The BMF has partnered with leadership and strategy development specialists, QuoLux, to offer LEAD —a practical 10 month programme to help owners and senior personnel in small and medium sized builders merchants to enhance their leadership skills and grow their business.
The LEAD programme has been specifically designed for busy owner managers and directors to equip themselves with practical skills and relevant information that they can quickly use to make a difference within their business.
LEAD gives delegates the time and space to step back and take a strategic view of their business. Having identified the challenges facing their company, the LEAD programme will help business leaders make necessary changes and deliver practical solutions for growth.
Each course deliberately mixes owner managers and directors of small and medium sized enterprises from a variety of industry sectors, which has an unexpected benefit.
Stewart Barnes, who heads up QuoLux, explained: “A major focus of the course is learning from other participants’ experience and with no potential competitors in the room they find it easier to open up about the issues they are facing. More often than not, they discover they are not alone. Most problems are common across all business sectors and working together within a supportive peer group environment is a key factor in the programme’s success.”
Learning occurs through a range of formats, including an initial Overnight Experiential, monthly Masterclasses, one-to-one Coaching, small group Action Learning Sets, Shadowing and Reflection days.
Commenting on this revolutionary approach, Richard Ellithorne, BMF Membership Services Director, said: “People assimilate information in different ways and it is important for the BMF to recognise this and offer a range of learning opportunities for people to explore. This is also one of the first courses we have offered which focuses on the specific skills required by those leading a relatively small business, to take it to the next stage.”
Paul Bence, MD of family firm Bence Builders Merchants, has experienced the benefit of the programme: “LEAD certainly got me out of my comfort zone, but I have learned and implemented so much. There is no doubt that I have grown and the business has grown too.”
No formal qualifications are required to take the course and it can form the first stage of a Master’s Degree. Delegates can have their learning on LEAD accredited to receive a Postgraduate Certificate in Personal and Professional Practice from the University of Gloucestershire that can form the basis for a Postgraduate Diploma and an MBA in Leading Business.
For more information, please contact James.Spillane@bmf.org.uk.
