Major General Dele Arogundade, Commandant of the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Auchi, and a Chartered Emotional Intelligence Professional, delivered a compelling lecture on March 19, 2025. The lecture, titled “Emotional and Social Intelligence: Critical Skillset for Strategic Leaders,” was presented to the newly inaugurated participants of the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 47/2025 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State.

The session was highly engaging, featuring real-life anecdotes that reinforced key principles of emotional and social intelligence. Major General Arogundade provided an in-depth analysis of the intrinsic link between emotional intelligence and effective strategic leadership. He elaborated on the fundamental components of emotional intelligence, identified common indicators of deficiencies in these skills, and outlined their implications for leadership effectiveness.

Emphasizing the necessity of cultivating emotional and social intelligence within professional and organizational settings, he proposed practical strategies for improving interpersonal relationships and leadership impact. These included fostering self-awareness, enhancing empathy, and adopting effective communication techniques when dealing with superiors, subordinates, and peers.

To institutionalize these competencies, Major General Arogundade advocated for widespread awareness campaigns across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and recommended the adoption of a 360-degree feedback system as a robust tool for employee evaluation and leadership development.

The lecture formed an essential component of the foundational curriculum designed to equip participants with vital leadership competencies. It concluded with a dynamic and insightful interactive session, during which participants and faculty members actively engaged in discussions, reflecting their deep interest in the subject matter and its relevance to strategic leadership.