Dr Mooko addresses the North East Region 2024 Excellence Awards

Institute of Development Management (IDM) Botswana Country Director, Dr Theophilus Mooko has shared insights on leadership, focusing on the habits that high-impact leaders should embrace to build great teams and cultures within organizations.
He was giving a word of encouragement at the recent North East Region 2024 Excellence Awards held at Masunga Senior Secondary School. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MESD) under the theme "Recognising Excellence within the Mindset Change Framework."
Dr Mooko said high-impact leaders should adopt key habits that build strong teams and foster positive organizational cultures. He added that the practice of "Asking the Right Questions,” is crucial for encouraging creative problem-solving within teams, further encouraging leaders to share credit generously by recognizing the contributions of others to cultivate a culture of appreciation.
 
Balancing high expectations by setting ambitious goals was another point of focus, which he said helps teams to bring out their best to help organizations achieve their strategic goals; along with taking smart risks to foster growth and innovation. Dr Mooko reiterated the significance of focusing on strengths, guiding team members to identify and leverage their unique talents. He also underscored the importance of listening to understand, which involves valuing the perspectives of team members to enhance communication and collaboration.
 
“I further challenge leaders to treat employees as people, and acknowledge their humanity beyond their professional roles. By embracing these habits, leaders can cultivate high-performing and motivated teams,” he stated.
 
Guest Speaker, Ms. Letsebeng Selawe of Lucara Mine, Botswana lauded the alignment of the awards to the Sustainable Development Goal of quality education, underscoring the importance of education in national Human Resource Development as outlined in National Development Plan 11 and Vision 2036. Ms. Selawe highlighted the need for an education system that not only imparts academic knowledge but also fosters attitude and behavioral change, preparing students to be knowledgeable, skilled, and innovative citizens. She echoed the sentiment that excellence must be accompanied by appreciation, quoting William Makepeace Thackeray: “Next to excellence is the appreciation of it.” 
 
Giving the Welcome Remarks earlier, Director of Regional Operations, North East Region, Mr. Labani Mokgosi expressed gratitude to sponsors, and noted with pride the pleasing performance of schools in the region, by consistently ranking first and second positions in the national academic performance of the PSLE, JC, and BGCSE. He said this was a demonstration of the region's commitment to producing quality learners.
 
 
Mr. Lekolang Botumile, Chairman of the Excellence Awards Committee said the Excellence Awards have been a hallmark of the Northern Region since their inception in 2019. The region, divided into two sub-regions—Masunga and Francistown, has consistently excelled academically, maintaining top national positions. The primary goal of the awards is to recognize and motivate outstanding performance within the region, fostering a culture of excellence. The hosting of the awards alternates annually between the two sub-regions, symbolizing unity and collaboration.