TOO many companies promote people despite the fact they lack many of the skills essential for effective leadership.

According to Magnus Carter, director of the Mentor Consultancy, many of the organisations that come to them for training and advice are experiencing serious problems with internal communications, resulting in disaffected, demotivated and cynical employees and a high staff turnover.

A major factor contributing to this increasing trend is that many companies do not make best use of one of their most important communications assets -- the line manager.

As demonstrated in a survey earlier this year by MORI, line managers and team briefings are the most trusted source of company information amongst employees.

Forty-eight per cent of employees questioned said they found their own manager a reliable information channel, compared with just 10 per cent who favoured official company publications.