The Managing Director of Uniliver Ghana, Maidie Elizabeth Arkutu has challenged business leaders to be more creative in addressing organizational issues especially, in these current economic times.

This she believes is important in meeting the needs of their workers to sustain their businesses.

Many businesses were last year forced to lay-off some of their workers citing what they deemed as harsh economic conditions.

But speaking with JOY BUSINESS after an evening public forum organized by the Chartered Institute of Marketing Elizabeth Arkutu said the current situation requires ingenious leaders to keep businesses afloat.

Maidie Elizabeth Arkutu

An authentic leader according to her has a purpose, values and lives those on an ongoing basis. “It also involves adapting to changing economic situations – like the current one.

“So if a leader was heading an institution where things were going well, in a stable economy for instance, that would be one phase. But as things change, the leader must sense the new situation, get enough information and implement the right strategies and plans to equally deliver well in such challenging times” she added.

On how managers should position themselves to meet the demands of their employees in especially, tough economic situations Madam Arkutu said “even though different organizations would have different strategies, one could exhibit his/her true leadership skills by ‘living the purpose’ whiles delivering the results for the business.

Some participants at the forum

“Authentic leaders she added would in such a situation would need to draw a lot closer to their employees to ensure that their problems are well understood and that they are made to feel cared for” she intimated.

Madam Arkutu stressed that “leadership is not about your title or your position, it’s about the personality so each individual leader must remain true and authentic to him/herself.”

Authentic Leadership she emphasized is not the preserve of unique people, “anybody can learn to become such a leader,” she added.