Mr. Bernard Avle, an award-winning broadcast journalist and presenter of the Citi Breakfast Show, has challenged students at the University of Cape Coast to strive for influence in order to be great leaders.
He believes that a leader who lacks authority cannot accomplish his or her goals.
Mr. Avle offered the advice as to the keynote speaker at the 7th edition of the “What I Wish I Knew” (WIWIK) Conference, which was held on Friday, August 27, 2021, at the University of Cape Coast NEC Auditorium.
“A leader is not somebody with a position, but someone with influence. In developing yourself, don’t aim just for the position, rather think of your power to influence. That is the only way to achieve results as a leader in an organization or an institution.”
He also said that effective leaders are those who do fewer things strategically to get bigger outcomes rather than those who do more things.
He stated that effective leaders understand how to prioritize.
He said that it is impossible to be a great leader if one does not know how to prioritize.
“You don’t become a leader by doing more things, but you become a leader by doing few things. Effectiveness is not business. So the higher you rise in a company, the fewer the things you do. That is not to say you should be lazy.”
“It means the key to being effective is by understanding priority. So leadership is a door and if you don’t understand how to prioritize, you cannot be an effective leader,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Jonathan Ayertey, the conference’s Project Lead, took the opportunity to thank the conference’s lead partners, MTN Foundation and GIZ.
He also urged the event’s approximately 2000 participants to make the most of it.
About the conference
Apex Human Consult (a Non-Profit Organization) organized the WIWIK Conference in collaboration with the UCC SRC, and the 2021 edition was sponsored by MTN Foundation, GIZ, ACCA, Propeled, Brich Hub, Tua Tua Gye, and Order Events.
Dr. Kwamina Minta Nyarku (MP – Cape Coast North Constituency), Nancy Halpern (Founder and CEO, Political IQ-USA), Doris Ahiati (CEO, Crescendo Consult), and Henry Baye were among the other panelists (CEO, Standard Chartered Bank, Jersey).
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