Highlights – 28 January

A few weeks into 2026, it’s looking like another wildly unpredictable year. Ann Francke OBE CMgr CCMI, CMI’s chief executive, used her latest column in The Times to address the anxiety that leaders often face during unstable times. 

“In a fast-moving environment, silence is toxic,” she warned. She urged leaders to be clear on their intent and honest about what’s unknown, while setting short-term priorities and empowering line managers to lead with empathy.

One area of uncertainty is the future of management apprenticeships. Employers are increasingly anxious that the government’s review of standards will cut vital management training opportunities. CMI’s petition to oppose the potential cuts has already been supported by over 4,300 signatories, including major employers such as the Co-op, Capita, Ocado and TSB, alongside hundreds of public-sector employers and NHS trusts. Read and sign the petition here. 

Tools and training

One method that may help counter uncertainty is to open yourself up to new approaches at work. In this week’s newsletter, we feature an extract from a book by Barbara Salopek, in which she argues that ‘functional fixedness’, a cognitive bias that limits our ability to see novel uses for familiar things, could be impeding people’s leadership decision-making.

Another trick is to harness the flood of new tools and techniques that are appearing all the time. In a recent op-ed, Petra Wilton, CMI’s head of policy and external affairs, argued that AI isn’t killing managers’ jobs, but actively transforming them. 

“The managers who thrive in today’s workplace do not cling to old hierarchies and ways of working,” she wrote. “They coach, question and guide teams, both human and now agent, through a fast-evolving, AI-powered workplace.” 

But Petra also flagged a new “trust problem” brought to light by AI: CMI data found that seven in ten managers now turn to the tech instead of their boss for help because it feels safer. 

All of which suggests that the topic of management training and support – and the accidental managers who haven’t received it – will be hugely relevant through 2026. 

In a recent FT column, Isabel Berwick wrote that good management is hard to replace, citing CMI research showing that four in five UK managers are promoted into the role without any formal management training.

The same CMI research appeared in an article on new managers who mistakenly treat their new role as a “proving ground”; and in FE Week, where Petra warned that the government’s youth guarantee risks failing without trained managers to support new hires.

Taking a break

Managers also have plenty of new workplace trends to wrap their head around. The Times reported on new CMI research in which two-thirds of UK managers said routine tasks are erroneously treated as urgent, fuelling a culture of stress. 

“When everything is a priority, nothing is,” said Petra in response.

Elsewhere, The Guardian has explored the growing trend of ‘workations’, where employees combine remote work with a holiday to maximise their free time. The article cited research from CMI, which found one in eight employers now has a formal policy on workations, while one in five managers has taken one themselves. 

Taking that a degree further, a Business Intelligence report found that workers are increasingly taking ‘mini-retirements’ to combat burnout and rethink their careers. The article cited CMI data which found that “53% of managers say their organisations already offer sabbatical leave”.

Manage with care

Coming back to this week’s newsletter, we shine a light on one subset of the workforce who need support: carers and parents of SEND children. Sarah Gardner BEM CMgr FCMI explores the latest data from Carers UK, which showed that one in seven workers now provide unpaid care for a relative or friend who is ill, disabled or elderly. Sarah argues that too few organisations have policies or cultures that recognise the complexity of modern caregiving. 

Finally, we also meet the NHS’s John Harle CMgr FCMI, who shares how his ADHD diagnosis has helped him understand himself – and shaped his leadership; and Imran Mir CMgr MCMI, who shares his tips for creating psychological safety for neurodiverse teams. 

Imran writes that the most effective leaders of the future will be those who design systems that work for everybody, not just those who already fit the mould.

It’s hard to disagree, especially since the mould seems to be changing shape by the week.

Best,

Matt Roberts CMgr FCMI

Director of membership and professional development, CMI

Image: CMI