The writing journey of The Odyssey of Leadership is deeply intertwined with my heritage and the tumultuous events of recent years. My mother, an exceptional storyteller from the Mandingo ethnic group in Mali, imbued me with the art of storytelling. This group, known as the custodians of spoken word and ancestral knowledge since the founding of the Mali empire in the early 13th century, has profoundly influenced my narrative style.

Growing up, my mother's tales were filled with proverbs, metaphors, and analogies, teaching wisdom not just to me but to many other children in our village. These stories, which formed a crucial supplement to my formal education, were always marked by positivity, even in the face of great challenges and adversity. The characters in her stories, despite their difficulties, managed to transform obstacles into opportunities, each tale concluding with a significant moral lesson.

This inherited style of positive, moral storytelling deeply influenced the creation of my blog, Positive Minds, launched in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The blog was a platform where I could apply and share the storytelling techniques taught by my mother, though her mastery remained unmatched.

The writing of The Leadership Odyssey began in March 2022, amidst the resurgence of the 23 March Movement (M23) in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where I was residing in Goma, directly on the front line. The uncertainty and chaos of that time compelled me to start writing, using the crisis as a catalyst for positive thinking and reflection, much like the characters in my mother's stories.

This book, therefore, is a product of multiple inspirations: my mother's rich storytelling heritage, the resilience and community spirit fostered through my blog, and the real-time challenges and reflections during the M23 conflict. The Positive Minds community's persistent encouragement propelled this journey from blog to book.

The Odyssey of Leadership is aptly named; it is not merely a book but a journey. It encapsulates five distinct stages, reflecting the ongoing nature of leadership development. The end of each stage is not the conclusion of learning but rather milestones in a continuous and evolving journey—a journey with a path yet unknown.

I am profoundly grateful for the support, guidance, and encouragement of numerous individuals who contributed to this process, especially those who dedicated their time to proofreading and refining the manuscript. This book is a shared odyssey, enriched and sustained by the contributions of a supportive community.