36 | Tees Business
Growth
leaders
Leading Growth gives
PPE and workwear firm
strategic focus
M
anagement at a PPE and workwear
firm have praised the positive impact
that Teesside University’s Leading
Growth programme has had on the company.
Leading Growth is a proven six-month
management programme developed in
conjunction with industry and offered free
of charge to help SME leaders grow their
business.
Russ Lock, business manager at MI
Supplies in Thornaby, is about to complete
the programme and said it has enabled him
to think more strategically about how the
company operates.
MI Supplies was founded in 2005 by
managing director Alex Ingham and provides
workwear, PPE and safety clothing.
Alex took part in one of the first cohorts of
Leading Growth and, because he had found
it so useful, recommended that Russ should
also sign up for it.
“I’ve worked in the protective clothing
industry since 1991, at pretty much every
level - starting off on the shop floor,” said
Growth – MI Supplies business
manager Russ Lock (left) has
followed managing director
Alex Ingham in joining Teesside
University’s Leading Growth
programme.
Russ. “However, in all of that time, I’ve
never really had any formal leadership or
management training.
“This was a great opportunity to look at
how I was working and see where there was
room to improve.”
Leading Growth places a strong emphasis
on peer-to-peer learning with participants
sharing their experiences and combined
knowledge.
It also offers an overnight residential, site
visits, think tanks with expert facilitators and
action learning sets.
“To be honest I was quite sceptical when
Fully funded * leadership development
programmes for SMEs in the Tees Valley
I first started” added Russ. “But it’s really
changed the way I approach my work.
“I found learning from other people really
useful, particularly with the site visits where
we were able to see the challenges other
companies faced and how they dealt with
them.
“I’m thinking a lot more strategically,
looking at what risks there are to the
business and how to mitigate them and how
to give our customers the best experience.
“I’ve already started recommending
Leading Growth to colleagues and business
associates.”
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Innovative approach to learning
Wide range of delivery tools
Expert facilitators
Peer to peer learning
Reflect and learn from experience
MANAGEMENT
Cata yst
Six month programme for owner/managers, and key
decision makers of SMEs in the Tees Valley Three month programme for middle and aspiring
managers of SMEs in the Tees Valley
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Overnight residential
5 Think Tanks
2 site visits
4 Action Learning Sets
5 hours of business coaching
Consolidation session
Overnight residential
3 Think Tanks
2 Business Scrums
5 hours of business coaching
Consolidation session
Delivered predominantly at the Centre for Professional and Executive Development, Darlington.
Programmes running through to 2020
Apply now for the October 2018 cohorts.
Speak to us to find out more
01642 384580
[email protected]
*Leading Growth and Management Catalyst programmes are
funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Eligibility criteria apply – speak to us to find out more.
Together with business