Effective Leaders and Managers are absolutely vital to the success and development of any organisation or industry. Research indicates many individuals do not plan or prepare for a career in leadership or management. They find themselves there through hard work, promotion, relationships or good fortune – or perhaps a mixture of these. Picking up important knowledge and skills as you go can work for some, and learning from mistakes can be an expensive route to success. Far more can be accomplished when people enter into specific learning experiences that equip leaders and managers for the key roles, ready to face the realities and requirements of their work.

A recent survey with Chartered Management Institute (CMI) identified only 41% of managers excelled at getting results, 37% providing strong leadership and a mere 14% were 'great people managers' and only 8% proved best at managing themselves. Ruth Spellman, the CMI's CEO said "Management and leadership skill development has been neglected by employers, government and managers themselves for far too long. We need a renewed focus on investment in training and development in this field, both for the current generation and future generations of managers."