Brian Morgan
Sponsored feature: Are you an SME? Would you like a free place on the 20Twenty Leadership Programme?
BUSINESS experts agree that high-quality leadership is vital to a business' success, particularly in times of economic difficulty.
Now one SME in Wales will have the chance to benefit from a free place on a unique and successful leadership programme, worth more than £9,000.
Developed by Professor Brian Morgan at the Creative Leadership and Enterprise Centre, Cardiff School of Management (Cardiff Metropolitan University), the 20Twenty Leadership Programme is funded by the European Social Fund, and has been specifically developed to enhance leadership skills among small and medium-sized businesses in Wales.
More than 150 companies have benefited from the programme since September 2010 and more than 90% have reported an increase in sales turnover, employment, productivity and profits.
Leaders, managers, directors and business owners can draw upon expertise from business leaders, academia and other practitioners, including the London Business School, Winning Pitch and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
The programme uses a wide range of delivery tools from master classes, action learning sets and personal coaching to mentoring and business exchanges – combining both formal and informal learning.
An additional exclusive benefit for participants is the Postgraduate Certificate (PgC) in Leadership, as well as either a level 5 or level 7 certificate from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) on completion of the programme.
To apply for the free place, each applicant is invited to write in no more than 500 words why they should be chosen, paying particular attention to their leadership development and how it would impact their business growth by 2020.
Businesses in Wales can also attend free taster workshops for the programme, which are running from March to May 2012.
"I have found 20Twenty invaluable in developing new ways of thinking, marketing the business to existing and potential customers, and creating a strategic growth plan that has had a significant impact on the profitability of the business. I would unhesitatingly recommend it to any entrepreneur or SME".
Chris Purdon, owner and director, The Clyvedon Press Ltd
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