Leading life coach, speaker and business coach Rasheed Ogunlaru, author of Soul Trader – Putting the Heart Back into Your Business highlights that we must use Black History Month we must use it move forward not just to look back.

Black History Month must be used as a platform to build bright futures ‘now in the present not just to learn about the past’ if we are truly progress and individually and collectively.

 Every year Black History Month provides a powerful opportunity to not just to rightly learn, celebrate our remarkable achievements, understand historical lessons that should never be repeated and honour some of the most influential characters in history. It is also an opportunity to inspire current generations of us to make powerful leaps forward.

The invitation of the past is learn from it, be inspired by those who have positively shaped it and changed it and to apply that inspiration and mind-set and take charge of our own lives, careers, relationships and possibilities to create a brighter future for one and all.

I often speak and run workshops across the UK for organisations and for many black and ethnic minority staff groups. The challenges over the last few years since the economic down-turn on top of decades of slow progress to see greater minority representation at senior levels in our organisations against sectors highlights how now is the time to use Black History Month even more shrewdly, strategically to the benefit of all.

Where do we start? 

We have already started; there are some amazing Black History Month programmes run across the UK that are used to help motivate as well as provide a view down memory lane. There are many working within this sector have done, and continue to do amazing work putting on exhibitions, events and programmes for many years.

As a coach and speaker who helps Chief Executives, entrepreneurs, entertainers right through to the public to develop the vision, self belief and action to move forward I’d also like to see more organisations, agencies and groups incorporate more self, career, professional and business development workshops into such programmes. Black History Month is the obvious place to start. Some organisations have some element of this by inviting motivational speakers like myself in to give uplifting talks but we could go further still by seeking to run more practical seminars, workshops and programmes. Resources, finance, organisational culture and commitment will be a huge factor and often a barrier but shrewd programming can provide a good base.

 To me there is a direct link between Black History Month and the overall diversity and equality agenda – and also the importance of every organisation to spot and nurture its talent across the board.

 Change begins within

But there is another angle to this that is just as important – perhaps even more important. I speak at many events where there is an expectation that somehow our own personal and professional development should be addressed by someone else: our manager, employer, council, trade body, government and so on. Clearly any organisation should have the interest of its ‘constituency’ at heart but if there is one thing to be learned from but it is risky strategy to wait for someone to lead you forward. One must always light ones own beacon. Someone else can help provide a spark but you must light the beacon and run with it.

History is shaped by individuals who have changed and raised our consciousness. It has rarely come from an employer, organisation or even a political party. Let’s look closely at Black History Month: If you look at any inspirational figure be it a Seacole, King, Mandela, Winfrey, Obama they tend to share three key qualities vision, self belief and action. They learn from the past but shape the future by being proactive in the present, not passive and stuck in backward-thinking.

 Learn from your life history

 I remember two very clear moments in my own journey where I took responsibility for my life and future. The first I was aged about 15 I was sat in an Economics lesson and realised that the teacher had us write out page after page of notes from what he wrote on the backboard. I realised that lots of what was given to me parrot fashion I did not understand so I vowed to never write down anything I did not understand again, I have kept that vow. The second was when I was about to turn 18 and I decided that I would not go to university. I somehow knew this was a significant decision. I knew that my mother and stepfather might have a different view. But in that moment I recognised that I might have to work harder because of m background, because of the fact that I was different to others. Rather than seeing these things as a weakness I used these things to ensure I was focused, engaged, engaging and the best person for the job.

This kind of inner wisdom is within each and every one of us.  It is about being on your own side. It is about knowing your own worth.

What have been the moments in your life history that have shaped you? How can you use these to inspire you further? History is not just about someone else – so great historical figure. It is about a key current figure. It is about the most important person in the world and that is you. For you will shape your future.

Rasheed’s Top 3 Tips for Progress and Happiness

Here are some simple steps that will help you to shape your future by embracing your own magic. These are simple universal principles

1)    Mind-set: appreciate life, believe in yourself, respect others and foster a strong, open mind. This will change your outlook and broaden your horizons. Identify your skills, talents and passions and use them to set your purpose / direction in your life, career and relationships.

 2)    Skill-set: success / progress require the ‘attitude of an athlete’: study your field, master your craft, plan, prepare, gather a great team, break goals into small steps, review, improve celebrate. Know you’ll learn more from races you lose than those you win – this creates champions.

 3)    Co-operation and compassion – if the world’s great nations cannot succeed alone then what makes you think you can? But go one step further; build strong relationships at home, at work, in business. Build a personal and professional network, which will help you and others to grow. Play your part on this planet while you have time.

So this Black History Month as we celebrate the 50 Anniversary of Dr King’s famous I have a Dream Speech’ the best thing we can do is to take up his call to dream – and to dream new dreams, take responsibility and to work individually and collectively to bring them to reality for all of humanity.

Rasheed Ogunlaru a leading life coach, motivational speaker and business / corporate coach.  His clients include entrepreneurs, entertainers, Chief Executives and organsiations. He is author of Soul Trader – Putting the Heart Back into Your Business and is the business coach partner of The British Library. For further information visit www.rasaru.com