Nigeria may gain advantage from adopting a extra stringent management choice course of, akin to Singapore’s, in response to Christopher Kolade, former Nigerian Excessive Commissioner to the UK. In an unique interview with BusinessDay, Kolade emphasised the significance of thorough vetting and preparation for management roles.
“Nigeria is brimming with wealthy human and materials sources, ready to be harnessed by purposeful, inventive, and revolutionary management,” Kolade stated. “Management that aligns with cultural values and follows a bottom-up method is essential for unlocking Nigeria’s developmental potential.”
Nevertheless, Nigeria faces vital challenges as a consequence of management failures, corruption, and poor governance. A report by African Journals On-line highlights these points, underscoring the necessity for a transformative method to management.
Talking additional, Kolade pointed to Singapore’s management choice course of as a mannequin to emulate. “In Singapore, they spend 4 years evaluating a person for management,” he famous. “The character and temperament of a pacesetter are key to efficiency. If a pacesetter lacks the precise qualities and understanding of individuals, their management can fail.”
He careworn the important significance of choosing the precise leaders via rigorous testing. “To decide on a pacesetter, assessing their previous actions and behavior is significant. What has this particular person completed earlier than? How have they carried out? This proof is essential in figuring out their readiness for greater obligations,” Kolade defined.
Kolade, who can be the pioneer President/Chairman of the Society for Company Governance Nigeria, highlighted the distinction between enterprise and nationwide management coaching. “In enterprise, we spend money on coaching and getting ready senior managers. However for nationwide management, we regularly neglect this. Singapore’s method ensures that leaders have confirmed themselves at varied ranges earlier than taking over new roles,” he stated.
He mentioned the broader difficulty of management failure throughout Africa. “Management failure is inevitable if the circumstances for good efficiency aren’t established. Management is a duty, not only a title or standing. It requires studying and humility. Leaders should acknowledge the necessity to study, generally even from these junior to them,” he stated.
