A report carried out by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) shows that Managers need to acquire Leadership Skills with training courses. These figures show that up to 75% of UK companies report a deficiency in manager capabilities due to lack of training. There are a number of reasons why managers should be trained, as it is beneficial to them and their employers. They include:

• Performance – The performance of a manager who has previously been trained will be of a higher standard than one who is unsure of what to do, how to handle employees and also manage tasks. Managers must be capable of managing projects, staff, activities, customer relationships and more.
• Money – The money that a company invests when a manager takes over will be beneficial to both parties and cost less in the long-run, as without proper training, managers are costing many UK businesses as much as £19billion per year!
• Marketing – To have an effective marketing strategy, managers must be well organised and able to communicate coherently to their staff and team.
• Competitiveness – Today’s economic climate requires managers and staff to be work-driven and competent at completing tasks off their own initiative. Otherwise, businesses will struggle to compete with other rival companies and organisations.
• Communication – Managers need to be able to communicate with their staff potently. They must also be able to handle conflicts which may arise between employees or themselves and an employee.
• Morale of staff – When a manager is well-trained and educated in their field, they command the respect of their employees. This will provide security for the employees, as they trust the manager to get work done, and they will guide them down the correct path.
• Listening – Listening goes hand in hand with effective communication. Managers need to really listen to their employees, not just hear what they want to hear.
• Delegation – Learning to delegate tasks to the right employee or team is a key skill for managers. The more a leader takes on, the less they achieve because they are stretched too thin. Take a step back, figure out who the best person is for the job, and then trust him or her to get it done.

CMIT’s ILM Management and Leadership program is available at  Award, Certificate or Diploma. These courses will allow existing or recently appointed junior and senior managers to complete certified courses while still working.