Highlights – 14 May

When the going gets tough, how do you get going? Managers face an unprecedented range of challenges today, from the rise of AI to hybrid working and quiet quitting. In this week’s newsletter, we’ve asked four Chartered Managers how they tackle the tough times. 

Another common demand today is the need to cut costs – while minimising the knock-on effects. Ann Francke OBE CMgr CCMI, CMI’s chief executive, has used her most recent column in The Times to explore how to get your team on board when you’re making those difficult budgetary choices. 

Bring it on

Being open to new opportunities – and paying this mindset forward – is part of what makes a good leader. Tegan Ryan CMgr MCMI spent her career in the housing sector, both in non-profit and private organisations. In this week’s newsletter, she describes how CMI enabled her to make the transition to a for-profit organisation. She shares how becoming Chartered not only helped her to develop her people management skills, but to look after herself during the process. 

Others may see such challenges and run a mile. A Financial Times article suggests young people regard middle management as a “thankless slog”. We asked the CMI community what they’d do to put this perception right…

Plugging the gaps

A further challenge facing managers today is how to remove the hurdles that prevent them from developing talented people, so organisations can benefit from their unique knowledge and expertise. Pathways to work are still making the news, whether that’s the changes to Level 7 apprenticeships or the many blocks facing disabled people.

With the UK introducing sweeping reforms to the welfare system, we asked how managers can better support disabled employees in order to keep them in work – and offered some tips to ensure your organisation is able to attract and retain disabled people. 

Pirates and Tupperware

Another challenge is how to expand your organisation in the current climate. According to Ian Gray and John Bessant, co-authors of The Scaling Value Playbook, scaling a business requires “privateers”, a multiplayer mindset and a Tupperware approach to networking. If you’re curious what that entails, read on.

We hope you’re now feeling suitably buoyed to face the day’s challenges and to support your teams to do the same. 

Best,

Matt Roberts CMgr FCMI

Director of membership and professional development, CMI