Diana Osikei, the proprietor of DAIAN Lifestyle and Expedition Centre in Mbale, believes that a good leader should be a team player. She emphasises the importance of leading by example
and being both a good listener to people and attentive to industry players before making any major decisions.

After the birth of her first child, Diana Osikei experienced firsthand the challenges women face in getting back in shape and maintaining a healthy diet while juggling childcare, business and home responsibilities.
She realised however, that once she was able to resume her fitness routine, it significantly boosted her self-esteem and overall love for life.
“I wanted that for other women too, to help them thrive after childbirth,” she says.
Now, five years later, the company she created, DAIAN offers health and wellness solutions tailored to individuals with various health conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, ulcers, and weight management. She shares tips and experiences on leading a team and business
Osikei also serves as a team leader in the hospitality department at Musaale Church, where she says she has had the privilege of training, uplifting, and encouraging young people while involving them in service and outreach activities.
Has a career in health and wellness been a field you always envisioned yourself in?
No, it was an area I grew to love after giving birth to my first child. I saw the challenges of women after giving birth getting back in shape.
Eating right was a challenge because of the needs to tend to the child. When I was able to start my fitness routine, it greatly helped my self-esteem and boosted my general love for life. I wanted that for other women too. To enable them thrive after child birth.

How have you managed to lead people?
Being patient and empathic. It takes time for people to understand a vision. Once we have the right staff we train, allow them to make solutions and follow ups. I also make sure I work by example, there is no single detail I don’t know about my business. It ensures the staff understand the standard and expectations of the job.

What lessons have you leant as a leader?
Seasons will test the vision of your business but I have learnt not to compromise the level of our services and standards. I have learnt that people come through and go. It’s okay to keep training. Keep believing for the one who is able to understand the vision and patiently work their way up. It takes diligence to keep running a business with eyes on the vision and not the circumstances around it because you are changing one life at time. I have also learnt to be patient, not everyone will take the vision of your business seriously so it takes time to train.

What challenges have you faced?
Staff turnover. Last year was a stretch for the business. There was low customer inflow making it hard for the business to stay afloat. Getting the team to appreciate the vision and concept of the business is also sometimes hard.

Is there anything you would do better if you could go back in time?
Our wellness services are not much appreciated within the town, yet every time we have clients walk in out of Mbale they appreciate the services, so it keeps us going. Sometimes I really want to switch business to Kampala; it makes more financial sense but there is still a need for wellness in Mbale.

What traits should a good leader have?
I believe that a good leader has to be exemplary, a good listener, a team player and have patience.

What shaped the leader in you?
My late dad. He taught me the values of time keeping, hard work, honesty and a diligent spirit. I got the business mindset from P7 onwards, through the family business. He made sure during the holidays that we were busy learning a skill and that helped a lot in terms of teamwork, book keeping, records management and organising each item in its proper places, no errors!
I would also say service and capacity to see more in others. I am naturally drawn to helping people reach their fullest potential. I am also diligent and have an open mind to execute assignments.

What mistakes have you made in leadership?
A lot lately but it’s always a learning curve. Delegating people before they have fully understood my heart. It’s a very key issue in leadership. For anyone to grow your business they have to understand your heart above everything else.

What is your advice to women in leadership positions?
Have your vision, train and equip people so you do not have to constantly be there. It helps especially if you are a mother and a wife. It also allows you to balance and navigate other areas of your life but still bring in income. Sometimes something that we love may not necessarily bring in income but women should find a business that will generate income and sustain itself, and they should work diligently on it.

What advice would you give to those interested in pursuing health and wellness?
You have to have the heart for the clients and a patient attitude to seeing results.

What it takes.
There is no single detail I do not know about my business. This ensures staff understand the standard and expectations of the job.
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BALL
The vision.
It takes diligence to keep running a business with eyes on the vision and not the circumstances around it because you are changing one life at time. I have also learnt to be patient, not everyone will understand your vision.