managementissues
banking on a
good influence
By AndrewWilkinson, chairman of Wales Management Council
Who actually exerts most influence that. They are regarded as ad hoc
over business people?That is a counsellors, sounding boards and
question to which my colleagues in guides, all rolled into one.
Wales Management Council have Given that they occupy such a
been seeking answers over recent persuasive position in the process,
months. bankers could actually prove to be an
During a series of discussions they, ace card in the achievement of one of
along with other business people and Wales’key economic ambitions. That is
representatives of partner organisations, the ambition to develop the best quality
have examined in detail the roles played business management in Europe.
by the various public and private sector It is acknowledged by theAssembly
advisors. Government, and within the private
They’ve tried to identify new ways to sector, that the quality of management is
ensure that enterprises – particularly the single biggest factor determining the
new or growing operations – both success of individual businesses and
receive and heed the best guidance the economy as a whole.
available. Despite this, a survey by Wales
While the final report from this Management Council showed that more
debate is not due out for some weeks than one third of businesses in Wales
yet, one interesting fact did emerge from still invest nothing at all in training their or her business plan.
their deliberations. It was that, even in managers. Arguably each hour or day spent
this age of multiple information Clearly there is still much work to do building managerial competence lowers
channels, leading-edge consultancies to persuade such businesses that the the risk from the bank’s point of view.
and sophisticated advice networks, the skills of those who run their operations – Of course the banks are not the only
word of the bank manager still carries from supervisors right up to board ones who should be plugging the gospel
very considerable weight. directors – could be the difference of management development, but they
My own career in banking covered between them making a big name for do possess particularly valuable
both the era when the traditional themselves or simply fade away in the leverage. If the literature they produce
manager was a financial all-rounder face of competitive pressure. for entrepreneurs, and the words they
within his own branch, and the more Who better to join in this persuasive say were to underline consistently how
recent period which saw the rise of the battle than the bank manager? Our highly they regard such skills
specialist business banker, whose research suggests that they would development, I believe the positive
services covered a wider geographical certainly be listened to, were they to impact would be dramatic.
area. start actively promoting the virtues of Well-qualified and well-prepared
As the raising of cash has always investment in management skills. managers are the most valuable assets
been so pivotal to a business launch or Why shouldn’t they quiz applicants of a new or growing business The more
expansion, bank managers of both for financial support about what they bank managers communicate this to
varieties have been, and still are, the have done to sharpen their own customers and the more they indicate
first port of call for many individuals with business and management skills and how this factor will influence their
business ambitions. those of their team? funding decisions, the more likely it is
And although the bankers’primary After all, ascertaining an that businesses will equip themselves
role is to ensure that any business they entrepreneur’s capability and skill is as with the learning they need to survive
finance represents a good risk, many much part of making a good credit and thrive.
entrepreneurs view them as more than decision as examining the details of his
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52