#TheEngineRoom with Anita Erskine

1. SELF DISCOVERY

I watched newscasters like Gifty Anti and Beatrice Aidoo and admired their Confidence, Preparation and Delivery. I grew up a relentless desire to be relevant by impacting people through television.

2. DISCIPLINE

I learnt discipline and formality from my late dad, Lieutenant General Emmanuel Alexander Erskine, who recently passed on.

3. TOP-OF-MIND AWARENESS

I am not eager to be the first. I am determined to be the first that you will remember.

4. PREPAREDNESS

I went through years of preparation during which I leveraged my gifts and talents coupled with strategy. My first day on set was in 1997, when I had to step in for someone on Metro TV with barely 15 minutes notice. It was disastrous.

5. HUMAN ENABLERS

I treasure the generosity of people like Aunty Abena at Metro TV, who taught me to ask questions, Talal Fattal, who threw me into the deep end, and Nana Yaw, a camera man, who taught me camera-eye coordination. My dad really appreciated three not-so-frontline contributors; his driver, chef and bat man.

6. PROBLEM SOLVING

I am inspired by things that don’t seem straightforward. They inspire my curiosity and desire to explore solutions. Eg. National challenges.

7. PERSONAL FAITH

I talk to God consistently, everyday. I often hear the voice of God when I am about to make decisions. Some call it intuition, but I know it is God.

8. MISTAKES

I have made several mistakes in life. An obvious one was not pursuing formal media education earlier. I am correcting that with a Master’s in Communication Management and thoroughly enjoying it.

9. REJECTION

I have been rejected for being assertive and different. Sometimes people build a wall or frame a perception about you and expect you to fit in. Humility helps in navigating such situations. In spite of how I felt, every rejection I went through fit into my life’s purpose.

10. THE GREATEST

I want to be the greatest; the very best at what I do. I have made a personal commitment to be excellent wherever I go. My contract is never signed with my employer but with myself.