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The summit, themed “Leading Effectively I’m Uncertainty”,
and held in Lagos, was headlined by a host of accomplished experts and thought
leaders from around the world.
The event aimed to equip business leaders with the critical
skills necessary for thriving despite the uncertainties that pervade the
21st-century marketplace.
According to the Convener of the leadership project, Godman
Akinlabi, the winds of change sweeping across the nation and the world at large,
beckons the need for effective leadership for businesses aspiring to excel.
In her keynote address, Awosika urged businesses to learn
how to adapt to the dynamic and constantly changing business environment.
According to her, many businesses fall short due to
insufficient information on how to engage the relevant apparatuses of
government.
Awosika said, “What are the many waivers that are available
to people in manufacturing who are dealing in different products? All the
Nigerians do not know it. All the Indians in Nigeria know it, and there are
waivers for certain categories and certain industries.
“These are benefits that should help you cushion some of
these challenges. But what I find generally is that we, the sons of the soil,
because we are not exposed to information, we can’t take advantage of some of
these opportunities.”
On his part, Founder of the Daystar Christian Centre, Sam
Adeyemi, highlighted the need for businesses to keep pace with the evolution of
technology, which continues to move at a sprinter’s pace.
He noted that in light of the current realities in the
business environment, organisations need to digitalise their processes in order
to optimise and save cost, improve customer experience and enhance
productivity.
Adeyemi said, “People are saving office space now because
they realise they can do everything they want to do from their laptops, or even
from their phones. Managing the change process is the essence of leadership.
Communicate your vision for change. Sell the benefits of this digital
transformation.”
Also speaking, Chris Ordway, highlighted the importance of
integrity in business. He also noted that successful organisations must learn
to balance business with empathy for the human elements that surround the
business while also having a firm grasp of their purpose.
Founder and CEO of Employee Fanatix, Heather Younger,
charged businesses to develop a culture of listening and make sure that
customers and employees are heard.
The Managing Director
of RainOil, Gabriel Ogbechie spoke on positioning your business for economic
growth in a changing world.
He advised businesses to analyse business strategy to
understand the macro forces shaping the industry.
He also cautioned businesses to prepare for disruptions that
are currently upending existing trends in various industries. This, he said,
would ensure adaptation and evolution to embrace the most effective business strategies of the day
Ogbechie said it was also important for businesses to deal
with debt by reappraising borrowing and capital requirement strategies.