At Strathmore University, leadership is not confined to titles or corner offices. It is woven into the institution’s culture, expressed through responsibility, integrity, and the quiet discipline of doing what is right, even when no one is watching.

For James Odour Oyoo, Project Coordinator and Research Officer, Institute of Healthcare Management, and Teresa Nekesa, Communication Officer, the Personal Leadership Programme (PLP) became more than a professional development course. It became a mirror that challenged, refined, and ultimately redefined how they understood leadership.

Teresa Nekesa (left) and James Odour Oyoo (right)

For Teresa, the decision to join PLP was personal.

“Every time I went for an evaluation with my supervisor,” she recalls, “they would ask me, ‘What have you done? What have you achieved?’ And I began to ask myself, beyond my career, what have I done to develop myself as an individual?”

Having served at Strathmore for over three years, she felt the need to intentionally invest in her own growth. When an email from the People and Culture Department inviting staff to sign up for PLP landed in her inbox, the timing felt almost providential.

James’ motivation stemmed from the demands of his role. Working in research and tasked with training leaders across ten countries in governance and leadership, he realised technical competence alone was not enough.

“At some point, I felt I needed something personal, something that would help me communicate effectively with senior leaders, manage team dynamics, and collaborate better.”

PLP offered that foundation.

Before joining the programme, both James and Teresa held conventional views of leadership.

“For me, leadership was about leading people,” James admits. “But the programme helped me realise that leadership is not just about leading others. You have to start by leading yourself. If you cannot lead yourself, you cannot lead other people.”

Teresa echoes this shift in perspective. “I used to look at leadership as a title, who is the manager, who is the director, who is the Vice Chancellor? But leadership became more individual. I learned that you cannot give what you don’t have.”

Through PLP, leadership ceased to be positional and became personally rooted in character, discipline, and self-awareness.

One of the most memorable aspects of the programme for both participants was the group project component. Working alongside colleagues from diverse departments across the university exposed them to perspectives they had never encountered before.

Teresa proudly recalls her team’s success in addressing gaps within the student mentoring system, a solution that earned recognition from judges for tackling a real and pressing challenge. 

For James, the collaborative experience was equally impactful. “I got to meet people I had never interacted with before. We worked through different aspects of the project and learned from one another.”

Beyond teamwork, certain modules left lasting impressions. The financial stewardship sessions reshaped Teresa’s approach to savings and investment, encouraging her to think long-term about financial security. James highlights the four quadrants of decision-making, distinguishing between what is important and urgent, as a practical framework that continues to guide his daily priorities. Effective communication sessions also sharpened his understanding that clarity and intention matter, especially in written correspondence.

Today, the lessons from PLP are visible in their professional conduct.

James speaks of discipline, time management, and “starting with the end in mind.” He is more deliberate about setting priorities and navigating cultural differences within teams. “We come from different backgrounds and perspectives,” he notes. “PLP helped me understand how to manage myself and communicate effectively.”

Teresa describes a heightened sense of self-awareness and proactivity. “I am aware of who I am,” she reflects. “The course brought discipline, integrity, and personal growth.”

Perhaps most significantly, PLP affirmed something both had sensed before but never fully articulated. They were already leaders, just in need of refinement.

“I saw myself as a leader at home,” Teresa shares. “But in the office, I felt like I wasn’t one. After PLP, I realised leadership is not about having a team. It’s about who you are.”

James similarly felt challenged to expand his perspective. “We often see things only from our own viewpoint. The programme stretched that thinking.”

The impact of PLP extends beyond individual transformation; it reinforces the university’s broader leadership culture.

James emphasises the principle of freedom and responsibility, doing what is right at the right time and doing it right the first time. Teresa believes the programme strengthens institutional values by equipping staff to embody them authentically.

“It helps the university have people who understand its culture and create a good working environment for colleagues,” she explains.

Unlike many leadership programmes that target only upper management, PLP starts with the foundation, shaping individuals at every level. “It starts from the bottom going up,” James says, highlighting its accessibility and long-term impact.

When asked to describe PLP in one word, Teresa pauses, “It’s about the individual.”

Indeed, the Personal Leadership Programme begins with introspection, but it does not end there. From self-awareness flows stronger collaboration. From discipline emerges excellence. And from individual growth comes institutional strength.

At Strathmore University, leadership is cultivated, one individual at a time.

This article is written by Yoweri Madowo