Business leaders have to be ‘comfortable being uncomfortable’ Birmingham growth programme told
BUSINESSES leaders need to be “comfortable being uncomfortable” if they are to succeed during a recession, a Birmingham-based business growth initiative has been told.
Bev James, founder of the Entrepreneurs Business Academy, was addressing the launch of great200leaders in Birmingham – a coaching and mentoring programme aimed at improving personal performance and growth.
She told delegates it was often unnecessary to take drastic action and reinvent a business in order to head off problems before they happened.
great200leaders has been created by Birmingham City Council as part of the Business Development Programme. The scheme is administered by Winning Moves, a business improvement consultancy and is being delivered across the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP area.
“Showing leadership is key,” said Ms James. “Unless we can lead and inspire people to do their absolute best, we are not going to form successful businesses.
“great200leaders is for ambitious leaders; those who want to stand out and to build something that’s significant. It all starts with a positive mind-set and behaviour that supports your business goals.
“And that can also mean taking decisions which don’t sit comfortably, yet are necessary if you’re to develop your organisation – leaders are different and fall into many categories, but their ‘common denominator’ is they all want their businesses to succeed.”
Business leaders need to know themselves, communicate well and understand what people need, but also to have an inherent adaptability and flexibility, she added.
great200leaders is the second stage of an £8m business support programme aimed at helping more than 200 SMEs across the GBSLEP area.
The scheme offers a programme of inspirational speakers, high calibre coaching and events with a top peer group of like-minded business people.
It is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and each participant has to contribute one third of the cost, which is £2,000 (plus vat).
As well as coaching and mentoring, the BDP is also delivering a financial assistance scheme to qualifying businesses. This is aimed at giving a financial helping hand to SMEs to implement growth and expansion projects.
Since it started the programme has provided more than £0.3m in grant funding to 28 businesses – stimulating £0.6m of investment and helping create or safeguard 135 jobs. BDP has received £3.9m from ERDF and is available to businesses throughout the GBSLEP area which includes Birmingham, Bromsgrove, Cannock Chase, East Staffordshire, Lichfield, Redditch, Solihull, Tamworth and Wyre Forest.
