Finding Peace in the Pivot w/ Ladi Adefala
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Transcript
Step into the powerful journey of Ladi Adefala, a world-renowned cybersecurity strategist, founder and CEO at Omega316, and board chair at Delta Dental of Missouri, as he shares profound insights on navigating difficult career transitions and unexpected "wilderness" seasons. This episode delves into the importance of shifting focus from seeking immediate validation to understanding the long-term compounding effects of daily habits, continuous learning, and personal growth. Listeners will walk away inspired by a captivating message about building strategic advantages, relying on resilience during adversity, and why every impactful leader needs trusted guidance to remember who they are called to be.
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Credits: Host: Lisa Nichols, Executive Producer: Jenny Heal, Marketing Support: Joe Szynkowski & Dylan Price, Podcast Engineer: Portside Media
Ladi Adefala
Sometimes we find ourselves in the wildernesses that we we created ourselves. Right? We're the ones that that dove the. Right? But other times, it's just things happen. And, but I would agree with Lisa on that one. Definitely staying anchored in faith is one piece of it or, again, whatever your if you have a higher power, whatever it is, I think gives you, a center. But I would also say, try to surround yourself with, quote, unquote, the right people. Lisa Nichols
It takes something a little more to lead with impact. I'm Lisa Nichols, author of Something Extra, and this podcast was inspired by our daughter, Ally, whose additional chromosome has shaped how I see people in leadership. Each episode features conversations with inspiring leaders from around the world about what truly defines how they lead and serve others. If you enjoyed today's conversation, please consider leaving a five star review. It helps more people discover the show. And if you'd like to go deeper, my book, Something Extra, is available on Amazon and through other major book retailers. Joining us today is Ladi Adefala, a world renowned cybersecurity strategist, founder and CEO at Omega316, and board chair at Delta Dental of Missouri. Ladi has spent over two decades helping Fortune five hundred leaders turn digital risk into strategic advantage. From building a hundred million dollar business units to slashing cyber recovery time from days to hours, Ladi is a recognized director to watch in corporate governance. Well, Ladi Adefala, welcome to the Something Extra podcast. I cannot tell you how excited I am because we've already been talking for a good twenty minutes because I I said I haven't seen you in a month, so we got lots to catch up on. Ladi Adefala
You are ever so kind. Ever so kind. Yes. Exciting, to just to connect again, an opportunity to to connect. But, yes, always a blessing to be with you is, always a blessing. Lisa Nichols
I agree. I agree. Well, we're gonna have a lot of fun, and you've got so much wisdom to share with our listeners. And I that's the purpose, and that is my goal every time. It's just what can we share that's gonna be helpful to our listeners. So I always love to go back and tell our guests how I meet my guest, right, or tell our listeners how I meet my guest. And, yeah, it was so wonderful because last year, Kiran Achen, who is the CIO for Delta Dental, was up for an Orbie award. And and we were the founding underwriter for the Orbies in Saint Louis, and so we're there. And then Landon Burke from our we were just talking about that. Landon Burke from our office, who I absolutely adore, saw you, and then you guys started talking. He goes, hey. Come over and meet Lisa. And as we talked, Ladi, I'm like, oh my goodness. We know all the same people. Ladi Adefala
That's right. We did. Probably more so than we don't even know that we know. Actually, these are just the ones we do now. Now. Lisa Nichols
But These are just the ones we do know. Right? But, it's cool because you are the chair of the board for Delta Dental, and then you were there to support Kiren, and he won. Yeah. Hello, Kiren. He won the Orbie. He was a finalist and, yeah. So that was pretty amazing. And then I said, you know, let's get together for lunch, and I just have to tell our listeners this story. So, Ladi, you're you're a huge reader. We're gonna talk about your your reading repertoire and all of the books, and you have this email that you sent out. And you were so sweet and so kind to buy theSomething Extra book that that had just come out in September. And you and I had lunch, and you clearly had read the book. Because at the end of the lunch, you bring out this little pink bag from under the table, and you go, this is for Ally. And so I didn't open it because it's Ally's to open. Right? I had no idea what you had, brought her as a gift. She opens it, and it's her favorite perfume, Happy by Clinique. And you had read the story in the book about that in talking about having your Happy on. Ladi Adefala
I know. That's such a it was a great story. It was a great moment. And, man, I'm so glad that you shared that too because, yeah, it's, it's an opportunity to encourage someone that just is so encouraging, so full of life, and that has an impact on so many people, has touched so many lives. Anyway, it was just it was the token kind of little thing I could do to say thank you, Ally. Lisa Nichols
I see you. Yes. Ladi Adefala
I see you. I hear you. Lisa Nichols
I hear you. I know. And she was so she was so happy to get her Happy. But, you know, I mean, Ladi, I just, I I really respected you before that meeting, and I came away from that meeting going, this guy is exceptional. I mean, you brought something extra that day. So, all glory goes to God. I know. I do. But let's get into because there's so much to you. But, you know, let's talk about, like, what shaped you. Tell tell me just a little bit about your growing up, if you would. Whatare the moments that shaped who you are today, Ladi? Ladi Adefala
Wow. That's a great question. I think, you know, it's always helpful to go back, like you said, to what shapes our lives. So I grew up in Nigeria, which is West Africa. And a lot of the value systems I have outside of, like, you know, apart from the spiritual kind of rootedness, comes from that. So for example, things like, you know, hard work and all of those things, I think, come from, you know, just growing up with parents and in a country where you have two extremes. You know? You have, you know, extremely wealthy, but then you have, you know I mean, it's very yeah. When you when you go when you think about hum humble beginnings in a place like Nigeria or West Africa, it's so much different than humble beginnings like anywhere else. At least from my perspective, it's like, wow. That's that's crazy. So I think, yeah. So, definitely, those were those were moments where I'll tell you an interesting story just to kinda to center us on what I mean by, you know, being shaped by that. Lisa Nichols
Yes. Ladi Adefala
There were times when my mom, who didn't have a car, by the way, didn't have a car, would go get groceries. And, and this was like I mean, transportation. It was public transportation, buses, but they would not take you to your house. Right? So so she had a walking distance of, say, I wanna say about half a mile, and she would be carrying pounds and pounds of bags of stuff, food to come feed the family. And, when you grow up seeing that and then there were other parents, right? There were other people that you see that, you know, cruising in the cars and, you know, you put stuff. Lisa Nichols
Probably did something in you to make you hungry, you know, to not for yourself, but for for others because I know you're all about other people. So wow. Well, tell me about coming to the States. When did you come to the States? Tell me about that. Ladi Adefala
That's a good one. Yeah. So my journey to the states, was really a God moment. Lisa Nichols
Okay. Ladi Adefala
You know, it was closer to the year two thousand. I don't know if you remember the whole Y2K.Lisa Nichols
Oh, yeah. The world was gonna end. Ladi Adefala
The world was gonna end. Right? But Yeah. Up to that, I had I had actually just graduated about two years ago in ninety ninety eight. Thereabout actually, I was working in ninety eight, and I had a couple of job offers. One of them was for Anderson Consulting in Nigeria. But at the time, I was also exploring because of, like, hey. You know, we need all the tech expertise of the US because it's like, a thing is coming, and we need people that understand technology. So I had put out a couple of resumes out on the Internet back then, and, I had an uncle that worked at Oracle here. Anyway, so I've kind of, like, floated resumes out. But I also had an opportunity to enroll in the UK for my master's in engineering computer engineering program.So these are all, like, you have irons in the fire and you're thinking and, you know, as god would have it, like I said, it's a god moment, as god would have it, all three of them came through. I got an offer to work at Accenture, okay, at Hudson Consulting back then. Yes. Those I remember, I got my almost like it it wasn't a full scholarship, but it was really a financial financially aided kind of enrollment at the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London. So that came. And then this offer came, from a company here in the US. It was a consulting company that worked with AT and T, actually based out of Saint Louis. And they had an offer with my visa and all the stuff, you know, leading up to my green card and citizenship. So they so all those three things came in. So Yeah. Like, the question was, what do you do? Lisa Nichols
Right. You had lots of good options. Ladi Adefala
And, you know, the god of the valleys is the god of the mountains, I think. And I think it's when we can go to him and say, okay. I I'm I don't I don't any one of those choices, they're good, but which is the best one because you can see the future and you know all things. Anyway, so that's how I to cut a long story short, went down the path of the job offer. And the way God worked it out, once I, once I got to the US and I got enrolled with my green card process and all that stuff and with the company, found out that AT and T at the time was also offering financial, you know, kind of a and and so I ended up I ended up applying at WashU to actually do my MBA. So that's how God kinda worked all that out. So I kinda got both, you know, all three and one and one. I got the whole thing. I got a job in the states. I got my, you know, advanced education, post grad, and and then I got, yeah, I got everything through that. So Lisa Nichols
Better than you could hope or imagine. Ladi Adefala
You know, that's how he works. Lisa Nichols
I know. Well, I'm so happy because we love having you here in Saint Louis. Oh, so so, Ladi, you know, when you think about your message yeah. I know, like, knowing your why Mhmm. Is really important to you. Right? When did that become real for you? And tell me what your why is, I mean, we're we're borrowing from Simon. Ladi Adefala
Yeah. Exactly. Actually, that's why. Lisa Nihcols
Cousin Simon. Ladi Adefala
You know, you know, it's interesting that, you know, I think to some degree, I think many people a lot of people, actually, probably had some I can't describe what it was. But Simon Sinek came, and then he put words to what everybody was trying to and everyone just, like, locked in. Like, that's exactly what I'm talking about. And, yeah, that's really when that became a thing. For me, it was like, okay. So my why is pretty simple, and it's really what drives Omega three sixteen now is lifting the hearts and minds of everyone we come in contact with. That's just it. It's real simple. We gotta lift up people, hearts and minds. And, if we can do that, I think, what God has done through us, right, through me, for example, because that's what God did for me. Right? He lifted me up from where I was to where I am right now, and he's still lifting. He's still writing that story. So Lisa Nichols
Amen. Ladi Adefala
That's why, it's the why now. It's morphed over the years, I think, because initially, it was like, okay. I wanna do this. I wanna do this. I wanna do others and all. But when when we really kind of crystallize it, it's just lifting the hearts and minds of people. It really is. Lisa Nichols
Yeah. Well, I know you've lifted mine. So Oh, no. I know you have. Lisa Nichols
You're so Ladi Adefala
kind. So kind you are. Lisa Nichols
Alright. Well, let's talk about, you know, seasons, wilderness seasons. Can you talk about that? And I know you have a favorite movie, and let's let's just go there. Let's talk about your favorite movie, and let's talk about wilderness. What does the wilderness season look like? What did the wilderness season look like for you? How did you get out of the wilderness season? And then let's tie it into your favorite movie, which I'm just gonna go in and say it, is Lion King. Ladi Adefala
Lion King is one of my favorite movies. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. So I think it helps to provide some context. Right? My thing is so much there's so much in that movie. It is my favorite movie because it depicts a life journey, with Simba that, is unexpected. Right? Because he starts out thinking he wants to be a king. Right? There's a whole song. Like, I can't wait to be king. I can't wait to be king. Lisa Nichols
Right. Ladi Adefala
And then one event, right, losing his dad kind of forces him to run away from what he Lisa Nichols
from what he wanted to do and who he was supposed to become. Ladi Adefala
Mhmm. Right. So let me apply in my life in terms of wilderness seasons. There's been a ton of them, but this one, I think, is worthy of, of the time. Right? Lisa Nichols
Let's do it. Ladi Adefala
Yeah. There was a time when, many moons ago, I was working for an organization, and, we were growing. So I was charged with growing a team. Right? And it's like, okay. We're growing a team. Lisa Nichols
And Ladi Adefala
and, at some point, I was, I was gonna hire this very seasoned person from a technology perspective. Much older, much wiser, just a lot more operating experience in a number of different areas. And I was like, this would be such a great addition to the team, so let's try to see what we can do. So I went through interviews. Anyway, long story short, the leadership at my organization then decided that, yeah, instead of me actually running the organization, this you know, part of the organization that I was responsible for, that this person that I was already I mean, we were, like, the last stage. You know, I was like, hey. This is the off you know? They said, well, we're gonna kinda switch roles here. So you can Lisa Nichols
That had to pinch. Here you are hiring for this person, and then you end up working for the person. Right. Ladi Adefala
That's that's that's exactly that's exactly how it's and, you know, I think in life, there's, there are moments the wilderness moments are moments for reflection. They're there to redirect you. Sometimes Mhmm. Sometimes they force us in directions we should have found ourselves. Yeah. Right? Sometimes they kinda right? Anyway, so, of course, when that first happened, I was like, So and then, you know, the team was like, oh, you know, some of you leaders are no. We're not I mean, it was just, like, chaotic. But then I went to God, and all I could hear was, okay. So your ego and your pride are talking right now. Let's just remember what the word says. Right? God gives grace to the humble. He resists the proud. Lisa Nichols
Yes. Ladi Adefala
Even though again, I mean, things can happen to you or for you. It just depends on your context and your perspective. So I mean, don't get me wrong. I was still kicking and screaming, but I was like, okay. I'll try this out for a couple of, for a couple of months to see what happens. Tried it out, didn't work, ended up saying no. Can't do it. The leadership said, okay. Well, we're not gonna let you go. We're gonna put you somewhere else. We gotta find something else for you. That's fine if you don't wanna do this anymore. They did. And I gotta tell you, Lisa, that was, that was a very difficult time when you talk about a very difficult time because when your identity is kinda tied to who you your Lisa Nichols
work Yes. Oh, now you're opening up a a really big subject right here. I mean, it's so true, Ladi. Tell me about that. Ladi Adefala
Yeah. Because my identity up until then was tied to, oh, this is you know? And, in in many ways, God was telling me that my job had been my God. Mhmm. Right? And I had forgotten who actually gave me the job. Right? The Yes. Right? You know, we're worship worshiping the the, you know, the what was made, right, the creation instead of the creator's turn. Yes. And, anyway so, yeah, my day was tied. So it was really, really hard. You know? It was moments of, like, sleepless nights. I was like, this whole thing just I don't even know what to do, and I kind of wrestled with God, big time on this one. So I took a different role, which was not fulfilling. It was just empty. And, of course, when you're in a role where you feel empty, you your performance is just gonna it's there's no way. You can't you can't you can't do what you're supposed to do. Lisa Nichols
Right. And other people are gonna feel it, Ladi. Ladi Adefala
They are. They could see right through. Lisa Nichols
Even though you you may click your cover, Ladi Adefala
people can see right through that, and they did. Right? A lot of people kinda did. Lisa Nichols
Yeah. Ladi Adefala
Anyway, it came to a point where I just, I remember this vividly. It was a Sunday night, and I was just down on my knees praying, you know, pray for guidance, wisdom, discernment, you know, what you want me to do here. And, you know, I just remember this may sound weird to some, but I just remember God speaking to me and saying, okay. Here's what I want you to do. I want you to leave your job, this role. Just leave the comp leave the role, leave everything, but here's what I want you to do. Here's the real kicker. I don't want you to find a different job. I want you to leave and just be without any safety net, just be without a job. And I'm like, are you am I hearing voices? Did I hear the Lisa Nichols
Did I hear this right? Ladi Adefala
Yeah. You know, I don't know if you've Lisa Nichols
been there. Ladi Adefala
And for any Oh, yeah. For anyone that's ever, had some of those will those will those moments again as you're reflecting, and I really encourage you, yeah, to just dig deep in in scripture and connect with the lord because he's the only one that can really kinda, you know, make a way where there is no way. Anyway, so I was like so I kinda wrestle with that for another, like, months. Like, woman, do what? I don't have a job. I'm like, I got bills. I got all these things. I was like, no. This cannot be true. I gotta find them. And nope. It just kept coming back to got up. Nope. So, this seems like this always seems to happen on Sundays for me anyway. So there I was again. I was like, okay. Finally, Sunday night, a different Sunday night, I was like, okay. Go ahead. I just surrender. Okay. Lisa Nichols
If you want me Ladi Adefala
to leave this thing without having a job, I just surrender. But, you know, we try to negotiate with God sometimes. It's like, but but here's the but. Here's the real but but just to make sure I'm not crazy, can you give me a sign that I'll just it's like the whole story of Gideon and Lisa Nichols
Gideon and the police. Yeah. Ladi Adefala
I just so that I just I can't I I wanna know that I'm not crazy. Right? Lisa Nichols
Just Yeah. Ladi Adefala
It's fine. And I could crystal clear. I could hear it. Still hear it now. It's like, okay. I'm not gonna give you a sign because whatever sign I give you, you're gonna try to figure a way out Lisa Nichols
of it. You give me Ladi Adefala
a sign. What do you want to be the sign? Right? Yeah. Which is, again, if you follow what Gideon is like, okay. Gideon is the one that came up with. Hey. Let this be the okay. So I okay. I was like, hey. Here's the thing. Tomorrow's Monday. We usually have a leadership meeting. You know? If my, you know, superiors at that time, they say, let's go out to lunch, because Mondays would jam packed with meetings and nobody's going to lunch. People Yeah. Lunch in. It's like jam packed. If they say, let's go out to lunch, I will take that as a sign, and I will turn in my resignation. Lisa Nichols
Okay. Ladi Adefala
So Lisa Nichols
So what happened? It's not Monday. Ladi Adefala
Come Monday. I'm in the leadership meeting. And, of course, I'm not paying attention. Right? Because when you make a deal with God, you better stay true to that deal. Right? So I kinda so all I was playing in my head is, are they gonna ask me to lunch? Are they gonna ask me to lunch? Are they gonna ask me to lunch? Are they gonna ask me to lunch? And finally, you know what? Five or ten minutes before the time, they're like, hey, Ladi. Do you wanna go to lunch? I almost peed in my pants. Lisa Nichols
Oh my goodness. Lisa Nichols
I almost I really did. I almost peed in my pants. Ladi Adefala
I I kid you not. Lisa Nichols
Wow. Ladi Adefala
At that moment Lisa Nichols
Pretty clear. Ladi Adefala
It it was like crystal. There's no how Lisa Nichols
Oh, I love that. Ladi Adefala
World. Do you you know? So, before we sat down at the table at lunch because I was afraid if I sat down, I would try to wiggle my way out of it. Yep. Oh, guys, hey. I got something I got to tell. I got something I got to tell. Right? Oh, you got something? Okay. What yes. It's like, I gotta go. I've been like, what do you mean you gotta go? Are you planning? I'm like, yeah. I'm leaving the company, and I'm going to, just leave the company. They're like, where are you going? Like, you know, go anywhere. I don't they're like, are you are you are you serious? Right. Are you lying or what? Right. I'm I'm I'm, like, dead serious. I don't know. And, you know, the most remarkable thing happened, Lisa. And, you know, couple long story. I mean, there were all kinds of you know, people came. Hey. You know, we gotta stay two weeks. Go take your vacation or whatever. Come back. We're gonna find something you can't leave, blah blah blah, all that stuff. But nobody really knew the the inner kind of the what was really going on. Right? Lisa Nichols
Right. They didn't know the deal that you had made with I Ladi Adefala
had made. Right? So it didn't matter. You couldn't pay me you couldn't pay me enough to stay there. I don't care what it was. I was, you know, like, you know what? And, oh, by the way, the day I left, the day I turned in, there was a peace that I can't even describe. When the Bible talks about a piece that surpasses understanding Yeah. A lot of people are like, I don't know. I didn't have a job. I didn't know I was gonna pay my bills. I didn't have all these other things. Now the company was so kind. They also gave me, like, a severance package. Usually, you know, when severances are given when the company, you know, says, hey. You gotta go. I was the one that chose to leave, but they still wanted to because they knew I wasn't so even that, I didn't know what's happening. But when Lisa Nichols
you did Ladi Adefala
that, I was like Lisa Nichols
What a gift. Ladi Adefala
This is God's hand in this. Right? He said, I am the one that, you know, provides. Lisa Nichols
Gonna provide. Yeah. Ladi Adefala
The Lord will provide. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and everything else shall be added on to you. And, anyway, so I left there, and I was like, okay. Sounds like, you know, I was bawling to tears. And over the weekend, I gotta tell you, that single decision changed the course of my entire leadership career. I mean, it everything just changed. It was like because over that weekend, I guess the news kinda got out, and a couple of people started reaching out to me. And my phone's going, hey. We heard you later. What's going on? And then by the the following week, people that I had known in the industry started reaching out saying, hey. That's awesome. Do you have a company that we can do business with? We value you. Can you do and, out of that was born Omega three sixteen, and I had a Oh, wow. Like, that was one of my first clients was born from that. And then from there, the blessings from the Lord just kept coming and coming and coming. So if there's anything I can tell people, encourage them, You know, sometimes we don't nobody wants to hear this when you're in the wilderness, when you're Yeah. Thick of adversity and trial and nobody you you can't you know, it's after you're out of it, you can look back and see it. But I would encourage you, there's a purpose in there as you seek the lord. There is something there's something big. Right? The strength comes from the struggle. And man, oh, man, after that, it was just it was a Lisa Nichols
Oh my goodness. Yeah. Lisa Nichols
I love that story. Thank you so much for sharing that because we didn't get a chance to talk about that when we had when we had lunch. Because you you know what? Let me say this to you, and then we do need to take a quick break. The other thing that really, impressed me about Ladi when we had lunch was Ladi brings out his journal. Ladi Adefala
Oh, thank you. Lisa Nichols
And Ladi had all these questions for me, that were all written down in his journal. So you, like, you you got to ask more questions than I did. So I'm turning the tables on you here, Ladi, but, I was so impressed by that. And I'm like, that's a leadership lesson there too, Ladi. When you're when it's intentionality, you know, you had already kinda thought through. Now I'm having this lunch with Lisa. Here's the things I would love to know from her, and you came prepared. I had an old boss, Ladi. He was a he was a marine, and he drilled many things into me. But the one thing that he drilled that I will never forget, I'm I'm praying if God lets me live till I'm ninety. I'll still remember this, but he said, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. You know? And, and I just thought, wow. You came so prepared for that that lunch, and I was so impressed by that. But that's just a really good leadership lesson too for people. You know? If somebody's gonna take the time, you know, just make sure that you know what you want to, you know, talk about in that in that conversation. But we do need to take a quick break. I've got lots more questions for you, Ladi. But we'll take a quick break, and then we'll come right back with Ladi Adefala. AD
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So welcome back, everyone. This is Something Extra podcast with my friend, Ladi Adefala. And, we've been having a little sidebar conversation here in the in between that won't go into the podcast, but, you know, we were just talking about all in moments, Ladi. Ladi Adefala
Yes. We Lisa Nichols
were. You know? And, I mean, you had an all in moment. You're like, god, this is I I asked you about this, and I'm going. You know? Lisa Nichols
It wasn't Lisa Nichols
I told I've had many all in moments. You know, there's been times in technology partners that were really hard, and you're like, really? I mean, do we need to keep going? But if God's called you to it, he'll equip you for it. Right? And, I said, just because it's hard, doesn't mean it's not right. Ladi Adefala
That is money. That is so true. That is it really Lisa Nichols
is. True. Ladi Adefala
Because it's hard. And like we were talking about, that may be and I'm not saying it always is, but that may be a sign that, okay. This is something meaningful and, therefore, resistance in the form of whatever you wanna call it. Right? The adversary is trying to stop that. And that yeah. Anytime he gets wind of something good, it shows I mean, resistance shows up. If you wanna, like, do nothing or just waste your life away, you won't yeah. It's easy. You won't find resistance coming in. But yeah. Lisa Nichols
That's such a good word. That's such a good word, and that should bring hope to people. Yeah. They're in that, season. Lonnie, I mean, we were talking about the wilderness before. What I want to say to our listeners is everybody goes through wildernesses. Right? If you are in a wilderness right now, you are not alone. Lisa Nichols
Nope. I've Lisa Nichols
Ladi just described his wilderness. I've been through wildernesses. Everybody if you haven't gone through one, get ready because you will. Right? Yeah. Yeah. And what I would say is for Ladi and I, it's our faith that really anchors us. You know? I when our ship is going crazy, you gotta have that anchor. Right? But whatever it is, finding find, find an anchor. Ladi Adefala
Amen. Lisa Nichols
You know, it may not be what anchors us, but find an anchor and just hold on. Mhmm. Hold on because it it gets better. Lisa Nichols
It does. Lisa Nichols
Don't you think? And it's like, don't give up. Don't give up. Ladi Adefala
Yeah. Don't give up. And to your point, if there's anyone listening, and I'm trying to just walk in their shoes right now because there's different types of, wildernesses, right, with kids, with family. It may not just even be yours. Right? Sometimes, you know, it's something that you can't control. You have no it's not you know, sometimes we find ourselves in the wildernesses that we we created ourselves. Right? We're the ones that that dove Lisa Nichols
in the ways. Ladi Adefala
Right? But other times, it's just things happen. And, but I would agree with Lisa on that one. Definitely staying anchored in faith is one piece of it or, again, whatever your if you have a higher power, whatever it is, I think gives you, a center. But I would also say, try to surround yourself with, quote, unquote, the right people. Right? And the right people, it may sound it may sound easy, but it's not that obvious sometimes because you want people that will that will walk alongside with alongside you in that moment. Again, when it comes back to faith, people that will pray for you, not people that will behind your back or whatever start saying, oh, this person no. That's not you want trusted, a small circle of people that can lift you up Mhmm. In in those times because everybody goes through. Lisa Nichols
Absolutely. You know, and if you're not going through one of those times right now, be it for somebody else, Ladi. Ladi Adefala
Oh, that's a good one. Lisa Nichols
Be it for somebody else. Lisa Nichols
That's a good one. Lisa Nichols
Right? So, well, let's talk about gosh. I've got so much I wanna talk to you about. I wanna talk more about Omega three sixteen. But I there's something that I read, and maybe we'll, like, go here. This is a leadership podcast, so I wanna talk all about leadership. But I had read somewhere, and, now let me see where I had put this. You know, you've got, like, I don't know what you like, principles, what I wanna say, maybe some, not hacks, but things that you kinda live by. And one is autonomy, mastery, and purpose. Ladi Adefala
Oh, yeah. Yeah. Written Lisa Nichols
from Daniel Pink, which I love that book Drive. Ladi Adefala
Yep. That's right. Lisa Nichols
Drive. Mhmm. Lisa Nichols
Talk about and you said you recommend dedicating one to two hours of amp time daily. Ladi Adefala
Yeah. Lisa Nichols
Okay. Lisa Nichols
You know, tell me about amp time because I think that'll help our listeners, Ladi. Ladi Adefala
I I think so. I think so. So, yes, what Lisa's talking about is a habit that I really started developing in the wilderness moment. Lisa Nichols
Mhmm. Ladi Adefala
Right? Because, again, depending on what season of leadership you're in, time is the one thing that you don't have for anything else. Right? Because, you know, your time is just yeah. It's time in in general is precious. Right? It's the one thing you can't do. But, anyway, Mike, the the reason I kind of give the context is, what ends up happening is we spend all our time doing the work, right Without refueling where the work is, you know, coming from, so to speak. Lisa Nichols
Yeah. Ladi Adefala
It's like we give, give, give, and there is very little intentional time for replenishment. Most of us are saying, because I'm in the doing mode, because I'm an executive, because I'm doing all these things that, you know, that's what I'm supposed to be doing. And I remember having a a meeting with one of the, one of the execs that I know, CEOs, and he's like, I feel guilty if I if I'm, you know, taking time for my own kind of personal group. I could do I was like, because you're never you're never really off even when you when you're off. That's great. You're always on, so I'm like, if you don't. So app time is, is the the intentional focus time. And, usually, for me, it's in the mornings. Right? So I do my quiet time. I do my workouts. And then, anything before I even look at even before any of that stuff, it's AMP time. Whatever works for you. If it's podcast, if it's a book, if it's listening to whatever that may be. But the intentional audit, though, is that you have to make sure that there's some level of growth that's happening. Daily. Daily. Lisa Nichols
Yes. Ladi Adefala
You have to you you know, again, it's really easy to ignore it. It's the first thing people wanna you you know, it's like working out. It's like working out. It's like, okay. So the physical workout was great. You're like, okay. Lisa Nichols
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Ladi Adefala
You know? Oh, I'm I'm in shape. Well, here's what happens. You may be in shape today, but trust me. Lisa Nichols
Yeah. If you don't do Lisa Nichols
the workout, you won't be in shape tomorrow. That's for sure. And the older we get, the harder it is. Let me tell you. Ladi Adefala
I'm just like, okay. So yeah. So, yeah. So with that, you know, I started I do a a a you mentioned that earlier in terms of the the books. So for me, it's definitely reading. I do mostly audiobooks. I still do, like, hard copy sometimes, but mostly audiobooks, just because I'm out of bag and flying, all that stuff. Yes. Yeah. And, I started out with, hey. Let's see what we can do with one book a month. I think I've read somewhere that Warren Buffett or one of these guy. They, like, they do, like, fifty two books a year or something, and I'm like, oh, that's crazy. I'm like, how is that even possible? Right? Lisa Nichols
I uncle Warren uncle Warren spends, like, five or six hours a day just reading a lotting. Ladi Adefala
I don't mean Lisa Nichols
and I'm like, Ladi Adefala
well, I can't do that, but here's what I can do. Right? Let me just try and see Lisa Nichols
what Yes. Ladi Adefala
Yeah. So, yeah, started trying to be one book a a month, and, you know, God had everything to do with this again to him be the glory, but now, we average about well, I average about eight eight every month. Lisa Nichols
Eight books a month. Okay. I want you to tell our listeners because you you were so sweet. You're like, your book is gonna go on my list. And so you have this list of books, and you kind of summarize the books, and you send that out, I guess, on a monthly basis or whatever. Ladi Adefala
I do. Yeah. So yeah. So from that, and, again, I think it's one of those where you if you have the the mindset of trying to give, if you're trying to give to others Lisa Nichols
Yes. Ladi Adefala
You know, if I think it's a you know, if you have something that's you think will be of value to somebody else and which is the whole premise of this. It started, again, it started with one person saying, hey. You know? You have that? Can you do Can you do it? Yeah. Lisa Nichols
Hide it. Ladi Adefala
So I kinda curated it. I just tell them, you know, nothing too heavy. Don't wanna, you know, be smaller words. But, yeah, just a synopsis. Here's what this book is about. It's about leadership or it's about boards. It's about m and a. It's about private, whatever that means. And then I give some of the insights that I think are, value and some that I strongly recommend. Right? I say Lisa Nichols
Yes. Ladi Adefala
Strongly recommend for this. If you're going through this right now, this is Yes. And then I send it to, you know, just a select few. And I think some people think it's like an automated. It's not. It's it's a select few folks that I which maybe after this podcast, I think. Lisa Nichols
You're gonna have people let me on Ladi Adefala
the moon. Oh, yeah. But but it's an it's also an opportunity for me to check-in. Lisa Nichols
I agree. Well, Ladi, I'm just thinking because I was on a call with, someone yesterday, as a matter of fact, and they were kinda describing a challenge to me. And here's why it's really important because, like, right now, I'm reading Mark Miller and Ken Blanchard's new book, The Secret. It's the fourth edition. Love Mark Miller. And, of course, Ken Blanchard was number two hundred on the Something Extra podcast and Ladi Adefala
all love the man. Awesome. Lisa Nichols
I still remember that conversation like it was yesterday. But, anyway, this person was describing this challenge to me, and I asked her. Lisa Nichols
I said, have you read the Lisa Nichols
book, The Secret? Because I really think I'm reading it right now. I think based on what you're describing to me, I think it will help you. So that's the other thing that you can do. Right? And that's another way to give, and we're just always trying to figure out how we can lift other people up. We can help them on their journey. So I just love that you that you do that. So let's talk about this. Okay? Because I I love this. I wanna hear more about this. You talk about a grain of rice on a cheese board. Ladi Adefala
Yep. Yep. Yep. Lisa Nichols
A grain of rice on a cheese board. Tell me about that. It's an analogy that you use. But what is that? Ladi Adefala
It is. So it focuses on the on the power of compounding. Right? Lisa Nichols
Because Ladi Adefala
there's this story I mean, most people probably have heard it. Right? You put you know, it's it's the story of do you want, what would you rather prefer? Right? It's a a lump sum of, you know, three million bucks or two million bucks, or would you rather have a penny that doubles, you know, every day for the next thirty days? Well, it's the same principle with, the grain of rice. Right? Because the grain of rice is like, okay. You get which would you rather prefer? Would you prefer this bag of rice here or this grain that doubles across Yeah. The the chessboard over and believe it or not, that grain that doubles, you know, crosses it is a lot more. And it it's an illustration for the power of compounding. That's another thing I think we, I certainly did underestimate. We really do. And, you know, here's when you know you're underestimating it, when you think you're not. That's your that's your. You're like, no. I'm pretty no. No. You're not. Because I was there. I was like, oh, yeah. Yeah. And and I'll give you the, you know, I'll use the book example. Right? When I first started, you know, I kinda read Lisa Nichols
it, it's like, oh, this Ladi Adefala
is crazy. I can't do it. I mean, fifty two books of who does that. I was like, book them up. I don't know how I'm gonna do that. I have no idea. Lisa Nichols
Now you're Ladi Adefala
What happens is, you start doing that, and then, you know, by the grace of God, you're like, oh, you know what? I got a rhythm going on here. Let's see. I've got a habit. Right? You know? I really, there's no way you can compound without having a habit. So then you find out that, okay. Well, habit's going, and I still got time. Okay. I can do two. I can do three, and it starts to compound. But then life in itself, what we give in life starts to compound. Alright. Sometimes you don't you're not when you're get when you're doing the giving, you're not really thinking about compounding. Right? Because if if that was if that was the purpose for the giving, then Lisa Nichols
I guess you would be able to Right. Ladi Adefala
Does that mean Lisa Nichols
Yeah. Ladi Adefala
But it it starts to I it just you you can't even you can't even describe how it may not even come from the same source. It may come from different places. I remember where, I was asked to a friend of mine had reached out. Actually, a friend of a friend had reached out to me saying, hey. We need a speaker in Minneapolis for something, and we don't have a honorary. We can't pay you. We can't do all that. But, but, you know, this person said you're a friend, and you're really good at it, so we wanna you know? And, and she's like, would you be willing to fly out and just do this for us? I know we don't you know? And she's trying to sell me on all the business opportunities. Right? Well, you can I can introduce all these people? I was like, don't you don't you don't have don't worry about it. Right? Let me check my calendar. Let me see. You know? And I flew out there, and I did that. Three or four years later, I can't tell you how many other things Lisa Nichols
Came from that. Ladi Adefala
Yeah. Just from that. Like, she connecting with this and all of a sudden, this person's like, oh, this is great. Now we got some board stuff. I mean, it's like anyway, so my point is the power of compounding, you can't the the financial part is, I think, is easy. And the personal growth stuff is, Lisa Nichols
That's so good. I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it. Couple of things. One is I said the rice on the cheese board because I don't have my glasses on and it's a chest. So you're gonna have to I feel that. I I I knew what I knew what you meant. Okay. Lisa Nichols
Oh my goodness. I I wanted to clarify that. And then secondly, I just remember having Tom Zigler on the podcast, Ladi. No. Big Zig Zigler's son. And he talked about his dad, and he said every day and I told him, I said, Tom, I'm just gonna tell you. I'm ripping that off and duplicating it. You know? Because he he said he loved the title of the podcast, Something Extra. He loved it, and he loved the story behind it. But he said, I will tell you something. He said, people, like, would ask me, my goodness. How is your dad? Like, how does he know so much? And he said, my dad had this habit of learning something extra every single day. And then when he would learn it, he'd give it away. He would share it to somebody else. And if it was something worthy that he felt like would help somebody else, then he would just share it. And that's and his dad was one of the greatest motivational speakers in our lifetime. Right? Ladi Adefala
Oh. Lisa Nichols
But I just I think, yeah, the compounding of that. And then when you share it, oh my goodness. Think about what you're depositing in that person, Ladi. That's where the multiplicity comes from. That's where the rice on the chessboard really starts to compound. But, oh my goodness, I'm having so much fun with you, my friend. I'm telling you, I have got probably fifty more questions here, but I know that we can't, have a five hour podcast. So, you know, let let's talk about one more thing. I'm gonna do a little lightning round with you with some questions, and then we're gonna talk about something extra. Okay? Alright. The something extra you believe every layer needs. Talk about the gin the Chinese bamboo announcement. Ladi Adefala
Oh, that's a good one. Lisa Nichols
Tell us about that one because I think that will be helpful to our listeners. Ladi Adefala
About these things. This is awesome, by the way. You came super prepared for I didn't even remember what I'd said. So Lisa Nichols
Oh my goodness. Well, you have met my second brain, Jenny. Right? And Jenny helps me with research, and I'm so grateful for her. But, yeah, she's the one that digs up all this awesome stuff to talk to you about. Tell me about the Chinese bamboo. Ladi Adefala
Yeah. So, I will let me explain the Chinese bamboo first, and then I'll try to apply it to to real life stuff. The the Chinese bamboo seed, when you first plant it, right, you plant it, you put it in there in the soil, in the dirt, and you keep watering it. If you keep watering it, for about a year, you don't see anything. Nothing. Lisa Nichols
You see nothing? I mean, nothing.Lisa Nichols
Nothing comes from itLadi Adefala
You really don't see anything. You just keep watering. And then maybe after about a year or so, you see a Yep. I get a little sprout. It just it is just one little sprout comes up. And then you keep watering and nothing. First you know? So a year has gone by, two years goes by, the Chinese bamboo, nothing. Three years go by, and all you still see is a single sprout. Let me,the first kind of, like, reaction, right, the common reaction, conventional thing is like, okay. This thing's not you know? Lisa Nichols
It's not working. Lisa Nichols
It's not working. Right. Ladi Adefala
I bought a, you know, I don't know, a flawed seed or this must be nuts or whatever it is. Right? And that's if you don't know that it's a Chinese bamboozle. Right?The fourth year, doop doop doop doop. Alright? Now here's the interesting thing. In the fifth year, Lisa Nichols
In the fifth year. Ladi Adefala
In a span of about five months, that little sprout jumps up to be, like, ninety feet tall. Lisa Nichols
Oh my goodness. Ladi Adefala
It just shoots up. I mean, you're like, what happened here? And I often ask people, the real question we have to ask ourselves is when did the tree become ninety feet tall? Was it in a span of five months, or was it, like, five years?Lisa Nichols
I would say probably five years. Is that the right answer? Ladi Adefala
That well, that is the right answer. So here's the application in our lives. Right? And anyone that's gone to the gym or you're trying to do something and you can't see the results, you can't see outcomes, you can't see where it's gonna go, you don't there's a tendency to just forget it, to lose hope and be like, nope. Not working. It's not working. Lisa Nichols
I just need it all. Ladi Adefala
And I think a lot of us a lot of us, myself included, after a certain time, you're just like, at what point which, by the way, is a legitimate response. Lisa Nichols
Yeah. It is a legitimate response. Ladi Adefala
Yeah. You gotta be like, you know, this stuff is not working. I gotta I need Lisa Nichols
to pivot. Something else. Ladi Adefala
Yeah. Pivot. You gotta pivot. But man, oh, man, oh, man, I gotta tell you. If God gives you the wisdom to know that ninety feet, you're just like, all of a sudden, you know, people say, like, oh, overnight success. Oh, Lisa Nichols. She's got she's got something extra podcast. It just she was just an over. No, no, no. Yeah. It's been coming.Lisa Nichols
Right. Ladi Adefala
You and I guess my message for leaders is, or anyone, really, that's just got conviction in the heart is you have to believe you gotta believe that what you're doing actually makes a difference as best as you Lisa Nichols
can Yes. Ladi Adefala
Until the rest of the world comes to kind of where you're at and says, oh, this person is not oh, this person is great. This person is that. And and by the way, that's the other thing is success, you know, disease is you you gotta also wipe that away from your brain because you know that you've been building this for for decades. Lisa Nichols
Yeah. So, anyway Yeah. Ladi Adefala
That's just Lisa Nichols
Oh, that's so good. Oh, gosh, Ladi. I mean, that that's gonna I'm I'm a big story person, so that one's gonna really stick with me because, yeah, I mean, the natural response is this is not working. I'm gonna give up. You know? But my goodness, can you imagine giving up, like, four four years and ten months? You know, then you don't have that. Oh my goodness. So good. Well, I've got a couple lightning round questions for you, and then we're gonna talk about something extra. Your favorite leadership book. Lisa Nichols
It's gonna be hard to say. Lisa Nichols
Fair. I know. It's probably not fair. Ladi Adefala
Oh, man. If I could leadership and self deception is definitely on one of those, but there's a ton. Lisa Nichols
There's a ton. Ladi Adefala
I mean, I can't that's a that's Lisa Nichols
Get Ladi's, list. Goodness. Goodness list. I knew that was not really fair. I'm sorry. Yeah. Lisa Nichols
It's okay. Lisa Nichols
What are you working on currently personally? Are is there something you're really excited about and that you're working on that you're, you know, you wanna think about? Ladi Adefala
Yeah. I think what I'm working on again, working on myself is probably the most important thing because that's really what's gonna lift the lift the lid. A friend of may of mine asked me this, actually, and, actually, a mutual friend of ours, Scott Highmark. Lisa Nichols
Oh, I love Scott Highmark. Ladi Adefala
I just had lunch with Scott.Lisa Nichols
Shout out to Scott. Ladi Adefala
Yeah. So, anyway, he says, what's the crossroads? And what I'm working on is moving from, you know, using whatever God's given me or us and saying things like, I wanna glorify God, which is not a bad thing, by the way. It's not a bad thing. Lisa Nichols
Mhmm. Ladi Adefala
But then I think there's a big it's a subtle but powerful shift in I I wanna glorify God to God's gonna glorify himself through me. So but very powerful. So I'm working on that. But, of course, all things boards, AI, all of that, but, you know, internally, that's the, you know, game of leadership. Lisa Nichols
Yeah. You know what? We're gonna have to do a part two because, I mean, what we didn't even talk about is technology, and you are a technology master. I know that you talk a lot about AI. You're a cybersecurity, you know, nationally known strategist. I mean, we didn't even get to technology, but, Ladi, we'll have to do a part two. What, we've already talked about daily habits. Do you have a best piece of advice that you that you've ever received, one that you kinda hang on to? Ladi Adefala
Bring out the best in people. Lisa Nichols
Bring out the best in other pea oh, I love that. That's so good. That is a good piece of advice. Well, let me ask you this because I ask every person, every guest, what is the something extra that you believe every leader needs? Ladi Adefala
I believe every leader you need, I call it a Rafiki from the Lion King. Lisa Nichols
The Lion King. Ladi Adefala
Everyone needs a Rafiki. You need, at least someone, if not multiple. Right? Lisa Nichols
Yes. Ladi Adefala
That will help you remember who you are. Lisa Nichols
That will help you remember who you are. Lisa Nichols
So good. Ladi Adefala
Who you were called to be. You really you need yeah. Everybody needs a Rafiki. Lisa Nichols
Every leader needs a Rafiki. So good. Oh my goodness, Ladi. Seriously. This has been I can't even tell you how much fun this has been for me. Ladi Adefala
This is great. You're awesome. AndiI forgot about that. I didn't even expect that. That's so good. I was like, wait a minute. How does she think? That's awesome. Lisa Nichols
Well, I just know that your story, your wisdom, is just really gonna help our listeners. I know it's helped me. So, thank you so much for making the time to be on the show, and I cannot wait till we can sit down and have lunch again. Ladi Adefala
Me too. And I wanna say something, extra. Lisa Nichols
No pun intended. Lisa Nichols
Alright. Let me hear your something extra. Ladi Adefala
My something extra is I can't tell you, and you may not even know, right, how the work you're doing, not just here, but in the multiple dimensions, it's helping people. Maybe you do, maybe you don't. But I really do think it's, it changes lives. Mhmm. Maybe it may start out as a little seed and a little sprout, and then someone come. But over time, people's lives just begin to change. So if there's any encouragement, I could keep, yeah, keep on because sometimes I mean, I think it's there's a tendency for us to wanna look at lights and comments and all this. How many people what's the engagement? What's the this? And what's get into all these things. Yeah. Those are good. I'm not saying they're not good, but we can't live and die by those because sometimes it's just you don't know. You know? It doesn't you can't see it. Right? Lisa Nichols
Ladi, that's so good. Ladi Adefala
Does not show up until the fifth year or whenever. Lisa Nichols
Right. That is so good. Thank you so much for that encouragement. Thank you for that encouragement. And I think that's an encouragement to to everybody. It's like, don't don't look at the comments. Don't look at this. You don't know. Just keep doing what you're doing, called to do. And, we're we're just the planters, really. Lonnie, we're not the growers. We're the planters. You know? And so, thank you for that word of encouragement. And, I just know, like, people like you being on the the podcast has seriously made the podcast what it is. So I just so appreciate you, and, have a great rest of the day, my friend. Ladi Adefala
Alright. You too. Thank you. Announcer
Something extra with Lisa Nichols is a Technology Partners production. Copyright Technology Partners Inc twenty nineteen. To learn more about this week's guest, check out the show notes at tpi dot co slash podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, consider leaving us a review. Thank you for listening to Something Extra. 
