Six things we learned at CMI Communities Live, Middlesbrough

Personal development, inclusion and qualifications are the keys to unlocking greater productivity. That was the message of speakers at CMI Communities Live in Middlesbrough. 

The Communities Live series of events are bringing together local CMI communities to celebrate achievements and explore the hottest topics shaping management and leadership – and the Middlesbrough event was the first outing in the UK after successful events in Sri Lanka and Malaysia.

With attendees arriving at Teesside University from as far away as Manchester and Derby, the event was chaired by business management student Katie Shepherd and included an opening address by the university’s deputy vice chancellor, Professor Mark Simpson. 

Here are six things we learned throughout the evening.

1. Keep learning relevant

Highlighting a recent report that more than 30 million UK workers will need to upskill or reskill by 2030 to perform their jobs well, Mark highlighted north-east England’s efforts to take a leading role in the UK’s net zero ambitions. He explained how, in partnership with business, industry and firms such as Grant Thornton, Teesside University is taking a “multi-faceted approach, embedding sustainability concepts into our curriculum and collaborating with industry to keep our learning relevant and give our students sustainable business skills”.

• UK 2030 needs and deserves the best managers possible

2. Turn inclusion into everyday behaviours

Leaders and managers must adopt best practices to increase productivity, said Matt Swarbrick CMgr ​​FCMI, CMI’s director of sales and engagement. He suggested focusing on what Financial Times senior writer Andrew Hill calls “the four Cs”: clarity, connection, collaboration and compassion. He also pointed to the importance of professional standards, such as Chartered Manager status, as an effective mechanism for developing the skills and behaviours of managers.