Manager development
Essential Manager Skills
Strengthen the core capabilities managers need to set direction, make decisions, manage people, communicate, and deliver sustainable results.
Build a balanced foundation for effective management.
For managers and experienced supervisors taking on broader responsibility for people, priorities, decisions, and organizational performance.
Clarify managerial roles and responsibilities.
Plan, prioritize, delegate, and make decisions effectively.
Manage communication, performance, and team dynamics.
Lead improvement and change with greater confidence.
Course overview
A practical, instructor-led program with guided exercises and workplace examples. Open a topic to see the coverage.
1. Management Skills Overview
- Introduction to Supervision
- Transitioning from individual contributor to people manager
2. Planning for the Team
- Developing Objectives of a Task or a Project
- Clarifying deliverables and expected outcomes
3. Organizing the Team
- Defining the Task
- Breaking down work into manageable components
4. Leading the Team
- Goal Setting and Motivation
- Connecting individual goals to team objectives
5. Controlling
- Developing Standards
- Defining what acceptable performance looks like
Full course outline
Review the complete legacy course outline, including all detailed subtopics.
View full outline
- 1. Management Skills Overview
- Introduction to Supervision
- Transitioning from individual contributor to people manager
- Common challenges faced by first-time supervisors
- Expectations placed on supervisors by the organization
- Defining the Manager
- Difference between managing tasks and managing people
- Accountability for results, people, and processes
- Authority, responsibility, and decision-making boundaries
- Managerial Functions Overview
- Overview of the four core managerial functions
- How planning, organizing, leading, and controlling work together
- Practical examples of each function in day-to-day operations
- Introduction to Supervision
- 2. Planning for the Team
- Developing Objectives of a Task or a Project
- Clarifying deliverables and expected outcomes
- Aligning team objectives with organizational goals
- Translating broad goals into actionable targets
- Scheduling Tools
- Purpose and importance of scheduling in managing workload
- Identifying task dependencies and priorities
- Gantt Chart
- Mapping tasks over time
- Assigning responsibilities and deadlines
- Monitoring progress against planned timelines
- Critical Path Method
- Identifying critical and non-critical tasks
- Understanding the impact of delays
- Managing time-sensitive activities
- Budgeting
- Understanding cost responsibility of a manager
- Estimating resources required for tasks and projects
- Analogous Budgeting
- Using past projects as reference points
- Parametric Budgeting
- Using measurable units to estimate costs
- Top-Down Budgeting
- Working within predefined budget limits
- Developing Processes
- Converting objectives into repeatable workflows
- Identifying key steps, decision points, and handoffs
- Creating simple process flows to guide execution
- Developing Objectives of a Task or a Project
- 3. Organizing the Team
- Defining the Task
- Breaking down work into manageable components
- Clarifying scope, boundaries, and expectations
- Avoiding role overlap and task ambiguity
- Effective Delegation Skills
- Selecting the right person for the task
- Matching task complexity to skill level
- Setting clear expectations, timelines, and authority levels
- Using the RACI Matrix
- Defining who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed
- Preventing confusion and duplicated effort
- Applying RACI to team projects and recurring tasks
- Cascading Effectively
- Translating team goals into individual actions
- Aligning tasks across different roles and levels
- SMART Action Planning
- Creating clear and measurable action items
- Setting timelines and ownership
- Tracking progress and follow-through
- Defining the Task
- 4. Leading the Team
- Goal Setting and Motivation
- Connecting individual goals to team objectives
- Using goals to drive engagement and accountability
- Understanding Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
- Understanding employee needs at different stages
- Applying motivation concepts in the workplace
- Recognizing non-monetary motivators
- Using Herzberg's Motivation–Hygiene Theory
- Differentiating between motivators and hygiene factors
- Identifying causes of dissatisfaction versus engagement
- Applying motivation strategies beyond compensation
- Adaptive Coaching Overview
- Adjusting coaching style based on performance and readiness
- Providing guidance versus direction
- Balancing support and accountability
- Mentoring and Training People
- Developing skills through on-the-job coaching
- Transferring knowledge and best practices
- Supporting long-term employee development
- Communication Skills for Leaders
- Giving clear instructions and expectations
- Conducting effective one-on-one conversations
- Providing constructive feedback and reinforcement
- Goal Setting and Motivation
- 5. Controlling
- Developing Standards
- Defining what acceptable performance looks like
- Establishing quality, time, and output standards
- Ensuring standards are clear and measurable
- Converting Objectives to Metrics
- Translating goals into measurable indicators
- Aligning metrics with team responsibilities
- Avoiding vague or misleading measurements
- Identifying Leading and Lagging Metrics
- Understanding proactive versus outcome-based measures
- Using leading indicators to prevent issues
- Reviewing lagging metrics to assess results
- Conducting Performance Evaluations
- Preparing for performance discussions
- Using data and observations objectively
- Delivering balanced and constructive evaluations
- Addressing Performance Issues
- Identifying root causes of poor performance
- Conducting corrective conversations
- Implementing improvement plans and follow-ups
- Developing Standards