Business leaders, corporate executives, and industry stakeholders have called on managers to prioritise building high-performance teams, emphasising that leadership is about empowering people, not just holding positions.
This message was central to discussions at the World Managers Appreciation Day (WMAD) celebration in Lagos, organised by Business Leadership Innovation and Management (BLIM) in collaboration with Ideas House.
The managing director of Ideas House, Kehinde Salami, stressed that effective leadership is about achieving excellence through people. He challenged managers to reflect on their leadership style by examining whether they are truly nurturing their teams for long-term success.
“Leadership is not about titles; it is stewardship. A manager’s success is measured by how well they develop their people.
If you are not building a high-performance team, then you are not truly leading,” Salami declared.
Salami emphasised that one of the biggest barriers to effective leadership is the absence of a strong workplace culture. He urged managers to be intentional about creating an environment that fosters innovation, accountability, and continuous learning.
“A high-performance team does not happen by accident. It is built through clear values, structured processes, and a culture where people feel empowered to grow, even when they make mistakes,” he said.
He added that organisations that fail to establish a strong culture often struggle with disengaged employees, low productivity, and high turnover rates. “We want to make WMAD a global movement. It is time we recognise and celebrate the managers who drive businesses forward, not just in Nigeria but worldwide,” Salami said.
Stakeholders at the event also stressed the importance of mentorship in leadership. Founder and CEO of BLIM, Dr. Abiodun Ajiborode, urged managers to go beyond daily operations and focus on developing future leaders within their organisations.
“As a manager, your responsibility is to train, support, and elevate your team. You must see every employee as a potential leader and give them the tools to grow. That is how great companies are built,” Ajiborode noted.
Salami reinforced this point, stating that true leadership is about replication. “Your job is not just to manage tasks but to create leaders. If your team cannot function without you, then you have not truly led,” he asserted.
The event also highlighted efforts to expand the recognition of World Managers Appreciation Day beyond Nigeria. Organisers revealed plans to collaborate with corporate bodies, regulatory agencies, and governments to establish March 25 as a globally recognized day for honoring managers.
Ajiborode therefore urged businesses to implement leadership development strategies that prioritize people, performance, and purpose, even as he reiterated his commitment to advocating for leadership excellence across industries, as the movement for World Managers Appreciation Day gains momentum.
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