London, 22 August 2023: Ann Francke, chief executive of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), has called on government to prioritise leadership skills and better management practices.
Speaking to the Financial Times after CMI polling revealed that less than a third of MPs believed improving the quality of management and leadership should be a high priority for government, Francke said she was “disappointed” by the findings.
Anthony Impey MBE, CEO of Be the Business, an independent charity that inspires greater productivity, commented:
“I whole-heartedly echo Ann Francke’s concern that improving the quality of management in public services and businesses is not seen as a priority by many MPs.
“Productivity starts with great leadership. The evidence is very clear that increasing management capabilities in leaders is transformative, with ubiquitous benefits.
“Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that even small improvements in management practices can improve productivity by 5%1. At Be the Business, our most recent report found that, if every small employing business were able to maintain 1% improvements over a five-year period, this would add £94 billion to the UK economy annually2. Greater management and leadership skills are an essential component of that 1%.
“If government will not set the record straight as to the importance of management and leadership, one of the key drivers of greater productivity will be squandered, and so will the chances of a better quality of life for us all.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
1 The Economic Review, Office for National Statistics, May 2021
2 The G7 Productive Business Index report can be read here.
About Be the Business
Be the Business is an independent charity that inspires greater productivity, by connecting leadership teams to the curated expertise needed to answer today’s challenges. By combining peer-to-peer networks, the employee expertise found within pioneering corporate partners, independent business experts and our research and insights, we inspire leadership teams to create and deliver sustainable business change. Collectively we’re transforming the UK’s productivity, raising the value of businesses in our communities, safeguarding jobs and improving standards of living.
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