TEXEM tells African organisations to view resilience as boardroom discipline

African organisations have been advised to view resilience as a boardroom discipline for ultimate survival in the present volatile periods.

This is part of the statement by TEXEM UK, the United Kingdom based leadership development organisation on its website, www.texem.co.uk

In the statement by Caroline Lucas, TEXEM’s Director, Special Projects, she said presently, African leaders and CEOs have found themselves in an era defined by volatility.

“For too long, the concept of “resilience” has been misunderstood as mere endurance, the capacity to grit one’s teeth and survive the storm.

“However, true resilience is not an act of static stubbornness; it is a dynamic, strategic capability.

“It is the ability to absorb systemic shocks, adapt with intelligence, and, most importantly, maintain relentless value creation when the environment demands transformation,” Lucas said.

She said for an organisation to thrive in the Kingdom-based African context, characterised by both immense opportunity and rapid, unpredictable change; resilience can no longer be delegated to operational teams or crisis management committees.

“When resilience is treated merely as a risk mitigation task, it becomes a defensive silo. When it is treated as a boardroom discipline, it becomes a competitive advantage.

“Boards must transition from asking “Are we protected?” to asking “Are we adaptable?”

“Leadership must ensure that the organization’s strategic architecture is designed to withstand disruption while simultaneously scanning the horizon for the shifts that will define the next decade,” Lucas said.

According to her, a resilient board prioritises long-term viability over short-term expediency, ensuring that the organisation’s core purpose remains unshakable even as its methods evolve.

Talking about the Pillars of Systemwide Resilience, she said in order to build a truly resilient enterprise, leaders must move beyond fragmented fixes.

“We must cultivate systemwide resilience, where every critical layer of the organisation is reinforced and interconnected.

“Among these is talent resilience. People are your most flexible asset. This goes beyond retention; it requires building a culture of continuous learning and psychological safety.

“A resilient workforce is one that possesses the autonomy to pivot and the clarity to act when traditional playbooks fail,” Lucas said.

While mentioning digital systems as an integral part of the resilience process, she said that in an increasingly digitised African economy, the technological infrastructure of organisations is their nervous system.

“It must be modular, scalable, and secure. A resilient system is not just one that stays online; it is one that allows for rapid data-driven decision-making in real time.

“Financial fortitude is equally important. Financial resilience is the buffer that buys you the time to adapt. It requires disciplined capital allocation, diversified revenue streams, and a balance sheet that prioritises liquidity and agility over rigid leverage.

“Added to this is organisational culture. Culture is the ‘connective tissue’ of resilience. When external shocks occur, it is your shared values, transparent communication, and collective mission that prevent the organisation from fracturing.

“A resilient culture empowers the frontline to make decisions aligned with the board’s strategic intent,” Lucas explained.

On the way forward, she said resilience is not a destination, but a permanent state of readiness.

The TEXEM director said the task of African leaders is to institutionalise this capability, adding that they are not building organisations to last, but building organisations that evolve to last.

She challenged the leaders to return to their boards and initiate the difficult, essential conversations about their systemwide readiness.

The statement also announced that TEXEM will be hosting a programme from 19th to 23rd July in Nairobi, Kenya titled: The Resilient Organisation, where African leaders and CEOs leaders will acquire more insights on resilience in leadership.

Two reputable TEXEM faculty members, Professor Nic Cheeseman and Dr T. B. (Mac) McClelland Jr. will deliver the programme.

Nic Cheeseman is a former professor at Oxford and best-selling author and advisor to world leaders.

He has featured on CNN his analysis has featured in the Economist, Le Monde, Financial Times, Newsweek, the Washington Post, New York Times and BBC.

Dr T. B. (Mac) McClelland Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps leader, former CEO of a subsidiary of a global multinational corporation, trusted adviser to world leaders, award-nominated author, and Chairman of the The Luxury Council International Interested participants in the Nairobi programme are expected to click on the link: https://texem.co.uk/the-resilient-enterprise/

The following testimonials from past delegates of TEXEM programmes were also shared in the statement.

“We’re dealing with an organisation that’s relevant in today’s world and bringing in all that knowledge to bear. And so its quite a remarkable organisation. So TEXEM will be good on my lips for recommendations going forward. Thank you,”. -Previous TEXEM delegate, Mr Abel Nsa Senior Technical Adviser (TSA) to the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ministry of Petroleum Resources Abuja.

“Wow! It’s so fully packed and the quality of the faculty is second to none…I think the quality of their presentation really got to me. I’ve realized… that practical and operational issues can be left to the middle level officers in the organisation while I focus more on the strategy to deliver and make my organisation better able to achieve its objective”. -Previous TEXEM delegate, Mr Oluwatoyin Ahmed Edu, Executive Director, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Bank of Industry.

“The programme is quite rich, the content is very insightful, impactful and the content is in fact directed and tailored towards the contemporary leadership challenges we have in the country, or specific and that are directed towards leadership challenges in the country which is strategic leadership in the digital age because we are evolving and we have to be futuristic”. -Previous TEXEM delegate, Kingsley Emeka Egwuh, Assistant Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service.