Lagos: TEXEM, UK’s recently concluded two-day capacity development programme, themed ‘Strategic Foresight: Developing Winning Strategies for Unparalleled Value,’ represents a watershed moment for leadership development in Nigeria. The programme was delivered by Dr. Alim Abubakre, Founder of TEXEM, and Dr. T.B. (Mac) McClelland, Jr., Chair of Luxury International and former US Marine Leader.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the programme transcended traditional learning models in a world defined by volatility, technological disruption, and shifting stakeholder expectations. It immersed executives in the art of strategic foresight, the science of data-driven decision-making, the craft of stakeholder alignment, and the discipline of agile leadership execution.
Participants embarked on a transformational journey, beginning with understanding strategic foresight. They explored how forward-thinking organisations scan the horizon for weak signals, anticipate emerging risks, and position themselves to lead rather than follow. Through examples like Kodak’s missed innovation opportunities versus Amazon’s relentless reinvention, leaders recognised the cost of complacency and the dividends of anticipatory leadership.
The session on leadership agility in uncertain times revealed that agility is about moving strategically with purpose. Participants discovered that enduring organisations empower decentralised decision-making, iterate fast, and maintain a clear yet flexible strategic vision. Drawing lessons from Apple’s crisis-era leadership and SpaceX’s pioneering resilience, the executives sharpened their ability to pivot intelligently in dynamic contexts.
A crucial part of the programme focused on data-driven decision-making. Leaders were challenged to rethink their relationship with data as a powerful compass that guides strategic navigation. Case studies, including Netflix’s data-driven content creation model, showcased how data analytics can sharpen strategic focus and fuel sustainable innovation.
Beyond anticipating future threats and leveraging data, participants immersed themselves in the art of winning stakeholder support. Through structured stakeholder mapping exercises and reflections on Airbnb’s crisis management strategy, executives internalized that successful leadership is about orchestrating diverse interests into coherent action toward common goals.
Further enriching the leadership arsenal, the facilitators delved into strategy execution and change management. The difference between strategy as theory and strategy as lived reality was explored through narratives such as Microsoft’s cultural transformation under Satya Nadella. Leaders learned frameworks for building internal coalitions, creating accountability loops, and transforming bold strategic visions into tangible outcomes.
The programme culminated with a focus on strategic resilience and digital transformation. Participants were exposed to examples such as Alibaba’s pivot during the SARS crisis and Tesla’s embedding of innovation into organisational DNA. It became clear that resilience is about building adaptive muscles for an age where disruption is normal. Digital transformation demands a shift in organisational culture, mindsets, and behaviours.
The programme delivered not just knowledge but equipped leaders with actionable frameworks, tools, and case studies for immediate deployment in their organisations. Leaders now possess strategic agility to pre-empt threats, influence strategies to rally stakeholders, and data literacy for precise, impactful decisions, enhancing their ability to shape their industries’ future.
For their organisations, the gains are substantial. By embedding foresight, agility, stakeholder mastery, data intelligence, and resilient cultures, organisations are now positioned for stronger competitive positioning, reduced risk of strategic failure, continuous innovation, and greater stakeholder trust.
For Nigeria, the ripple effects are transformative. Building executives equipped with foresight, agility, and resilience enhances national economic competitiveness, boosts investor confidence, strengthens governance structures, and catalyses innovation ecosystems critical for sustainable development.
This programme reinforced TEXEM’s commitment to inspiring strategic leadership, nurturing transformative action, and catalysing positive change. As participants return to their organisations, they carry the seeds of systemic impact, prepared not just to survive disruption but to shape the future.