Lead by Choice

Hi there! Welcome to LeadByChoice, a home for people who want to take bold and courageous leadership. I am Kimunya Mugo, a blogger, an author, leadership coach, communication specialist and a father.

My mission with LeadByChoice is to inspire and motivate you to ‘Explore your true Identity, Unleash the Leader in you and Build your Legacy’.

I believe that leadership, communication and branding are so intricately connected, that without one, the others cease to flourish. These are the themes that you will engage with here at LeadByChoice.

Soon, I will be launching my new leadership coaching program. It is real and transformational. You will experience personal growth, build your team and enjoy your family more. You will grow into the leader you are meant to be.

 

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: This blog moved to www.LeadByChoice.co to serve you better. To receive updates and future offerings, I encourage you to SUBSCRIBE or click on the banner below or to the right of this screen. Thank you!

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How did I end up here?

From when I was a boy, I was fired up by ‘But why?’ when confronted with major decisions. This made me challenge the status quo. I did not always follow the crowd and tended to blaze my own trail.

I got tired of complaining about the mediocre ‘leadership’ I constantly found myself under. Deep down, I knew that I was born a leader. But life had dealt me some serious wounds that filled me with fear. A fear of failure.

Finally, I made a decision in 2013 that I would live fearlessly. I had to forgive someone who had hurt me when I was just seven years old. The degree to which you are able to tell your story is the degree to which you are able to heal. It helps us deal with our shame, our inadequacy. To deal with me!

When I was eleven, another candle was extinguished. I still remember that day like it was yesterday. Our English teacher was handing back our essay assignments. As was custom, he started off with the student with the highest grade and worked his way to the bottom.

And guess what? I was it! I had flunked! It was depressing to say the least. I had poured my heart to write an epic story…and I had. His reason for not grading my essay? “You copied your essay from somewhere else,” he said with a smirk on his face.

That added to my feeling of inadequacy. But that did not kill my dream! A small ember still flickered in the recesses of my battered spirit. But it took a lot of hard work to get that ember into a roaring fire!

In 2013, I quit my day job to fully commit myself to writing, coaching and serving you. The same year, I published my first book. Down But Not Out: Becoming A Significant Leader at Home was my key to freedom. In it, I share my journey of joy, pain, fears, rejection and finally triumph.

I began doing something that I could not do without. Something that mattered not only to me, but for the betterment of humanity.

It’s going to be the ride of my life, but I want to help people to become unmistakably authentic! My ultimate hope is that you find change from the inside that positively affects your outlook and everything or anyone you touch. In leadership, communication and branding…

My brief bio

I have worked in the not-for-profit sector for over 15 years. Trained as a scientist (horticulture), I have always loved communication. However, it was not a direct transition. I was kind of ‘pushed’ into it when my first boss put me in charge of developing my first website (by the way, I had no clue how to do it!).

My last day job was as Regional Director for Communication & Branding of WWF in eastern and southern Africa. Before that, I worked in a variety of roles for three other organizations (see full profile).

In my free time, I enjoy writing, reading, the outdoors, running, speaking and helping other parents.

I have been married to my best friend Harriette since 2004. Together, we have been parenting coaches since 2007. We have three children and make our home in Nairobi, Kenya.

My values

These are my solid five pillars that support my work and life:

• I will enshrine boldness in my vision.
• I want to inspire excellence in people.
• I seek to be authentic in my leadership at all times.
• I want to make a difference with my life.
• I will consistently add to my knowledge.

Let’s get connected

I want to be available to you as much as I can. Sometimes life gets crazy and it takes me some time to respond, but I do my best to respond in a timely manner.

Here are the best ways we can connect better:

• Subscribe to my Blog – This way, I promise to deliver any updates and goodies directly to your mailbox. My promise is NO SPAM and a guarantee that your email WILL NEVER be shared with anyone else.
  
• Blog Comments – I really appreciate when you comment on my posts, and I do my best to respond to all of them. Let me know your thoughts on my posts and how I can best help you.
• Email – Let’s have a conversation… It’s as simple as a click!
• Twitter – I really like the freshness of Twitter! Follow me @KimunyaMugo then send me @mention or reply.
• Facebook – I engage with your comments and mentions on Facebook. LIKE my Page and my Facebook Profile and let’s rock!

I Look Forward to Hearing From You!

What others are saying

On the blog…

“Love your stuff and your blog!” Kary Oberbrunner

“…Very impressive. I like your thinking and the breadth of topics you cover. I pray you do well.” Don Mercer

“Kimunya, thanks for the thought provoking pieces that prompt action. Your article on Leadership is HOPE was particularly very practical calling for a little pause from ‘our busy frame’ and to take time to impact for the future.” Ciru

“Fantastic! Looks like you have a passion for helping others, as well do I… Keep up the great work.” –Dave

On my book Down But Not Out: Becoming a Significant Leader at Home…

“Authentic and transparent! A must read for any parent that desires to empower their children to live a life of significance in a world filled with challenges.”  Barry Smith

“Intimately candid and bold. A reminder that hope still exists if parents deliberately train their children to grow in ‘wisdom, stature and favor with God and man’.” Michael Oyier, Psychologist & Media Practitioner, Founder & Director Serenity Life Coaching.

“I loved this book and read it in one sitting. I could not put it down. It is beautifully written full of lessons and love. The whole book resonated with me. Even though I live in Canada, it is amazing how our experiences of love and loss are similar. Values start at home. This book shows you that and how to weave your values into your leadership. 10 out of 10!” Cheri Essner

“I enjoyed reading Down But Not Out as Kimunya poured out his experience and learning so that others may benefit. I like the authenticity and practical step by step exploration. Having attended the same parenting class with him and Harriette they have done justice to lessons learnt. Great job Kimunya looking forward to your next releases. In the meantime enjoying your Lead by Choice blog.” Ciru

“Excellent book. Kimunya articulates well what it takes to lead. He remains very authentic narrating all high and low moments in his personal and family life to illustrate and tie in all the required prerequisites for successful leadership at home. A genuine 5 star read.” Amazon.com Customer

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[photo: Teddy Mitchener, HouseOfPhotography]