Today, the demand for effective managers and leaders has never been higher. As organizations continue to grow and adapt to new challenges, the need for skilled managers and great leaders who can successfully manage complex work environments and inspire their teams becomes critical. But how can managers unlock their leadership potential and stay ahead of the curve?
Enter management training programs, which have proven to be essential tools for managers to develop and hone their management skills, encourage a positive and productive work environment, and ultimately succeed in their professional roles.
This blog post will explore the importance of improving management skills, the benefits of training, and the top 11 management training programs.
Related: 9 Self-Management Skills and How to Improve Them
📖 Short Summary
- Improve managerial skills and unlock leadership potential with management training programs.
- Discover the top 11 courses covering essential topics such as goal setting, delegation, communication, and more.
- Develop the necessary skills to become an effective leader through formal training, mentorship, and self-reflection.
Why do You Need to Improve Your Managerial Skills?
The importance of improving your management skills cannot be overstated. Today, managers must be able to effectively lead their teams, make informed decisions, and promote a positive work environment to achieve organizational success. By improving your management skills, you can advance your career and create an environment that encourages your team to thrive, increasing employee motivation and performance.
Management training programs are designed to cover various topics, such as management and leadership styles, diversity and inclusion, organizational culture, emotional intelligence, business training works, and even pandemic-related issues.
By participating in such programs, you can demonstrate initiative, build trust with your employers, and acquire new knowledge and management skills without necessarily occupying a managerial position. This makes management training programs essential to any manager’s professional development journey.
Related: Unlocking the Secrets of Effective Management Style
Can You Improve Your Managerial Skills With Management Training Programs
Managerial training can significantly contribute to improving a manager’s skill set. These leadership training programs often cover crucial areas such as communication, time management, decision-making, and team building. By engaging in these training programs, you can develop the management and leadership skills necessary to become a successful leader and drive your teams toward success.
Moreover, vast majority of these programs are adjusted to people in managerial positions at various stages of their careers, from new supervisors to seasoned professionals. These programs are often designed to help managers address issues specific to their roles and responsibilities, enabling them to grow professionally and become more effective in their jobs.
In short, these programs can greatly improve your management skills and help you succeed in your leadership and management roles.
Related: The Team Effectiveness and Different Roles in Teams That Win
How to Evaluate Different Management Training Programs
Evaluating different management programs requires carefully examining the program’s content, facilitators, and feedback from past participants. This helps ensure the program aligns with the manager’s specific professional goals and provides new managers with the necessary management skills and knowledge to address their unique challenges.
In addition to the program’s content and facilitators, it’s also essential to consider the format of the training program. Usually, a management training program comes in various formats, including in-person classes, online courses, and blended learning approaches, providing flexibility to suit the manager’s individual needs.
By carefully researching and comparing different management courses, you can make an informed decision that best aligns with your professional goals and enables you to unlock your leadership potential.
Top 11 Management Training Programs
To help managers navigate the extensive collection of management training programs available, we have compiled a list of the top 11 management training programs.
In most cases, these programs explore concepts such as leading versus managing, situational leadership, trust, and change management, drawing on the works of renowned authors like Peter Senge, Jim Kouzes, Barry Posner, and William Bridge.
The following sections will overview each program and discuss how they can help you improve your management skills, leadership styles, and capabilities.
1. Essential Management Skills for Emerging Leaders
Essential Management Skills for Emerging Leaders is a management and leadership training program designed to adjust to the needs of new or aspiring managers looking to swiftly acquire and implement the leadership skills that are required today.
This comprehensive program is designed to equip managers with the fundamental skills for effective leadership.
The program’s primary objective is to empower you, the emerging leaders, to grasp and implement core leadership and management skills within a condensed time frame.
The key topics we have incorporated into this training curriculum are carefully chosen to provide a comprehensive understanding of leadership and management. These include:
- An integrated approach to negotiation and communication: This will help you improve your leadership skills, build strong relationships, and achieve your objectives more effectively.
- Strategies for organizational change: You’ll learn how to guide your team through changes and transitions, ensuring minimal disruption and maximum efficiency.
- Developing a broad strategic perspective: This will equip you with the ability to look at the bigger picture and make decisions that benefit the organization as a whole.
- Managing implicit biases in decision-making: This will improve the fairness and effectiveness of your decisions.
- Frameworks for managing organizational change: These tools will allow you to manage change effectively and ensure employee motivation and productivity are on the highest possible level.
- Strategic thinking skills to solve critical issues: You’ll be equipped with the ability to tackle complex problems and make sound decisions under pressure.
The structure of this management training program is designed to provide flexibility and maximize learning. It includes:
- A self-assessment and pre-recorded webinars that you can access at your convenience,
- An intensive on-campus week that provides a hands-on experience,
- Virtual synchronous post-program sessions for continuous learning and
- An action plan to help you implement the management skills learned.
The course is a four-week management training program that costs $6,450, plus any travel and housing expenses for the on-campus week.
By participating in this program, you can better understand the essential skills required for successful management and begin your journey to becoming a more effective manager.
2. The New Manager’s Toolkit
The New Manager’s Toolkit is a comprehensive resource with three courses designed to provide new managers with the tools and skills they need to succeed in their roles. The toolkit covers essential topics such as delegation, staff development, conducting effective meetings, and digital accessibility for the modern workplace.
New managers will also learn valuable communication strategies, team-building techniques, and conflict-resolution strategies to further work relationships and help them effectively lead their teams. The New Manager’s Toolkit sets them up for success in their managerial roles by equipping new managers with the necessary skills and resources.
This management training program is designed for three months, two to three hours per week, costing around $600.
3. Executive Leadership: Skills Experienced Leaders Need to Succeed
Executive Leadership: Skills Experienced Leaders Need to Succeed is one of the best leadership training programs designed to help a strategic leader further develop his leadership skills and build high-performing teams.
The primary objective of this management training program is to empower experienced leaders to foster positive change, accelerate innovation, and effectively influence their entire organization.
Key topics covered in this course include:
- Crafting your unique leadership vision: This will enable you to promote positive change and stimulate innovation within your organization.
- Understanding leadership presence and personal branding: You’ll learn about the significance of building a compelling personal leadership brand and how it influences your leadership journey.
- Effective communication and influence: In today’s hybrid work environment, you’ll learn how to communicate, motivate, and influence more effectively.
- Harnessing diversity of thought: Understand how to leverage the power of diverse ideas to drive growth and steer your business strategy.
- Customized action plan: You’ll create a personalized action plan to formulate, implement, and sustain your personal leadership vision and brand for post-program success.
This management training program is four consecutive days, eight hours daily. The cost of the course is $5,100.
4. Oxford Executive Leadership Programme
The Oxford Executive Leadership Programme is a reputable online education program that provides a unique opportunity to enhance your leadership skills right from the comfort of your home or office. This leadership training program collaborates with Saïd Business School, the University of Oxford, and GetSmarter, a reputable online education provider.
This management training program is for current managers, functional specialists, and business or senior leaders. It aims to improve role performance, build leadership knowledge, and prepare individuals to transition into a leadership role. It also serves as an excellent resource to expand your leadership toolset.
The program is structured around developing a practical leadership framework that can be applied in real-world scenarios. It helps refine personal leadership purpose, providing a clear direction and a sense of purpose in your leadership journey. Moreover, it offers tools and strategies designed to help you lead high-performance teams, drive organizational change, and manage complexity. In essence, it prepares you to navigate the various challenges of leadership styles and roles today.
One of the key features of this program is its flexibility. The entire course is delivered online over eight weeks, with weekly modules. This allows you to manage your time effectively, requiring just 7-10 hours per week of your commitment.
Upon successfully completing the program, participants earn a certificate of attendance from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. This adds to your professional credentials and serves as a testament to your enhanced leadership capabilities.
5. Effective Communication Skills Course
This management course focuses on enhancing your ability to share your thoughts and ideas effectively, fostering trust, preventing conflicts, and increasing workplace productivity and engagement. It’s delivered in various modes, including classroom, online instructor-led, online self-paced, and onsite training, providing flexibility to suit your learning preferences and schedule.
The course is divided into 17 modules, each focusing on a different aspect of communication.
Upon completing this course, you’ll receive a completion certificate, which can enhance your professional credibility and potentially open doors for better managerial job opportunities with higher salary packages.
Effective communication is an important managerial skill, and by applying the seven rules in effective communication (clarity, conciseness, completeness, coherence, credibility, consideration, and courtesy), you can ensure that your messages are understood and that your team is working towards common objectives.
Participating in this program can significantly enhance a manager’s strategic leader’s communication skills and contribute to their overall effectiveness as a leader.
6. Managing Remote and Hybrid Teams
Managing Remote and Hybrid Teams is a course designed to help managers successfully lead remote and hybrid teams by teaching participants about addressing the unique challenges of managing a geographically dispersed workforce. The course focuses on creating a balance between in-house and remote workers, setting clear expectations, managing time, fostering communication and trust, and ensuring everyone feels included.
By learning how to manage remote and hybrid teams effectively, you can create a flexible work structure that adjusts to the needs of both remote and in-office team members, ensuring productivity and collaboration are maintained.
This course is invaluable for managers looking to excel in leading remote and hybrid teams with strong performance management in today’s increasingly globalized work environment.
7. Leadership in an Exponentially Changing World
“Leadership in an Exponentially Changing World” is one of the best management courses the prestigious MIT Sloan School of Management offers. This course has been designed to help leaders adapt, evolve, and thrive in our rapidly changing world.
Participants will be engaged in a rich learning environment over six weeks, with a commitment of 6-8 hours per week. The format is self-paced online, allowing you to learn at your own pace and from the comfort of your own home or office and become a successful strategic leader.
Deborah Ancona, a distinguished faculty member at MIT Sloan, facilitates the course. Her wealth of experience and knowledge provides invaluable insights and practical cases, making the learning journey truly enriching and engaging.
The curriculum is robust and dynamic, focusing on providing valuable insights, practical cases, and interesting case books.
Upon completing the course, you will receive a certificate of completion from the MIT Sloan School of Management. This certification validates your enhanced leadership capabilities and adds significant value to your professional credentials.
8. Leading Sustainability: High Impact Leadership
“Leading Sustainability: High Impact Leadership online short course” is a highly recognized management training program from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). This course is designed for forward-thinking professionals, current leaders, and aspiring business leaders who are passionate about driving significant change in their respective fields.
This 8-week online course requires an estimated total of 80 hours of learning. It provides a flexible learning environment, allowing participants to balance their professional commitments while gaining valuable leadership skills. The course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, adding credibility to your professional portfolio.
Upon completing the course, you will receive a certificate of completion from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, establishing your commitment to sustainability and high-impact leadership.
9. Emotional Intelligence for Managers
Emotional Intelligence for Managers is one of the management courses that teaches managers how to recognize and manage their emotions, as well as discern and influence the emotions and perspectives of others. This intelligence has been shown to increase employee engagement and reduce turnover rates, making it a valuable attribute for managers to possess.
Managers can foster emotional intelligence by using positive feedback, engaging in mindfulness exercises, welcoming feedback, and cultivating empathy through individual meetings and restful activities. By participating in this program, you can develop your emotional intelligence skills and become a more effective leader in your organization.
10. Coaching Skills for Leaders and Managers
“Coaching Skills for Leaders and Managers” is an online course on LinkedIn Learning, formerly Lynda.com. This course, led by the accomplished instructor Sara Canaday, is specifically designed to arm leaders with the essential coaching skills they need to foster a supportive and productive environment.
In just 34 minutes, this course offers a brief yet comprehensive exploration of crucial coaching concepts. Despite its relatively short duration, it packs in a wealth of information, making it an ideal choice for busy professionals looking to enhance their leadership development without disrupting their schedules significantly.
The course was first released on July 19, 2018, and since then, it has been instrumental in helping countless professionals develop and hone their coaching skills effectively.
Under Sara Canaday’s expert guidance, you will learn how effective coaching can transform your leadership style, boost team morale, improve performance, and contribute to your organization’s overall success.
11. RITx’s Leadership Essentials Professional Certificate
The RITx’s Leadership Essentials Professional Certificate is a highly esteemed managerial training program offered by the Rochester Institute of Technology (RITx). This program has been designed to equip new and seasoned managers with the essential skills required for effective leadership in today’s dynamic business landscape.
These skills – communication, problem-solving, and teamwork/collaboration – are among the top 10 skills desired by employers, making this program particularly relevant and valuable.
By completing this program, you’ll gain a deep understanding of leadership essentials and earn a certificate of completion from RITx. This certificate is a testament to your enhanced leadership capabilities and can significantly boost your professional credentials.
Summary
In conclusion, management training programs are essential in helping you stay up-to-date and maximize your leadership capabilities. By participating in these courses, you can improve your skills in various areas, such as communication, time management, emotional intelligence, and more. Moreover, these leadership training programs cater to managers at different stages of their careers, ensuring that they continue to grow professionally and become more effective leaders.
As discussed in this blog post, these 11 management training programs provide a comprehensive overview of the various courses available to help you unlock your leadership potential and succeed in your roles. By evaluating different top management training courses and choosing the one that best aligns with your professional objectives, you can invest in your growth and development, ultimately leading your team and organization to tremendous success.
Frequently Asked Questions
To become a successful manager, you need an undergraduate degree in business administration or a related field and a master’s degree in business administration. Additionally, having certifications related to the field you will manage is recommended to demonstrate your competency.
Manager training programs vary in length depending on the organization. Generally, a person can take an eight-week program and take 3-6 months to become a manager. However, advancement is based on individual success, and some may be able to reach this goal within a year or two.
A management training program typically combines group learning, individual development plans, and direct feedback. Through such a program, you can learn new skills to help them be better leaders, improve their communication styles, become better at conflict resolution, and be more efficient decision-makers.
This, in turn, can lead to improved team performance and increased success for the organization’s leaders.
Management training is a powerful tool that organizations use to ensure their employees develop the skills necessary for successful leadership. Industry-specific and organization-specific courses provide customized content that reflects the business’s specific needs and goals.
By investing in their employees’ management development, organizations can further the company’s growth by developing people and equipping them with the tools they need to be successful.
