Local author encourages people to create lasting future change

An author from Winnipeg is embracing change himself, the theme of his book, by releasing a book during a global pandemic.

Dr. Dele Ola is the Director of the Technology Access Centre for Aerospace and Manufacturing at Red River College in Winnipeg. 

This book is his first published work, Be a Change Agent: Leadership in a Time of Exponential Change.

"It's an action title and that was deliberate because it's a call to all the leaders to be a change agent. It's a call for everyone that this is our time to rise."

Ola says that we have a hand in changing the future, which means people need to be intentional about it.

"The purpose of the book is to help leaders to evaluate their own skills, to review the mindset they have about change, and to gear them up to become deliberate about their response to change."

Ola earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in mechanical and manufacturing engineering from the University of Manitoba

"Everything is changing in the world today. I want people to ask themselves, how am I supposed to do leadership? How do we approach this time that is unprecedented in our history with the agility to adapt to that change?"

He says the book is for anyone who can affect change. 

"People think that when you talk about leaders you are talking about people in positional authority, like people in management. Everyone one of us has a gift, talent, or ability. When we begin to manifest in those areas, we become leaders."

While some people are afraid of change, Ola shares that his book helps people to embrace positive growth and foster development.

"When I talk about being a visionary leader, my work requires that I create vision for the team. The principles that I wrote in the book, they are things that I have experienced myself."

Ola says there are three types of change in the world.

"There is the type of change that is inevitable. There is the change that we can change, manage, and plan for. The third category is the change that we need to see in the world."

Speaking on constant change, hosting a book launch during a pandemic causes authors to change their approach, which is precisely what Ola did for his launch on February 6, 2021. He came up with his own method of doing an online launch, including the guests while still having certain aspects remain the same.