7th
May 2009 Can you learn to lead?
The
Chartered
Management Institute (CMI) has issued a press release saying
that organisations across the UK are in danger of becoming ‘rudderless’ and stale,
according to figures released today. There are signs to suggest that business
leaders know how to tackle the problem.
The
Chartered Management Institute (CMI) is warning they won’t succeed without Government
help. warning they won’t succeed without Government help.
The
data, which comes from a series of research projects undertaken over the past
9 months, has been issued in the run up to Learning at Work Day (14 May 2009)
– a national campaign spearheaded by the Campaign for Learning.
According
to the findings, employers run the risk of losing their future leaders because
they are failing to provide adequate training (46 per cent) or career opportunities
(also 46 per cent) as a result of the recession. With more senior function heads
made redundant over the past year (2.3 per cent) than junior staff (1.3 per cent),
many organisations are facing the prospect of a future without adequate leadership
experience.
However,
asked what can be done to rectify the situation, 82 per cent of respondents argued
that their employer should focus on skills development as a route out of the recession.
Asked why, one-third (34 per cent) suggested that poor management skills will
have a negative impact on future performance and 52 per cent suggested that loss
of skills will also threaten costs and revenues.
Worryingly,
the figures show that over one-third (38 per cent) of managers believe that their
organisations’ management development will decrease over the next six months.
The proportion focusing on developing core staff has also dropped – from 44 per
cent in September 2008 to 22 per cent at the end of March, 2009.
The
findings make it clear that whilst employers realise that a skilled workforce
is an integral part of the recovery process, they need Government support. Just
22 per cent say ‘Government can do little to affect the downturn’ and 85 per cent
believe tax breaks for investment in the skills of their workforce should have
featured in the Budget.
Petra
Wilton, director of policy and research at the Chartered Management Institute
says, “Where possible organisations should look at other areas of the business
before cutting back on training as skills development is essential if they are
to be well placed when the economy eventually picks up. However, we realise that
many organisations have now exhausted all other alternatives and the onus is now
on the Government to step up to the mark and deliver support.”
Tricia
Hartley, chief executive at the Campaign for Learning says, “Learning at Work
day aims to draw attention to the importance of workplace learning and skills.
The troubled economic climate means that the focus on skills, especially those
necessary for business success is higher than ever. During this unsettling time
for workplaces, maintaining the ability and motivation to learn and adapt quickly
to change is essential. We should be reflecting on our skills needs at an individual
and business level and taking action where needed.”
Notes
regarding this Press Release:
*Figures from Chartered Management Institute research projects: Economic Outlook
(April 2009), A Decade of Living Dangerously (March 2009), National Management
Salary Survey (March 2009) and However Do You Manage (September 2008). The data
is based on the views of approximately 4,000 respondents
_________________________________
The
Chartered Management Institute is the pre-eminent professional body for management.
As a chartered body with charitable status at their heart lies the mission to
promote the art and science of management. By sharing the latest insights and
setting standards in management development they help to shape and support the
managers of tomorrow enabling them to deliver results in a dynamic world.
Established
over 50 years ago they have over 70,000 individual members and 400 corporate members
who benefit from their breadth and depth of knowledge and expertise.
The
Chartered Management Institute is the only chartered professional body that is
dedicated to management and leadership. They are committed to raising the performance
of business by championing management. They do this through supporting and advising
individuals and organisations, or through engaging policy makers and key influencers
in Government and the management profession.
Source:
Chartered
Management Institute (CMI)
Employers
running the risk of losing their future leaders by failing to provide adequate
training according
to The Chartered Management Institute in a Press Release 