We are proud to be an accredited ILM Qualification Centre. ILM is a professional management institute that promotes and develops leadership and management skills in all those who have management and leadership responsibilities at work.
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ILM Leadership and Management Programmes
ILM-Endorsed Programmes
Development Programmes
We are now offering leadership and management qualifications for life. Our aim is to give quality service at a price which is affordable to all, whether it’s an individual who wants to gain an external qualification or an organisation that wishes to up-skill their line managers for succession planning, we will take the mystery and stuffiness out of vocational qualifications.
Always Consult is proud to be an accredited ILM centre, which is now part of the City and Guilds group. This means we can offer you and your organisation qualifications for life in Management and Leadership.
Effective leadership and management is crucial for any business or organisational success. Without effective leadership and without managers who possess the core key skills and knowledge to really make a difference, staff motivation can be low, which in turn can lead to stress and lower productivity in the workplace. This can have a significant impact on the bottom line of the business.
Leadership Versus Management
You may have heard it said that leadership is “doing the right thing” and management is “doing things right”, but there is more to it than that.
Leadership is “doing the right thing” and management is “doing things right.”
Leadership is about inspiring and motivating people so that they believe in you and are willing to follow you. It is about strategy and change rather than achieving predefined goals. However, a leader without management skills may have trouble implementing the inspired vision.
Management is about deploying people and resources to accomplish defined objectives, but a manager without leadership skills will not see the big picture, may miss opportunities for change and could be faced with a demotivated team.
Many people in senior positions need to play the role of manager and leader, but surprisingly few do both to the best of their abilities. Most can benefit from specialist development programmes that will build on management or leadership skills depending on what is needed.
An army of lions commanded by a deer will never be an army of lions.
Napoleon Bonaparte
ILM Leadership and Management Programmes
More and more of our clients in both the public and private sectors are asking us to accredit their development with industry partners including the ILM.
ILM leadership and management programmes are chosen by more employers than those accredited by any other awarding body.
Always Consult offers the following Leadership and Management courses:
ILM Level 2 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Leadership and Team Skills
The level 2 courses are aimed at people who need to boost their performance as team players, and to prepare for the move from team member to team leader. The courses are also suitable for new team leaders who need to become more effective and confident in their new roles.
Candidates will learn core leadership and management skills and soon be able to put these into practice day to day, helping to build team motivation levels and increase productivity.
Units cover skills such as communication, working with people, leading, planning and problem-solving. These is a good choice of optional units, meaning that the courses can be tailored to the specific needs of the candidates or their organisation.
More details from the ILM website (open with a pdf reader when downloaded): ILM Level 2 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Leadership and Team Skills.
ILM Level 3 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Leadership and Management
The level 3 courses are designed for people who aspire to or find themselves in roles with management responsibilities but have no formal management training. A good example of this is the current team leader seeking to move up into a management role.
These courses enable candidates to gain a range of management skills and practise them within their own organisations. Units cover key skills such as delegation, communication, innovation, interpersonal relationships and managing change. Candidates will gain the capability to lead more confidently and proficiently. They will also learn how to apply their own knowledge and values to their leadership styles.
There are highly flexible qualifications. You can select from over 70 optional units to build a tailor-made qualification that meets your individual requirements, or those of your employer.
More details from the ILM website (open with a pdf reader when downloaded): ILM Level 3 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Leadership and Management.
ILM Level 4 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Leadership and Management
The level 4 courses are designed for middle managers, whether new or aspiring, and are all about gaining comprehensive business knowledge and vital technical skills to enable strong leadership at this level. Candidates will be able to build their knowledge in specialist areas of business such as marketing and finance. Employers will gain from highly capable middle managers who will be able to go on and continually assess and improve their leadership skills.
There is a flexible choice of units based on a specific set of skills and knowledge in six broad areas – working with people, managing yourself and personal skills, providing direction, facilitating innovation and change, achieving results, and using resources. This flexibility means that the courses can be tailored to the needs of candidate or employer.
More details from the ILM website (open with a pdf reader when downloaded): ILM Level 4 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Leadership and Management.
ILM Level 5 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Leadership and Management
The level 5 courses are all about helping middle managers to hone their skills and prepare for senior management roles. Candidates will enhance their core management techniques and develop their abilities to lead, motivate and inspire those around them. They will be better equipped to provide strategic leadership as well as day-to-day management duties. Candidates will find their profile is raised within the organisation as they move towards the next career level. Employers will benefit as candidates will be able to play a proactive part in fostering business improvement, and will be able to help their colleagues take charge of their own development paths.
AS with level 4 courses, the qualifications consist of a flexible choice of units based on a specific set of skills and knowledge in six broad areas – working with people, managing yourself and personal skills, providing direction, facilitating innovation and change, achieving results, and using resources. This flexibility means that the courses can be tailored to the needs of candidate or employer.
More details from the ILM website (open with a pdf reader when downloaded): ILM Level 5 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Leadership and Management.
Why Choose Always Consult for ILM Courses?
Always Consult is an approved centre for ILM courses. This means we have been assessed and are continually assessed for the quality and content of the training that we are providing. Because we are a smaller regional training provider, candidates will get a more flexible and friendly approach from our experienced, specialist team. We have the time to work with you, adapt to your specific needs and stay with you until you achieve success. We can also work with you if you are sourcing qualifications for your staff, tailoring course units and delivery to your organisation’s specific needs.
We run ILM Leadership and Management courses on a continual basis, so if this is something of interest to you personally or to your organisation, please get in touch to discuss options and forthcoming course dates.
Combinations To Suit You
Whether it’s managing change in the workplace, starting your own enterprise or coaching and mentoring our qualifications can be fully tailored to meet the varying needs of managers across all sectors.
We provide a clear road map to progress to higher qualifications in management and leadership at a pace that suits the business and learner.
ILM-Endorsed Programmes
First-Line Manager Foundation Programme
This four-day training programme is designed to prepare the first-line manager for success in his or her new role. Whether you are a first-line manager yourself, or an organisation looking to prepare your first-line managers for success, this course is what you need. Read more…
Development Programmes
If fully accredited qualifications aren’t for you, we also offer development programmes, designed and delivered by Always Consult and recognised by ILM.
Our services include but are not limited to:
- 360-degree Feedback
- Performance Management
- Appraisal Tools
- First Line Management Development
- Middle Management Development
- Communication & Presentation Skills
- One-to-One Coaching and Mentoring
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.
John Quincy Adams
Whether you are just starting out in business, on the road to management or an experienced business leader, we have the programme qualification to suit you. Why not contact us now for a quick chat about the options?
Performance Management
Your organisation’s workforce is a veritable goldmine, filled with buried nuggets of talent just waiting to be uncovered. Our performance management training is the key to unlocking that hidden talent, resolving specific issues and getting the very best out of your people.
Free workshops
We start with a free initial consultation to help you identify personality types within your team.
You probably realise that staff who are appraised competently are likely to feel happier and more fulfilled, and that happy, fulfilled staff are more likely to turn in a consistently good performance, peppered with flashes of creative genius well above the call of duty. If this does not describe your workforce, we need to talk!
One of the biggest keys to commercial success is to accept fully that your company is a “company of people”. Look at any of the flagship organisations in any industry, and it is usually the people and the culture that shines through.
[quote]Your company is a company of people[/quote]
Reading an article on performance management indicates that you take your responsibilities towards your people seriously, but you won’t be surprised to hear that many organisations don’t.
Take performance appraisals, for example. In some companies, appraisals are still used as a “tick-box” exercise, or worse still, as the annual “big stick”!
Hopefully this does not apply to you – but are you sure that you are doing enough to really dig deep and uncover those buried gold nuggets of talent?
[quote]In some companies, appraisals are still used as a tick-box exercise[/quote]
Of course, appraisals are not just about development needs.
They are part of a Process closely interlinked with Performance and People. This is often referred to as the “3 Ps”.
Can you honestly say that you have the “3 Ps” covered? That you are doing all that you should be to look after and retain those key people who are – or should be – making a real difference in your company?
- If you have an appraisal system in place and it isn’t giving you the results you need
- If you have people issues you need help with
- If you want your people to feel supported, motivated and encouraged to increase productivity
- If you need help with retaining your best people
Then having us at Always Consult create a Performance Management or Appraisal System programme, bespoke for your company, may well provide the answers.
See which of our Performance Appraisal Packages would best suit your company.
We provide training, support, coaching and advice to the managers and team leaders, to help them become more effective in delivering feedback in a formal appraisal situation.
We help them fully understand the 3 P’s and how they fit into the Performance Management/Appraisal review, therefore, benefiting your company by:
- Developing team performance
- Reducing absenteeism
- Reducing stress in the workplace
- Allowing your business to monitor results
- Making staff feel more involved and empowered.
- Increasing productivity and sales potential
You get all of the above benefits delivered by Always Consult as painlessly as possible, through:
- Free workshops
- Free initial consultation to help you identify personality types within your team
- Bespoke appraisal system for your company
- Training & coaching designed for individuals who carry out appraisals who are looking to build their confidence and effectiveness
Motivating and developing your staff through the use of an excellent performance management system has many benefits for your people and your company – not least of which is the potential for a terrific return on your investment.
If this is an area that you suspect is not quite right in your organisation, have no doubt that it will be affecting your bottom line in a very real way, every single day. There really is no time to lose, so why not telephone Carol, right now if you’re free, on 0333 444 2467.
Remember that if you call now, you will secure your free consultation and the free workshop offer.
DiSC® Profiling
DiSC® is a leading personal assessment tool used by millions in organisations large and small. Employers using DiSC® report real improvements in productivity, teamwork and communication.
Through a common language, DiSC® firstly enables people to build a better understanding of themselves. In turn, this helps people to discuss their behavioural differences and to adapt their behaviour for the good of themselves and those around them. Across the workplace this brings about better leadership, more effective management and increases in productivity, not to mention a climate of cooperation rather than conflict.
“DiSC® is the leading personal assessment tool used by over 1 million people every year to improve work productivity, teamwork and communication.”
Participants in the DiSC® programme will answer a series of questions that are used to produce a detailed, non-judgmental report about personality and behaviour.
In more detail, a DiSC® profile will help to:
- Increase self-knowledge, especially relating to conflict responses, motivation and problem-solving.
- Bring about effective teamwork with less workplace conflict.
- Increase sales by responding to individual customer styles.
- Make better leaders who understand the priorities and motivations of the people in their teams.
Comprehensive face to face or telephone feedback and coaching supports the DiSC profiling to enable a full understanding of how the profile can be utilised to gain maximum benefit.
There are several DiSC® profiles designed for specific purposes. Here are four of our favourites, together with links to sample DiSC® profile reports:
Everything DiSC® Workplace Profile: This DiSC® is designed to help anyone in the workplace, regardless of job title or role. It enables employees to understand themselves and what motivates them, thereby improving their working relationships, performance and wellbeing.
Click the link for a sample DiSC® Workplace Report:
Everything DiSC® Work of Leaders Profile: This DiSC® is aimed at people in leadership roles, helping them improve leadership and behaviour towards their team members through a better understanding of individual leadership style and how this impacts their teams. This inevitably brings about increased effectiveness in leading teams towards organisational goals.
Click the link for a sample DiSC® Work of Leaders Report:
Everything DiSC® Management Profile: This profile is most appropriate for managers. It encourages managers to better understand the people they manage, examining aspects such as direction and delegation style, and personal motivators. This leads to more effective and appropriate management and direction, with inevitable improvements in team performance.
Click the link for a sample DiSC® Management Report:
Everything DiSC® 363 For Leaders Profile: This profile enables leaders to move to the next level in terms of behaviour, relationships and performance. Included is constructive 360-degree feedback on leadership style, but unlike many 360-degree feedback activities, DiSC® ensures that the feedback given is focused and constructive. DiSC® 363 also presents each participant with three personalised strategies designed to make every leader even more effective.
Click the link for a sample DiSC® 363 Report:
Always Consult is certified to carry out DiSC® training, offering the full range of DiSC programmes. We know from our personal experience just how effective DiSC® profiling can be, in organisations of all types and sizes. Please contact us at any time for a chat about your organisation’s specific needs in this area.
Insights Discovery
What is Insights Discovery?
‘An engaging and practical way for people to develop themselves and others’.
Insights Discovery gives individuals an engaging, reinforcing and transformational insight into themselves and their colleagues by uncovering meaning in preferences and behaviour. Learn to adapt and connect with others to create strong and effective relationships.
What does it give you?
Individuals complete a 25-frame evaluator, generating a detailed (17 page) profile which helps to gain understanding of personal style and how it impacts on professional and personal relationships.
The impact
When people really understand themselves, business potential rockets. Leaders become more effective; adapting their approach to get the best from the team. Change programmes become simpler and relationships run smoothly, enabling focus on the day job instead of team issues.
From improved leadership skills, one-to-one coaching and team development, to better peer, customer and stakeholder relationships; the possibilities are endless.
Generic Insights Workshop
An interactive, thought-provoking and enjoyable workshop incorporating activities utilising both theory and practice to enhance knowledge, skills and behaviours.
Gain a deep insight into yourself and your colleagues. Uncover meaning in preferences and behaviour. Learn to adapt and connect with others to create strong and effective relationships.
(Insights workshops can be tailored to business or individual needs).
Session 1 
Each profile tells individuals about their preferred style and approach, key strengths and weaknesses, value to the team, communication style, possible blind spots, suggestions for development and much more.
- Getting to know the four Insights colour energies
- Overview of the three Jungian Dichotomies of preference
- Introduction to the Insights profile report
Session 2
- Understanding the Insights graphs and how they relate to the individual
- Walking the wheel – understanding team dynamics, why conflict and natural rapport may exist
Session 3
- Recognising individual contributions to the team
- Working with strengths and weaknesses
- Effective team communication
Session 4
- Identifying types – recognising preferences
- Adapting and connecting for great results
- Next steps
For more details on how Insights Discovery can benefit your organisation, why not contact us right now for an informal discussion.