals but doesn’t achieve them. No one can thank him .They can only ask themselves the reason of failure.

5. Is there anything in this book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, If so, why?

What is not clear to me in this book is the name of the author.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? I f so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

Yes, the book contains some exercises. I completed them and found them very useful as they help me practicing how to establish goals.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

None.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10.Ten is good and one is poor.

Good Leaders ask Great Questions
Assessment by Rwinkesha Erasmus (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is tying to convey in the book?

The main idea that the author is going to convey in the book is about how the leader should behave. The values he/she should always manifest and the ideas he should give. A leader as the title of the book shows, should ask questions without fearing to make a mistake. Richard Thalheimer, said that it is better to look uninformed than to be uninformed. Good questions can lead to good ideas.

i. A leader who asks the right questions of the right people has the potential to discover and develop great ideas.

I remember last year when we were in the meeting, I asked two questions in our welfare association for people whom we work together in Rwanda Revenue Authority in customs Department. The questions were in a form of ideas and were welcomed with many thanks. In few days ago, we met again in a very conducive meeting and I was very delighted to hear that both of them were considered and implemented. This fascinated a good number of people since one was about designing a system for the association which was given much value.

ii.We have the ability to make tremendous advances, but first we must believe in ourselves.

This reminds me to also reflect about how Brian Tracy an American Author says in one of his books that encourages us to change from negative attitude to positive attitude and indeed positive attitude is one of the Seventeen elements of success by Napoleon Hill. Most of the times we don’t believe in ourselves. I remember when I was still at the University, I was a student leader as a Vice Guild President and I could many times ask questions and give ideas whenever got the opportunity like in the meetings, lectures to mention but a few. However, when I started working and finds that I don’t get quick promotions as one expected, I started reducing due to the fact that I did not believe in myself not and I studied this IIGL course and helped me to resume self-confidence.

iii. People need others to help them stay inspired and growing.

This statement has impressed me because many authors talk about this. Napoleon Hill in his book of Seventeen elements of success tells us mastermind alliance and teamwork which are closely related to this idea of John Maxwell.

iv. Good leaders think outside the box and help the team break through barriers and cover new ground.

Leaders who think outside the box and help the team break through barriers and cover new ground. These leaders help to develop the subordinates and themselves at the sometime. The institution, company or organization with leaders gets a very quick and sustainable development.

v. Unfortunately, many people that are intelligent are more academic than practical and more concerned about internal value than external value.

This is true. There are some leaders who are intelligent and are more academic. They only value themselves and never value other workers. There is an example of an entrepreneur who is still young. He was starting his company in the area of technology one time went to approach a certain leader with the intention of telling him his plans concerning the company and needed some pieces of advice to help him advance. The leader responded by telling him that they are not on the same level and therefore he is not supposed to talk to each other. Surprisingly, that company grew and it doing wonders.

vi. The best leaders know that questions open doors for good leadership, promote good collaboration, and bring about solid teamwork.

This is a proper explanation about good leaders. The ones who welcome questions and try to give answers. Those who don’t allow questions are not good leaders, not collaborative thus not leading to the development.

vii. Nothing of significance was ever achieved without people together.

We can even start at our homes where a man and a woman. That is a husband and a wife don’t work together or plan together, you find that the homes fail to grow or to develop.
The reverse is very true concerning that. The same case applies to leaders and their staff or other workers if they don’t do things as a team, the institution does not grow or develop.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life, and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

Through reading these books, I came to understand that most people are leaders, but they are not aware of that. Maxwell tells us in this book of Good leaders ask Great questions that leadership is influence. If you do influence people then you are a leader. These ideas or lessons will help me during my daily my daily work, in the society to know how I should value myself and others. We should always work together to fulfil our plans successfully.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“Good leaders help team members understand their role.”

When a leader helps team member to understand their role, they first of all become happy and do their work well because they are doing what they clearly understand.

“Credibility is built from the history of your words and actions.”

You can’t build credibility when you only say bad words to people and no good actions are shown. However, If one says good words to people, workmate in particular, gains credibility and the actions also become good. Even Jesus said that we shall know them through their actions.

“If you want to please people, go above and beyond expectations.”

This statement teaches me a lot in as far as leadership is concerned. I should always thrive to go beyond people’s expectations,

5. Is there anything in this book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

There isn’t anything I disagree with the statements of the author.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

Yes, the book contains exercises to the reader and they are very much helpful.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

None.

Please rate the following questions on the scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful was the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 10
D. Would you recommend it to other? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10

The Nature of Personal Reality
Assessment by Erasmus Rwinkesha (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in this book?

The author is trying to show us the importance of our conscious mind and psyche in our personal reality. Conscious mind helps the person in organizing, making high quality work in creativity to mention but a few. The conscious mind also helps in the incipient exterior events such as the thoughts, feelings and mental pictures. Everything in the exterior is organized within the mind of the person.

i. You do not have the same ego now that you had five years ago, but you are not aware of the change.

This reminds me a lot about the power of God who created a human being and his/her mind. The changes that occur in the body of the human being including his mind and his ego are automatic like how the gears of an automatic car change without a driver’s awareness.

ii. There is no effect in the exterior world that does not spring from an inner source.

Brian Tracy called the law of attraction that what appears in the outside world starts from the interior world.

iii. The characteristics that were yours at birth were yours for a reason.

This is very important statement and has taught me a lot that I didn’t know before. The author went on by saying that the inner self chose them. That we live at birth with a history. That history is written within un conscious memory that resides not only within psyche, but is faithfully decoded in our genes and chromosomes. HI again reminds me about the history of some Rwandans (Hutu) who did Genocide that their history can be decoded in their genes and chromosomes and in the long run can affect their off springs negatively.

iv. Many individuals are completely blind to their own briefs about themselves, and the nature of reality.

This is true that many individuals are blind about their briefs. Most of times we believe in what we don’t understand. We indeed to the nature of the reality.

v. The atoms and molecules of the tongue do not know the syntax of the language they speak.
The connection between the mind and the tongue should be build such that the mind deals with what is going to be spoken. This will help the person not to say everything he\she wants to avoid confusion and amenity resulted from the statements that are not appetizing.

vi. The conscious mind is meant to make clear judgments about your position in physical reality.

However, this is hindered by false briefs that prevent them from making these. Sometimes I do say things and afterwards I realize what I said was not supposed to be said.

vii. Your environment is an extension of yourself.

The author of this book reminds us that our thoughts, emotions and briefs move through space and time and therefore affect physical conditions separate from us. What we think, believe, and feel becomes our reality. Sometimes we limit ourselves through the brief system we build in ourselves. Yesterday, my phone had a problem and I asked a lady of whom I’m her uncle and asked her to try to re put it in the previous condition and she and she immediately said that she cannot afford since her aunt (my wife) also failed. The lady is 22years old and studies at the University. I then called my own daughter who is 9 years old who is in primary four. She took the phone where she was sitting in the chair next to ours and in less than a minute, she showed me the phone in the right way like it was before getting that problem. I thanked her so much and encouraged her to continue being courageous. We should therefore not limit ourselves. We should try to use our brains or our conscious mind in different positive aspects.

3. What will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so how?

All of these statements above are teaching us the relationship between the inner world as the Brian Tracy an American author also calls it and the outside world.
In other words, we do use our mind in as far as our feelings, thoughts, and spirit. Do we limit ourselves like the above example of my daughter given above. We should know that our environment is an extension of ourselves. This statement will always remind us that we should always look for a change from a negative attitude to a positive attitude. Napoleon Hill also put positive attitude in his seventeen elements of success.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quotes them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“People felt divorced from the core of their own reality. This word divorced is commonly used in the sense of what maybe I can call permanent separation between a man and woman and this is done in respect with the law concerning divorce.”

“Your beliefs can be like fences that protect you. Probably here the author say this in a sense that if they are good can protect you then if they are bad beliefs cant help you at all.”

5. Is there anything in this book that you do not understand or are unclear about or are these ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

I understand this book and I don’t disagree with author’s statement.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete all the exercises and did you find them helpful?

It does not contain exercises.

7. Was there anything you read in this book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous question? If so, please comment.

No further comments.

Please rate the following questions on the scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Change your thinking change your Life
Assessment by Erasmus Rwinkesha (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in this book?

The main idea is that we have untapped talents and abilities. When properly unleashed and applied can bring us everything we want in life. That we only create our own limits.Our future is virtually unlimited. This book therefore teaches us not to create our limiting factors.

i. There is a law in psychology, that if you form a picture in your mind of what you would like to be and you keep and hold that picture there for a long enough,you will soon become exactly as you as you have been thinking.

For this idea I have been experiencing this. There is one day in 16 years ago when I had attended a youth meeting and when entering the meeting place,there were people who were registering every person as soon as he/she enters.They could ask what you do and some other information.I had done private exams but the results were not yet out.I told them that I am a student at the University and even mentioned the name of that University. I had that picture and later on after some time, I became a student of that University.

ii. We use our reasoning ability to create reasons why we cant and why the things we want are not possible for us. Even myself when I think of something, Immediately think of my own limiting factor and even a good percentage of people do that.

There was a person I was talking to. And he is my best friend. He has a dream of becoming a member of parliament in future. However, he says that it wont be possible since a big percentage of members of parliament is women and he is not a woman. That is a limiting factor he creates because though the number of women is bigger than that of men but still there are men in the parliament and he can be among them.

iii. Negative emotions exist only because we give them life then keep them alive.

Brian Tracy talks about the law of substitution but sometimes we do fail from changing negative to positive and we remain with negative. When there is a delay in promotion at job, one starts to think that may be its because of poor performance of he is not loved.

iv. One of the most important rules for success and happiness is,don’t be upset or wrong about something that you cant do anything about.

This is true because we always misuse our time and energy on things we cannot change. We are supposed to have things we cannot change and concentrate on those that we can change.

v. Never do or refrain from doing something because you are concerned about what people might think about you.

Most people for example rent expensive houses when their salaries are not high because they don’t want people to say that they are in the houses of raw quality.

vi. You see limitations and fairness rather than opportunity and hope.

This has helped me because it has helped me to reflect and see how I have been thinking about and see whether see opportunities and hope at a higher percentage compared to limitations are easily seen and yet they cannot help us in as far as success is concerned.

vii. Your main goal in life must be to harness your amazing powers and direct them intelligently and systematically towards achieving everything you really want.

This is very true in life.We have powers that we don’t harness as the author tells us. Sometimes we discover our talents but we don’t use them systematically towards achieving everything we have in life. Every person in life he/she wants to achieve. Nonetheless, we tend to create our own limiting factors.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in your practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

All these interesting ideas I have mentioned among many others will help me in various ways but the main one is to help me to discover my powers such that I can use them to reach or achieve my goals or my wants.
They will indeed help me to avoid some self-limiting factors that would otherwise hold me back.
These ideas will help me to always make my own decisions not to refrain from doing something because of valuing other people idea’s when they are not good ideas.

4.Quotes:Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so,please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“Your mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy. We are supposed to use our minds not our minds using us.”

This has helped me so much since I have known that Iam supposed to befriend my mind and avoid making it to be my enemy.

“The most important qualifications are that they have positive mental attitude and are generally optimistic about themselves and their lives.”

Most of people know that the best qualifications are those we acquire from Universities, but this is not the case as the author shows that in this book.

5. Is there anything in this book that you do not understand or are unclear about,or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

No Idea that I don’t understand. This book is very interesting and constructive.Very amazing book.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

Yes. The book contains various exercises at every end of the chapter there are interesting questions and these questions are very helpful.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so please comment.

No comment.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
Assessment by Erasmus Rwinkesha (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in this book?

The main idea that the author is trying to convey in this book is to give a great opportunity to the leader of knowing the 21 irrefutable laws of leadership such that they can embrace them and help them to become effective leaders.

i. And if you don’t have influence, you will never be able to lead others.

John Maxwell in one of his books mentioned that leadership is Influence. You cannot lead people without positive influence. A leader of my village was observing how the road was being destructed by rain water. He was with other one influential people in the Village. They were perhaps in the short meeting planning on how the can resolve that problem. He told me that he always tell people to work together to solve that problem but they don’t respond him! Why do you think they don’t respond? He never gave me an answer. It came in my mind that he has no influence to the people he leads.

ii. Becoming a leader is a lot like investing successfully in the stock Market.

This phrase has reminded me some years ago I had invested in stock market but whenever I looked the prices, they were always reducing. I was worried after some time and sold them after getting a big loss. One should understand that leadership is a process and should not react like how I reacted towards that stock exchange because leadership is a process.

iii. A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees further than others see, and who sees before others do.

If a leader can respect this, he/she can be an effective leader, but most of them do in the opposite way hence no success in whatever they do in as far as leadership is concerned.

iv. Leaders cannot repeatedly break trust with people and continue to influence them.

Trust is the foundation of leaders according to the law of solid ground. I totally agree with this statement. One should put themselves in the followers shoes. A leader cannot continue breaking trust and you continue following him.

v. If you think your people are negative, then you would better check your attitude.

There are leaders who always see things in a negative form. How can all people be negative to you? As the author says, then you should check on yourself.

vi. Good students spend time with good students.

This sentence has reminded me a certain family friend who married a year ago. When he was still single, we knew that he was a well behaved boy, he did his things secretly. This time we see that he changed completely. He takes a lot of alcohol and stays there for the whole night and does that almost every day.
He change from good to bad behaviors might have been caused by bad groups he joined. Now the wife failed to get a solution for that problem. Had it been that he spent all his time with good people, he wouldn’t have fallen in that deep hole of bad behaviors.

vii. For leaders to be effective, you need to connect with them. Why? Because you first have to touch people’s hearts and you ask them for a hand.

The author explains that you can’t move people to action unless you first move them with emotion. According to my experience working with leaders ,those who do not connect with the followers do not succeed because people do not become free to them.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

All these ideas mentioned above will help me in my daily activities .Leadership is necessary in different aspects of life. These can be used at work, at home and in the society. They will teach me how to connect with people such that I should touch their hand. They will help me to know that I should respect people as the law of respect emphasizes that. In doing all those will help me to succeed.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“If leaders want to be successful, they have to be willing to empower others. Leaders who don’t empower others involve themselves in everything and suddenly fail to lead well.”

“Good leaders must communicate the vision clearly, creatively and continually.”

I have seen, realized and confirmed that communication is very important in leadership. However, there other leaders who don’t communicate and even when they do so they don’t do that on time and they end up regretting.

“Leaders always find a way for the team to win. Leaders should always try by all means to find a way for the team to win and should be done using all the above mentioned laws.”

5. Is there anything in this book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and is so, why?

No ideas that I don’t understand .This book is very interesting and constructive. I indeed enjoyed it like those ones of Brian Tracy.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

This book contains a part at every end of a chapter that explains how to apply to our lives.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

None.

Please rate the following questions in a scale of 1 to 10. Ten is good and One is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful was the content? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 10
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10

Critical Thinking
Assessment by Erasmus Rwinkesha (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book.

The main idea that the author is trying to convey in the books is the importance of critical thinking in every aspect of life. How effective arguments and the effective critical analysis of arguments can serve a more positive function.

2. What were the seven main ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas and follow by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.

i. Effective arguments and effective critical analysis of arguments can also serve a more positive function.

Most of us don’t understand the value of critical analysis but it is very important.
The author of this book has explained the types of critical thinking such as impartial critical thinking, adversarial critical thinking and cooperative critical thinking .These are very important in life depending on how you apply them. Critical thinking is therefore a useful weapon .However, there are arguments that are just designed to deceive and for these ones I don’t take them as important in critical analysis.

ii. For the adversarial process to work well, both sides must play by the rules.

Adversarial system of justice is commonly used in Britain, United States, Canada, and Australia where lawyers the other side present arguments and from those tough arguments the truth emerges. This can also be used by scientists who present their theories and the evidence in their support, then other scientist seek evidence to challenge them. This is very because it can lead to new things that are very useful.

iii. In cooperative critical thinking there is still serious sustained inquiry, but the goals are different rather than trying to find weaknesses in your position.

Am trying to find ways in which our positions can be reconciled. If cooperative critical thinking is used well can be valuable. However, sometimes the goals seem to be incompatible.

iv. Whether the process is adversarial or cooperative, good critical thinking is best accomplished in an atmosphere of respect and civility.

This needs just respect because even cooperative critical thinking that is in the atmosphere full of distrust and disrespect cannot succeed .You should be respectful to others.

v. If premises are true and conclusion is true, then the argument is deductively valid and if the premises are true and the conclusion is false, then the deductive conclusion is invalid.

This is very important to understand these differences in life.

vi. There are two conditions that a good deductive argument must meet.
It must be valid and all of its premises must actually be true. This is when it is called sound argument and visevesa.

vii. The adhominen fallacy is committed when one attempts to discredit an argument by attacking the source of the argument.

This is very important in that people commonly do that by attacking the source of arguments. Adhominen argument s may be legitimate and effective .People may say you cannot teach well because you are short This is irrelevant adhominen because being short does not mean that you cannot be capable of teaching as long as your brain functions well.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

As I have mentioned before, these ideas are very important to me since they teach me how to differentiate premises, arguments, types of critical thinking, fallacies and how all of these can be applied or used in our daily life. These ideas teach me effective critical thinking that is very paramount and can be helpful even at work. These ideas will be used when making sentences or thinking on what I want to deliver through writing or speaking as a leader.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“In short, a linked argument is an argument in which the reasons given depend on one another for their strength. Everything that brings strength is very important to me and to others.”

“There are three convergent lines leading to the conclusion. The first is the argument concerning control.
The second is the argument about pain. The third is one claiming rights. Knowing these convergence lines can be a good way to make proper conclusions.”

5. If there anything in this book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or their ideas which you disagree with and if so why?

There isn’t anything I disagree with.

6. Did the book contain exercise for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all the exercises and did you find them helpful?

Yes, it has various exercises for the reader to complete and are very useful to the reader.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment?

None.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 10
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10

How to Sell Yourself
Assessment by Erasmus Rwinkesha (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in this book?

The Author of this book mentioned above is trying to show us how good communication using communication skill is very important to a person who wants to succeed in any area. Selling yourself should come before selling your products. That is why he says that a keyboard will never be a complete substitute for the human face. One should use his or her face for selling himself or herself .He advises us to always sell ourselves every time we open our mouth to speak. We should indeed sell ourselves when: Exchanging a greeting, talking on the phone, chatting with family friend, colleagues, strangers or client. When speaking up at a meeting, delivering a presentation and interviewing for a job.

2. What were the seven idea which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.

i. If you don’t have nothing to communicate, don’t.

His ideas given by the author of this is very important to me as he has emphasized the ways of selling yourself and therefore if I communicate things that are not attractive to people to think twice before speaking though we not supposed to look for limiting factors.

ii. You competence is reflected in the way you use your mind.

This is very important in that sometimes one gets many thought from the mind and once you fail to organize them well, then selling yourself becomes a problem instead. The author is advising us to use our personal computer called the brain well.

iii. The man who can think and does not know how to express what he thinks is at the level of him who cannot think.

This is very important idea. It reminds us that we should try to express our thoughts well for our betterment. Its like having an idea on project but you fail to implement it and die it yet it is a very good idea.

iv. When you make intellectual love to your audience, they have no choice, but to like you back.

In this weekend there is a certain leader who was not happy about, a turn up for the meeting he always calls for is not the expected one. I told him that he should find out the reasons and where possible can change the leadership style, but I have found this point to be answer for him.

v. The key to likability is the open face.

This idea has reminded me to always open my face whenever. I want to sell myself before people before people or audience.

vii. When the mind, face, body and voice working together for the benefit of the audience, the end result is almost always likability and likability wins. This is very important to me because it has shown me the right connection when need to sell myself. The connection of the mind, face, body and voice.

vii. Breathing

The most experienced speakers have told me that proper breathing before and during their presentation is the vital ingredient in delivering their message with confidence.

3. How will these idea or lessons help you in a practical way,both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

All these ideas mentioned above that I have chosen are very important to me and will help me to know how to sell my sell within the society, at work, in various meetings whether nationally and internationally. I sometimes get fear to raise my idea in the meeting even when it is a good idea but this time I shall never limit myself whenever I get an opportunity. All these big projects we see originate from the ideas people give in the meetings, seminars and conferences.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“The better your information, the better your chances of making a strong relevant, effective presentation. This statement has got my attention because I know that without clear information you just beat about the bush when making presentation.”

“And make sure that speeches are meant to be spoken not to read. Some people write their speeches and when they reach the place to give their speeches while are in front of the audience, they start reading without even looking at the audience. Then the audience start to be bored.”

“So, we will concentrate on learning how to maintain eye contact while delivering the toughest speech of all. This is very important because people cannot enjoy your speech when you are not looking at them and at the end of the day they leave without even knowing the face of the speaker.”

“You can’t tell an audience everything in few minutes, just give the most basic fundamental information. This reminds us that we should not spend very long time in front of the audience because they can start forgetting even what they have got before.”

5. Is there anything in this book that you do not understand or are clear about,or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so ,why?

There isn’t anything I disagree with.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

No, the book does not contain exercises.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

None.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Full Steam Ahead
Assessment by Rwinkesha Erasmus (Rwanda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The main idea that the author is trying to convey to us is about the proper meaning of full stream. In other words he is reminding us that we should always know where we are going and being clear about your purpose and be committed on it to accomplish it despite any obstacle.

2. What are the Seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to you. Use personal examples from your own life.

i. Peace of Mind.

They do not want to spend their money on peace of mind of the future without diminishing that peace of mind in the present that we should value both present and future and think accordingly.

ii. The Best Words in the World

The best words in the world would be meaning if they meant nothing to the people in the organization. There is even a saying which says that words without actions are nothing. Meaning that words should be always be followed by actions. This happens to some politicians who tell people miracles during their campaigns and never put into actions during their regimes. This is not good. A leader should tell the truth.

iii. Perspective of your Work.

I encourage you to look at your work from the perspective of its purpose not just the actions you are doing. For everything we do should have a purpose not simply doing any activity without a purpose. Most of the times if one does activities without a purpose doesn’t yield a lot or nothing and end up by regretting.

iv. Clear Purpose

I was curious to see if it had a clear purpose, a picture of the future or supporting values .It is better to have all of them for success.

v. People’s Personal Values

People’s personal values need to be in line the values of the organization. This can be very good experience if all these values match.

vi. Right People at the Right Time.

We will get the right information to the right people at the time. Information that comes at the right time. Information that comes at the right time to the right people is very much useful because it can be away to change things or plan accordingly. However, the information that delays cannot help at all.

vii. Purpose as a Family

Our purpose as a family is to support each other’s growth, be there for each other and contribute to our community.

3. How will these ideas help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

Below are some of the ideas I found helpful:

The idea of having a clear purpose, a picture of the future and supporting values will be helping me to make a good plan for my future activities especially in leadership related activities .This time after reading this interesting book of full steam ahead I always ask myself the purpose of something I want to do. This makes me to understand the value of that thing hence leading me to the rational decision making.

The idea of supporting each other as a family for the growth and to contribute to the community is very important to me. For sure have been practicing it before reading this book. However, this has added more value to this after reading this book and likely to add more efforts in doing this practically.

People’s personal values need to be in line the values of the organization. This has made me to reflect on myself and exam myself whether my values go hand in hand with the values of the institution I work with. Few of them are professionalism, team work, integrity and punctuality, to mention but a few.

The best words in the world would be meaningless if they meant nothing to the people in the organization. This most of the times happen to some people during campaign but I hope this will not affect me since I read this book and valued it.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“Full stream being so clear about your purpose. So committed to it, and so sure about your ability to accomplish it that you move ahead decisively despite any obstacle.”

This statement is very important to me as it gives me direction on how I should be committed on the purpose and use ability to accomplish it.

“But they do want to spend their money on peace of mind; peace of mind for the future without diminishing their peace of mind in the present.”

They are all very important be it peace of mind of the future as well as that of the present.

“And a first step to being on the same team is to understand and agree on how we each contribute to the team.”

This statement is important is very important to me because it gives me a proper explanation of a team. Working as a team is among the core values of the institution I work with as part of the Rwanda Revenue Authority.

5. Is there anything in this book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideal which you disagree with and if so, why?

There is anything that I disagree with. I agree with this author.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

This book contains no exercises though it is very useful.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

Nothing else to comment on.