Why a CMI Level 5 Qualification | In Professional Development

If you’re looking to climb the management ladder, then you may already be familiar with The Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

This organisation embodies the best in management philosophy and practice, and its accredited qualifications deliver many benefits to aspiring managers.

In this blog post, we will introduce the CMI, their qualification levels, and the Level 5 courses that are available to help ambitious managers like you take the next steps in their careers. After reading, you’ll understand the content and expected learning outcomes of the CMI Level 5 Certifications in Leadership and Management, and in Coaching and Mentoring. You’ll understand how these courses differ and how each can form the basis for personal growth.

What is the CMI?

“The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) is the Chartered Body for Management and Leadership.” 

This introduction, taken from their website gives a concise description of the organisation. Their mission is to work with businesses to transform “accidental managers” into “conscious leaders” by developing the skills and confidence required to succeed.

As an accredited body backed by a unique Royal Charter, the CMI is the only organisation that can award Chartered Manager status. This accolade is the highest possible for leaders and managers in the UK.

The CMI exists to further the career prospects of those in – or looking to be in – managerial positions. With over 143,000 members, 91,000 active learners, and 620 qualified training partners, the CMI is perfectly positioned to help you move further along your ideal career path. 

What are CMI levels?

The CMI offers qualifications from level 2 through to level 8, each representing progressively a higher managerial ability and skill set. 

Below is a brief overview of their levels, and you can find more information here –

• Levels 2 and 3: “Designed for aspiring, supervisory, or first-line managers,” with a focus on introductory skills like team-leading to project management
• Levels 4 and 5: “For mid-managers,” with a focus on the development of core management skills
• Levels 6 and 7: “For senior managers” with direct responsibility to generate effective performance from the implementation of organisational strategy (Read our guide to CMI Level 7 qualifications here)
• Level 8: “For C-level senior managers,” focusing on the highest level of management concepts

The CMI is the only body offering or able to award the Level 8 qualification.

As you can see, the structure is designed to cover all levels of management and to help aspiring or established managers to build on their existing skill sets.

Is a CMI Level 5 qualification right for me?

If you want to develop your core management skills, a CMI Level 5 qualification could align well with your professional goals. CMI Level 5 courses are designed to help you achieve the following outcomes – 

• Effectively lead and manage individuals and teams
• Deliver organisational aims and objectives, in line with the established strategy
• Perform a rigorous self-assessment of your current abilities
• Draw up and adhere to a plan for your future development, focussing on a progression toward more senior roles

This qualification is geared toward people in positions accountable to a senior manager or business owner. You may already be in a managerial role, but typically at a lower level in the organisation.

We offer two CMI Level 5 qualifications, as follows –

• CMI Level 5 Certificate in Leadership and Management: for aspiring managers looking to improve their leadership skills in pursuit of organisational objectives, and aiming to progress to higher levels of management
• CMI Level 5 Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring: for managers looking specifically to develop their coaching skills so that these may be applied to enhance the performance of their teams

What can a CMI Level 5 qualification help me to achieve?

As we touched on just now, we offer two strands of CMI Level 5. Each of these is tailored toward slightly different outcomes, so understanding the content and aims of each course is paramount for ensuring you apply to the right one.

Both of our courses involve the completion of assignments that have been specially designed to hone in on and refine, core management competencies. Each course is taught by a team of experts with a broad range of relevant qualifications and expertise. Their tutelage has helped many aspiring managers to progress further in their careers, and we have confidence that you will achieve the same.

Here is an overview of what’s offered by each of our CMI Level 5 courses.

The CMI Level 5 Certificate in Leadership and Management

On this course, you will –

• Gain the ability to think and act strategically
• Develop your ability to make informed and evidence-based decisions
• Build an understanding of methods for motivating staff and establishing a high-performance organisational culture
• Foster greater self-awareness, and the ability to take ownership of your self-development
• Better understand inter-organisational strategic direction

You will complete two assignments –

• Principles of Management and Leadership in an Organisational Context, where you will assess your current ability and demonstrate your awareness of management in action
• Developing, Managing and Leading Individuals and Teams to Achieve Success, where you will apply succession planning and capability building skills

At the outset of the course, you will most likely be in a managerial position, accountable to higher-level managers. Prospective job titles of attendees include (but are not limited to) General managers, Heads of department, Departmental directors, Assistant directors, MDs, CEOs, or other senior leadership positions.

Completing a Level 5 Certificate in Leadership and Management equips you with the requisite skills to progress to higher levels of management. You will learn to leverage your skills and influence others to act in the pursuit of strategic business goals. You will be able to evaluate and implement strategies designed to achieve the goals of your organisation and continue to develop your managerial skills to translate your newfound ability to higher levels of responsibility.

Learn more about our CMI Level 5 Certificate in Leadership and Management, and book your place, here.

The CMI Level 5 Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring

On this course, you will – 

• Be able to define coaching and its purpose
• Better understand how high-performing teams operate
• Improve your self-awareness
• Familiarise yourself with individual coaching approaches
• Understand how to mentor and coach team members through change
• Refine your understanding of how coaching and mentoring relate to wider organisational goals
• Learn how to monitor the organisational impact of coaching and mentoring

You will complete three assignments – 

• Introduction to Management Coaching and Mentoring, where you will demonstrate an understanding of the core concepts
• Coaching Practice and Theory, where you will build the foundations to show a greater understanding of the practice and theory of coaching, and what it can achieve
• Using Coaching and Mentoring Skills as a Manager, where you will apply the theory to specific managerial situations, building a strong connection between theory and practice

This course is designed to appeal to newly appointed or established leaders who want to refine their skill set in coaching and mentoring team members in order to achieve higher and more consistent levels of success.

There is a strong focus on effective communication skills, building an increased openness to personal learning and providing development opportunities in your organisation.

By learning how to create targeted performance improvements for yourself, your team, and your organisation, you will become better equipped to support others through change. You will also build personal resilience, helping you to challenge in a more wholesome and effective manner.

There is also a strong focus on identifying and effectively managing conflict which is a key source of discontent and poor performance in organisations.

If you are interested in becoming an effective leader who can identify, build, and leverage the skills and competencies of your team and workforce, this course will help you on your path.

Learn more about our CMI Level 5 Certificate in Leadership and Management, and book your place, here.

Bespoke, in house training with In Professional Development

We are proud to offer in house and bespoke training for organisations that want customised learning opportunities for their workforce. This aspect of our service delivers numerous benefits –

• Flexible course duration to fit around internal resources and desired learning outcomes
• Competitive pricing when compared to individual course sign-up fees
• Embrace collaboration and foster connections between your employees
• Study conducted in familiar and comfortable surroundings, either in person or virtually
• Course content can be tailored to the needs of your organisation, and tied to your specific organisational objectives

We believe that the most effective training represents the needs and aims of the individuals being trained, and the organisations they work for. Rather than restrict ourselves to a one-size-fits-all training solution, we have built a flexible and versatile course portfolio that we can adapt as necessary.

From one day courses on topics like confident negotiation, public speaking, and conflict transformation, through to four and five-day courses where you can gain CMI Level 7 Certificates; we believe our bespoke training has a lot to offer organisations.

We can deliver the CMI Level 5 qualifications outlined earlier as part of this offering. These courses are suitable for a minimum cohort size of eight, and prices start from £4,500.

For full details on the courses we can offer, and to discuss your specific objectives, check out our in house training page here.

Book a CMI Level qualification with In Professional Development

The CMI Level 5 qualification is a prestigious milestone on your path to higher levels of managerial responsibility. The Chartered Management Institute fosters high levels of expertise, and our courses deliver cohesive and expansive learning outcomes to help you build the skills you will need to climb the career ladder.

We offer a variety of courses, such as coaching courses, in which you can learn about active listening and other communication skills to improve your own leadership skills. To find out more about our courses, visit our Courses page and click on the relevant course. Alternatively, or if you’d like more information before booking, email us at enquiries@inpd.co.uk, send us a message using the form on our Contact page or call us on 0161 826 3139. We look forward to hearing from you and advising you on the right course for you.