Developing strong leaders: Essential skills for effective management
In today’s fast-changing business environment, effective leadership is essential to drive productivity, inspire teams, and lead through challenges. Yet, many leaders are concerned about the gaps in leadership skills that impact performance across their organisations.
Our latest report, Powering up productivity, found that many decision-makers worry about shortages in critical leadership skills that can hinder their organisation’s productivity and growth. The need for adaptable, skilled leaders has never been greater.
The Open University (OU) can help.
agreed that their organisation's productivity has worsened over the past five years
said skills shortages are negatively impacting productivity in their organisation
agreed that leadership and management skills development positively impacts productivity
Data: Powering up productivity, The Open University 2024
How the OU can support your leadership and management requirements
Many leaders are technical experts who are promoted into leadership roles without the training and skills to succeed. And it can be expensive to recruit an experienced leader externally. Training from within gives you leaders who have developed through your processes, values and culture. However, building a successful leadership team goes beyond technical expertise; it requires equipping managers with the skills to think strategically, communicate effectively, and drive results across departments.
- The triple-accredited OU Business School is proud to be part of an elite group of the top 1% of global business schools.
- Through structured programmes, flexible microcredentials and free learning resources, we empower learners to achieve real impact in their roles.
- We help organisations develop leaders who are ready for the demands of modern management.
Do you need support with leadership and management skills in your organisation?
Explore our learning resources below and reach out to discuss how we can support your requirements.
Get started: Free resources for leadership development
Begin your team’s leadership journey with OpenLearn, our platform offering free, accessible courses that help build foundational leadership and management skills.
Note: Course links in this section will open in a new tab.
Effective communication in the workplace
This free course, Effective communication in the workplace, explores the importance of communication as a skill in the workplace.
Project management: The start of the project journey
An introduction to projects, what they are, how they come about, responses to problems and planning.
Managing & managing people
An introduction to the world of management. Explore a range of management-related topics, including what managers do, what skills they require, and how you can develop as a manager.
Explore more free leadership resources
Upskill: Degrees, modules and short courses for leadership
Our programmes offer flexible options for employees at all levels of leadership, from aspiring managers to senior executives. Choose from structured degree pathways, or tailor your own programme with short courses and microcredentials in areas like Agile leadership and strategic management.
Note: Course links in this section will open in a new tab.
Undergraduate and postgraduate degrees
BA (Honours) Business Management
Available as an undergraduate degree or individual modules
Gain critical skills to manage teams and departments effectively, with modules covering finance, strategy, operations, and people management.
- Tailored pathways with specialist routes to career goals.
- Taught by a triple-accredited business school (AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS).
MSc in Human Resource Management
Masters degree course
This MSc provides an in-depth understanding of human resource (HR) management within an organisational context.
- Develop essential HR skills, including selection, performance management, and organisational development, while learning about professionalism, ethics, EDI, and sustainable HR practices.
- Gain strategic skills for managing employee engagement, learning, development, and change management.
MBA (Master of Business Administration)
Masters degree course
This MBA programme equips managers with advanced skills that are crucial for driving strategic decisions and fostering innovation within organisations.
- Our triple-accredited status puts us in an elite group of business schools worldwide.
- Provides a solid international emphasis essential for developing leaders in a global marketplace.
Browse leadership degree courses and modules
Get in touch for more informationI was employed full-time and unable to take a year off to study, but the OU’s MBA is part-time, meaning it could be slotted in around my regular life commitments. I felt that my OU journey took me to new places and stretched learning muscles that I didn’t know I had. Zoë André-Lawson, MBA Graduate
Microcredentials
Designed to rapidly build specific leadership and management skills, our microcredentials offer professional development with academic credit, so you can keep your skills up-to-date and competitive.
Business management: improving organisational practice
Academically-credited short course
Gain critical skills to improve management and leadership practice within your organisation
- Duration: 10 weeks
- Level: Undergraduate
Business management: People management and leadership
Academically-credited short course
Empower your employees to become adaptable, inclusive leaders who inspire motivated and supportive team cultures.
- Duration: 10 weeks
- Level: Undergraduate
Business management: project management
Academically-credited short course
Learn the core principles, tools, and techniques needed to lead or successfully contribute to projects that add value and deliver positive outcomes.
- Duration: 10 weeks
- Level: Undergraduate
Browse the full catalogue of leadership microcredentials
Short courses
Communication skills in the digital world
CPD short course
Master communication strategies to shape messages effectively in both society and the workplace.
- No formal academic requirements
- 20 hours of study
Creative thinking for the workplace
CPD short course
Learn how to create a more flexible, creative mindset in the workplace.
- No formal academic requirements
- 10 hours of study
Analytical thinking for problem solving
CPD short course
Develop the problem-solving skills needed to contribute effectively in many organisational settings.
- No formal academic requirements
- 10 hours of study
Browse all leadership and management courses
Create your own degree
Design a flexible degree that aligns with your organisation’s needs—combining topics in leadership and management with subjects such as digital skills, design, IT and more. This flexibility helps leaders gain exactly what they need to excel.
Go deeper: Reports, guides and webinars
Explore more insights on leadership and management with these valuable resources.
The Intrapreneurship Series: Driving innovation from within
The Open University's four-part Intrapreneurship Series of webinars gives you the tools to understand intrapreneurship, create a culture for it to thrive and tips to deliver change in areas such as tech, AI and sustainability.
Webinars: Elevate Equity - Harnessing young talent
The Open University hosted a day of talks, led by Ben Hunte, on attracting and developing young talent, covering Gen-Z’s career expectations, values, and hybrid working challenges.
Tips: Close your skills gap, train leaders from within
Dr Haider Ali, Director of Microcredentials and Short Courses at The Open University’s Faculty of Business and Law, explains how the OU can help businesses fill skills gaps by developing internal talent.
Guide: Ten business benefits of Agile leadership
Read the ten essential benefits of Agile leadership that can set your organisation apart.
CIPD talk: Unlock your employee productivity potential
Chris Hogan from the OU discusses productivity challenges facing UK organisations today and the potential solutions.
Why partner with the OU?
For over 55 years, the OU has been a leader in developing practical, accessible education programmes that enable organisations to nurture effective leaders. We’ve supported over 2.3 million learners, including those from FTSE 100 companies and public sector leaders.
- Proven expertise: Decades of experience equipping leaders through our triple-accredited Business School.
- Industry-relevant programmes: Our partnerships with leading organisations ensure that our courses align with the current demands of the workplace.
- Trusted by top employers: Organisations across sectors rely on the OU to develop their leaders and future-proof their workforce.
Get in touch
Find out how we can help your leadership requirements
Ready to take the next step in building your leadership team? Whether you’re interested in structured development programmes or tailored training resources, we’re here to help you.
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