Give unto Caesar, What's Caesar

Tiwa had worked all night, five nights in a row. 

Eyes heavy, heart pounding, coffee cups to stay awake. The first version of the presentation had been met with disappointment. Her boss- Natalie turned it down and didn’t mince words. “This is for the Board and Executive Management — it has to be world-class.” 

She went back to the drawing board, dug deep, thought harder, researched and produced what could easily be described as brilliance on slides.

The day of the big presentation came. The boss and team dialed into the Zoom call and delivered it flawlessly. Every word Tiwa wrote, every graphic she placed, every statistic she sourced — it all came to life through the voice of someone else.

Applause. Fire emojis. The Chairman nodded in admiration. "Fantastic presentation Natalie- our investors will be wowed," he said, looking squarely at her boss. She smiled behind her camera, her heart racing for the moment she would hear, “Thank you, Chairman; I must give credit to Tiwa too she brought great value to this.”

But nothing came. Just a polite smile, a proud blush, and a bow.

The pain is real. 

Whether it’s done intentionally or unintentionally, the failure to give credit where it is due cuts deep. And even more than that — it chips away at the culture of leadership we are trying to build.

A sign of a good leader is not how many followers you have, but how many leaders you create.

One of the surest ways to create leaders is to showcase them — especially when they do great work. Celebrate their contribution, publicly. Mention their names. Let others know who brought the magic to life, even if it came under your guidance. It doesn’t diminish your authority; it amplifies it. 

It doesn’t make you less powerful; it shows that you are secure in your position. 

There’s a very thin line between receiving applause for work your team has done and taking all the glory. Be aware. Be intentional. Because when you give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, you don’t lose your shine — you multiply it.

Leadership is not about hoarding the spotlight; it’s about using it to illuminate others. 

This week, I challenge every leader reading this:

• Give credit. Say the names.

• Highlight contributions. Even the small ones.

• Be generous with recognition. It costs you nothing but means the world to someone else.

You don’t just build a reputation by what you achieve. You build a legacy by what you allow others to become