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Opinion: Exceed Expectations by Henry Ukazu

Published

7 years ago

August 24, 2019

Eric

The first step in exceeding your customer’s expectations is to know those expectations – Roy H. Williams

Greetings Friends,

In today’s world, everybody wants to succeed. Nobody wants to fail. Hence, the saying, success has many fathers while failure is an orphan. The desire of every progressive and rational mind is to be successful. No company, organization, entrepreneur or even association wants to fail. No student wants to fail. This is the more reason every parent trains his/her child not only to be morally sound in character but also academically empowered. The same goes for every cooperate organization which provides training opportunities for their employees in order for them to be properly equipped to do the job.

Entrepreneurs on the other hand never give up in their struggle to succeed, especially when they look back to see how far they have come. They put in so much work by researching, learning, and unlearning in order to be relevant in our contemporary society. Service providers are not left out, they go all out to exceed their customers’ expectations by giving them the best of services.

During the course of this article, we shall be discussing in a holistic and detailed manner dynamic ways on how we can exceed expectations. But the bigger picture will be on how you can exceed your expectations, the expectations of your clients, and the expectations of naysayers who didn’t believe in you nor saw the big picture. You may have had dreams of becoming a distinguished Captain of an industry, you may even have a desire of going higher in cooperate ladder, but your supervisor or director tends to limit your opportunities due to roadblocks which has programmed to make you fail on arrival. You may have never had the desire of going over and beyond due to the limiting factors like your environment, financial circumstances, physical disability or even health condition which might have limited your capability. All these are the strange voices which might tend to limit your dreams or chances of succeeding in life.

To exceed is to go over and beyond expectations. It can even be an inspiration to someone. It takes a lot of courage to exceed expectations just like it takes a lot to succeed in life and business. In order to truly exceed expectation, you must create something of value which must be appreciated. When you create value or become a person of substance who addresses problems, the world will celebrate you. Value is the hallmark of exceeding expectations. A typical example of someone who exceeded expectation is Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba. Billionaire Alibaba founder Jack Ma was rejected from every job he applied to after college, even KFC. After college, Ma applied for 30 jobs in his home city of Hangzhou, China. He was rejected from every one. At KFC, 24 people applied for the job, and while 23 were hired — he wasn’t one of them. The same thing happened when he tried to be a cop. This time four of five applicants were hired, all except Ma. According to Jack Ma “My cousin and I waited for two hours in a long queue to be the waiter for the four-star hotel in my city, on a very hot day,”. “My cousin’s score was much lower than mine, but he was accepted and I was rejected!” Ma was even turned down by Harvard 10 times. Ma says the continued rejection was painful. But it prepared him for his entrepreneurial future. Ma believed in himself. His fortitude came in handy when he founded Chinese e-commerce site Alibaba in 1999. In the beginning, Ma heard “no” a lot, but never doubted his capacity to exceed expectations. According to Ma “When you share a lot of failure stories, you learn.”

Jack Ma turns 55 on Sept. 10, 2019, and is currently worth $38.2 billion. Yet Ma once made $12 dollar per month as an English teacher. His achievements are practically unbelievable considering his meager, humble beginnings. Along the way, he failed more times (and more spectacularly) than most of us could stomach in a lifetime.

Exceeding your expectations are not limited to only to you, but it also transcends to other people who have never believed you in you. We all have experienced one form of a disservice in one or way or the other. This can be either from an employee, an elderly person who never saw anything good in you, a friend, colleague or even a sibling or parent who had a form of doubt about your ability to succeed in life. In order for you to cast out their fears and doubts, the onus is on you to exceed their expectations by humbling them with your success. According to Roy H. Williams, “The first step in exceeding your customer’s expectations is to know those expectations.”

We shall be discussing how to exceed expectations. The first step and requirement of exceeding expectation is believing in yourself. You just have to think positive regardless of the opinion people around have. Yes, sometimes it can be challenging when the odds are against you, for instance, you may have great ideas, but lack resources to execute it. Let me share a personal experience with you during my formative years in the USA, I had terrible writing skills. My writing skills were horrible, to say the least. I had “supposed mentors” who were meant to assist me in honing my writing skills, but the experience wasn’t rosy as expected. I was technically helpless, but fortunately, my networking and personal relationship skills connected me to resourceful mentors who look beyond my horrible writing skills to horn my writing skills. They were kind enough to edit my works at regular intervals. This process enabled me to learn and in turn improved my writing skills. The teachings and mistakes I made enabled me to write my first book. Mere looking back, I can say, my supposed mentors wouldn’t believe I will come this far. I exceeded their expectations.

Let me share valuable tip on how to exceed expectations for business-minded people. You can exceed expectations by providing quality service to your customers. Nobody likes shady work. You can also exceed expectations with speed and accuracy. When you deliver great service to your clients, you gain not only their confidence but also their loyalty. Another way of succeeding is by connecting with your customers by applying the three communication rule: 1. Golden Rule: Treat people the way you want them to treat you; 2. Platinum Rule: Treat people the way they wish to be treated and, and 3. The double-platinum rule which literary means give people more than they deserve. Your customers can literally be loyal if you connect with them. Don’t be interested only in their money, but also let them know they are appreciated. Moral: Try to think of something memorable you can do for every customer. Also if you ever get an opportunity to do more, then do it.

Further more, you can give value by doing more than is expected or required from you. Do more than expected. You can exceed expectations in quality or service. A great customer service leaves a lasting memory. The expectations you exceed today become the seed for new opportunities in the future. This may seem to be an obvious fact, but many people fail to connect today’s actions with future opportunities.

1. Manage Expectations:

Depending on where you work, you can exceed expectations by managing your boss expectations. You must make time to understand what your boss expects when it comes to project deadlines and deliverables.

2. Keep your skills up-to-date

As technology evolves, so must professionals. Whether it is the latest version of the software or regulatory changes, “Staying abreast of the latest developments in your industry can show continuous improvement and help you become a more efficient and effective employee.”

3. Differentiate yourself

Last but not least, identify what differentiates you professionally from the rest and make it a characteristic that your boss can depend on. Making small efforts such as routinely showing up to work early each day or consistently finding new, more efficient ways to accomplish everyday tasks can help you position yourself as a valuable resource to your boss and team. While many professionals may have the qualifications to do the job, differentiating yourself and what unique elements you can bring to the table will set you apart. You want to demonstrate to your boss that you can continue to add value to the team and its goals. Ask yourself each day ‘how can I make my boss’s job easier?’ and you can begin to meet and exceed their expectations.”

I’ll end this article by sharing some inspiring secrets about Jack Ma on his entrepreneurial journey to inspire you.

1. Didn’t give up after failing many exams at school; Surprisingly, Ma’s not alone. There’s a tradition of other great minds, including Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, and Abraham Lincoln.

2. He scored 1 out of 120 points on the math portion of his college entrance exam.

3. He wasn’t deterred after being rejected from Harvard 10 times.

4. He stayed optimistic after being turned down for 30 jobs. After graduating from college, he applied to 30 different jobs and was subsequently rejected by all of them. He even applied to be a police officer, but he was rejected with three simple words: “You’re no good.”

5. He was the only interviewee (out of 24) rejected by KFC.

6. He couldn’t convince Silicon Valley to fund Alibaba: Even after he started Alibaba, he suffered multiple failures. It wasn’t profitable the first three years.

In summary, if Jack Ma can exceed expectations, you too can do succeed regardless of your setbacks. Jack Ma is a classic rags-to-riches, but even more impressive than his fabulous wealth is his uncanny level of persistence. He is proof that no series of failures despite how depressing can keep someone from achieving their dreams. What this shows us is that Ma is the paradigm of persistence. As Ma says: “If you don’t give up, you still have a chance. Giving up is the greatest failure.”

I will like to end by asking a question; what expectations would you like to exceed?

Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the author of the acclaimed book Design Your Destiny – Actualizing Your Birthright To Success.

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Why Tinubu Was Absent at Commissioning of Sanwo-Olu’s Projects in Lagos – Presidency

Published

2 days ago

April 9, 2026

Eric

The Presidency has come up with reasons behind President Bola Tinubu’s absent at the commissioning of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s projects in Lagos, on Wednesday.

Tinubu was noticeably absent at the scheduled project commissioning in Lagos, sparking public curiosity.

However, Sunday Dare, his Special Adviser on Public Communications and Orientation, has clarified the reason behind the last-minute development.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Dare revealed that the President had to prioritise urgent national security matters over the event.
According to him, although Tinubu is currently in Lagos, he has been deeply engaged in high-level State duties, particularly ongoing security briefings tied to recent developments across the country.

“The president has been busy taking constant briefs and has to prioritise when it comes to state matters, especially security,” Dare stated.

He referenced rising security concerns, including recent unrest linked to incidents in Jos, noting that the President has been closely monitoring the situation and working directly with intelligence agencies.

Dare emphasised that Tinubu remains fully engaged behind the scenes, actively coordinating with security operatives and receiving continuous updates to address emerging threats.

The absence, he stressed, should not be seen as neglect of official duties but rather a reflection of the President’s focus on safeguarding national stability at a critical time.

Tinubu skipped the Lagos commissioning not out of disregard, but to handle pressing security issues demanding immediate presidential attention.

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Benin Republic 2026: Romuald Wadagni, The President in Waiting

Published

2 days ago

April 9, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

As the presidential election draws very close, one man stands taller than most of the candidates that would be on the ballot paper, or may have been on the ballot paper as far as the presidential election in Benin Republic is concerned. He is the hard working and most Indefatigable achiever, Monsieur Romuald Wadagni.

He us young, able and full of experience, having practiced positive and sincere politics for a very long in his young existence.

Wadagni comes across as the typical chip off the old block, when it comes to genuine leadership qualities and agenda. He has been tested, trusted and ready to take up the mantle of leadership towards providing genuineness and purposeful living condition for the people of Benin Republic.

In 10 consecutive years, since he was 39, Wadagni, has supervised the Finance and Economy ministry without blemish, and has received accolades from far and wide.

It is therefore not a fluke as the 49 years old, Romuald Wadagni was nominated as the ruling majority’s candidate for the upcoming presidential election in Benin.

Consequently, listed below are three things to know about him: 1:he has been the Minister of Finance for nearly 10 years. Romuald Wadagni was appointed Minister of Economy and Finance in April 2016. He was reappointed to the position in 2021 with the rank of Minister of State. He is considered one of the main architects of Benin’s economic recovery.

At the end of January 2025, he welcomed “average growth of more than 6.5% in recent years.” In 2018, Financial Afrik magazine ranked him among the 100 African personalities transforming the continent. In December 2024, the same media outlet named him “Best Finance Minister in Africa,” praising Benin’s macroeconomic stability in the face of international crises. 2: He is an expert in finance and accounting. Romuald Wadagni is a chartered accountant. After studying finance, private equity, and venture capital, he began his professional career in 1998 at Deloitte, one of the largest audit and consulting firms in the world.

At Deloitte, Romuald Wadagni rose through the ranks and successively held several positions of responsibility in France, the United States, and then in Francophone Africa. In 2012, at the age of 36, he became a partner at Deloitte. He later led the firm’s expansion across the African continent. After 17 years, he left the firm in April 2016 when he was appointed Minister of Economy and Finance of Benin.

He is the heir apparent of Patrice Talon. After two consecutive terms, President Patrice Talon, who can no longer run again, had promised to play an active role in choosing his successor. On August 31, 2025, he officially endorsed his Minister of Finance, Romuald Wadagni, as the candidate of the presidential majority.
This designation was confirmed in a joint statement by the Union Progressiste le Renouveau (UPR) and the Bloc Républicain (BR), the two main parties of the majority. On October 4, 2025, in Parakou, Romuald Wadagni and Mariam Chabi Talata, the current Vice President, were officially nominated during a major rally of the presidential majority. In his speech, the candidate minister promised to “consolidate the achievements” of his predecessor.

Prior to entering politics, Wadagni worked for the consulting firm Deloitte for 17 years. He was first appointed the minister of economy and finance on 7 April 2016, in the first Talon government, and subsequently reappointed in 2021 with the rank of senior minister.

Wadagni was born in Benin in 1976 in Lokossa, the eldest of five children. His father, Nestor Wadagni, a statistician and economist with a degree from ENSAE, had a career in the Beninese civil service before writing a thesis in fundamental mathematics after his retirement.From an early age, he took an interest in manual work and trained himself in bricklaying and mechanics.

After obtaining a scientific baccalaureate in Benin, he continued his studies in France. From 1995 to 1999, he studied at the École supérieure des affaires de Grenoble (ESA) where he obtained a master’s degree in finance, graduating top of his class. During his studies in Grenoble, he met a partner from Deloitte who identified his potential and recruited him into the consulting firm in 1998.Among honours attached to his ebullient services and achievements, are as follows:

In 2021, the financial newspaper Financial Afrik named Romuald Wadagni “Best African Minister of Economy and Finance”.

In 2024, the financial newspaper Financial Afrik named him “Finance Minister of the Year” for the 4th time in its ranking of “The 100 who are transforming Africa”.

ROMUALD WADAGNI AT A GLANCE

Romuald Wadagni is Senior Minister in charge of Economy and Finance of Benin. He was appointed on April 7, 2016, in the first government of President Patrice Talon and reappointed to this position in May 2021.

Romuald Wadagni is a public accountant certified in France and the USA. He also holds a master’s degree in finance and has completed specialized training in private equity and venture capital.

Before being appointed Minister of Economy and Finance in 2016, Romuald Wadagni had a leading international experience within Deloitte. In France from 1998, then in the United States from 2003, he developed cutting-edge expertise in several fields, serving customers in various sectors of activity (Mining, TMT, Financial Sector, Public Sector, Retail) and various governments and donors.

Wadagni is a handful in service delivery, transformation and economic re-engineering. He is the best suited for the presidency of Benin Republic as election holds on Sunday, April 12, 2026

Featured

ADC Raises Alarm over INEC’s Plot to Prevent Party from Fielding Candidates

Published

5 days ago

April 6, 2026

Eric

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has revealed the deliberate administrative landmines being deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prevent the Party from fielding candidates in the upcoming elections.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party stated that at the heart of this emerging crisis is INEC’s stated position that it will no longer receive any correspondence from the ADC pending the determination of a matter before the Federal High Court. On its face, this may appear procedural. In reality, it creates a direct and dangerous conflict with the clear timelines imposed by the Electoral Act (2026), which provides defined windows, including the mandatory 21-day notice period and subsequent submission requirements, within which political parties must complete critical electoral processes.

The full statement reads:

We are compelled to raise serious concerns about a developing situation that appears designed to prevent the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from fielding candidates in the upcoming elections. It is based on documentary evidence which we are now placing before the Nigerian public, including certified INEC records, attendance logs, monitoring reports, and excerpts from the Commission’s own sworn affidavit. Taken together, these documents establish a clear and consistent record of events.

INEC received formal notice of the July 29, 2025 National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the ADC. It deployed officials to monitor that meeting. It documented the proceedings and received formal reports from its field officers. Following this, INEC updated its internal records and uploaded the names of the new leadership, including Senator David Mark as National Chairman and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary.
These are not claims. They are facts contained in INEC’s own records.

In addition, the Commission’s sworn affidavit before the Federal High Court, in its response to Nafiu Bala Gombe on 12 September 2025, particularly in Clauses 14 to 19, affirms key legal principles: that the leadership transition had already been completed and recognized, that such internal party matters fall outside the scope of judicial interference, that completed acts cannot be reversed by injunction, and also recognizes the David Mark-led NWC.

Yet, despite this clear documentary trail, INEC has now taken the position that it will no longer receive any correspondence from the ADC pending the determination of a matter before the Federal High Court. This is where the contradiction becomes dangerous.

The Electoral Act imposes strict timelines on political parties, including the 21-day notice requirement and submission deadlines. INEC itself has fixed May 10 as the deadline for the submission of relevant documents. However, by refusing to receive communication from the ADC within this same period, the Commission is effectively preventing the Party from complying with the law.

In simple terms, INEC is effectively threatening that unless the courts deliver judgment on the ADC leadership issue by May 10, it will prevent the ADC from producing candidates.

This places the ADC in an impossible position and creates a clear pathway to artificial non-compliance, which can then be used to justify excluding the Party from fielding candidates. That is the landmine.

INEC has claimed that its April 1 decision was taken to avoid rendering the proceedings before the Federal High Court nugatory. The reality is the opposite. By intervening in a matter already before the court and issuing a pronouncement with clear legal and operational consequences, the Commission has itself undermined the very process it claims to protect.

What is even more concerning is that this position contradicts INEC’s own prior conduct and legal stance. The same Commission that monitored, documented, recognized, and swore to an affidavit confirming the ADC leadership is now acting in a way that contradicts its earlier position.
We therefore call on the Commission to immediately reverse this position, resume the acceptance of all lawful correspondence from the ADC, and uphold its constitutional responsibility to ensure a level playing field for all political parties.

We also call on Nigerians to be wary and remain vigilant about these dangerous machinations to subvert Nigeria’s democracy and impose a civilian dictatorship on the country.