Ambode demands optimal performance from Civil Servants

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode says he is demanding from civil servants in the state optimal performance for improved productivity.

The governor spoke while declaring open a two-day training for top management staff on Tuesday in Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

According to Ambode, civil servants must scale up productivity as much training was being given to them to boost their capacity.

“The ultimate goal for all organisations is to attain that optimal state of performance and effectiveness where its units and teams and departments are headed by persons who understand what leadership means and who have developed their leadership potentials and have enhanced their performance skills. It is only at such a point in time that organisations can experience exponential growth.

“However, no matter how often or how seriously one discusses the importance of leadership skills for every officer of the Lagos State Public Service, the efforts would be meaningless and would amount to undertaking a journey without a map unless and until a clear path to acquiring the critical leadership skills is created and adopted,’ said Ambode who was represented by the Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Benson Oke.

The governor said the creation and adoption of such a path was the purpose of the training, saying that once the Lagos State Public Service was able to attain that optimal state of effectiveness and productivity through the aid of coaching, no problem would be too complicated, “no task too herculean, no challenge too huge, and no task too complicated for it to confront head-on.”

“Coaching in organization and leadership settings is also an invaluable tool for developing people across a wide range of needs. The benefits of coaching are many; 80% of people who receive coaching report increased self-confidence, and over 70% benefit from improved work performance, relationships, and more effective communication skills. 86% of companies report that they recouped their investment on coaching and more,” he added.

Ambode said  coaching would empower individuals and encourages them to take responsibility; increased employee and staff engagement, improved individual performance and, therefore, organisational performance; helped identify and develop high potential employees; helped identify both organizational and individual strengths and development opportunities; helped to motivate and empower individuals to excel and demonstrated organizational commitment to human resource development.

He stated that what his administration wanted to achieve was a Lagos State Public Service where every officer was able and empowered to set a clear vision regarding his/her duties and effectively communicate it to colleagues, providing them with a clear understanding of the desired direction; understood that effective planning is important when it comes to meeting organisational goals and was able to provide stability, inspiration, courage and direction during times of crisis and when dealing with relationships between co-workers, among others.