What is it?

The Leadership Development Programme is for current and emerging leaders in ambitious, growing businesses. It aims to unlock business potential by developing leadership talent. The programme is accredited by the ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management)

Who is it for?

The programme is designed for current and emerging leaders who have come from predominantly specialist or technical (rather than business or management) backgrounds. The programme helps equip leaders with the strategic, leadership and business skills to create successful and sustainable organisations.

Practical tools and ideas for working managers

The course is pragmatic, action-focused and relevant to the immediate and longer-term needs of the individuals and the business. It is focused on a personal development plan and a business improvement project. Leaders are also provided with an invaluable ‘toolkit’ of templates, exercise, plans and benchmarking tools - these bring immediate benefits to the business and the individual.

Long term impact- long term benefits

The course is designed to be a platform for ongoing and sustained development of leadership skills –this is not just a short-lived injection of ideas and enthusiasm! The programme is spread out over a realistic time-frame, to keep demands on busy people reasonable. This allows ongoing support and encouragement for new thinking, behaviours and habits to develop and take root.

Excellent value for money- excellent return on investment

Participants end the programme reporting improved skills and attitudes, and also a confidence and enthusiasm for continuing their learning and development as managers. Participants have reported verifiable financial benefits through increased efficiency, effectiveness and the ability and confidence to operate at a more strategic level- growing and improving the business.

WHAT PEOPLE SAID

• Has contributed to significant improvements in personal professionalism
• Manage performance and time more effectively
• Creating time to focus on taking the company forward
• Improved team-working & staff involvement
• Have now delegated everything to do with day to day management of business to managers
• Team is now more bonded and cohesive
• Raised top line profit by 18% to 43%
• Now understand the crucial distinction between leadership and management
• Have clear goals and targets
• Moving beyond constant ‘fire-fighting’ to more strategic focus on building the business
• Better at recognising people’s achievements
• People now working as a team not just a collection of hard-working individuals
• Incredibly constructive experience
• Allowed me to stand back and look at the business
• Now leading as opposed to managing the business
• Delegation has improved significantly
• Have put in place management reporting system
• Created new division within company to drive growth
• Culture more entrepreneurial and customer-focused

WHAT’S IN IT?
There are four phases. They build into an upward spiral as shown below:

Phase one: Analysis and planning
The purpose of this phase is to clarify each delegate’s individual development objectives. This involves:

• A 360 degree performance review
• Thomas International Personal (Behavioural style) Profile
• Business-scorecard benchmarking exercise
• Identifying a business improvement project
• Interviews to establish mutual expectations, and to identify specific goals and outcome measures for programme

Phase two: Information/input
The purpose of this phase is to provide new ideas and information to help address participant’s development objectives. This includes Six one-day modules focusing on:

• Leadership skills
• Leading strategy
• Leading People
• Leading the team
• Leading yourself
• Leading performance
• Directed reading of management texts
• Peer to peer learning and support

Phase three: Implementation and practice
The purpose of this phase is to put new ideas into place, to meet the development priorities, and to learn what works best for you in practice.

• Ongoing action-planning, progress checking and evaluation: Brief monthly updates of goals, actions and outcomes
• Executive Coaching: Follow-up sessions back at work to ensure that after each module the learning points are translated into action in the workplace.
• Monthly coaching session with manager to discuss action, progress outcomes and goals
• Group review sessions
• Phone and e-mail support
• Access to further resources/support materials

Phase four: Review and future planning
Purpose: To see if the development goals have been achieved, to learn from, and to celebrate, success.

• One-to one review and planning session to reflect on success and identify future development goals
• Review workshop, which includes presentations from each delegate on what they have achieved through the program
• 360 degree performance review
• Thomas International DISC Behavioural Style profile