The John Maxwell Team, an International Leadership and Personal Development group of coaches and trainers, wants those in leadership positions in Nigeria to render selfless services to the masses.
Executive Director and President’s Advisory Council member of the Team, Miss Teena Ogbugoh,  spoke to newsmen on the sideline of a leadership training workshop titled: “Live2Lead” in Port Harcourt.
The training organised by the group in Nigeria, mentored CEOs of companies, church leaders, senior executives, civil servants and student leaders, among others, at the workshop.
Ogbugoh said the way forward for Nigeria was for those in positions of authority to be self-sacrificing and put the interest of others first before themselves while carrying out their duties.
According to her, shortage of servant-leaders in the country was partly responsible for current agitations and crises that have bedevilled the country in recent times.
“Nigeria currently does not practise servant-leadership. People see leadership as a positional thing while others see it as a status or title – since they are the boss that everybody is beneath them.
“But what leadership is about is that: As a leader, you are actually put there to serve those that have been entrusted to you just like our Lord Jesus Christ did.
“Leaders in Nigeria should begin to listen to the voice of the people and put themselves forth to serve in all situations as this is how to truly be a servant-leader.
“Live2lead is all about empowering and developing oneself to be a better leader and unless one develops oneself; the individual cannot develop others.
“The John Maxwell Team brought this training to Nigeria, so that people will understand what leadership is about, which is to provide service to those entrusted to them,” she said.
Ogbugoh said the Live2Lead programme in its 4th edition in Nigeria plans to train over 1,000 leaders across all facets of the society.
She said that three cities were selected to play host to this year’s edition and added that trainees would listen to speakers around the world via simulcast transmission.
“We have already concluded the exercise in Abuja and we are currently in Port Harcourt. Next stop is Lagos on November 4.
“So far, we have reached out to over 80 people to listen to this. Our target reach is 200 while our rebroadcast would reach about 1,000 people across the country,” she said.
Speaking also, an Executive Director and President Advisory Council Member, Kate Onakomaiya, said the programme currently has over 16,000 coaches spread across 140 countries.
She added that Live2Lead training transmitted from Atlanta, U.S had over 300 live sites and another 700 sites rebroadcasting the programme up to March 2018.
“So, coaches all over the world are hosting Live2Lead by coaching and growing leaders in every facet of the society.
“Youths being the new generation should start leading right now rather than wait to lead in the future. They should do this by empowering and improving themselves,” she said.
One of the participants, Mr Emem Abasiattai, said that knowledge garnered from the training had inspired him to become a better servant rather than leader.
He said that the world was changing around Nigeria and that there was need for leaders in the country to understand that leadership was encompassing.
A Chief Executive Officer of an undisclosed firm in Port Harcourt, Mrs Funmi Ujah, said that she had acquired knowledge – which implemented would take her company to the “next level.”
“One of the crucial leadership skills is visionary thinking, and, as such, this training harnesses our abilities towards the insights that are required for effective leadership,” she added