Leadership course boosts productivity

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jan 22, 2008

The Institute of Leadership and Management course was designed to help attendees recognise inefficiencies in their departments and implement business improvements to resolve them.

A leadership course for ten of its line managers is already paying productivity dividends for Arc Energy Resources.

The ten delegates included team leaders, project managers, a contract administrator and the company's quality manager.

The course itself, which was developed by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) and sponsored by Gloucestershire Enterprise, consisted of ten half-day classroom sessions at the Arc Energy factory.

It was designed to provide delegates with the techniques and tools to examine their individual areas of responsibility within the broader context of the business, recognise inefficiencies in their departments and implement business improvements to resolve them.

The course covered topics such as dealing with problems; setting objectives; using information for action; business improvement techniques; health and safety principles; meeting customer requirements; team working; and effective communication.

Emphasis is placed on helping delegates to recognise inefficiencies in the business and use the course tools to resolve them in order to improve the overall performance of the company.

Towards the end of the course delegates undertook a project designed to exercise their newly acquired skills.

Each was asked to identify an example of inefficiency in their own working environment, prepare a plan to improve it and quantify the benefit to work colleagues and the company.

The projects were assessed by ILM and Arc Energy Managing Director Alan Robinson.

Marks awarded by the Institute counted towards a formal ILM Level 2 qualification.

All ten delegates successfully completed the course and were awarded certificates.

Giving his reaction, Alan Robinson says he was very impressed with the commitment and performance of the delegates and the projects they undertook.

"The course was intensive and everyone had to absorb a great deal of new information, so I was particularly pleased with the projects, which convinced me that everyone had gained from it".

"The company has also benefited from a number of extremely useful suggestions that will make us more efficient".

"Even more important, we hope this experience and the prospect of further career development will foster a sense of mutual commitment that serves as an example to everyone and encourages people to stay with the company".

Providing additional background to the course, mentor Berkeley Fenne says the focus is on approaching business in a much more structured way.

"Inefficiencies exist in most companies so the objective of the course is to teach employers and employees to recognise them, resolve them and in doing so, continuously improve their company".

Summing up, Alan Robinson adds: "Identifying time wasted in processes and working practices will deliver significant benefits to companies prepared to invest in their people by providing the skills necessary to root out inefficiencies".