“Do the right thing when no one is watching.” This was one of several lessons that came from the leadership training that took place at ICED’s Ghana branch, from October 23-26, 2024, led by the International Leadership Foundation (ILF) Africa. The training was an initiative sought by ICED’s upper management as part of its strategic organizational plan following its first ever organizational retreat, held earlier in the year (February 2024).
During the 4-day October training, certified facilitators presented a different perspective on leadership to the upper management staff, which included program managers and department leaders of the Ghana branch. Based on Christian principles, the ILF-led training adopted a holistic approach aimed at enhancing the management’s work/life processes and strengthening their leadership skills, both professionally and personally.
The training facilitators, Professor Ibok Oduro, Professor Eric Anum, Percy Amoo-Yankey, and ILF Africa Executive Director Stephen Adu-Amoani, shared the principles of ILF’s leadership model: the 12 C’s. Through the four days, ICED Ghana’s trainees experienced insightful sessions on creativity in leadership, engaged in teamwork and collaboration through short projects, and had opportunities for one-on-one discussions with the facilitators during break times. The training concluded with a collaborative assignment that has challenged ICED’s Ghana branch leaders to work together over the next 3 months, developing an impact project.
See photos from the training here.
Four staff members who attended the training share how the experiences during the training impacted them:
BA: How would you describe the leadership training experience in your own words?
SAO: I think that the experience was one-of-a-kind, in terms of training leaders by using Christian values to show how leaders should go about their work. To me, the training was insightful, educative, and informative. We had facilitators from both the academic and corporate worlds who brought their experience to the training. This leadership training was the best thing to happen to me this year and the best training I’ve ever had so far.
BA: Considering your background in research, you would have had other training experiences, so what made this stand out?
SAO: Well, the [facilitators] were from the academic and corporate worlds, yet they used Christian values to run the training. They asked poignant questions and looked at key principles, following their “12 Cs” model, such as "character formation", "creative leadership", and "calling" (is this job your calling, career, or job?). I have completed several other training modules but, as a researcher, they have always been theoretical in nature compared to this training, which was practical.
BA: What are 2 key things that stayed with you from the training?
SAO: I’d say the first was “character”. They gave us a quote by John Wooden, who said, “Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” So, character is everything in your work and profession as a leader. Meanwhile, the second is “integrity”, which is a function of character.
BA: That’s very insightful. Finally, as a research and evidence synthesis fellow, you’re a leader on the IINDWEGE project and other activities. How do you think this training will impact your future work and leadership?
SAO: This training is impactful for my work because I have people I’m leading, so if I look at the points I mentioned earlier as key takeaways, I’d say this: I should be someone people can look up to. I’ll be the change (as we also discussed change leadership). So, I’m experiencing a mindset shift from how I used to act to how I can now be a creative leader and how I can develop my competencies to improve my work and activities.
BA: After the four-day leadership training, what can you share about the experience from your perspective?
JC: It was an eye opener because even though I already knew that there’s something called leadership, [ILF] gave me a completely different perspective. One thing I took home was the idea of “character” and how it plays a lot into the leadership role. I also learned something striking: “calling”. I thought that “calling” was specifically for those of us in ministry but I learned that “calling” is what you want to do and how you want to do it. That idea stood out strongly to me: if this is your calling, then you have to work hard towards it.
BA: You’re active in 2 fields - ministry and research. Obviously, being in ministry, you would have had lots of leadership training. What stood out to you about ILF’s training?
JC: What stood out to me was the way the training transitioned from biblical foundations to practical applications. They applied stories from the Bible (like Jethro’s advice on leadership for Moses) to the principles they were teaching us, which was that everyone is a leader within themselves so it is up to them to truly apply those skills. It wasn’t the normal motivational speech; rather, it was practical guidance founded on biblical principles, which stood out to me as a man in ministry and science.
They also emphasized 3 things to us in everything we do: 1. It should be better, 2. It should be smarter, 3. It should be cost-effective.
BA: Moving forward, within ICED and outside ICED (in your personal life), how will this training impact you and your leadership?
JC: As a leader who is tasked with certain assignments, be diligent in applying those three principles (better, smarter, cost-effective). This training has changed my character and, now, I see myself as a leader, which means I am responsible for certain things and I should be able to answer accordingly. This doesn’t just apply to my job, it also applies to my personal life, too.
BA: How was the leadership training experience for you?
SA: This was one of the most important trainings I have ever experienced. It helped me see how I can contribute to ICED’s mission and vision. We covered 8 C’s out of the 12, and they gave us many quotes for each “C”.
BA: What are the top 3 C’s that stood out to you, that made you think, “This will definitely transform my leadership?”
SA: Well, the first one would be “character”, because your leadership style depends on your character. If you’re able to have good character, you’re able to apply the remaining Cs. Out of the two quotes that stood out to me, the first was by C.S. Lewis: “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” The other, by Theodore Walter Fedorchak, says, “When lying and omission become part of your character, you lose integrity and the trust you once had from others.”
The second C would be “creative leadership”, which is where you challenge the traditional ways people [act] in an organization. In challenging routines, habits, you try to identify the better strategy and cost-effective way to do things, which is very important to me. The third C is “capacity building” – you know you have skills in your field, but there are new things you can learn from different people.
BA: So those 3 can be considered as linked.
SA: Yes, definitely. And one more [important C] is collaborative leadership. You can’t work as a leader, by yourself, in an organization. You need to collaborate with your team members, motivate them, and [help them] understand by clearly communicating your vision, mission, and core values. Then you can make an impact.
BA: Okay, that’s great insight. As the West Africa Regional Hub Manager for Legume Lab, technically, you’re working alone but you also have ICED’s research team to support your work. How do you envision yourself as a leader moving forward?
SA: In fact, the training we attended has changed the way [both Simon, as East and Southern Africa Regional Hub Manager, and I] are managing our regional hubs. Initially, we would wait for our sponsors to provide updates, processes, and other key information for managing our hubs. But we realized that we need to be proactive, which was a key point the facilitators addressed. So we are now challenging [the norms] by preparing questions to help us understand and [be able to take charge] in terms of being involved in coordination of different projects,…financial management of the projects, and much more. All this is giving me more confidence to approach leaders and obtain the information I need to excel in my work.
BA: So after gaining proactivity, confidence, preparation, what push will you make to further improve your leadership skills? Or do you feel this is enough for your leadership?
SA: This training that we attended is not only for ICED [and our jobs], it’s for our entire lives. It applies even when we enter another organization. So it’s more of a personal development for me and I’ll continue with the remaining 4 s that they charged us with studying, online. In regards to my work, I’ll better organize myself and be more creative. It was a great training and I’ll be implementing it in my life moving forward.
BA: Please share your experience of the leadership training. What was it like, in your own words?
EK: I’ve been through a lot of leadership trainings but I’ve found that the ILF’s approach was very different. It’s something that’s tailored not just to suit religious leadership but, rather, it transcends to everything you do. It affects your work, the people you interact with, and society in general. It’s timely for me because it’s coming at a time that, as I’ve recently joined ICED, I’m settling into my daily activities. So it gives me the perfect mindset to approach my work with a lot of intentionality.
BA: Okay, great. Your other colleagues have mentioned the foundation of the training: the 12 Cs. Which ones stood out to you?
EK: Related to my work, I would say “communication”, “creative leadership”, “calling”, and “character formation”. I’ve always perceived my work as my “calling”, not just in church,…so everything I do needs to ensure that I deliver [on my calling ]and impact people. The rest tie into my personal goals because I’m a creative person anyway.
BA: So it seems you already have a foundation of seeing your work as a calling, and you mentioned the training’s nature of a holistic approach. How do you see yourself taking what you’ve learned to the next level in your work and life?
EK: Well, we took the DISC assessment during the training. I’ve already taken the Temperament Test so I know my strengths and weaknesses, but I think this gave me a difference perspective. I think that one thing we overlook, as people, is that we [accept] that these are our strengths and weaknesses and [we settle into them]. The [ILF training with the DISC assessment] takes the approach that everyone is a leader, and you’re working together in a community, so another person’s strength could complement your weakness just as your strength could complement someone else’s weakness. So I think that realization allows me to find a good balance: rather than overlooking the things I’m not good at and just settling into my strengths, I can make a conscious effort to work on improving my weaknesses. This requires me to move out of my comfort zone, challenge myself, and, who knows, I might be even better at that skill than I think!
