Oman Arab Bank (OAB) held the graduation ceremony of the second batch of its ‘Leadership Enhancement And Development’ (LEAD) programme, on Tuesday at Bait Al Zubair Museum in Muscat, under the auspices of HE Hamed bin Khamis Al Amri, Under Secretary of Ministry of Manpower. As many as 20 employees received the certificates on completing their training which was done in collaboration with a team from the Inspirational Development Group (IDG), a globally renowned leadership and management performance consultancy.

The event was attended by CEO, Rashad Al Musafir and other senior management members of the bank.

LEAD is a one of a kind leadership-dedicated development programme, initially introduced in 2016. Its main objective is to nurture and help foster the capabilities and talents of potential Omani individuals, together with assistance from well-known experts.

The programme, which spans over a course of six months, is designed to make use of the best global practices to provide staff with knowledge of advanced workplace solutions and proficiency in decision-making.

The execution of the programme has been made possible by through a collaboration with a team from the Inspirational Development Group (IDG), which is a globally renowned leadership and management performance consultancy. IDG has a long history of experience in this regard and has been responsible for providing guidance for several top-notch and dedicated work programmes to numerous globally recognised companies. From its Middle East office in Muscat and in close association with the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, IDG has provided its services to many notable private and public sector companies in the region.

Before the selection process, all LEAD candidates are required to complete an online 360 degree assessment. The 20 applicants who are subsequently selected, are required to complete the online Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) evaluation.

After completion of the assessment, the final 20 candidates will undertake a comprehensive six-month training programme, divided into four, two-day modules. The participants will undergo extensive leadership training, which will enhance their expertise and assist in developing the knowledge required to be the driving force for requisite growth. Each module involves experiential learning as its fundamental methodology. In between modules, the candidates are split into four groups of five representatives each and are challenged with business project topics of keen interest to OAB.  Additionally, the programme will also see the presence of two Socialisation Workshops, one conducted after Module 1 and the second after Module 2.

Over the course of the programme, each candidate is provided the opportunity to work alongside some of the finest motivational experts, who specialise in leadership development, and also several members of the LEAD Mentoring Group (LMG). Created to offer the highest level of support and direction, the group comprises of 15 members of the Bank’s senior management team and a number of group, division and department heads. They are also responsible in recognising potential in the respective banking and financial fields and guides each candidate in reaching new heights and true potential in the industry. This is to ensure, that at the conclusion of the programme, each individual is well-endowed with high leadership capabilities and skills, which will have an immensely positive impact on their career development in the future.