Leadership skills boost (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Leadership skills boost

8:19pm Saturday 22nd September 2007 in Business By Mark Casci

Aspirant leaders from Bradford's business community are being invited to take part in a ten day programme to improve tjeir leadership skills.

Common Purpose seeks to bring together leaders from public and private sectors to establish a network of interdependent leaders who hold roles outside their regular jobs.

The charity has had a base in Bradford since in early 1990s and has seen scores of the city's leaders come through its doors.

The next ten day programme begins in October and Common Purpose is inviting people to come forward to take part.

Claire Bennett, regional director with Common Purpose, said that people who take part in its courses leave with new skill sets and ideas which makes them better at their jobs.

She said: "Common Purpose has worked with many people who now hold significant key positions in the city. In Bradford each year we take on around 35 senior leaders from a variety of organisations.

"We have people coming from backgrounds such as businesses, health, schools and community sectors. We are looking for people who are interested in expanding themselves in terms of real personal development, someone who is looking for something more and to stretch themselves by placing themselves into a more turbulent network rather then somewhere where everyone thinks the same way.

"It is an opportunity to expand their network and meet people they would not normally work with."

The charity published a report earlier this year which revealed nearly half of UK managers had leadership roles outside of their paid jobs.

Furthermore, an extra 17 per cent of those said they planned to take up leadership roles outside of work. Since 1989 more than 100,000 people have been involved with Common Purpose and the charity now has 45 offices across the country.

The next course is scheduled for the end of October.

For information on the upcoming course please contact (01274) 375554 or log on to www.commonpurpose.org.uk.