Management and leadership is one of the issues that is being tackled across the whole Skills for Business network, with SkillsActive as the lead SSC.  In 2004/5, the network piloted a leadership programme for owner managers of SMEs. Significant business benefits were reported including:

 

Individual participants have described personal improvements in many areas, including a better work-life balance, improved time management and greater confidence to change the company.

 

At the heart of the process is the 'action learning set'. This is where a group of six to nine managers meet at regular intervals for each member to explore a real, open-ended problem. Every member in turn works on their task and the others provide support and challenge; they are assisted by a skilled facilitator. The aim is to help each manager both to tackle the task and to learn from the process.

 

The Skills for Business network are currently seeking to make these programmes available for employers across the nations and regions. We are working to get funding channelled into new projects and to identify and collaborate with existing programmes that match up to our good practice guidelines. We are having success with this and hope to make more programmes available soon across the UK.

 

We are also beginning to establish a database of proven, experienced Action learning facilitators who could be called on to assist SSCs in organising and running Action Learning for Leaders programmes across the UK. For more information or to get involved, click here.