By Petra Wilton, Director of Policy & External Affairs, CMI
In my time at CMI, I’ve noticed that there is one common lesson that all of the most successful leaders have learnt: that their most valuable asset is their people.
Regardless of what might be happening in the wider economy, a strong, stable and resilient talent pipeline is not a nice to have, but an absolute essential.
The responsibility of senior leaders to develop their organisation’s future leaders has never been more pressing as the country works to tackle the alarming growth in youth unemployment and economic inactivity. A generation that had its formative years up-ended by pandemic is now trying to find its feet, just as generative AI continues its high-speed march into our workplaces. The result? We are close to tipping beyond one million young people becoming NEETs – not in employment, education or training.
Self-management – communicate, challenge and collaborate
It’s time for employers – and training and education providers – to act. This critical leak in the pipeline of young talent comes just as employers tell us that they need to boost rates of retention to provide the continuity that will help future proof their operations. Organisations that work with employers to deliver training need to respond with workable solutions. We need to help them train their future managers and leaders.
Teaching young people core employability and team leadership competencies before they take their first steps into managing direct reports sets them up for success. That could mean equipping them to navigate team dynamics, to lead challenging conversations and disagree agreeably, to set clear objectives, and to both give and receive constructive feedback. These skills aren’t innate, they are learnt.
The skills gained through CMI accreditation are the foundations for any team leader, starting with strong self-management. That means learning how to prioritise, manage workload and meet deadlines consistently. It means sharper communication skills and powers of persuasion. It translates into improved collaboration and moves both employees and their employers a step closer to achieving strategic objectives.
Signal ambition
By unlocking the confidence of younger workers you are giving them the tools they’ll need to map their career, with progression clearly in their sights. Take Paige, who at 18 opted to swerve university – and a hefty student debt – in favour of a management apprenticeship with Transport for London (TfL). Fast forward a few years and Paige is now a depot manager and evangelical about the benefits of teaching people how to manage. She points out that young trainee managers bring fresh thinking, aren’t married to existing practices and can challenge the organisational status quo.
For employers, we know that when organisations invest in management and leadership skills, they see an average 23% boost in performance. That translates into growth through improved productivity – the golden goose that every organisation is chasing right now.
Our research tells us that 93% of learners who have achieved Foundation Chartered Manager status say it provides them with a recognised, professional benchmark, allowing them to stand out from their peers and signal their ambition.
Construction, social care – need critical management skills
The value of gaining those management skills early is amplified in sectors where younger workers are often entrusted with significant responsibilities, including those related to safety, compliance, and human welfare.
Industries like health and social care and construction are prime examples. A worker on a construction site in their early 20s is often handed a direct report within the first two to three years. Similarly, a care worker in their mid-twenties can be managing a team, budgets, 24-hour rotas and critical safety procedures. Giving those young people a solid foundation sets them and their organisations up for success.
If, as a country, we are serious about boosting our national productivity and giving young people the dignity of a meaningful career, we cannot tinker around the edges. We need to invest in the skills that will equip them to become the resilient leaders our economy demands.
Whether you are tackling your talent pipeline or embedding a clear progression route, CMI can help you to grow your organisation’s next generation of leaders.
Your thoughts