With the ground constantly shifting under their feet, many employees are naturally turning to their leaders for guidance. But only 39% strongly agree that their leadership is visibly supporting transformation, according to Multiverse’s Skills Intelligence Report 2025.

With the AI revolution just getting started, employees need inspiring leaders to help them adapt. The answer? Transformational leadership. It focuses on creating positive change and motivating teams to grow.

Looking to take on more responsibilities in your current role or level up your career? Gaining transformational leadership skills will help you guide your workplace into the future.

What is transformational leadership?

Transformational leadership embraces new ideas and motivates employees to face change with enthusiasm and positivity. It’s all about empowerment and bringing people together to achieve a shared vision.

This leadership style is the opposite of the transactional leadership approach, which uses rewards and punishment to motivate followers. It’s a stricter approach that centers on hierarchies and structure.

Is a development team dreading working on a tricky update? A transformational leader will rally them to the cause and build excitement, while a transactional leader might say, “Do it by Friday, or you’re getting written up.”

Similarly, a transformational leader could encourage junior employees to pitch product ideas. But the transactional leader might only let senior staff weigh in — or, more positively, offer an incentive for the best suggestion.

As you might guess from these examples, the transformational approach often works better with today’s workers, who are less tolerant of unfair or harsh leadership. In fact, 67% of UK employees have quit or thought about leaving a job due to poor management.

Younger workers are also quick to reject the usual workplace status quo. Only 14% of Gen Z professionals believe traditional hierarchies work, and 30% would prefer a team-based structure.

Transformational leadership responds to these changing expectations by creating a supportive environment — one without any Devil Wears Prada-esque tyrants.

The four pillars of transformational leadership

Transformational leaders might sound like cheerleaders or especially chipper coaches, but this approach is actually quite nuanced. Here are four key components of transformational leadership:

Idealised influence

Transformational leaders don’t keep their core values a secret. They’re role models who lead by example. Someone who cares about open communication, for instance, might hold monthly town halls or explain why they promoted one employee over another.

They also inspire followers to focus on personal growth. This could be as simple as talking about how you’re upskilling by learning prompt engineering or showing your latest surreal Midjourney creation.

Inspirational motivation

A transformational leader encourages followers to work together to accomplish something great, whether that’s building a hospital or just fixing a bug. They’ve got a compelling vision that inspires motivation and enthusiasm, even when the team faces challenges.

For instance, GSK CEO Emma Walmsley reenergised the stagnant pharmaceutical company by shaking up the leadership team and investing more in consumer healthcare products and vaccines.

Intellectual stimulation

Challenging assumptions is another hallmark of transformational leaders. They invite team members to look at problems and opportunities from new angles, which helps inspire innovation.

In 2014, Anne Boden founded Starling Bank, one of the UK’s first fully digital banks. At first, potential investors were sceptical — or downright derisive. “Nobody believed me!” she explained in a McKinsey interview. “People thought building new technology was impossible and also impossible to build from scratch.” Despite these doubts, Starling Bank now earns hundreds of millions of pounds in revenue.

Individualised consideration

Transformational leaders focus on mentoring team members and offering personalised support. For example, they may schedule monthly one-on-one feedback sessions. They also value continuous learning and create opportunities for employees to learn new skills like data analytics or public speaking.

Why develop transformational leadership skills?

Like public speaking or writing a memo, mastering visionary leadership takes effort and practice. Here are a few reasons why it’s well worth the investment.

Elevate your career

Almost three out of four tech leaders plan to invest more in AI in the next one to two years. That means transformation isn’t stopping any time soon.

Becoming a transformational leader can help you handle these changes with confidence — and, more importantly, get your team excited about what’s coming. For example, you might organise workshops on new AI tools or mentor individual followers who want to learn how to use Tableau. A little encouragement and positivity can make change — well, maybe not fun, but motivating.

Plus, gaining transformational leadership skills can future-proof your career. According to the Future of Jobs Report 2025, the top five in-demand skills are:

• Analytical thinking
• Flexibility and agility
• Leadership and social influence
• Creative thinking
• Motivation and self-awareness

These are also key traits of an effective transformational leader — and that’s not a coincidence. Employers are actively searching for people who can lead change and help their organisations adapt.

Lift your organisation

The transformational leadership style also directly influences organisational effectiveness. And no, you don’t need to be a CEO or even a C-level executive to make an impact.

When employees feel valued and supported by their leaders, they have a better experience. For example, nurses who worked with transformational leaders during COVID-19 had higher job satisfaction and reduced burnout. Other research shows that transformational leaders create an “innovation climate” and promote employee well-being.

The transformational style also improves retention. Take Savers’ “We Love Ideas” initiative, which invites employees to share their thoughts and help shape the company’s direction. Programmes like this have encouraged the retailer’s staff to stick around, with 28% of workers staying between six and 20 years.

How to start building these skills

You don’t need to take on a management role to learn inspirational leadership. These strategies will help you level up your abilities, no matter where you’re at now.

Look for structured learning opportunities

While you can definitely study transformational leadership by yourself, a structured programme will give you a well-rounded foundation.

For example, Multiverse’s free Transformative Leadership programme teaches practical leadership skills. You’ll learn how to lead change, manage diverse teams, and use AI to support your organisation’s mission. It’s all designed to help you lead high-performing teams, either in your current role or the next one.

Seek feedback from leaders you trust

Getting constructive criticism may seem scary, but it’s an unavoidable part of professional development. Plus, honest feedback is a key part of transformational leadership, so you might as well start early.

For the best results, don’t just ask your supervisor, “Am I a good leader?” You might just get a yes or no. Instead, ask specific questions like these:

• What are two areas I should focus on to become a better leader?
• I’m working on improving my creative problem-solving skills. Any tips?
• What can I do to collaborate more effectively with team members?
• How would you rate my communication skills during that presentation on Tuesday?

Go into every feedback session with an open mind, and don’t respond defensively. If someone tells you that you struggle with critical thinking, for instance, you might join a debate club or play logic games to improve.

Strengthen your emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence means you can recognise and manage your feelings, while also understanding and — this is key — empathising with others.

As a leader, this skill helps you create a sense of psychological safety where team members feel comfortable expressing themselves. For example, if an employee seems nervous about a big presentation, you can notice it and offer support.

People often assume that emotional intelligence is innate, like a sixth sense, but it’s just as learnable as data analysis or coding. Here are a few ways to improve it:

• Study the psychology of body language, like how stiff shoulders can be a sign of anger or anxiety.
• Practice deep breathing exercises during stressful situations, like a meeting with an upset client.
• Use a mindfulness app like Headspace or Happify to get in tune with your emotions.

Practice vision-setting

A great transformational leader knows how to set a clear vision, whether that’s reshaping the organisation’s goals or just convincing skeptical team members to try a new accounting software.

These strategies will help you become a visionary leader that people are eager to follow:

• Imagine the absolute best-case scenario for your organisation in five years, and consider how you might get there.
• Hold a vision-a-thon with your team to play with ideas and scenarios.
• Use storytelling techniques — like metaphors or even characters — to make your vision feel real.

Take the next step with Multiverse

Become a change-maker with Multiverse’s Transformative Leadership programme. Over 15 months, you’ll build your leadership skills through asynchronous modules, interactive workshops, and coaching from leadership experts. For more specialised content, join the optional Women in Leadership modules.

Plus, about 70% of the apprenticeship involves hands-on projects in your current role. That means you get to start using your new leadership skills immediately, gaining real experience as you learn and earn.

Ready to transform your career and your organisation? Fill out our quick application today.

If all those responsibilities make you feel overwhelmed, you’re not alone. Nine out of ten UK employees say they’ve experienced high or extreme pressure in the last year.

You probably can’t cut your to-do list in half — at least, not if you want to advance your career. But you can get more done with less stress with these time management tips.

Spotting the signs of poor time management

Sometimes, it’s hard to recognise that your time management skills are lacking. Sure, you might be crossing things off your list and meeting most of your deadlines. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being productive — or finding a healthy work-life balance.

You probably need help managing your time if:

• You’re always scrambling to hit deadlines at the last minute.
• Most days, you add more to your agenda than you finish.
• Important tasks at home keep getting overlooked, until you realise you haven’t vacuumed in weeks.
• You constantly stay late at the office or spend half your Saturday working to get everything done.
• Sometimes, you don’t even know what to start working on.
• You rarely have time to upskill, so you feel like you’re falling behind your colleagues.

Look out for sneaky time wasters, too. You might spend hours reading emails or trudging to boring meetings. Or maybe you’re multitasking all the time, like typing out a memo while you nod along in a Zoom meeting. These nonproductive activities may make it seem like you’re doing a lot, but they’re actually making you less efficient.

8 ways to take back control of your schedule

You can’t pick and choose all your tasks, but you can control how you handle them. Get ahead with these simple time management strategies.

1. Set clear goals and priorities

Creating goals is the foundation of effective time management. They help you prioritise tasks and say no to things that won’t help you move your career forward.

Use the SMART framework to set professional and personal goals that are:

• Specific - Imagine what you want to achieve in detail.
• Measurable - Make sure you can easily track your progress.
• Achievable - Pick something you can realistically accomplish with your current resources.
• Relevant - Your objectives should fit your long-term career plan.
• Time-based - Set deadlines and milestones.

Let’s say you’re a Software Developer with a mile-long debugging backlog. You could aim to clear out half of it in two months by fixing at least five bug reports a week.

Once you’ve got your big goals, don’t just stick them at the top of your to-do list. That’s too intimidating. Instead, break them down into bite-sized tasks that you can chip away at. Want to clear out hundreds of unread emails in your inbox? Schedule two blocks a day to answer and delete messages, and set time limits so you don’t get lost reading months-old emails.

As you work on your goals, the Eisenhower Matrix can help you spot high-priority activities. It sorts tasks into four quadrants:

For example, reading random e-newsletters goes in the “delete it” category, so use the unsubscribe button liberally. A time-sensitive client email, on the other hand, needs an immediate response.

2. Build a realistic weekly schedule

A digital calendar can significantly improve time management at work and in your personal life. Choose a mobile-friendly platform like Google Calendar so it’s always accessible.

Before you open your calendar, write down all your upcoming tasks and sort them by priority, like this:

• High: Client presentation on Friday, report due Monday morning
• Moderate: Daily standup meetings, study sessions for learning data analysis skills, walking the dog every evening
• Low: Checking email, putting away laundry

Estimate how much time you’ll need for each item, and be honest with yourself. If that detailed report usually takes four hours, don’t say you can do it in three, or you’ll just feel stressed.

Use this list to start mapping out your weekly schedule. Create colour-coded time blocks for similar tasks — like meetings and presentation prep time — so you can see what’s coming up at a glance. Schedule at least a few hours a week for deep focus, too, so you can work on creative tasks without interruption.

And don’t forget to pencil in plenty of breaks and buffer time. Sure, you could rush to six back-to-back meetings, but you’ll probably feel too drained to work on anything else. Regular breaks reduce stress and improve your overall well-being.

3. Tackle challenging tasks first

You’ve got limited energy, no matter how much coffee you chug. Start your day by “eating the frog” — a.k.a starting with the hardest or most urgent tasks on your list. This helps you build momentum and frees up time later for routine tasks.

The Pomodoro technique can help you maintain focus for those big tasks. It breaks work into 25-minute intervals, followed by five-minute breaks. After you complete four pomodoros, take a longer 30-minute break. This strategy lets you accomplish tasks faster without burning out.

Whenever possible, avoid packing your schedule with too many difficult tasks. Quality over quantity is key to protecting your mental health and productivity.

4. Minimise distractions

While most time management tips focus on doing more, you should also cut down on tasks that sap your attention. Social media and texting are two of the biggest culprits. Turn off notifications during focus time and use app blockers to stop yourself from scrolling on TikTok for “just five minutes.”

A tidy workspace can also help you concentrate. Get rid of clutter, such as random bobbleheads and knick-knacks, and create quiet zones free from unnecessary tech.

5. Use the right tools

Many professionals use time management tools to stay organised. Here are just a few options:

• Toggl Track to record your time and see where it’s going
• Digital calendar apps to schedule tasks and set reminders
• Forest to encourage you to put your phone away and focus
• Todoist to track and manage tasks

Experiment with a few programmes to see what works best, but don’t feel like they’re mandatory. If old-fashioned sticky notes and written calendars boost your productivity, stick with that.

6. Organise notes and tasks in one place

Nothing wastes time like searching for a scrap of paper on a messy desk — or worse, trying to remember something that your boss told you three weeks ago.

Save time by jotting everything down in a digital note-taking app like Notion or Google Keep. Keeping everything together decreases stress by making sure you always have clear, up-to-date information.

7. Avoid procrastination with small wins

Nothing kills motivation like slogging through an ocean of tasks. Give yourself something to celebrate by setting micro-goals. A major white paper might take days to complete, but treat yourself to a fancy coffee after drafting each section. Little victories will help you stay motivated and recognise your progress.

Don’t let perfectionism paralyse you, either. Just start, and tell yourself you can always fix it later.

The two-minute rule also stops little tasks from piling up. If something takes less than a couple of minutes, do it right away, even when you don’t feel like it.

8. Review and adjust your system

Mastering time management won’t happen overnight, especially if you’re a chronic procrastinator or easily distracted.

Start small by choosing just two or three of these practical strategies to increase productivity. At the end of each week, spend 10 minutes reviewing your progress and analysing how you’re spending time.

Not making progress? Try new time management apps or switch up how you prioritise tasks. You could even use AI to automate basic tasks like sending appointment reminders to clients.

Above all, flexibility is key. Your personal life may get busy, or you might decide to focus more on upskilling. Adapting your time management system will keep everything moving smoothly.

Apply these skills in your Multiverse journey

Time management skills can benefit all professionals, but they’re especially critical for apprentices. Techniques like time blocking and the Pomodoro method will help you balance work, training, and projects.

Multiverse’s free Project Management and Transformative Leadership apprenticeships allow you to apply and build these valuable skills. You’ll learn how to delegate tasks and identify areas for improvement in your organisation. These hands-on programmes also help you future-proof your career with in-demand AI and leadership skills.

Complete our quick application to learn more about how a Multiverse apprenticeship can improve your time management.

Virtually every industry relies on Project Managers, from construction to healthcare and tech. These professionals don’t just tell teams what to do. They lead transformation and manage rapid changes, such as artificial intelligence and supply chain challenges.

There are plenty of opportunities for project management training in the UK, but they’re not all created equal. You need a flexible course that fits your hectic schedule and goes beyond memorizing Agile jargon. Here are seven of the best project management courses. With a mix of accredited, free, and hands-on options, there’s something for every upskiller.

1. Multiverse Project Management Course

Multiverse’s Project Management programme provides paid, on-the-job training through an apprenticeship model.

It’s designed for working professionals without a traditional university degree who want to gain real-world experience. The structured curriculum teaches you how to plan and deliver projects successfully while leading diverse teams.

Learn in-demand project management skills that employers are seeking, including:

• Agile, hybrid, and waterfall approaches
• Budgeting
• Quality control
• Risk management
• Stakeholder communication
• Strategic thinking
• And much more

As an apprenticeship, Multiverse also places a lot of emphasis on hands-on learning. You’ll immediately start applying what you learnt by managing projects at your current employer. For example, you might try the Agile project management approach to see if daily stand-ups actually help your team communicate better.

Multiverse’s apprenticeships are completely free for students, and you’ll earn a salary as you learn. They also include one-on-one coaching from experienced project professionals and networking with a community of ambitious, supportive peers.

Duration

13 months for course delivery, plus two months for assessment

Price

Free for students

2. APM Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ)

Interested in beefing up your CV with an industry certification? Consider the Association for Project Management’s Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ).

This certificate is designed for early-career professionals who are still learning all the jargon and basic techniques. It covers introductory topics, including project life cycles and scope management.

You can study online for the PFQ by yourself, or take a short course with an APM Accredited Training Provider. You’ll also need to pass the one-hour, 60-question exam to earn the official APM PFQ certification.

Duration

Typically two to three days with a Training Provider

Price

The certification exam costs £238.80 for APM members and £256.80 for non-members. The cost for accredited courses ranges from £324.17 to over £1,300.

3. PRINCE2® Foundation and Practitioner Certification

PRINCE2® stands for Projects in Controlled Environments. This structured approach was originally developed by the UK government in the 1990s, but now it’s used by organisations around the world. It guides projects through several phases, from startup all the way to delivery.

The Foundation certification introduces you to PRINCE2®’s basic practices and principles. You’ll learn all the steps to manage projects and how to be a good team player.

Building on the Foundation level, the Practitioner certification tests whether you can apply the PRINCE2® approach to real projects. It covers more complex topics like managing group dynamics and overcoming roadblocks.

You can take in-person or online courses through providers like Axelos and QA. Expect these classes to be mostly theoretical, with a few case studies or training scenarios sprinkled in. Some people prefer this approach, but the lack of hands-on experience may not make it the best option for quick upskilling.

Duration

Two to three days, depending on the course and format

Price

Courses start at around £540 for the Foundation level and approximately £800 for the Practitioner.

4. Google Project Management: Professional Certificate (via Coursera)

Project management probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Google, but the tech giant certainly knows a lot about launching major initiatives. It shares some of its knowledge and strategies through the Project Management Professional Certificate.

Available on Coursera, this certificate is geared toward beginners interested in entry-level project management careers. It was developed by experienced Project Managers at Google and includes successful (and sometimes not-so successful) case studies from the tech industry.

The programme usually takes about six months to finish, though enthusiastic upskillers may move through it faster. You’ll complete seven self-paced online courses about different project management methodologies and team dynamics.

But it’s not all about theory. In the concluding capstone unit, you’ll put your new skills to the test with real-world projects. The certificate also includes a module about using AI to assist your job search, which could help you step into a new role.

Duration

Approximately six months, but you can study at your own pace

Price

A Coursera Plus subscription costs $59/month or $399/year.

5. University of Oxford — Project Management Programme

For more academic-minded professionals, the University of Oxford’s Lifelong Learning department offers an intensive project management course.

This programme is designed for people with prior experience managing projects, and it focuses on more advanced topics than some of the other options on this list. You’ll attend three in-person or online sessions on content like:

• New approaches to project management
• Key technical issues
• People-power politics

Consider this option if you want to network with successful Project Managers and catch up on the latest trends and methods.

Duration

Three days

Price

£615.00

6. FutureLearn: Project Management Courses

Maybe you’ve just started exploring a project management career, and you’re not sure if you want to go all-in. Dip your toes in the water with FutureLearn’s project management courses.

These short courses are the perfect place to learn about introductory topics, like how to use Jira software or the difference between Agile and Scrum.

It’s free to audit FutureLearn courses if you’re purely interested in learning. But you could also pay to earn “microcredentials” through the Institute of Project Management and several universities. For example, you can earn a Fundamentals of Project Management certificate from the Nottingham Business School by taking courses through FutureLearn.

Price

It’s free to join individual classes for four weeks. For unlimited access to course materials, you must purchase each class for around £80 each or pay for an annual subscription of approximately £250.

7. Project Management Institute: Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)

No list of project management training courses would be complete without mentioning the Project Management Institute (PMI). It’s based in the US, but don’t let that scare you off. Its certificates are globally recognised, so they’ll still help your application stand out to UK employers.

The Certified Associate in Project Management is completely beginner-friendly — no work experience necessary. It tests your knowledge of basic project planning and other foundational concepts. While you probably won’t be able to manage the most complex projects by the end, it could help you qualify for entry-level Project Manager jobs.

Before you can sign up for the exam, you’ll need to complete at least 23 hours of project management training. The PMI offers an on-demand course for self-study, or you can take an instructor-led class.

If you have at least three years of experience, you can earn the PMI Project Management Professional certificate. The Institute calls it the “gold standard” for industry certification because it demonstrates your ability to lead projects in any industry.

Duration

At least 23 hours of coursework for the CAPM, followed by a three-hour exam.

Price

The CAPM exam costs around £160 for PMI members and approximately £220 for non-members. Training courses start at around £260.

How to choose the right course for you

There’s no universal “best” project management qualification. It all depends on your career ambitions and what you want to get out of your training.

Here’s how the seven options on this list stack up:

Consider how much time you’re able to invest, too. Can you only sneak in a couple of hours of studying a week? Try a low-stakes online course from FutureLearn. If you want to immerse yourself in all things project management, a Multiverse apprenticeship guarantees that you’ll get at least six hours of protected learning time a week.

Cost is another huge factor. Multiverse’s project management programme is completely free and lets you keep earning your current salary. But an APM qualification or a PMI certificate can cost hundreds of pounds, especially if you study with an instructor. Ask your employer if they offer professional development funding before you pay for training out of pocket.

Strengthen your project management skills with Multiverse

Becoming a confident and savvy Project Manager can help you future-proof your career, especially in the age of AI. After all, ChatGPT might be able to plan a basic project, but it can’t respond to crises on the fly like a human. And it certainly can’t mediate a client dispute or convince a competitor to share an out-of-stock piece of equipment.

Multiverse’s Project Management course will help you gain the interpersonal skills and theoretical knowledge needed to thrive in this fast-paced field. It combines structured learning, coaching, and applied practice to give you a well-rounded foundation.

Make upskilling your next big project. Complete our quick application today to learn more!