UK’s SME business leaders can now sign up for free leadership training

Small businesses affected by the recent pandemic outbreak can expect some reprieve thanks to an initiative by the UK government’s £20 million investment in two leadership training programmes designed for small business leaders.

This initiative comes as British businesses adopt new ways of working to survive in the new normal and these training programmes aim to improve skills related to management, productivity, and problem-solving for small businesses.

Small Business Leadership Training Programme aims to improve strategic leadership capabilities for small businesses

The Small Business Leadership Programme is designed for leaders of small businesses to strengthen their decision making and leadership skills.

Programme participants can develop their strategic leadership skills and develop the confidence to make decisions that will boost business performance amid these challenging times.

This fully online programme lasts for 10 weeks and is delivered by small business and enterprise experts from a consortium of world-leading business schools accredited by the Small Business Charter (SBC), and is supported by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

CEO of Chartered Association of Business Schools and Executive Director of the Small Business Charter, Anne Kiem said that the effects of COVID-19 have been damaging to small businesses and providing leaders with the experience and knowledge to thrive in these uncertain times will ensure that small businesses are robust to persist through this period and beyond.

Business leaders will undertake a series of 90-minute webinars delivered by leading business experts and will also be required to complete up to two hours of independent study and peer-supported learning per week in the programme.

The goal of the programme is to provide business leaders with the right skills can help them address the management challenges that have arisen as a result of COVID-19.

The programme curriculum will equip business leaders with the confidence and leadership skills to plan for the future of their business and will simultaneously develop their potential for future growth and productivity.

This leadership training will provide support for senior leaders in an organisation by guiding them on ways to enhance their business’s resilience thus ensuring that they are in a position to recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

Peer Networks Programme can help SME businesses build a peer network to support mutual growth

The Peer Networks Programme is a peer-to-peer networking programme for small and medium business leaders that is delivered locally by the network of Growth Hubs across England.

This programme is designed to create a platform that will enable diverse cohort groups of individuals to collaboratively work through common business issues.

The design of the leadership training programme itself will facilitate action-oriented discussions surrounding challenges that businesses face.

This then enables business leaders to gain and reflect on valuable feedback and implement practical solutions to overcome them.

Programme participants will have the opportunity to take part in sessions where common coronavirus related business challenges will be discussed.

This includes helping businesses find new customers despite the challenges and using technology to carry out customer record management more effectively in addition to developing the digital skills to adapt to new business models.

The programme provides support in various business functions, including finance, human resources, sales, and even marketing through coaching sessions.

Commenting on the programme launch, UK’s Small Business Minister, Paul Scully said, “The strength of small businesses up and down the country will be vital as we begin to bounce back from coronavirus and re-build our economy,”

Scully added, “These schemes will help equip small business leaders with the leadership, resilience and problem-solving skills they need to grow their firms in the wake of this pandemic.”