Trust is among the most important qualities every staff should possess as it constitutes the best way to protect the enterprise leader.

Company staff at different levels have the natural duty to protect their leader to allow him achieve his vision. While the leader is the only one who understands the depths of the enterprise vision, staff are called to be fully part of the journey and actions to make the leader’s vision come true by fulfilling their individual and collective duties effectively.

These were some of the key messages conveyed to BMBC staff in the course of the last week during a training on leadership as part of the company’s Capacity building program. The training was facilitated by a seasoned international leadership trainer and coach, John Peter Bigirimana, based in Norway. It involved BMBC’s management and administration staff based at the headquarters as well as on-site technical teams and construction supervisors.

Current BMBC’s exponential growth that goes with high increase in human resources, finance and assets requires corresponding practices and mindsets across all the working teams and units. During the training, the emphasis was put particularly on time management and trust as indispensable behaviors that each staff should own to contribute to the realization of the leader’s vision.

With regard to time management, the trainer demonstrated how employees cause stagnation or regress of their enterprises when they waste working time such as through social media distractions, lazy chats with other team members as well as reporting late at duty station, habits that have established roots in the African society.

In his own terms, Mr Bigirimana said “the employee who steals time is worse than the one who steals money”. He also likened time wastage as a kind of sabotage or witchcraft against the organization.

Trust was highlighted by the trainer as another crucial quality every staff should possess as it constitutes the best way to protect the leader. “Leaders always value employees who supports best their success of their vision”, he explained, adding: “The more you have trusted staff, the more successful is your vision.”

According to the trainer, when the leader is protected by his collaborators through responsible management of resources including time and assets, he’s allowed to generate new thoughts that will place the industry at the next level.

Participants were reminded not to view BMBC as the founder’s property but rather as a gift to the country, Burundi, as it sustains the lives of hundreds of families through various opportunities including jobs. “When a leader appreciates you, you have gained. He can change your life overnight”, he indicated. 

Other behaviors recommended by the trainer include respect and obedience towards the leadership, observing communication protocols, avoiding gossiping about the organization’s leadership, being focused and improving the speed and quality of their work. Participants were also encouraged to constantly seek to improve their skills and knowledge especially through individual learning initiatives to boost their creativity and productivity.