The benefits of learning and development for managers
14 Feb 2024
3 min read
- Leadership
- Learning and development
- Management
We hear from managers about the learning and development they’ve undertaken and why they’ve found this beneficial.
No matter what stage you’re at in your career, it’s important to #KeepLearning to keep up-to-date with new skills and best practice. Ongoing learning and development also helps to continually develop your confidence, motivation and overall job satisfaction and can help you to progress into new opportunities.
Skills for Care offers a wide range of support and resources for managers and leaders to continue their learning and development.
There’s also a variety of training topics which managers can undertake in-house or with a training provider to continue their own development. This could include topics around people management – such as compassionate leadership or effective supervision; topics around service management – such as safeguarding or preparing for inspection, or it could be specialist training in particular issues, such as dementia.
We spoke to managers and leaders about some of the learning and development that they’ve undertaken and how this has supported them.
Preparing for CQC inspection
Averil Watan, Registered Manager, Grove Residential Home recently attended Skills for Care’s ‘Preparing for CQC inspection under the new framework’ workshop, and she found this really beneficial in getting ready for the changes to Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections.
She’s also made use of other resources on the Skills for Care website about the CQC inspection changes, including the Inspection Toolkit.
She told us that this learning support has been important in helping her to prepare for the changes to inspection in a time-friendly way, because as a registered manager her time is often limited.
Moving Up
Moving Up is a programme run by Skills for Care for managers and leaders from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic backgrounds to support them to take the next step in their career.
Vhenekayi Nyambayo, a previous Moving Up participant said:
One of the best leadership and training programmes I’ve done in my career. We had a safe and supportive space for real conversations and personal development through this leadership and management programme. The support and delivery by the facilitators and programme lead were second to none.
Well-led
Well-led is a leadership programme provided exclusively by Skills for Care’s endorsed training providers. It was designed to enable leaders to deliver care in line with the expectations of a well-led service.
Pooja Barot, Registered Manager, Shreeji Inc., has enrolled some of her management team on the programme. She told us:
One of the main benefits of the programme for my management team was connecting with other managers and sharing good practice. There was techniques and insights shared that gave them a broader perspective on how to deal with stressful situations, how to understand their team, and to bring a positive change or culture shift in their organisation.
Another participant said:
Without attending this programme I would never have been able to describe myself as a leader, I feel good being able to say this. Your programme has empowered me, challenged me, and made me a better person.
Leading Change Improving Care
Leading Change, Improving Care is another leadership programme provided by Skills for Care endorsed training providers. It helps individuals to develop their leadership and management potential, gain knowledge and be supported and challenged to put this into practice.
One participant said:
It's a great course and I've really enjoyed gaining knowledge in leadership and creating change as well as meeting with a diverse and supportive group of people to share experiences and issues.
Lead to Succeed
Lead to Succeed is the third leadership programme provided by our endorsed providers. It help individuals to develop their leadership and management potential, gain knowledge and be supported and challenged to put this into practice.
Pooja also enrolled her management team on the Lead to Succeed programme. She told us that by her team attending this training she was also able to learn from them and what they learned on the programme.
Key topics the programme supported her team with included appraisals, supervision and performance management, which she says has supported their organisation.
She says the programme has made her managers feel more equipped and supported and it means they can take responsibility for people and day-to-day management, meaning she can divert her attention to business development.
Another participant said:
I’ve learnt a lot from the Lead to succeed programme. My confidence grew massively as I realised that I knew a lot of things already. I just didn’t put it into practice. I’ve already been able to use my new skills and knowledge in my job.
Find out more about our support for developing managers and leaders.
Discover more about learning and development with our #KeepLearning spotlight.
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