Leadership and management training 'needs to be improved'

In order for the UK to maintain its position as a world leader in creative industries, training for leaders and managers must be improved, a new research report has announced.

The report - entitled 'Creativity and Constraint: leadership and management in the creative industries' - published by the creative industries' skills body, Creative Skillset, and Ashridge Business School, highlights the need for support on leadership, strategy, innovation, financial and people management.

It showed that in smaller organisations and among freelancing staff in particular, there is a lack of understanding of the strategic goals of companies, little time for training and development, and a shortage of training available.

Amy Armstrong of Ashridge Business School and co-author of the report, said: "The huge success of the creative industries in the United Kingdom cannot be taken for granted despite the growth of the sector. We must ensure that the training and strategic leadership needs at the top of the industry is supported to maintain this fantastic success."

The report looked at the skills gaps and development needs of managers and leaders working in creative industries and how these can be improved for good practice.

Creative Skillset and Ashridge Business School have set out to create a series of support measures, mentoring support and creative case studies that will build recommendations into a successful leadership and management strategy.

Kion Ahadi, head of research and evaluation at Creative Skillset, added: "This research flags the urgent need to provide creative leaders with the support they need to continue the huge success of our creative sector.

"Creative Skillset's leadership and management strategy will build on the findings of the report into solid recommendations which we hope will guide the industry and its leaders."

Virtual College provides a range of online tools that specialise in the business and enterprise division to help workers maintain and develop their skills. For more information, please visit: https://www.virtual-college.co.uk/about/expertise