OPINION | LEADERSHIP The Future Belongs to Those Who Show Up- Yetunde B. Oni

Confidence rarely arrives before opportunity. More often, it comes afterwards, when we I’ve received the opinion article, “The Future Belongs to Those Who Show Up” by Yetunde B. Oni.

What would you like me to do with it for example, package it as a newspaper opinion piece, rewrite it for publication, shorten it, give it a stronger headline, or extract the 5Ws and H? the courage to begin.

There is a conversation I have had, in one form or another, with many talented people over the years. It usually begins with hesitation.

Someone capable and clearly gifted explains why they are not quite ready for the role, platform or opportunity before them. They are waiting to feel certain.

But what I have learned, across a career in banking and through my own seasons of doubt, is that certainty is seldom the first thing to arrive.

Confidence does not always come before opportunity. Very often, it comes afterwards—once we accept the challenge, prepare properly and allow the process to change us.

That is why I encourage people, women and men alike, to show up even when they are unsure.

Apply for the role. Compete for the opportunity. Go through the process.

Even when you do not emerge with the position, the experience can sharpen your skills, broaden your understanding and prepare you for what comes next. Waiting until you feel completely ready may mean missing the very process that would have made you ready.

I say this not from a distance, but as someone who has had to practise it. No one steps into leadership with everything figured out. What matters is clarity of purpose, humility to keep learning and the willingness to take responsibility for something larger than oneself.

Leaders Set the Tone

One lesson I learned early is that people take their cue from those who lead them. They watch what leaders say, what they tolerate, what they reward and how they behave under pressure.

Culture is not built in policy documents alone. It is created through the daily accumulation of words, decisions and examples.

If we want institutions where people are confident, accountable, innovative and honest, we must deliberately create that environment.

Part of this involves ensuring that people feel psychologically safe. The best decisions are often made when people feel secure enough to contribute honestly, ask questions, offer feedback and even make mistakes without fear of being diminished.

When people feel safe, they bring their best thinking to the table. When they do not, they retreat into silence, and the institution becomes poorer for it.

This is why I place such value on candid feedback. We must learn to tell one another the truth with respect.

Too often, people avoid honest conversations and carry their dissatisfaction elsewhere, into corridors and quiet corners where nothing is resolved. That helps no one.

A difficult conversation, memo or query is not necessarily an act of hostility. It may be precisely what shapes character and helps someone grow.

Leaders, for their part, must demonstrate through their actions that feedback is genuinely welcome. If one person speaks up and is embarrassed or punished, everyone else quickly learns to remain silent.

But when leaders listen, respond fairly and treat feedback as an opportunity to improve, openness becomes part of the culture.

Character Before Competence

People sometimes ask what I consider the most important quality in leadership.

My answer is ethics and integrity.

Trust is the foundation upon which every strong team is built.

Competence matters greatly, but character determines how that competence is used. Skills can be developed over time. Trust, once lost, is much harder to rebuild.

I look for people who do what they say they will do, who can be relied upon, who act honestly and who understand that leadership is not about personal power but responsibility.

A leader must be someone others can trust, particularly when decisions are difficult and the path ahead is uncertain.

That, more than any single achievement, is what holds an institution together.

Redefining Success

My understanding of success has also evolved over the years.

Career milestones matter, and I would never diminish the value of ambition or hard work. But they are not the only measures of a life well lived.

The wellbeing of my family, the joy of ordinary moments and the ability to make a positive difference have become equally meaningful to me.

Some of the most valuable things in life are not material. They are the intangible things that give our days depth and purpose.

I have learned not to postpone happiness until I reach a particular position or level. Life is unpredictable. If we are always waiting for the next promotion before allowing ourselves to be content, we may miss the beauty of where we already are.

Every stage of the journey has something to teach us.

This is also why I believe rest is not laziness. It is necessary.

Setting boundaries, saying no when something is not essential, asking for help and being honest about what we can realistically carry are not signs of weakness.

They are the marks of people who intend to lead well over the long term rather than exhaust themselves along the way.

The Courage to Be Seen

I offer these reflections in the context of a conversation I recently shared with colleagues through weHub, our women employee network at Union Bank.

The discussion returned repeatedly to a theme I care deeply about: the importance of women not merely being present in the room, but being heard, supported and considered for opportunities.

It is not enough to have women at the table. They must feel safe to speak, share ideas, ask questions and put themselves forward.

Leaders have a responsibility to notice potential, create platforms and encourage participation, particularly from people who may not naturally push themselves forward.

Those of us already in leadership positions also owe one another something. We should amplify each other's voices, offer sincere and constructive feedback and encourage one another to pursue roles we might otherwise hesitate to seek.

Sometimes support is as simple as saying, “You should speak on this,” or, “You are ready for that opportunity.”

Many capable people, women in particular, wrestle with self-doubt even when they are plainly able.

My encouragement is simple: do not disqualify yourself before the opportunity arrives.

Apply. Compete. Speak. Contribute.

Do it even if you have to do it afraid.

You may not always feel ready, but every step builds capacity. Your voice matters. Your contribution matters.

And your courage to show up can open doors not only for yourself, but for those watching and learning what is possible.

A Culture Worth Building

When I consider the legacy I hope to help shape at Union Bank, an institution that has served Nigeria for more than a century, it is not defined by a single transaction or milestone.

It is defined by culture.

I want to contribute to a place where people feel empowered, trusted, supported and accountable; a place where they can speak honestly, learn from mistakes, do excellent work and feel that they are part of something meaningful.

I would like our leadership to help build an institution that is stronger for the future and a workplace where people genuinely thrive.

The future, I am convinced, belongs to those who show up.

Not to those who wait until every doubt has been resolved, but to those who prepare, act with integrity, lift others as they rise and find the courage to begin before they feel entirely ready.

That courage is available to every one of us.

The only question is whether we will choose to use it.

Yetunde B. Oni is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank of Nigeria.