Dr. Reuben Abati, a former spokesperson for President Goodluck Jonathan, and Mr. Daniel Braie, the Managing Director of Linkage Assurance Plc, alongside a group of 100 others, were formally inducted as Fellows of the Nigerian Institute of Management Chartered (NIM) on Thursday.
The announcement was made by Dr. Christiana Atako, the President of NIM, during the 2023 Awards, Fellows, and Spouses’ Day Luncheon held at the Nigerian Institute of Management Chartered (NIMC) in Lagos.
The occasion revolved around the theme: “The Leadership Imperative for Managers in a Rapidly Changing World.”
Atako stressed that the institute’s meticulous process of elevating members to the esteemed position of Fellow had consistently maintained a high standard, ensuring that only those genuinely deserving of the honour received it annually.
She underlined that the attainment of fellowship was not merely a destination but rather a summons to heightened responsibilities and service, both to the institute and the nation at large.
Atako encouraged the new inductees to contribute their expertise and specialisms to the service of NIM within their respective professional spheres.
In his acceptance speech representing the other inductees, Abati expressed his delight and immense pride in achieving fellowship within this preeminent professional institution.
Earlier in the proceedings, Mr. Anthony Arabome, the Director of Corporate Services at the African Finance Corporation, elucidated four essential behaviours that prosperous business leaders must exhibit to foster success within a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA) world.
Arabome, who formerly presided over the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, delineated these four behaviours as follows: the ability to make prompt and resolute decisions, engaging effectively to yield significant outcomes, proactively adapting to changing circumstances, and ensuring dependable execution.
According to Arabome, exceptional chief executives and leaders of the C-suite are not distinguished solely by their flawless decision-making prowess; rather, their distinctiveness lies in their decisiveness.
He elaborated that once a clear direction for the business is charted, CEOs and top leaders must garner support from their workforce and other stakeholders.
Arabome underscored that effective leadership entails initiative and calculated risk-taking in the pursuit of novel ideas, while concurrently ensuring that management adheres to best practices to ensure quality and customer satisfaction.
He noted, “Exceptional performers strike a harmonious balance between profound insights into the priorities of stakeholders and an unwavering focus on delivering tangible business outcomes.”
Arabome stressed that candidates aspiring to chief executive roles who demonstrate high levels of reliability are twice as likely to be chosen for the position and are 15 times more likely to thrive in it, as boards and investors value steady guidance, and employees place trust in predictable leaders.
In conclusion, he asserted that both companies and individuals must cultivate their capabilities in leadership and management, honing the ability to discern when and how to deploy them effectively.
“Regardless of whether one operates within the public or private sector, the capacity to exert influence and make an impact is contingent upon possessing and employing adept leadership, management, and organisational skills,” Arabome affirmed.
