TEXEM, UK’s recently concluded two-day capacity development programme, themed “Strategic Foresight: Developing Winning Strategies for Unparalleled Value,” delivered by Dr. Alim Abubakre, Founder of TEXEM, and Dr. T.B. (Mac) McClelland, Jr., Chair of Luxury International and former US Marine Leader, represents a watershed moment for leadership development in Nigeria.

In a world defined by volatility, technological disruption, and shifting stakeholder expectations, the programme transcended traditional learning models. It immersed executives in the art of strategic foresight, the science of data-driven decision-making, the craft of stakeholder alignment, and the discipline of agile leadership execution.

Participants embarked on a transformational journey, beginning with understanding strategic foresight. They explored how forward-thinking organisations, unlike reactive institutions, scan the horizon for weak signals, anticipate emerging risks, and position themselves to lead rather than follow. Through vivid examples, such as Kodak’s downfall due to missed innovation opportunities versus Amazon’s relentless reinvention, leaders recognised the cost of complacency and the dividends of anticipatory leadership.

The session on leadership agility in uncertain times revealed that agility is not merely about moving fast but about moving strategically with purpose. Participants discovered that enduring organisations are those that empower decentralized decision-making, iterate fast, and maintain a clear yet flexible strategic vision. Drawing lessons from Apple’s crisis-era leadership and SpaceX’s pioneering resilience, the executives sharpened their ability to pivot intelligently in dynamic contexts.

A crucial part of the programme focused on data-driven decision-making. Leaders were challenged to rethink their relationship with data, not as an overwhelming sea of information, but as a powerful compass that guides strategic navigation. Case studies, including Netflix’s data-driven content creation model, showcased how data analytics, when deployed effectively, can sharpen strategic focus and fuel sustainable innovation.

Beyond anticipating future threats and leveraging data, participants immersed themselves in the often-overlooked art of winning stakeholder support. Through structured stakeholder mapping exercises and reflections on Airbnb’s crisis management strategy, executives internalized that successful leadership is not simply about top-down directives, but about orchestrating diverse interests into coherent action toward common goals.

Further enriching the leadership arsenal, the facilitators delved into the discipline of strategy execution and change management. The difference between strategy as theory and strategy as lived reality was explored through powerful narratives such as Microsoft’s cultural transformation under Satya Nadella. Leaders learned actionable frameworks for building internal coalitions, creating accountability loops, and transforming bold strategic visions into tangible, measurable outcomes despite organisational resistance.

The programme culminated with a focus on strategic resilience and digital transformation. Participants were exposed to real-world examples such as Alibaba’s pivot during the SARS crisis and Tesla’s relentless embedding of innovation into organisational DNA. It became clear that resilience is not about enduring one crisis; it is about systematically building adaptive muscles for an age where disruption is the new normal. True digital transformation, it was emphasised, goes beyond adopting new technologies — it demands a fundamental shift in organisational culture, mindsets, and behaviours.

This intensive programme delivered not just knowledge but equipped leaders with actionable frameworks, battle-tested tools, and world-class case studies that they can immediately deploy in their organisations.

For the leaders, the programme was profoundly beneficial. They now possess the strategic agility to pre-empt threats, the influence strategies to rally stakeholders behind ambitious visions, and the data literacy to make precise, timely, and impactful decisions. Their ability to move beyond survival tactics towards shaping the future of their industries was markedly enhanced.

For their organisations, the gains are substantial. By embedding foresight, agility, stakeholder mastery, data intelligence, and resilient cultures, organisations represented at the programme are now positioned to achieve stronger competitive positioning, reduce the risk of strategic failure, foster continuous innovation, and achieve greater stakeholder trust — all essential ingredients for enduring growth.

For Nigeria as a whole, the ripple effects are transformative. Building a critical mass of executives equipped with foresight, agility, and resilience enhances national economic competitiveness, boosts investor confidence, strengthens governance structures, and catalyses innovation ecosystems critical for the country’s sustainable development.

This programme reinforced TEXEM’s enduring commitment to inspiring strategic leadership, nurturing transformative action, and catalysing positive change. As participants return to their organisations, they do not merely carry certificates — they carry the seeds of profound, systemic impact.

In an era where those who fail to anticipate the future are doomed to be disrupted by it, TEXEM, UK’s “Strategic Foresight” programme did not just prepare leaders to survive disruption — it prepared them to shape the future.

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz