Women occupying leadership positions need to make meaningful communication strategies their watchwords in order to encourage, lead and build up their followers as well as create a society that will be better for all to live in.
Wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun threw this challenge today in Abeokuta while declaring open a one-day workshop on leadership and communication put together by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for women leaders across the State. Mrs. Amosun stated that unlike management, leadership could not be taught, but may be learnt and enhanced through coaching or mentoring by someone with skills, pointing out that knowledge possessed by leaders could be influenced by attributes such as beliefs, ethics and characters. She described communication as the process of conveying information through speech, writing and other behavior, emphasizing that any individual who aspires to lead must possess a good communication skill so as to speak, write, inform, persuade and motivate the followers effectively. “No individual can lead effectively without good communication skill. Leadership and communication skills go hand in hand. Good leadership requires hard work, ability to accept responsibility as well as studying to maintain one’s leadership position” Mrs. Amosun stated. Mrs. Amosun observed that women are natural leaders who perform different and sometimes conflicting roles as mothers, wives and still pursue their careers, charging that as role models and mirror through which their children and followers view events, they must be mindful of their actions at all times. She charged that as wives and leaders, they must learn to be calm and cooperative with their husbands and followers, adding that “leadership is not derived from an official title, but from relationships with people”. Earlier in her welcome address, the Commissioner, Mrs. Elizabeth Sonubi said the workshop was organised to strengthen the capacity of women leaders in various groups, organizations, and associations so that they could give the best to their followers. While thanking the State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun for being gender-sensitive in offering appointments, Mrs. Sonubi said her joy would be to see all the leaders present at the workshop lead other women effectively. On her part, the Chairman, Sagamu Local Government, Mrs. Funmi Efuwape submitted that since nobody was an island of knowledge, women must come together from time to time to share ideas and learn from one another. She tasked them not to play second fiddle roles in governance or wherever they found themselves, but always aspire to rise up to the challenge in conformity with the saying that “what a man can do, a woman can do even better”. No fewer than 250 women holding leadership positions in different organisations, groups and associations participated at the workshop
Via: Ogun State Government - Official Press Release