For development to be sustained in the country, the issue of leadership must be of interest to everyone, irrespective of your position in society, Bishop Eric Kwapong, Lead Consultant at Translead Consult, a leadership consultancy, has said.
“Leadership has to do with transformation, change, development, results and so therefore leadership has to be everybody’s concern and interest because leadership is so critical to any change in life. It is important that everybody is in that space or conversation, you don’t have to be an expert, a big shot in it to be part of the conversation,” he said.
Speaking ahead of the third Leadership Enrichment Summit set to come off at the Labadi Beach Hotel on Friday, 11th November, 2016, Bishop Kwapong, who is also the leader of Eric Kwapong Ministries, added that the concept of leadership must be included the educational curriculum.
“The subject of leadership should be thought even as part of the school curricular. Our education policy makers should be looking at this from the crèche through kindergarten to college. This should be inculcated into the whole fabric of society,” he said.
The 2016 Leadership Enrichment Summit (LESummit2016), on the theme: “Wealth Creation and Poverty Alleviation in the Context of Transformational Leadership”, is expected to attract a 1,000 CEOS, heads of institutions, senior managers, civil servants, public servants, politicians, religious leaders and several others.
Speakers include Sean Ragland, a Financial System Expert with Aegon-TransAmerica World Financial Group, USA; Celia Apeagyei-Collins, a Leadership and Vision Development Consultant with Rehoboth Foundation, UK; Franklin Asare, a World-Class IT Consultant and Director at Oracle UK-Ghana; and Carol Muldrow, a Business Development, Partnership, Match-Up and US Immigration Attorney.
With tickets on sale at Sunny FM, Citi FM, Joy FM, Airport Shell, Koala Shoping Centre and Labadi Beach Hotel, the conference has impressive social media presence on Facebook, Twitter and also on www.les2016.erickwapongministries.org.
Bishop Kwapong, touching on the topic, said focusing on transformational leadership can lead to poverty alleviation and create wealth.
“This summit is for businesses, entrepreneurs, the whole space of wealth creation but we have being very particular about the private sector. We chose the private sector because we say they are the engine of growth.
If you look at it from the position of faith and of religion, it is the same business people who gather in church to worship and practice their faith and religion.
But there is no change that ever happened without leadership, so it is critical.
When you say transformational leadership, you are being more definite with the quality of leadership,” adding that wealth creation is a mindset, attitude and not just money.
“Money is a by product of certain positive progressive attitudes or thinking that eventually generate the wealth.”
Frankin Asare, who will be speaking about the digital era and how African entrepreneurs can take advantage of the virtual world to transform lives, believes leadership is about entrepreneurship to a very large extent and innovation and creativity.
“In respect of how leadership can affect poverty and be part of the catalyst for wealth creation I think authorities have cited leadership as key to driving this change. But I think other things leaders need to do to alleviate poverty is creating a platform and structure for leadership development,” he said.
The IT consultant is of the view that Africa has a future but everyone must be prepared for the change.
“I am hoping this leadership platform will open some of these dialogues and get people thinking and start this conversation for us and hopefully we can this nation around, which is indeed a great nation.”