Nigerian leaders and chief executive officers have been urged to make maximum use of their remote workforce to achieve greater productivity in 2024.

The call was made by Caroline Lucas, the Director of Special Projects of the British Leadership Development Organisation, TEXEM UK, on the organisation’s website.

Ms Lucas said that towards this end, TEXEM would organise a hybrid programme for the leaders both in Nigeria and the UK.

“The programme tagged “Effective Leadership in a Distributed World: Pioneering Enduring Legacies” will equip organisations for effective remote leadership in a changing work landscape. The programme emphasises building trust, enhancing productivity, and optimising leadership communication to boost morale and optimise performance.

“This programme inspires leaders in better ways on how to help their organisations gain a competitive edge by optimising their remote workforce,” she explained.

Ms Lucas said that through improved competence on how to enhance remote leadership, the programme would help spur better employee retention and save costs for organisations.

She added that the programme scheduled for between March 25 and March 27 would improve organisational resilience, ensuring lasting success and sustainability.

Faculty expected to deliver papers at the programme include Prof. Roger Delves, Professor of Practice in Leadership, and Associate Dean Ashridge Executive Education at Hult International Business School.

Roger Delves is an Oxford-trained professor. He became a board leader at age 30 and has helped hundreds of organisations optimise their leadership quotient.

Prof. Paul Griffith is also expected to be another Professor of Practice and the Senior Vice President of Products at Ashridge Executive Education, Hult International Business School.

Mr Griffith is a business leader responsible for developing and implementing international strategies to deliver significant profit and revenue growth, with extensive experience in leading culture change to deliver new service capabilities and business innovation.

Another prominent faculty member is Ambassador Charles Crawford, the founding partner of The Ambassador Partnership LLP, a communication and negotiation specialist and public speaking expert.

Mr Crawford, a qualified barrister and mediator, draws on 28 years of experience in the UK diplomatic service, much of it spent in former communist Central and Eastern Europe.

“This isn’t just a programme; it’s your voyage of self-discovery, collaboration, and transformation. Embrace the future of learning, where knowledge is lived and experienced. Welcome to a world of endless exploration and growth.

“This programme also offers a unique hybrid option, combining virtual sessions with a three-day UK immersion experience. Participants would enjoy a day of tourist visits and two days of immersive training.

“TEXEM’s tested and proven methodology, comprising of case studies, will be deployed during the programme to encourage participants to enhance their cognitive skills, improve their analytical rigour and evaluation skills, and assist them in managing ambiguity better,” Ms Lucas said.

The director stated that the benefits of the programme to stakeholders, customers, local communities, suppliers and others are numerous.

“They will benefit from enhanced collaboration as virtual engagement fosters collaboration among stakeholders, leading to improved decision-making.

“There are also cost savings, as reduced travel and operational costs contribute to financial efficiency for both bottom and top lines. Increased productivity will be recorded because virtual interactions often lead to more focused and efficient meetings, boosting overall productivity,” she said.

Ms Lucas said there is a global reach advantage as virtual engagement allows for participation from stakeholders worldwide, expanding market opportunities.

“Quick response to market changes becomes possible through virtual collaboration, aiding adaptability in challenging times. Remote engagement can enhance job satisfaction, contribute to employee retention and reduce turnover costs. Flexible scheduling is made possible because virtual interactions accommodate diverse time zones, promoting flexibility and accessibility for all stakeholders,” she said.

The TEXEM director said that virtual platforms can stimulate creative thinking and innovation among stakeholders.

On environmental impact, Ms Lucas said that reduced travel translates to a smaller carbon footprint, aligning with sustainability goals.

She stated, “Virtual engagement enables organisations to scale operations without significant infrastructure investments. Data-driven decisions could be made as virtual tools provide data analytics, facilitating informed decision-making for both bottom and top lines. Virtual interactions enhance customer relationships, fostering loyalty and revenue growth.’’

Ms Lucas listed other benefits as crisis resilience, enhancement of brand reputation, accessibility and adaptability.

At the end of the programme, delegates are expected to develop excellent skills that will help them better understand and manage human resources in their organisation in a more distributed work environment.

Some past delegates from Nigeria gave testimonials on similar programmes organised by TEXEM.

“I like the way the programme was structured; more often than not, most programmes would have had the guided tour on the last day, which more often than not does not allow for full participation.

“But this one came on the first day and was an eye opener with the lecturer that was organised with it and allowed full participation of the participants and it eventually allowed for better bonding going into the programme. In the world of business uncertainty, the theme of the programme was very apt, which was sustainability and resilience, and it is important for a company to continue to be a growing concern because those are the key issues that we need to look at.

“There were a lot of exposures from the faculties that came to give us an overview, and it was participatory; it was something that gave us the opportunity to provide the solutions ourselves and was not given to us,” Shobo Ademoye, Director, LASACO Assurance PLC, said.

“I’m not surprised because I know the pedigree of TEXEM. The beautiful thing about TEXEM is that they adapt their training courses to take into consideration the environment in which they operate,” Kolade Aiyelabola, Associate Director, Oak Pensions, said.

“Highly interactive and very practical. High-profile speakers with an excellent pedigree and track record of professional achievements. Provided networking among participants,” Dayo Babatunde, Senior Partner, Ernst and Young, said. 

(NAN)