President and Chairman of Council, NIM, Dr Christiana Atako, said declaring Nov 19 Management Day is paramount, being one of the activities of the institute that serves as a platform that celebrates the ideals and tenets of the management profession.
Apart from also being an opportunity to appreciate the Nigerian manager and the contributions of the institute to the development of the profession and the nation, she said Management Day has equally been an avenue to diagnose the challenges of management practice and proffer solutions in line with international best management practices to achieve management excellence.
Atako, made the remark at this year’s World Management Day lecture, stating that the event provided the opportunity to address the issues of integrity, accountability, probity, honesty, efficiency, effectiveness and dedication to duty, which she said were the most important factors for the growth and efficiency of the Nigerian economy.
While calling on the Federal Government to recognise and declare November 19 as Management Day in Nigeria, Atako said NIM believed that the United Nations would be propelled to also declare November 19 International/World Management Day if the Federal Government kick-starts the Nigerian version immediately.
“We are convinced that setting aside a day for the celebration of the management profession in Nigeria and the world over is a right step in the right direction and is more needed now than ever before. Management is everything and the importance of entrenching the ethos of good management is crucial in our everyday lives starting from the home front to the workplace and the larger society,” she said.
Speaking on the theme ‘Ethical Leadership: Fostering a Culture Trust and Integrity’, Management Professional, Ituah Ighodalo, gave reasons why there is a need for ethical behavior in leadership.
He stated that in the short term, ethical leaders could help boost employees’ morale and also help them feel excited az bout their management and work.
Ighodalo, who is also the Deputy Chairman, SIAO Partners, said in the long term, it could prevent company scandals, ethical dilemmas and ethical issues.
To make ethics an everyday part of leadership, he said organisations must keep the decision-making process open and transparent.
He said organisations must prevent interpersonal behaviour from eroding trust, make ethics a part of all business practices and see ethics as more than laws and regulations.
He said a culture of ethical leadership must start at the top and be seen in the conduct and activities of the organisation’s executives.
He said organisations that have the values outperform other firms by a wide margin in terms of revenue growth, job creation, stock price and profitability.
