"Management can be taught," says Nazia Lodhi, (pictured), a senior policy advisor for the Armed Forces Pensions Schemes at the Ministry of Defense (MoD).
The team leader and chair of the MoD Civilian Muslim Network was among the first civil servants to do the Management: Practitioner Programme which was launched in 2023.
Her experiences on it convinced her that anyone can learn to be a better manager and that good management is most definitely a skill that can be taught.
Practical sessions
"The programme was a great learning curve," she said.
"Learning was not just from books and theories but also from practical sessions and learning from other people's experiences too. It was so valuable to get the chance to learn from peers across government in different departments as well."
The Management: Practitioner Programme supports experienced managers, of any grade, to get the skills, knowledge and networks they need.
The programme consists of three modules, each lasting approximately five weeks and featuring real-life, relatable Civil Service leadership scenarios. A fourth module includes continued learning post programme.
Nazia's varied career has spanned the NHS where she worked as a cross-matcher for heart transplants and the Home Office where she was an asylum caseworker.
Now, at the MoD, she manages a team which has traditionally had a high level of staff turnover.
For that reason, she says motivating her staff is a priority - and she does that by demonstrating her own passion for their work in the way she conducts herself.
Encouragement to future participants
"My experience about being on the programme is that it's very worthwhile.
"If somebody was thinking about doing it, I would start off by telling them they should definitely go for it."
Get full details about the Management: Practitioner Programme and other management courses.
