Graduation is one of life’s major accomplishments. It is a day for the graduates’ hard work, resilience, and dedication to be celebrated. For the CIO Leadership Programme, this inaugural graduation ceremony marked the physical manifestation of years of hard work, planning, and collaborating to make this programme a possibility and for the graduates the extra sprinkle of being the first cohort of many more. Friday 31st May 2024 found the Microsoft auditorium filled with cheers, good-humoured banter, and an overall sense of accomplishment as the small but mighty class of eight celebrated the day with their family and lecturers.
The event started with opening remarks by Dr. Joseph Sevilla, The Director of the CIO leadership programme, who commenced the event on a cheerful note remarking on the presence of the celebrants’ family. ’This feels like a family reunion.’ He reminisced on the programme’s launch in April 2023 which aimed to teach participants how to integrate key management concepts and best practices to develop strategic thinking and leadership
skills as well as have an integrated view of the business landscape. The course also covered
current trends in technology and their relevance to local businesses in a post-pandemic world. He stressed the importance of the programme’s existence especially for CIOs, CTOs, CSOs, and Strategy and Innovation Officers who are looking to reinvent business models and create innovative products and services through digital transformational skills.
Proceeding Dr. Sevilla’s words of wisdom, Dennis Volemi, Group Director of ICT, KCB Bank took the stage to share his insights and lessons on leadership that he had learned from his own experiences;
- Learn the essence of self-awareness: He reiterated the significance of being a human-centered leader who does not lose themselves in the role. This type of leadership focuses on ensuring that all team members are catered to rather than just focusing on meeting the target.‘Be yourself skillfully’ He urged them to lead authentically when they take up leadership roles. He recommended ‘Why Should Anyone Be Led by You? ‘ by Robert Goffee.
- Transition Risk Management: Drawing from his past experiences and First 90 Days by Michael D. Watkins, he spoke about understanding the dynamics of the new role and knowing when to adapt to new environments.’What got you to where you are is not going to get you to the next level.’
As he concluded he reiterated the importance of such a programme for successful CIOs trying to transition to management but need help navigating the process. This is something that would have helped him immensely when he was making the shift to management.
In his testimonial, Mr. Moses Gitonga, a fellow graduate and the Project Director at Temenos, reflected on how the programme enabled him to become a well-rounded leader and more self-aware. ’You understand yourself, therefore, you understand the workplace’ This sentiment echoed Mr. Dennis’ words on self-awareness. He further praised the programme’s curriculum for being well structured and allowing him to interact with faculty and industry leaders which was extremely beneficial as he received insights from the Strathmore community and Industry respectively.
Mr. Fred Kitunga, the Chief Information and Data Officer at Kenya Airways and a member of the Advisory Board for the CIO Leadership Programme took to the stage to congratulate the inaugural class of the Leadership Programme. He noted that the lessons should equip graduates and their peers with the knowledge and tools to navigate an unfamiliar environment. He reflected on how CIOs and IT specialists used to fill PowerPoint with difficult technical jargon and by the time one was finished all the members would look confused. One of the skills they have acquired was the art of storytelling and writing press releases which enabled them to deliver information in a way that was captivating and easy to understand.
It has been a rigorous academic year filled with thought-provoking lectures on modules such as IT strategy, Business Alignment, Self-leadership, and Business Landscape with a focus on real-world case studies. Not to mention an international trip to Taltech University in Estonia to cover their international module. Armed with their certificates and newfound knowledge, they departed with a commitment to mentor future students to surpass their achievements.
The CIO Leadership Programme is designed for senior IT management personnel in local/regional companies who wish to enhance their knowledge and competence in IT Management. The second cohort of the programme will commence this June. https://ilabafrica.strathmore.edu/cio-leadership-program/ Follow this link to register to be a part of the next cohort.
By @iLabAfrica Research and Innovation Centre, Strathmore University.