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By Sunday Ani
Performance strategist and summit host, Dr. Abiola Salami, LOTUS Bank Managing Director, Kafilat Araoye, Digital Encode Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Adewale Obadare and founder of OLCA, Dr. Lanre Olusola, among other experts have challenged business leaders, professionals and entrepreneurs to uphold excellence, quality and consistency in 2025.
This was the crux of the discussion at the 2025 New Year Kickoff Summit organised by the CHAMP GLC in Lagos. The event themed, “Navigating Innovation & Growth in 2025,” provided strategic insights for participants to elevate their performance in the new year.
Salami challenged the participants to transform past limitations, describing mediocrity as simply repeating the previous year’s performance.
“Stagnation in performance is mediocrity, not poor performance. Our goal is to empower career professionals and entrepreneurs to achieve unprecedented success in 2025, ensuring that this year’s results significantly surpass those of 2024,” Salami declared.
On his part, Araoye emphasised three key traits that drive workplace performance, including flexibility, focus and consistency.
“You cannot achieve peak performance without these qualities,” she admitted, adding, “A peak performer is adaptable, focused and consistent. He embraces feedback, identifies areas for improvement, and views mistakes as stepping stones to growth. Above all, humility is the hallmark of a true peak performer.”
In another session, Prof Obadare and Dr. Olusola, shared insights on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI); and developing a money mindset for innovation and growth in 2025, respectively.
Prof. Obadare highlighted the transformative impact of technology on daily lives, emphasising how it has reshaped the way people manage their activities.
He also cautioned against the risks of public Wi-Fi. “Be mindful of what you do on public Wi-Fi. Your phone can be hacked using certain technological tools. The safest approach is to avoid public Wi-Fi altogether.”
Olusola delved into the concept of ‘Growth Mindset,’ offering valuable advice on wealth creation.
He said: “The only way to create and sustain wealth is to identify a problem and solve it. Once you’ve mastered solving the problem, the next step is to scale it.”
Shifting the focus to the challenges of addiction and its harmful impact on health, social media influencer, Dr. Chinonso Egemba, popularly known as Aproko Doctor, described it as a form of mental imprisonment created by the individual.
“If you’re struggling with something right now, it’s because of the story you’ve told yourself about it and the strong belief you’ve attached to it. That’s why breaking free feels so difficult,” he explained.
He, therefore, encouraged participants to prioritise healthy living by envisioning the person they aspire to become in 2025 and actively working towards that goal.
Also, founder of AA Holdings and one of the sponsors of the event, Austin Avuru, defined a peak performer as someone who excels with minimal supervision. He shared his formula for success to include discipline, focus and integrity. “Combine these with hard work and stay focused on your goals, and you’re unlikely to fail. Obstacles may arise, but you’ll ultimately succeed,” he said.
The event featured three workshops that encouraged participants to engage in reflection and self-appraisal.
