Management and leadership

Management and leadership exist in every organisation – the two go hand in hand, but, in essence, they are about the control and coordination of people and material resources within an organisation. The use of teams and project-based working methods, the identification of individual roles within the organisation, and an increased emphasis on the best possible use of all resources, all under a legal spotlight, make effective management and leadership more of a challenge than ever before.

According to the latest figures available from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) there are more than 4 million managers in the UK; however, very far from all these people currently hold management or leadership qualifications (indeed, 63% have no formal training, and only one in five are qualified); this shortfall is something that the government, in cooperation with the relevant professional bodies, is aiming to address. Organisations such as the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM), the CMI, and the Management Standards Centre (MSC) are dedicated to raising the performance of businesses in the UK by championing management via the provision of appropriate standards and qualifications. These will equip those in management and leadership or supervisory roles with the necessary skills to deal with the challenges and decisions they face throughout their careers – and help such individuals realise their own full potential as well as that of their organisation.

Management skills gained in the Forces

Service careers involve a wide and varied experience of management – often in extremely difficult circumstances. Many Service people will have management skills and experience, and perhaps institute membership (see below) that reflects this. General management is practised by most of those in positions of authority and responsibility in the Forces, and is increasingly recognised with formal qualifications.

The awarding of certificates and the opportunity to earn other qualifications by some additional work on top of Service courses means that all levels of Service management can now be recognised, so that military training may be translated into terms that civilian employers will understand – which may be something that you wish to consider for the future, when the time comes for you to leave the Forces. Both the ILM and the CMI have special arrangements in place for Forces personnel (see the box-outs below).
In addition to qualifications, the possession of certain personal qualities can be beneficial to those who ultimately wish to pursue a career in management (see box).

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?

The following personal qualities are helpful in management and leadership roles:

tough-mindedness
decisiveness
an extrovert nature
capacity to tolerate uncertainty
ability to think on one’s feet
intuitive understanding of others
high tolerance of stress.

Qualifications and training

Upgrading the skills of managers is seen as fundamental to the government’s aim to raise the UK’s productivity and competitiveness. For this reason, the MSC – the standards-setting body for management and leadership – was given the responsibility for developing a new set of national occupational standards (NOS) for these areas. These describe the level of performance expected in employment for a range of management and leadership functions/activities. And, as an employer-led organisation that champions management and leadership, the MSC is working with the Skills for Business Network to identify and address skills gaps and shortages on a sector-by-sector basis.

The national occupational standards

The standards developed by the MSC are proven benchmarks of best practice and have been developed based on extensive consultation with genuine managers doing real management jobs. They offer a practical resource to aid decisions in everything from day-to-day matters like recruitment and selection to long-term issues such as the recognition and development of future leaders.

The original standards were released in 2004, but have now been replaced with a revised set of standards, released in November 2008, that builds on the original and includes new units covering fresh areas such as knowledge management, quality assurance and environmental management. The complete set of national occupational standards for management and leadership can be viewed on the MSC’s website at www.management-standards.org: from the home page, click on ‘Standards’, then on ‘Full list of the 2008 Occupational Standards’. These standards provide a framework for the development of qualifications. (Please note, however, that following agreement with awarding organisations, Scottish and national vocational qualifications (SVQs and NVQs) are still based on the 2004 rather than the 2008 standards.)

Management qualifications
A large number of different types of management and leadership qualification are available within the UK. These range from vocational qualifications such as S/NVQs and vocationally related qualifications (VRQs) to academic (e.g. foundation degrees, bachelor’s degrees, master’s, doctorates) and professional qualifications (see below). There is also learning available that is not officially accredited – for instance, the sort of group learning acquired at conferences.

There is some overlap between these types of qualification – for example, courses leading to vocational or professional qualifications are often delivered by academic institutions, and group learning is a feature common to many of the courses that lead to accredited qualifications.

Of the qualifications mentioned above, three types relate directly to the management and leadership standards: NVQs, SVQs and VRQs. Like S/NVQs, VRQs are based on the NOS, but differ in that they are taught courses that deliver the knowledge and understanding found in the standards; for each level of management there will be a number of VRQs available from the nationally accredited management awarding bodies. NVQs and SVQs represent national standards that are recognised by employers throughout the country.

Professional bodies

The Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM)
The ILM has more than 30,000 members throughout the UK. Its nationwide accredited centres deliver training on a huge range of courses each year in management and leadership, delivering 90,000 certificates annually, and all members enjoy access to its information service and publications. Underpinned by a strong focus on developing workplace performance, the ILM’s extensively available qualifications are explicitly designed to meet the needs of managers and their organisations.

It offers more than 60 VRQs, across six levels of the new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF), as well as four NVQs. The qualifications include nine Management VRQs, at six different levels on the QCF, four Leadership VRQs, at four different levels on the QCF, and – to meet increasing demand for qualifications that bridge both areas – it has developed 11 qualifications in Leadership and Management combined, at levels 3, 4, 5 and 7 on the QCF.

Qualifications at level 3 and above cover areas such as:

management
effective management
first line management
executive management
leadership
strategic leadership
leadership and management
leadership and management skills, and
strategic leadership and executive management.

In addition, it also offers qualifications (VRQs and NVQs) at various levels under the banners of Coaching and Mentoring, Business Enterprise, Specialist and International.

The ILM and the Armed Forces
The ILM and the Armed Forces More than 10% of ILM members are serving in or have served in one of the Armed Services. The ILM is fully aware of the issues faced by those making the transition from the Forces to civilian life and getting started on a second career, and aims to help them gain recognition for the skills and training received while in uniform. It has mapped military training courses to its own qualifications so that even those who haven’t achieved formal management-related qualifications can still join the ILM at a membership grade that recognises their achievements (see table).
Rank	Criteria	ILM grade
Corporal, Leading Rate, Senior Cadets	Newly appointed managers or level 2 qualification/equivalent military training	Affiliate (AInstLM)
Corporal, Leading Rate, Sergeant, Petty Officer, Chief Technician, newly Commissioned Officer	Level 3 qualification/equivalent military training or 5 years as NCO or commissioned service	Associate Memb (AMInstLM)
ant, Chief Technician, Petty Officer, WO2, Staff Sergeant, Chief Petty Officer, Flight Sergeant, Captain (Army), Lieutenant, Flight Lieutenant	Level 3 qualification/equivalent military training and 5 years as NCO or commissioned service	Member (MInstLM)
Warrant Officer (RAF)/WO1, Major, Captain (Navy, Royal Marines), Lieutenant Commander, Squadron Leader, and all ranks above	Degree-level qualification (level 5)/equivalent military training and 5 years in rank, with approval by ILM Fellowship Panel	Fellow (FInstLM)
Source: www.i-l-m.com For more information, visit the ILM website (see ‘Key contacts’) and, from the home page, click on ‘Join ILM’, followed by ‘Key membership information’ and then ‘Armed Forces’.

Chartered Management Institute (CMI)

Chartered professional body the CMI is dedicated to promoting the highest standards in management and leadership excellence. It has more than 90,000 members in the UK and a network of local branches. All members enjoy access to its management library – one of the largest in the UK. Its approved and registered centres support students worldwide. It offers qualifications at levels 2 to 8 on the QCF in areas including:

strategic direction and leadership
strategic management and leadership
leadership coaching and mentoring
management and leadership
management coaching and mentoring
first line management
coaching and mentoring
team leading.

Chartered Manager status is also offered for senior managers.

The CMI and the Armed Forces

The CMI understands the requirements of Forces personnel for training and qualifications that will stand the test of time, recognise their current skills and help them build a foundation for future civilian employment. With this in mind, it has mapped command and leadership courses against its own nationally recognised accredited standards, enabling Service personnel to gain management qualifications while they study during their time in the Forces. Membership of the CMI puts Service people on a fast track to professional excellence, offering a wide range of support services that will aid Forces personnel in their development as a manager, both in uniform and when the time comes for resettlement.

For more information, visit the MoD resettlement page of the CMI website (www.managers.org.uk/mod-resettlement).
As well as those listed above, there are many other courses on offer, with most business schools and both of the aforementioned institutes offering a number of certificates and diplomas in management, as well as assessment and quality assurance (verification) qualifications.

Key contacts

Chartered Management Institute, Management House, Cottingham Road, Corby, Northants NN17 1TT Tel: 01536 204222 Website: www.managers.org.uk

Institute of Leadership & Management, Stowe House, Netherstowe, Lichfield, Staffs WS13 6TJ Tel: 01543 266867 Website: www.i-l-m.com

Management Standards Centre, 3rd Floor, 2 Savoy Court, Strand, London WC2R 0EZ Tel: 020 7421 2725 Website: www.management-standards.org