- Day:
- Wednesday 04 November 2026
- Time:
- 09:30 - 12:00
- Location:
- University of Salford
- Online booking:
- Register now
CSI Exchange is a series of practical workshops for SMEs, start‑ups and alumni businesses, delivered by the Centre for Sustainable Innovation.
Uncertainty is no longer the exception — it’s the operating environment for SMEs.
Rising costs, changing customer behaviour, global instability and ongoing disruption mean that many traditional approaches to planning and strategy no longer hold.
At the same time, leaders and teams are under pressure to stay focused, confident and productive, even when the direction ahead feels unclear.
This practical, interactive workshop is designed to help SME leaders respond to these challenges with greater clarity and confidence. You’ll explore how to develop a clear strategic direction, stay agile as conditions shift, and lead teams in a way that builds resilience and engagement.
During the session, you will explore:
- How to define a clear strategic path forward, even in uncertain conditions
- Creating focus and direction through vision and strategic priorities
- Ways to stay agile and adapt plans without creating confusion
- Leadership approaches that build confidence, motivation and engagement
- How to create space to work on the business, not just in it
This session is ideal for SME owners, founders and leaders looking to strengthen resilience, improve decision‑making and lead their organisations more effectively through uncertainty.
The workshop will run from 9:30am-12pm, and participants are invited afterwards to stay for a light lunch.
Facilitator: Emily Whitehead
Emily is a highly experienced executive business coach, consultant, mentor trainer and facilitator. She uses a person-centred approach to help unlock thinking, potential and next steps for founders, senior leaders and teams. Emily has over 25 years’ experience and 1000s hours of practical delivery, working collaboratively to support the development of purpose-led strategies, dynamic cultures, positive leadership and businesses with powerful sustainable futures. Her work includes 1-2-1 executive coaching / mentoring, group coaching and action learning, team training, workshop delivery, facilitation and programme development.
What is CSI Exchange?
CSI Exchange is a practical knowledge exchange workshop series delivered by the Centre for Sustainable Innovation at the University of Salford.
Designed for SMEs, start‑ups, alumni businesses and CSI affiliates, the series brings together academic expertise and real‑world practice to support sustainable growth, effective leadership and digital capability.
Each workshop focuses on practical tools, usable frameworks and shared learning, helping businesses navigate uncertainty, develop confident leaders, design impactful sustainability projects and build resilient strategies for today’s fast‑changing economy.
Sessions are led by University of Salford specialists alongside experienced external practitioners, creating space for open discussion, peer learning and immediate application.
Whether you are scaling a business, embedding sustainability, strengthening leadership capability or adapting to digital change, CSI Exchange offers accessible, insight‑led support for small and medium‑sized enterprises.
You can explore the other workshops in this series through the CSI Exchange series collection.