Kennedy encourages SMEs to unleash the power of their people through happy workplaces

Employment and Learning Minister, Danny Kennedy, today joined with ‘Made Not Born Champion’, Thomas Fegan, Director, Eddie Irvine Sports Centre, to encourage local SMEs to unleash the full power of their people through full skills utilisation and the development of happy workplaces.

This is the latest message due to be delivered in the Department’s ‘Made Not Born’ Management and Leadership Development Campaign as it kicks off the Spring 2011 programme with free information events in both Cookstown and Newry on 25th and 26th January.

Speaking about the programme the Minister said: “This is the second year of the ‘Made Not Born campaign where we are challenging local SMEs to make their very own leaders and managers of tomorrow. We know that when equipped with new skills managers and leaders in turn can make their businesses succeed.

“My Department’s Skills Strategy carries the ambition for Northern Ireland to be a leader in the development and deployment of management and leadership skills. Against the backdrop of the global economic downturn, now more than ever, it makes perfect sense for companies to maximise the potential they already have within their respective organisations. The next few events in the ‘Made Not Born’ campaign will explore this very issue. “

Encouraging SMEs to get involved, the Minister continued: “As improved management and leadership skills are proven worldwide to be a highly effective way for companies to gain competitive edge, it is vital that Northern Ireland SMEs invest now in order to be better positioned for the inevitable economic upswing. For our part we are keen to engage with and inform local SMEs about the benefits of management and leadership development and these latest events are part of that ongoing campaign.

“We have also devised a flexible and multi-layered programme backed by valuable funding support which makes it easy for companies to engage with leadership and management development as a normal part of their business operations.”

In Cookstown and Newry, local SMEs will hear from Henry Stewart, the founder and Chief Executive of Happy, who provide training in both desktop IT and how to create great places to work. Although employing less than 50 people, Happy has won wide recognition for its innovative approach to management and to customer service including regularly featuring as one of the UK’s best places to work in the Financial Times Top 100 Best Workplaces. His view is that through strong and active leadership and management, workplaces can become much more productive and happy places which ultimately delivers on the bottom line.

According to Henry “Happy’s aim is to change the way people work in the UK, so people look forward to coming to work, work to their strengths and are able to fulfill their potential. Every organisation is different and the path to creating a great workplace will vary with the different cultures. I am looking forward to sharing our experience with local Northern Ireland companies and to exploring the important role of managers and leaders in creating such a work environment which is both happier and more productive.”

Made Not Born Champion, Thomas Fegan has already experienced the benefits of investing in leadership and management development in his organisation – Eddie Irvine Sports Centre. He commented; “The Department’s Management Analysis and Planning programme gave us the confidence and skills to work together as a unit and to believe in our capabilities. Whilst participating in the programme has taken an amount of ‘time invested’ on our part, the benefits far outweigh this as we have now a much happier and productive workplace. I would encourage all SMEs to consider investing in the development of their people in this way.”

The Department for Employment and Learning’s ‘Made Not Born’ campaign is based on the proven concept that great leaders and managers are not born, but rather made. ‘Made Not Born’ aims to highlight to SMEs the benefits of deploying simple but effective management and leadership techniques. To help illustrate these benefits, the Department has teamed up with some of the Europe’s leading management experts, as well as local champions – each providing real life, real time examples of just how impactful these techniques can be when deployed in a business environment. The schedule of upcoming events is as follows and will be supplemented by a further two Masterclasses in March.

2011 Made Not Born forthcoming events schedule:

Roadshows:

To register for any of the above events or to find out more about ‘Made Not Born’ please visit the events page

• Made Not Born Events page