Why businesses can’t afford to ignore leadership training

AS THOUSANDS of businesses face challenges in developing their teams and leadership skills in an online environment, a pioneering leadership coach has come to the rescue.

Former Army Lieutenant Colonel Neil Jurd has designed an online course exclusively for business leaders to become better trained in leadership and team development.

The coronavirus outbreak has led to significant difficulties for many organisations across the world and is one of the biggest mental challenges facing business leaders and their teams.

Working from home has brought added pressures and risks companies putting leadership and development training on the backburner, with potential negative impacts for employers and employees.

Neil said: “Leadership and team growth is now more important than ever before. With the economic uncertainty caused by Covid-19 and a large number of people working from home,  the requirement to lead has become a daunting task for many.

“When thousands of people were forced to work from home due to the pandemic, none of us were sure how long it would last, so many just made do and managed. But then the lack of leadership became more obvious and the focus on process and management took over.

“And this is why I wanted to launch this course, in order to provide good support especially to those who were never taught leadership skills but find themselves in a managerial or leadership position.”

According to a BBC survey, 50 major UK employers said they didn’t have plans for all of their staff to return to the office full-time in the foreseeable future.

Many companies in the UK have employees who are back working remotely again in line with government advice, after an initial return to offices in early September was reversed.

Neil said: “Now that working remotely is being encouraged once again and is probably here to stay, businesses need good and effective leaders – not only for the sake of the organisation but, importantly, for the sake of its employees who might be struggling to work in isolation.

“I strongly believe these videos will help to bring the best out of leaders in businesses and in organisations, and that they will also bring teams together.”

The course is made up of 30 bespoke videos totalling four hours of leadership and development training.

The videos give users an understanding of leadership, how to build a successful team and how to apply leadership in an effective and positive manner.

Neil, who created his own executive coaching business after leaving the army, has taught leadership across many sectors, including at the Leadership Trust, Commonwealth Games Scotland and several universities in the UK.

He also taught leadership at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and led soldiers on operations including a tour with a Gurkha Squadron in Iraq where he was injured by enemy fire.