ION leadership is the new leadership programme for businesses based in West Wales and the Valleys, delivered by Bangor and Swansea Universities funded by the European Social Fund through Welsh Government and Swansea and Bangor Universities.

There are a small number of places on our summer Advanced Leadership programme for experienced leaders.  Get in touch to transform your business – 01248 382497 or  ionleadership@bangor.ac.uk www.ionleadership.co.uk.

Although there is a charge, Denbighshire businesses may be able to get assistance from the Economic & Business Development Team at Denbighshire County Council.

Wales, perhaps more than any other UK region, depends on small and medium sized enterprises for its economic growth and wellbeing.  These businesses are highly dependent themselves on the ambition, determination and skills of their leaders and owners.

Investing in these key individuals is therefore good sense.  They can make the difference between a static business, and one that is innovating, growing and creating new jobs and wealth for Welsh communities.

Between 2010 and 2015, the LEAD Wales programme provided investment in these business leaders, across North and South West Wales.  In Denbighshire this included a range of leaders in businesses as diverse as Jones Bros, Boyns Information Systems, One Planet and Manorhaus.  Following LEAD, there is now the new ION leadership programme, about to start.

So, what lessons have been learnt from running LEAD Wales and planning ION leadership?

• Investing in your leadership skills pays dividends in the long run.
• Completing a qualification helps leaders to structure their thoughts and reflect, enhancing their capacity to change.Writing a reflection on a learning experience and how this could be applied to their business, meant that leaders were more likely to implement change.
• Learning from being in a network of other leaders learning is really helpful – people support and learn from each other. Diverse peer groups are best – but that doesn’t mean that leaders shouldn’t come together in industry groups. Shadowing, coaching and action learning can work really well within a trusted network.
• Focus on a ‘leadership mindset’ is more critical than specific enterprise and growth training.
• Leadership is about the vision, culture and values of an organisation, driven by self-awareness, empathy and confidence to change.
• Practical is best – leadership development must be capable of being applied in the business immediately. Real, practical experiences create emotional involvement, encourage leaders to reflect on their experiences and create new positive habits.
• One of the main impacts on the delegates was to improve their confidence, their self-belief in what they do as leaders, and how their peers and their staff perceive them. The programmes have a positive impact on how delegates feel about decisions they make in their personal and business lives. The programme also reduces self-doubt and their need to question their decisions, in turn making them better leaders in changing environments.
• The top 5 benefits of leadership training are:
  • Building effective relationships
  • Creating and communicating a vision for the business
  • Continuous improvement
  • Delegating to employees
  • Managing staff
• The LEAD programme has been an invaluable course.

“Though we had a great foundation and knowledge in construction, we knew little about business or running a company. The course enabled me to take a step back, and view my business from the outside.   The Masterclasses were a great way of learning from other people’s experiences and bringing their ideas /mistakes and successes into my company. There were many “Eureka” moments throughout the course.” Business leader and participant

Get in touch to transform your business – 01248 382497  or ionleadership@bangor.ac.uk http://www.ionleadership.co.uk