Your team deserves the best version of you – not just the busiest one.
When I took on the role of Managing Director/CEO at PHED, I was determined to lead from the front.
The numbers were grim.
• Revenue was leaking.
• ATC&C losses were high.
• Morale? Let’s just say it wasn’t where it needed to be.
I rolled up my sleeves, set bold targets, restructured operations, and met with board, staff, shareholders, regulators, engineers, and field teams. Within six months, we had increased revenue from ₦4 billion to ₦7.1 billion and started to curb losses across the network. On paper, things were turning around.
But then something happened that shifted my perspective.
💬 A Quiet Voice in the Crowd
During one of my field visits to Calabar region, I decided to sit with a group of front-line staff at one of our injection sub-stations – DSOs who managed the substations, linesmen who climbed poles, navigated dangerous terrain, customer service staff who often faced irate customers, all in the name of keeping the lights on.
After some awkward silence, one of them looked me in the eye and said:
“Oga, we appreciate the progress. But sometimes we don’t know if you see us… beyond the results.”
That hit hard.
They weren’t questioning my strategy or performance.
They were asking something deeper:
“Do you see us as people, not just output?”
🧠 That Moment Changed Me
I realized I had been so focused on leading the business, I was at risk of forgetting to lead the people.
I was showing up as the version of me that delivered on KPIs – but not always the one that paused to say:
• “How are you doing?”
• “What’s working – and what’s not?”
• “Thank you.”
From that day, I made a decision.
I would show up not just as the boss who demanded results – but as a leader who listened, empathized, encouraged, and yes, still expected excellence.
🔄 We Saw a Shift
When we started recognizing people publicly…
When I started dropping unannounced into team huddles just to check in…
When I made space for “non-operational conversations”…
💡 The energy changed. The results doubled.
💡 Engagement increased.
💡 People started volunteering solutions before they were asked.
Because they felt seen. Heard. Valued.
🎯 Leadership Isn’t Just About Metrics. It’s About Moments.
Yes, we need strategy.
Yes, we need discipline.
Yes, we need results.
But results alone don’t build resilient teams.
Relationships do.
And the strongest relationships are built when people know you care about who they are, not just what they do.
🙌 Final Thought
If you’re leading a team today – ask yourself:
“Am I showing up as the best version of me – for them?”
Not the busiest. Not the smartest. Not the most seasoned.
But the most present, empathetic, and intentional version.
Because your team will remember how you made them feel long after they’ve forgotten the numbers.
💙 A Note of Appreciation to the PHED Family
As I reflect on that chapter of my leadership journey, I cannot close without expressing my deep gratitude to the incredible board and staff of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED).
To every board member, engineer, technician, regional manager, customer service officer, back-office team member, line manager, and executive I worked alongside – thank you.
Your resilience, your dedication, your willingness to go above and beyond – often in challenging conditions – was the true engine behind the progress we made.
I am proud of what we achieved together:
• From increasing revenue and reducing losses,
• To strengthening operational efficiency,
• And, most importantly, to building a more united and accountable workforce.
But beyond the metrics, I am most proud of the culture of possibility, ownership, and human connection we built.
So here’s to all of you:
📌 For every early morning field run,
📌 Every community engagement,
📌 Every internal push to get better, and
📌 Every small win that added up to transformation…
Thank you. You made the work meaningful.
I carry those memories – and the lessons – with me every day.
– Dr. Benson Uwheru, FCIB
