UK
business is focusing more attention on the leadership skills of its junior
managers than its CEOs, according to research released today.
The
Work Foundation survey, Developing Leaders, shows company directors are the
management group least likely to receive leadership development in the next 12
months. It is also the group least likely to have received leadership
development over the past two years.
Junior
managers are almost twice as likely as CEOs to have received leadership
development tuition in the past two years, on 47 and 25 per cent respectively,
according to the poll of 221 organisations.
The
survey also shows that just six out of 10 senior managers received leadership
training. Junior managers are also more than twice as likely as CEO and board
members to receive leadership training in the forthcoming year, on 56 and 23
per cent respectively.
And
six out of 10 middle managers expect to receive leadership training next year.
Seventy-eight
per cent of organisations polled listed leadership as one of their values.
Three-quarters believe leadership is essential while nine out of 10 invest in
some form of leadership development.Â
However, almost a fifth say leadership is not valued or promoted within
their organisation.
Ian
Lawson, chief executive of The Work Foundation’s Campaign for Leadership,
said: “It is encouraging that most
organisations see the need for effective leadership in order to create change
and gain buy-in from their people.
"Much
excellent work is being done within organisations, but the survey shows that
corporate heads need to devote more time and commitment to personal and top
team leadership development.
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"Leaders
at all levels are important, but we also need more of our CEOs and company
directors to recognise that leadership development, like leadership, is an
ongoing process and should begin at the top."
