Speakers at the maiden Timekeeping Dialogue Series of the year have advised Ghanaians to be more deliberate in their punctuality and self-discipline if they want to make meaningful progress in their personal and professional lives.
The forum was held under the theme, “Raising the Bar in 2026: Leadership Lessons on Time, Focus and Discipline.”
Personal systems as the foundation for productivity
Speaking at the event, Ibrahim Kwame Asante stated that while it is possible for individuals to raise the bar and increase productivity, the process must begin with the establishment of personal systems that can eventually influence society at large.
According to him, discipline at the individual level is the seed from which national productivity grows.
He urged participants to adopt a radical mindset towards time management, eliminate distractions and consciously track how they use their time.
“We should have a radical outlook, eliminate distractions and track our time, because structure determines outcome,” he said.
Aligning priorities with daily actions
Mr Asante further advised the public to clearly identify their priorities and align all activities towards achieving those priorities. He stressed that productivity is not accidental but the result of deliberate choices backed by discipline.
He emphasised the need for consistency in applying time discipline to all aspects of life, noting that self-discipline must become a regular way of life rather than an occasional effort.
In his view, discipline should be treated as non-negotiable for anyone seeking growth.
Corporate culture and leadership responsibility
Media Strategist, Odelia Ntiamoah, in her submission, underscored that attitudes within corporate institutions will change once individuals understand the importance of even the smallest actions. She argued that organisational efficiency is often undermined by a failure to appreciate how minor lapses in discipline affect overall performance.
She noted that corporate managers cannot demand change from their staff if they have not invested in training them on expectations and standards.
According to her, leadership must be intentional in setting targets and building systems that guide staff conduct and performance.
Lessons from military discipline
Captain Kwame Yirenkyi of the Ghana Navy advised the audience to adopt aspects of military discipline in their daily lives to ensure higher productivity.
He explained that in the navy, everything thrives on order, structure and strict adherence to time, making discipline a central pillar of effectiveness.
He further observed that within the armed forces, there are fixed timelines within which personnel must attain promotions, beyond which opportunities may be lost.
This reality, he said, creates urgency and drives personnel to act decisively.
He encouraged civilians to take a cue from this approach to inject urgency into their work and life.
“Time is not waiting for you,” he cautioned.
Driving organisational discipline through data
Addressing corporate institutions specifically, Ibrahim Asante urged organisational leaders to prioritise discipline through the use of Key Performance Indicators and data-driven systems.
He stressed that discipline at the institutional level must be measurable and enforced.
He noted that heads of institutions must hold both themselves and their staff accountable, while consciously cutting out activities that do not add value.
He criticised the culture of long, unproductive meetings, urging organisations to adopt shorter, focused meetings that respect people’s time.
“To be respectable, we should not normalise delay. Discipline is a leadership decision, not an option,” he said.
Blending artificial intelligence with human effort
Mr Asante also encouraged managers to integrate artificial intelligence into their operations to complement human intelligence and enhance productivity.
According to him, leveraging technology is no longer optional but essential in today’s fast-paced and competitive environment.
