I concluded a 3-hour speaking engagement and interaction with a team in a high profile company somewhere in East Africa and as soon as I was done, a very attractive lady, in her early thirties as it seemed came up to me and began to talk about the company. She talked about the business ambition, the challenges encountered, and how they’ve tried very hard to inspire and motivate the team to do better. She spoke quite well about the leadership of the business and how they are very smart, ambitious and passionate about success. She spoke well of her colleagues too and began to tell me how they would ensure they apply the principles I shared on effective teamwork for sustainable growth, expansion and transformation in Africa.

She was also the head of the protocol team that received me and as soon as she was done with the gist, she went to call up her driver who was to take me to the airport. Immediately she left, another lady she earlier introduced as her best friend walked up to me and whispered a warning with a concerned expression on her face, she told me to be careful with the lady, that she is very cunning and she’s a home wrecker. She told me this beautiful lady is a single mother of two and she has a reputation for wrecking people marriages.

I was surprised this information was coming from a so-called best friend. I thanked her and said nothing more.

I got into the car of the beautiful woman that was being talked about and as I made my way to the airport with her driver behind the steering wheels, he suddenly looked at me in the rearview mirror and began to speak.

I saw you speaking to my madam for a long while earlier, she is a good woman but be careful with her, she can trouble your marriage.

I was shocked her driver too is saying the same thing her best friend had said about her earlier, I said nothing, I ignored his comment and focused on a book I was reading.

A couple of days after I arrived Nigeria, the leader of the team I went to engage called me to thank me for coming and as the gist continued, he suddenly asked about this same lady who was his head of protocol, he asked if she’s been in touch with me, I said no, suddenly he said it summarily, just watch out, she’s not someone you want to be close to, especially if you’re married, she is a good person but be careful with her. I suddenly became weak. Her best friend, her driver, now her boss? No this is too much, this is bad.

Ladies and gentlemen, what is your name? Many of us simply think of a name as what someone or something is called. We simply interpret a name as a word that identifies or references a person, place or thing. We see a name as the word that differentiates people, places and things.

We name things, we name people and places so that when we call or mention, people can identify them easily.

I presume you’ll simply define your name this morning as what you’re called. Your name is what people call you and you respond to, your name is your identification word. Your name, is simply what you’re called, you may think.

However, I’ve heard it said several times and in several places that a good name is better than silver and gold. So what is it that makes a name good or bad? Is it the sound or meaning of the name? I do not think so.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I say this morning that your name is actually not just about identifying you, your name is not just about differentiating you, your name is not just what people call you, in actual fact; your name is you.

Your name is the total sum of your person, your character, your behaviors and your reputation. Your name belongs to you but it’s for other people to use and interpret.

Your name my dear friend is actually your reputation. Your name is the summary of your record in life so far. The interpretation people give to your person when you are mentioned is your name. How people feel when you’re mentioned is your name.

How people react when you are mentioned is your name. The conclusion people draw when you are mentioned is your name.

Dear friend, again I ask, what is your name? What is the meaning of your life to the people around and in your life? What is the summary statement that follows the mention of your name? What do people think, how do people feel when your name is mentioned?

One of the greatest investment you should make in this life is in your name. Your name should mean something positive, you name should symbolize something powerful, you name should communicate something great, your name should inspire something phenomenal.

Are you building your name or destroying your name? Many of us are too busy loving ourselves, doing what we like and behaving as we like with no respect or reckon for our names built through reputation.

As humans, we are not permitted to live and behave as we feel or like, we are expected to behave and do things as it’s right. By nature, all humans are selfish, indiscipline and immoral. We want to indulge in fleshly things, we want to act as we like, dress as we like, talk as we like and do what we like, however; all we do daily, keep adding value or diminishing the value of our names.

The power to excel, succeed and achieve greatness is very much connected to what our names symbolize. People want to connect, relate, and work with you based on your reputation. Your reputation is a consequence of the things you do daily, either good or bad.

Your words every day, your choices every day, your appearance every day, your association every day and the quality of your work every day is building a reputation for you and this reputation will determine how the world and life will react and respond to your name either good or bad.

Your name is an embodiment of your reputation. Every time a name is called and it’s followed by the question who is he? Your reputation narrative is what follows.

The dangerous thing about your name and reputation is that its use, power and deployment does not lie with you but with others. You don’t own your reputation, people do and what they say it is, is what it is. The innocent lady I encountered at the retreat had no clue her best friend, her driver and even her boss had talked to me about her reputation without her consent or knowledge. Her reputation though hers is meant for others to use as they deem fit.

Ladies and gentlemen, what is your name? When you cheat, when you swindle, when you’re dishonest, when you’re oppressive, when you’re corrupt, when you steal, when you demand a bribe from innocent people, suppliers and vendors they may give you alright but they will broadcast your name and build you a reputation in the industry. A bad reputation can close great doors against you as an employee, a businessman, an artisan or employer.

As a married man what is your reputation, as a married woman what is your reputation, as a bachelor what is your reputation, as a single lady what is your reputation? What is your reputation on social media? Could it work against your possible marriage to a fantastic, kind and loving spouse? Could it work against you in employment?

Perception is very important in life, even when you do good people want to make you look bad, much less you’re doing bad things steady.

Please don’t deceive yourself saying you don’t care what people say, it is their problem, no it is not, it is also your problem. Today I’m careful about this lady I met at the retreat. It doesn’t matter who she really is, she has a bad reputation and it’s affecting her opportunities with me.

Your name matters, your reputation counts, protect it, guard it jealously. Ladies and gentlemen, ask yourself this important question today, what is your name?

FRANKLY SPEAKING BY
MUYIWA AFOLABI

http://www.muyiwaafolabi.com/today-frankly-speaking-name/

Ray power and MTN no longer host this show. I missed listening to it.