EM3 Growth Hub looks ahead to the next stage of its workshop programme to take business leaders to new levels in 2024

Keen to build on the success of its fully-funded workshop programme, the EM3 Growth Hub’s top team preview the next stage, designed to tackle the challenges of modern business leaders.

Aimed at small and medium sized businesses, this practical programme, includes a mixture in-person events and webinars, running until March 2024.

Here Senior Growth Hub Champions Andy Swift and Roya Croudace, discuss with workshop programme lead presenter, from Skills for Business Training, Steve Jones, the remaining five workshops:

Andy: We made a great start to our workshop programme in 2023 that commenced last autumn and across seven workshops delivered unique content to over 250 business leaders. The feedback from those who attended so far has been extremely positive and encouraging.

Steve: And on top of that Andy we launched in Basingstoke during December our first Engaging Leader’s Programme for 20 business leaders and have a second cohort ready to start in early January, plus a third cohort being organised jointly with SiGNAL to be held in Whitehill and Bordon commencing later this month. In total 60 business leaders will be attending four distinct and powerful full day fully funded workshops with content that they can take back to their businesses and immediately bring into practice. 

Roya: This really is all fabulous news and shows how we’ve been trying to respond to the challenges faced by business leaders right across the Enterprise EM3 Growth region. We’ve been working hard to bring to life our slogan ‘Let’s Talk About Growth’.

Steve: And oh boy, do our business leaders nowadays have a lot on their plates! There’s the great resignation; a war on talent; quiet quitting; hybrid working; diversity and inclusion to name but a few.

Andy: And of course, there’s also the cost-of-living crisis and high interest rates.

Roya: Plus, this additionally means business leaders must always be ready to adapt, pivot and change.

Andy: Having said all this after every workshop session I’ve come away so impressed with the enthusiasm and commitment of our business leaders to take on new concepts and everyone leave the sessions with ambitions to try and achieve remarkable things. It’s just amazing.

Roya: Yes, I fully agree and that’s why I’m so excited about what’s going to happen next! Over the coming months we have another three live events and two virtual events – all with new content –and considering learnings from the autumn we’ve decided that we will have a focus this springtime upon supporting our attendees tackle the brave new era of being a modern leader. More than ever a business needs leadership skills both right at the top and throughout the organisation as the reality is not much gets done without some form of leadership. 

Steve: Yes, that’s all-brilliant news and to start our new season I am at the Login Lounge in Camberley on the morning of 17th January delivering a two-hour session entitled “Strategies to Grow Your Business; the Attributes of Great Leaders, and Leadership Teams”. Once again, this session is fully funded by the EM3 Growth Hub and tickets are free of charge.

Roya: Then on 30th of January I’m hosting a lunchtime webinar when we will try to help solve the productivity puzzle with a fabulous speaker Colm Watling from the Winchester Business School Help to Grow Management Programme. Colm will talk about why we need higher productivity as this underpins growth and supports staff retention. Attendees will leave the session with practical tips on making change happen.

And the next day – 31st January - we switch our attention to Net Zero when I’m hosting the third in our series of webinars looking at the Net Zero Opportunity that will encourage a 360° approach for businesses who have a vision to be a high value, high impact enterprise for the long-term.

Andy: Net Zero is so important and just cannot be ignored by a modern leader has to champion progress by embedding a strategy right across the business to at minimum retain and attract employees.

Steve: And of course, at the same time as everything else business leaders must keep making profits to pay the bills! So, on the morning of 21st of February, I’m hosting a live event at the Southampton Science Park when I’m talking about Strategies to Grow Your Business through Generating Revenue and Profits. If the topic alone is not enough to entice you to attend there’s also a special offer to the first 20 who register (for this fully funded event) who will get a complimentary copy of my book entitled Turning on the P.R.O.F.I.T.S tap that I’ll be referencing throughout the session that promises to be informative, interactive and a lot of fun!

Roya: We conclude our modern-day leadership theme at the fabulous RHS Wisley, where on 5th March, we are hosting a lunchtime session with guest speaker, Paul Spiers, who will lead a discussion on how we can enhance and harness maverick behaviours in our teams.

Andy: This session is the second of our Growth Hub Special Briefings and its aim is to get us all thinking about the makeup of our teams to drive our businesses forward.

Roya: Yes, absolutely. Some might wrongly believe it’s just tech and creative businesses that thrive on fresh thinking but even our most traditional and established enterprises need innovative approaches to enable them to thrive and survive. This gives added purpose to inclusivity and raises awareness of the limitations of group think.

Steve: This will be a brilliant opportunity to ask ourselves whether our leadership styles allow us to support dynamic thinking or are we advertently just getting in the way and stifling change.

Andy: We hope everyone is as equally excited about our new Workshop Programme and look forward to welcoming as many of you as possible to our events over the coming months. Places are fully funded but space is limited-particularly at the live events-so we’d encourage you to book now to avoid disappointment.

For full details and registration for the workshops please click here.