By Ernest KISSIEDU
A Senior Fellow at the Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, Dr. Pikay Richardson, has revealed that for businesses to be successful in today’s world, they need good and effective leadership and not mere good management.
This, according to him, will help enhance the level of productivity at the workplace as well as satisfy the demands of customers.
“Excellent leadership skills will ensure effective running of businesses in this 21st Century where the world is now changing at a very fast pace. Workers must be motivated to work and be more productive. And that can only be possible if there is a good leader who inspires them to be productive,” Dr. Richardson noted.
Speaking at the 2017 African University College of Communications (AUCC) Open Lecture in Accra last week, the Management Development Educator and Consultant said business is not just about what you make or produce, but rather what your customers want.
“You must get people, your customers to buy into your vision and what you are selling before you can become successful. Your customers are your number one priority in business. They are the reason why you are in business.”
The lecture was on the theme, “Running a Business Successfully in Today’s World; What it Takes.”
Dr. Richardson believes that success in business is never permanent. For him, being successful today does not guarantee you will be successful in the next ten years.
“A lot of companies become bankrupt or end-up failing because they were complacent about their success. They later meet competition which often comes from outside their industry. In today’s era of doing business, competition can come from anywhere.
“Sometimes, you have to run faster to be standstill. Success in itself can lead to failure so businesses must avoid complacency after they have become successful. Success doesn’t come from good luck or magic but only through efforts, hard-work and dedication. God only blesses the work of our hands,” he stressed.
The Research Professor added that the development of technology has improved and lowered the cost of doing businesses in any part of the world; citing that one can be in America and still do his business in Africa without necessarily traveling that long to Africa.
Dr. Richardson opined that customers in any part of the world have now become very sophisticated.
“It has become very difficult to meet the demands of the customer. When you get customers, you have to keep them. Get well-equipped people or professionals to manage your customer services. Find a way to keep your customers and appreciate them as often as possible. Create a service that people will want to use,” he explained.
Dr. Richardson observed that in any business, you can never get better results by doing the same thing always.
“Change the system of doing things. You must be ready at all times to give up what you are for what you might become,” he advised.
Writer’s e-mail: ernestk@businessdayghana.com
