Alim Abubakre.
Regardless of the challenges currently facing Nigeria, the Chief Executive Officer of These Executive Minds, a UK-based executive education and personal development firm, Alim Abubakre, told Obinna Chima that the country should get the leadership quotient right to be on the path to greatness. Excerpts:
From the training development point of view, what would isolate as the criticaldevelopment issues that African countries need to address?
A major challenge for many African countries, including Nigeria, is the inadequate infrastructure. Many Sub-Saharan African countries lack a stable electrical grid, creating the need for scarce resources to be expended on fuel and generators. Some organisations will expend up to 25 per cent of the revenue for these basic needs.
Rail networks for the transportation of goods and people are either moribund or ineffective in most African countries. The health care system is limited and unreliable, often resulting in quality health care being available only to those with financial or political influence. The large Gini coefficient (the gap between haves and have not) in many African countries contributes to political and personal insecurities.
There is a significant divergence between planning and actual implementation. While Nigeria’s 2014 budget is 4.962 Trillion Naira a large portion of those funds will be earmarked for projects that will never be implemented or are rife with mismanagement upon completion.
The approval and disbursement system of the National budget is inconsistent and often delayed. All the above mentioned challenges reveal that poor leadership is the bane of African countries development.
An example of the dearth of leadership is exemplified by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s inability over three consecutive years to find a creditable former African President upon which to confer its award for outstanding leadership and governance. It is not that African leaders are evil people, but often they lack the leadership training and skills to deal with the critical issues facing the continent.
Africa has a bright future with the potential for impressive growth and a real chance to improve the lives of the people. However, for that to happen there is an urgent need to provide the training that will lead to better leadership to take advantage of these opportunities. My view is that once we get the leadership quotient right, Nigeria will be on the path to greatness
Your company is organising a training programme in conjunction with the Oxford University, what would be the focus?
The focus of our training programme is to help ensure that senior executives have the skill set necessary to drive organizational performance and design innovative strategies to harness the tremendous opportunities that lie ahead. Our joint decision to develop this executive development programme is driven by the rapid growth of African economies and shifting global demands.
It is increasingly important to ensure that senior executives have the competencies necessary to boost organisational performance and design innovative new strategies to meet the challenges ahead. As such, the University of Oxford and TEXEM teamed up to provide an innovative programme which we call ‘Performance and Strategy for Sustainability.’
The key focus of our joint programme will be on how to address challenges and capitalize on opportunities proactively in a sustainable manner. The sessions in this programme will cover topics such as Leadership and Innovation for Sustainability; Interactive Negotiation (using case studies and scenarios); and Performance Measurement Methods and Reporting. Other themes would include Finance and Sustainability; Organisational Reputation Management; and Strategic Solutions to Sustainability Challenges.
How is the programme with Oxford University different from the one you organised recently with the Manchester Business School?
Our University of Oxford programme will build upon the resounding success of our ‘Strategies for Result Driven Change Management’ course at the Manchester Business School.
In addition, the forthcoming programme at Oxford will explore how integrating financial, environmental, and social goals can enhance the performance of an organisation. The bespoke executive programme, developed by TEXEMand the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford,has been specifically tailored to the African context and will allow African executives to explore the contextual realities facing their own organisations, whilst discussing relevant and real-world case studies.
We were pleased with the success of our programme at the Manchester Business School, which helped CEO’s and Board Chairs proactively anticipate and respond to new challenges. Nothing is more critical to harnessing the significant growth potential of Africa than being able to respond quickly to change in this era of globalisation and socio-economic development.
Given the rapid economic, commerce and social developments in sub-Saharan Africa over the past few years, this is particularly true for African organisations. Organisations operating in Africa must evolve in line withincreasing investor interest, an expandingmiddle class, and accelerated economic growth,among other major trends-The forthcoming programme at the University of Oxford would help organisations to achieve this feat in a sustainable way.
Is your partnership with Oxford a one-off arrangement or a long term one?
We are greatly honoured to be the only institution partnering with the University of Oxford to provide executive development programmes for African executives.
This is particularly significant because thisdistinguished seat of learning traditionally doesnot partner with consultants. Our partnership with Oxford is a viable one, and we intend to leverage on the strengths of our various organisations towards developing relevant andinsightful executive development programmes for top executives in Africa.
Who would you be attracting to the programme?
The programme is focused on senior executivesfrom both the public and private sector who are keen to learn more about how sustainability can increase organisational performance. Our executive development programme is specifically tailored for Chairpersons and Members of Boards, CEOS, Managing Directors, Executiveand Non-Executive Directors, Vice-Chancellors,Permanent Secretaries, Director Generals, Chief Financial Officers, and Chief Operating Officersjust to mention a few roles.
We also welcome Senior Managers and Directors engaged in strategic roles in prominent national andinternational firms within Nigeria. Of course, we also would welcome and encourage theparticipation of senior public sector cadres involved in policy and strategy formulation.
Senior Officers in Government sponsored economic and industry agencies, as well assenior consultants involved in large infrastructure projects, are equally welcome.
Could you tell us more about your organisation?
By partnering with major global enterprises and top universities, TEXEM develops a series ofopen and customised educational programmes that address the challenges that organisationsface in today’s dynamic business environment.
We focus on building management skills through capacity development, research and consulting, and work to overcome the skill gaps in African organisations. Our ultimate goal is toprovide organisations with the methodology, research skills, and knowledge to drive better decision-making to meet the challenges of themodern-day business world.
TEXEM’s mission is to help organisations to achieve their full potential through high-quality education, research and consulting services in partnership with world-leading institutions, such as the University of Oxford and the Manchester Business School. Our goal is to help high-calibre candidates become better equipped for the world of business and to show employers how they can maximize the effectiveness of their employees. TEXEM is committed to adding sustainable value to our partners.
Hence, we carry out research and conduct skill-set gap analysis to identify potential deficits in the skill set of Nigerians. Then, in partnership with our global executive education providers we then work to equip Nigerians with the requisite skill set to add value to their organisation in line with the government’s local content initiative. Our alumni on our executive development programmes in partnership with world class institutions have included Ministers, CEOs, Commissioners, Chairs of Boards, Executive Directors, Vice- Chancellors, CFOs and Permanent Secretaries among others.
Is there any other things you think we should know about the programme?
As you are no doubt aware, the University of Oxford has, for many centuries, had an unparalleled pedigree in developing value-added educational programmes. The University of Oxford rightfully boasts of its many illustrious alumni and faculty. To name just a few, they include President Bill Clinton, Rt. Hon. David Cameron, Indira Gandhi (Former Indian Prime Minister), Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, Rupert Murdoch, Mark Thompson (CEO, New York Times), Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England, John Kufuor, former President of Ghana, Dr. Frene Ginwala, former Speaker of the South African National Assembly, We would be building on the impeccable track record of University of Oxford in developing global leaders while leveraging on the experience gained from the programmes that we have had in the past in partnership with Oxford for example our recent programme on Governance in April to deliver a very successful programme for executives who attend this forthcoming programme between 8th and 11th of December. Among the confirmed faculty for this programme include: General Nick Parker retd (UK’s former Commander in Chief of Land Forces), Lord Alan Watson, Chairman CTN, Martin Bratt, Mckinsey & Co, Dr Peter Collecott, former British Ambassador to Brazil, Professor Ian Kessler and Dr Dana Brown.
What in your opinion makes this programme essential for the target audience?
We believe that participation in this forthcoming programme at the University of Oxford is critical for Nigerian senior managers and directors.
This course will enable them to maximize their full potential for leadership which is key to Nigeria realizing its great prospect as a top twenty global economy in the next few years. By equipping these senior managers with the tools to shape strategy and improve organisational performance, everyone wins. The Capacity Enhancement Programme prepares candidates to strive for professional and personal growth in their careers by empowering them with the best management frameworks and practices to help them overcome challenges and exploit new opportunities in an ever evolving competitive environment.
Candidates will be able to achieve excellence and outstanding results for their organisations through this executive education programme on Strategy and Performance for Sustainability.
What do Nigerian organisations need to do to become more competitive and sustainable?
To be more competitive, and sustainable Nigerian organisations need to develop a knowledge-driven economy. More attention is needed for human resource management (including employee reward systems and talent development) that values the individual. Corruption is a negative drag on the economy and needs to be eliminated if the long-term viability of the organisation is to be ensured. Nigerian organisations need to develop their competitive advantage and become more sustainable.
Creativity needs to be encouraged to harness the new ideas, innovations, and technologies that are rapidly being deployed in today’s global knowledge-driven economy. This can best be accomplished by carrying out more research, managing the external environment, and developing learning organization via capacity development.
Are the management institutions in the country capable of helping the nation overcome its management problems?
The reality is that many educational institutions in Nigeria lack the requisite up-to-date skill-set required to design programmes that address the countries myriad economic and management challenges. Skilled and dedicated research is needed to incorporate sound methodology that reflects the reality of organisations operating in Nigeria. Furthermore, there is a lack of financial incentive to motivate academics to do research.
It is a reality that executive education providers in Nigeria lack accountability and credibility.
There is no executive management institution in Nigeria that is recognized by any of the three international business school accreditation bodies: The Association of MBAs (AMBA); the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS); or the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Indeed, there are only two institutions in the whole of Africa that has all the three accreditations which are both in South Africa.
How can organisations become more effective?
Improving organisational effectiveness is all about goal management.
An efficient and effective organisation must incorporate a continuous programme of learning and growth, improving organisational processes, accelerating customer satisfaction, and achieving financial sustainability while maintaining strategic direction.
To be effective, the concept of goal management must become an integral part of the mission of the organisation. An organisation will be most effective if it incorporates a robust organizational management structure that enables proper processes to be followed without becoming bureaucratic and stifling creativity.
Organisations need to clarify continually, improve strategy and vision, and transform plans into action. Corporate governance, translating enterprise strategy into implementation is a challenge in Nigeria and elsewhere, but with training, dedication, and good people it is a challenge that will be overcome for superior sustainable performance.
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