Businesses, individuals, leaders and youths who will get the best out of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic are those with the physical, mental and psychological readiness to look boldly at the adversities the pandemic throws up, search for underlying opportunities and convert such to successes.
Those that will emerge winners, during and after the crisis, will be those that see hope and opportunity where others see gloom and despair, those ready to make the right investment decisions, those willing to work with, or create a winning team and those who eagerly embrace and spread a message of hope.
These were highlights of the FITC Future Series webinar that attracted serial entrepreneurs, financial analysts, industry leaders, experts in people management, youth influencers, and motivational speakers who gave insights on how people can turn the challenges posed by the pandemic to opportunities.
The 90-minute webinar themed: COVID 19: ‘Turning Adversity to Advantage’ had 3,125 registered individuals from across the world representing 861 companies and cutting across different sectors of the economy – financial, manufacturing, corporate communications, law, healthcare, SMEs among others.
The speakers at the event were President, GEMSTONE Nation Building Foundation, Fela Durotoye; Founder, Joy Inc & Co-Founder, RED Africa, Chude Jideonwo; Senior Economist FBNQuest Merchant Bank, Chinwe Egwin and CEO EdgeEcution, Author & Motivational Speaker, Steve Harris.
In her opening remarks, FITC Managing Director/CEO, Mrs Chizor Malize, said COVID-19 has changed the way people relate to one another worldwide but has also created both challenges and opportunities which countries and citizens can face and explore. The FITC boss stated that the organization is passionate about delivering impactful webinars, from where insights on leadership, talent management and innovation can shape individuals, groups and organizations responses to the pandemic.
According to her, the webinar is about what the world should be doing right now. “FITC is a globally inspired, world-class knowledge organization, helping industries build capacity and grow the economy. FITC was established to help create innovative solutions that will help the Nigerian Finacial Sector, Africa and the world grow,” she said.
The Keynote Speaker and President, GEMSTONE Nation Building Foundation, Fela Durotoye, harped on the need for people to identify opportunities, acquire knowledge, build skills and adopt positive attitudes in their dealings to achieve desired results. “Opportunity wears a mask, unveil the mask and take the opportunity. Find knowledge, build skills, change attitude to a positive one’ He said. Hard work, creativity and ability to think outside the box are the hallmark of successful youths adding that people should see opportunity in every adversity.
For him, it is when the sky is at its darkest that the stars will appear, hence the need for today’s youth not to despair amid the pandemic. But whatever decision one makes at this time, there is a need to consider what people are buying, who are buying and how they are buying to guide one’s business and strategies. Entrepreneurs must be driven by solving problems.
Again, he emphasized the need to do away with procrastination and take action that is built on hope and determination to succeed. “The fastest way to have HOPE is to give it. Become a channel, focus on how you can be of value, have the mindset of value,” he said.
Speaking on staying ahead of the economic Impact of COVID-19, Chinwe said Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to contract this year, and that will come with implications for the people. She also noted that with the drop in government revenue, people would have access to less cash which will lead to weaker demand.
She predicted an inflation spike due to supply chain disruptions caused by lockdowns and social distancing factors. She advised employees to be creative and add value to their organization to remain irreplaceable despite rightsizing.
Chinwe advised investors to invest in gold or shares of companies that deal in gold because while crude oil prices are on the decline, gold prices have remained stable, adding that keeping a diversified portfolio would also help. “This is a season to have a diversified portfolio, stocks are cheap now, buy, hold and get ready for an upswing in the future,” she said.
She urged people not to consider the ongoing lockdown as a period to relax and assume they are on vacation, but to find ways to be valuable to their organizations, be more visible with content, come up with ways to support their organizations and be available.
Also speaking, Harris said there is an opportunity in chaos. For him, what limits people is not what they do not have, it is what they have but fail to utilize.
He counselled that this is not the time to “Netflix and chill, but YouTube and learn”, youths should also sell their expertise, start from where they are, and they will see opportunities ahead. He also said many people could get the same idea, but the execution is the winning advantage, don’t be caught up in “Analysis paralysis”.
He also spoke further on the need for collaboration, adding that this is not the time to be an island; this is the time to join hands virtually and collaborate to win.
For Chude, people should design their lives and focus on things that bring them joy. He said the road to success is long, and those that will succeed will not mind how long the journey lasts.
He said that people should build a community that cares, “Hang around people who love you and your values. Be an instrument of service, let your question always be how can I be of help here?”
Chude also spoke on the need for people to show appreciation and build a culture of gratitude, even when things are not the best they expect. He said there is a need for leaders to inspire others, become committed to their promise and also try to deliver more.
He also spoke on the need for people to exceed their contracts, and deliver more to customers, friends, family and others. He said people should use empowering statements, takeaway victim speech from their vocabulary and that will be their first step to success.
“Find the good, be in constant search of what is good in every situation even in these times when the world does not have much of that,” he advised.
Participants of the webinar were full of praise and commendations for FITC for organizing what was for them an impactful and educative session.
Mrs Eunice Mgbojikwe, a retired NDIC Director, was full of accolades for the event. “I enjoyed the webinar, it’s the best that I have participated in recent times”, she remarked.
Tony Ahameluroh, former Deputy Director SEC and current Head of the Nigerian Capital Market Institute, Abuja, would be glad for more of such impactful learning events from FITC. In his words “the delivery and question and answer sessions were superb, I recommend and look forward to more of these impactful and insight filled webinars from FITC.
