“Identify and adopt ways to provide Excellent Service!”, DLI Staff are Charged

Exploring the limitless opportunities that abound in embodying excellence in service delivery and leadership was the focal point of the December edition of the Distance Learning Institute’s monthly seminar series held on Tuesday, December 5, 2023.

The Guest Speaker, Mr. Ibereayo Amoo, a Certified Leadership Trainer at the Gemstone Leadership Institute, began his delivery by appreciating the leadership of the Distance Learning Institute (DLI), University of Lagos (UNILAG) for providing such a training for staff of the Institute.

Speaking on the topic Excellence in Service & Leadership, Mr. Amoo posited that one of the top most needed skills in the world is leadership. He gave different analogies that explained the role of people in the effectiveness of leadership endeavours, noting that every individual has a role to play in the overall success of a team, organisation or nation.

Mr. Amoo explained that a lot of progress will be made right from the moment staff gain understanding of the fact that their role in service delivery is not that of slavery but to impact lives positively, just as the leader’s primary role.

Using interactive hands-on exercises, the guest speaker helped staff of DLI, UNILAG re-awaken to the importance of thinking outside the box. Mr. Amoo stated, “When you think outside the box and are excellent with it, something great will definitely come your way.” He noted also that the same rule of excellently thinking outside the box applies to leadership.

Mr. Amoo encouraged all participants at the seminar to look at their jobs or present roles from different perspectives and identify aspects where things could be done differently for optimal results. He advised that everyone take it upon themselves to start from now to create value, be problem solvers and achieve notable feats for the advancement of the Institute and by extension, the University of Lagos and Nigeria as a whole.

This, according to him, is the mark of excellence in service delivery and leadership.

Noting passionately that “the fruit of service/solving problems is prosperity!”, Mr. Amoo encouraged staff that it wasn’t too late to have a paradigm shift on being excellent at service delivery. He alluded to the fact that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step and therefore got participants to repeat several words of affirmation after him, serving as an oath to henceforth be intentional and excellent in the quality of their service delivery and leadership.

During the question and answer session of the seminar, staff of the Distance Learning Institute sort clarity on ways to handle some of the challenges that come with doing things differently. They also expressed concerns on the feasibility of delivering excellent service and leadership in the current dire economic situation of the country.

To these, Mr. Amoo urged staff to dare to be excellent notwithstanding the environment or challenges they may face. He affirmed that the best innovations can be derived from the adverse economic climate just as necessity is the mother of invention. In the same vein, he asserted that the same people who try to pull individuals down for doing things excellently different will be the same to try to share in the light of their glory when it begins to shines.

The Director, Distance Learning Institute (DLI), University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Risikat Oladoyin S. Dauda, while delivering her welcome address earlier, had expressed her hope for staff of the Institute to develop and implement excellence in their service delivery as this will go a long way to improve overall student experience and satisfaction. Professor Dauda shared her hope that at the end of the seminar, students as clients of the Distance Learning Institute and the University of Lagos at large, will begin to notice the notable shift in the mindset and service delivery of members of the Institute.

Speaking at the end of the seminar, Professor Dauda commended the guest speaker, Mr. Ibereayo Amoo, for his passionate delivery of the topic. She expressed her confidence in the staff of the Institute to do their best to strive for excellence and be forerunners of positive change for the excellence in DLI, UNILAG, and Nigeria as a whole.

Already embodying the traits of excellence in leadership, she stretched forth welcoming arms for staff to share their ideas on what they identify can be done differently to improve the Institute.

The Seminar came to a close with group photographs and presentation of plaque and souvenir to the guest speaker.

 

Source: UNILAG