According to a report by GALLUP, 44% of employees worldwide, particularly in Africa, experience stress. Therefore, the forum emphasized the importance of integrity, humility, and effective emotion management in leadership roles to alleviate stress among employees and enhance overall productivity.

During the discussions held from July 10th to 11th, 2023, participants explored topics such as good leadership, effective human resource management, and the significance of emotional intelligence in leadership and governance. Renowned pan-African graft crusaders, Prof PLO Lumumba and Dr. Antoine Rutayisire, were among the distinguished speakers at the event.

Prof PLO Lumumba highlighted the need for leaders to establish closer relationships with their employees, remaining humble and providing them with platforms to share ideas. He emphasized that achieving desired productivity and efficiency requires leaders to foster an environment where employees feel valued and can contribute their ideas.

Ambassador Dr. Ron Adam, representing Israel in Rwanda, emphasized the growing importance of ethical leadership. He noted that the forum provided leaders with an opportunity to understand the power of authenticity, intrinsic motivation, and acting with integrity. Participants were encouraged to develop self-awareness and self-management of personal emotions, as well as explore ways to enhance their emotional intelligence.

The forum focused on enhancing the technical capacity of management executives regarding emotional intelligence concepts. Participants learned how to develop and implement these concepts to improve their relationships in both work and personal life. Understanding social and emotional behaviors and their impact on leadership and corporate governance was a key aspect of the discussions.

Steven Karangwa, the Chairman of Rwanda Human Resource Management Organisation, emphasized that failure to control emotions can negatively affect employees’ performance.

He stated that contemporary leadership requirements demand leaders who can motivate, inspire, and foster positive attitudes among employees. Leaders who lack emotional intelligence may experience lower employee engagement and higher turnover rates.

Karangwa further explained that emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in building relationships and fostering effective interactions.

Leaders with high emotional intelligence can handle different situations more effectively, manage stress, and adapt to changes within companies. Additionally, emotional intelligence positively influences physical and mental health. Therefore, developing emotional fitness is essential, especially for leaders who aim to enhance job performance among their teams.

According to the GALLUP report, only 21% of employees worldwide work with dedication, highlighting the need for leaders to address these issues and foster a positive work environment.

Corporate leaders have been urged to develop self-management of personal emotions.