The Chief Executive Officer of Centre for Transformational Leadership Africa (CTL), Mr. Samuel Ayim has stressed the need to provide leadership training among the youth if they are to take up places of responsibility in the future.
“Africa is suffering all the managerial setbacks it is going through today due to bad leadership, the youth have to know that leadership is about selflessness , action driven and vision but not the other way round” he remarked.
Contributing to a live transmission programme hosted by Atlanta,USA based“Live2Lead” Network at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Accra last week, he called on Church leaders, educators and all stakeholders in character building to team up to nurture the youth in leadership training.
Prof. Stephen Addae, former rector of Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) said every individual is endowed with leadership traits which can be developed for benefit of the individual and state.
According to him, people concentrate too much on governments “We should lead because of the people irrespective of where we find ourselves”.
“A leader should think further, quicker, have vision, be selfless and crave for group interest and the people will follow”.
John Maxell one of the speakers at Atlanta equally observed that one need not be born a leader but it is a skill to be developed.
According to him the issue of leadership is quit fundamental that need to be brought to the fore.
“It is about consciousness re-imagining the good of the people you lead not yourself”. He said there is the need for mass youth programs with a progressive effort to inculcating in them.
This way “People should see bigger picture of the future and be passionate about it”. One need to be creative knowing that there is no finish line in life “there is something better beyond best” He stressed.
According to him, out of testing and failing one should not give up but develop a process, learn, improve and get value.
Dave Ramsey who was the second speaker said a leader must be creative, resourceful, confident, and productive and be determined to bring pears along. “To be a true leader, you must have a servant mentality”.
He however noted that “Persuasional leadership is much more effective than positional at the long run” so also “Potential power does not make you a leader it just make you a boss”.
By Emmanuel Kubi