Asiimwe on journey to help young people discover themselves

Why is leadership a valuable trait to you?

Leadership and communication are one of the most important attributes of people. Look at companies, communities, countries; they all need leaders and for you to be a good leader you have to be a good communicator first. Otherwise people will not know or understand your plans unless you learn how to communicate effectively. The two skills of communication and leadership move hand in hand to make great leaders and great speakers.

Who is that leader that inspires you?

Barack Obama because he had a humble background and yet he made it to the top of the US leadership. He was a good communicator. When he spoke for the first time at the convention, people just knew that the man would be a great leader.

Communication took him to the highest level. It is his communication skills that helped him become president, not that he was a good administrator but he knew how to package his ideas, which made him a great leader.

What mentorship skills do you pass onto young people you interact with?

Talent identification because most people do not know their talent. Did you know that you can have a skill but you do not know until people notice it? That means people have identified what you are, so I take young people through skills and talent identification and guide them on how to earn a living out of it.

How did you get to where you are today?

First of all I come from a humble background. I lost my parents when I was in primary school. I was raised by my grandmother but the good thing is I was raised near an academic institution – Kyambogo University while it was still a teachers college.

I admired the teachers and wanted to be one of them. My grandmother told me I had to work and study hard if I wanted to be like them. I went to Makerere University where I studied Development Studies and I was retained by the university and since then I have never looked back. Right now I own a research company called Centre for Social Research.

What is that one achievement you are proud of?

Starting a research company after retiring from Makerere University. It has turned out to be one of the best consultancies in the country in research, training programmes and more.

How do you balance research work and family?

I have a very good family. Whenever I am away or in the field, my family can survive. Knowing that my family needs me, I give them time on weekends, mostly Sundays.

Who is that one person, dead or alive, you would invite for a cup of tea?

John Maunsell, a leadership guru. I download his leadership clips and I keep picking inspiration from them.