Member Article

Bdaily talks to the North East Leadership Group

Bdaily recently covered the renewed appeal for Newcastle’s Lit & Phil, and now we take a look at the latest opportunity for North East businesses to learn from each other in this historic venue.

In the spirit of the Lit & Phil’s great thinking heritage, the soon-to-be-launched North East Leadership Group aims to bring SMEs together for real knowledge-sharing, and a vehicle for growth.

Businessmen Denis Kaye and Phil Dibbs are behind the idea, that has developed from their wealth of experience in dealing with SMEs through the professional services and banking sectors.

Denis, who started his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers, has seen his Yorkshire Leadership Group blossom as a peer group development resource for SMEs that cuts straight to the real issues for businesses.

He said: “When I set up the first Group, I was very conscious of two key concerns for SMEs; firstly that such groups were usually too expensive for them, and secondly they simply don’t have the time to attend meetings. We have a format that addresses those concerns “.

“Our Group members can engage in three activities, each of which is proven to work for SME
leaders. The core activity is peer group development – working in facilitated meetings with your
peers.

“There is also a networking aspect to the Group and finally we can provide mentoring to Group members. We provide a useful forum for SMEs that employ between 10 to 200 people.”

Denis explained that during the facilitated Group meetings a member describes an issue that they are facing in their business. The other participants will then work on that issue, providing their expertise, experience and opinions, equipping the member with perspectives and knowledge that might not have been available internally.

“Working on your business, not in your business” is the essence of the Leadership Group, and this is something that co-chairman Phil Dibbs knows well.

Having garnered an SME savvy through his involvement in the banking sector, and his business development company, Hawkmoor Associates, Phil has helped to shape the Group around the needs of businesses.

He said: “The dynamic of the Group is absolutely key to success, and that’s why me and Denis will ensure the right mix of businesses at Group events: the NELG wants to foster a cohesive environment where businesses will benefit.

“Often these small and medium sized businesses can’t spare the time, or afford the expertise of non-executive directors, and they can miss out on valuable help. It’s my belief that if they are able to stick their head just above the parapet, they will find the opportunities to grow are there for them.”

Denis added: “Some of it is more informal advice; anecdotal evidence that can be really useful for businesses. It’s great to hear ‘when I did this, it went wrong’ or ‘this really worked’ as practical evidence. On the other hand, some will be more commercial based advice. Of course, we need to get the right mix of people round the table for this to work.

“The network is very real. We’re aware the ‘networking’ term can often turn people off. But in the Leadership Group, we’ve seen some really interesting examples of our members actually doing business together.”

The inaugural North East Leadership Group takes place at the Lit & Phil on October 23, and is free to attend. To book a place, you should visit the event homepage here.

Those interested in finding out more about the Group can find more information on their website, or by contacting Phil Dibbs at phil.dibbs@yorkshireleadership.co.uk, or on 01904 341121. Alternative, you can contact Denis Kaye at denis.kay@yorkshireleadership.co.uk, or on 01423 541936.

In the lead up to the first Group meeting, Bdaily will be hearing from some of the businesses who have benefited so far from the Yorkshire Leadership Group.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .