The specialist workshop, which was held at the council office in Narborough, covered different theories on leadership and management, including how good leaders adapt and the difference between a leader and a manager. It also explored motivation in the workplace, emotional intelligence and how to lead and manage change effectively.
Atiyyah Patel, from architectural practice SKM Design in Leicester, was among those who attended the workshop. She said: “The session was really useful, particularly around motivation and emotional intelligence, and how they link to leading teams.
“I also found the segment on different personality types really insightful, and it’s definitely something we’ll consider when grouping people into teams going forward.”
The event, which took place last month, is part of a series designed to strengthen local businesses, facilitate growth and support business owners as their firms evolve. Previous workshops have covered branding and AI for businesses.
Marion Plant, OBE FCGI, Principal and Chief Executive at NWSLC, said: “As a college, our focus is not just on equipping students with the skills to thrive in their future workplace – we also have a role to play in upskilling the local business community to ensure the region we serve receives the right training at the right time.
“The provision of these workshops demonstrates our position as a hub for high-quality education and training in the area. We are proud to partner with Blaby District Council and share our expertise while further developing our all-important links with business.”
The latest workshop set out to demonstrate how managers can lead with purpose and clarity, make better decisions as their business grows, and strengthen confidence in their management of people and change.
Delegates began by completing personality tests to identify their individuality and how this relates to their leadership style. They were then encouraged to take this back to their teams to see how people can complement one another when working together.
Caitlin McReynolds, a business lecturer at NWSLC who facilitated the leadership session, said the workshops encompass relevant, timely issues, and are proving to be popular with attendees.
She said: “The feedback we received was excellent, with attendees saying their main takeaway was the information on leadership theories and how this helps with different leadership styles and team management.
“They also told us that thanks to the workshop, the main change they will implement is to be more adaptive, along with working on their emotional intelligence.”
Councillor Nick Chapman, portfolio holder for economic development at Blaby District Council, said: “Working with North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College on these sessions means local businesses get to hear from people who know the reality of running a company, so the advice is easy to put into practice and proven to work.
“This programme has been designed with local businesses in mind, to help them with the skills we know they are looking to develop.
“Based on the feedback from those who joined our workshops, I am pleased to see they have proven useful.”
For details about future workshops for business owners and managers, visit https://www.blaby.gov.uk/leisure-health-and-community/employment-and-skills/
For information about NWSLC's courses and student success stories visit www.nwslc.co.uk
