Leadership skills are the last focus when it comes to reviewing staff talents, research by training specialist Cybele Training and Consultancy has found.
Its Change Management Survey 2008 discovered that when it comes to evaluating team members’ capabilities, technical skills and future talent potential were the main focus, with leadership skills one of the last concerns.
The survey, which polled more than 250 of Cybele’s contacts, found that 36 per cent said reviewing technical skills was the priority.
A further 36 per cent pointed to future talent potential as an area for review while none of those polled highlighted a critique of leadership skills as overly important.
Yet despite the lack of priority given to leadership skills more than half of respondents (54%) said their intention for the next 12 months was for their business to grow. Just 7 per cent said they expected their company to downsize within the year.
Cybele Director Carole Stevenson said “This survey delivered some insightful results in terms of where companies are considering channelling their training efforts.
“Equipping staff with leadership skills is obviously a central element of any business’s success and it is clear that companies should refocus on improving their team member’s talents in this area.”
The lack of a structured approach to reviewing training needs was also made clear by the survey results.
Some 43 per cent of those who took part in the poll said the skills and talents of team members were reviewed on an ad hoc basis as the business demanded and 7 per cent said their staffs’ abilities were never reviewed.
The revealing survey also found only 7 per cent thought their employees were fully equipped to deal with any changes within the business.
To make sure your business is fully utilising and gaining maximum benefit from your training budget, call Carole Stevenson on 01273 763 522 for a complete review without obligation.