In a culture that often equates leadership with position and recognition, a new book offers a countercultural message: the most critical work of leadership happens long before anyone is watching. Pastor, cybersecurity executive, board director, and speaker Tosin Ogunsanwo's What Is Your Folding Chair? challenges readers to prepare for the rooms God is calling them to enter, even when no seat at the table has been offered.
Drawing on the metaphor of a folding chair, Ogunsanwo describes it as representing the gifts a person develops, the values they refuse to compromise, the relationships they cultivate, the resilience they acquire, and the expertise they build while waiting for a larger sphere of influence. The book blends Christian spiritual formation with practical leadership principles, exploring the often-unseen seasons that precede meaningful influence.
The idea for the book began in 2022 when Ogunsanwo encountered Shirley Chisholm's famous statement about bringing a folding chair when a seat at the table is not offered. The phrase resonated spiritually, inspiring a sermon titled 'What Is Your Folding Chair?' After delivering the message at his church, he felt called to transform its framework into a book. The project remained dormant until 2025, when he felt a renewed conviction to write it. That period of waiting reflects one of the book's central ideas: obscurity is not necessarily inactivity.
'God uses adversity, obscurity, and obedience to shape leaders before He positions them for influence,' Ogunsanwo says. This message is particularly relevant to those who have felt overlooked, underestimated, rejected, or excluded by traditional systems. Rather than defining leadership by position or recognition, the book asks readers to consider what they are developing now that will prepare them to serve effectively when their opportunity arrives.
The book occupies an intentional space between traditional leadership literature and Christian personal growth. Ogunsanwo observes that leadership books frequently concentrate on external strategies, while faith-based books may emphasize spiritual encouragement. What Is Your Folding Chair? brings those worlds together through personal experience, biblical narratives, interviews, storytelling, and practical principles readers can immediately apply.
Ogunsanwo brings a distinctive professional perspective to that intersection. For more than 15 years, he has led cybersecurity initiatives protecting critical infrastructure while simultaneously mentoring and developing emerging leaders through ministry, education, and community engagement. He holds a master's degree in Engineering Management and the Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) credential. His experience in highly technical, high-stakes environments complements his work as a pastor, board director, and speaker, allowing him to approach leadership as both a practical discipline and a spiritual responsibility.
Ultimately, What Is Your Folding Chair? is not simply about getting invited into more important rooms. It is about becoming the kind of person who is prepared to contribute meaningfully once there. Ogunsanwo describes his own writing journey in three words: 'Divine, Timely and Transformative.' For readers still waiting for their opportunity, his message is clear: the absence of recognition does not mean the absence of purpose. The question is not merely whether a seat will eventually become available. The deeper question is: What are you building, developing, and carrying with you when it does?
