An article, ‘Teaching Students to be Authentic Leaders in a Volatile World’ written by Lagos Business School faculty, Henry Onukwuba has earned a place on BizEd’s 10 Most Read articles list in 2019.
BizEd is the bi-monthly magazine published by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) – the world’s leading membership association for educational institutions with business programmes and organisations devoted to advancing business education. AACSB is the premier accrediting body for collegiate business and accounting programs worldwide.
Onukwuba who teaches Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour at LBS was one of four educators who were invited by the magazine to contribute to discourse around how business school graduates can lead in turbulent times.
While the other contributors approached the conversation from the perspective of the countries where they practice – Venezuela, New Zealand, and the United States, Onukwuba explored the volatility of the Nigerian business environment using LBS as a case study.
Citing Chika Babafemi, an alumnus of the LBS Owner-Manager Programme (OMP) and founder of a Public Relations and Event Management firm in Lagos, Onukwuba highlights the common challenges faced by business leaders in the Nigerian clime. He states that “Doing business in Nigeria is not a tea party. The country is ranked 146th out of the 190 nations included in the World Bank’s list for Ease of Doing Business. Ethical standards are low, and CEOs often are induced to give bribes to get work or stay in business.”
According to Onukwuba, LBS solves these problems using practical approaches including instilling values, exploring generational differences and emphasising emotional intelligence. He also added that owing to the difficulty typical Nigerian CEOs experience in embracing these concepts, LBS brings them alive in its classroom using case studies, strategy simulation games, visits from chief executives, and other practical exercises. Through these and other approaches, Onukwuba says LBS graduates have become “advocates of ethical and balanced leadership”.
Other articles which made the Most Read list include The Real Value of Business Schools by Glenn Hubbard, Dean, Columbia Business School and Responding to the Times by John A. Elliott, Board Chair, AACSB.
The article was originally published in BizEd’s March/April 2019 issue. Read it here.
