Fundamentals for managers

As the institution continued to grow, managers were required to do more than simply manage tasks. They needed to align their teams to the larger institutional mission, create clarity around outcomes, delegate effectively, give useful feedback, develop people and manage ambiguity with confidence.

We designed a multi-session Fundamentals for Managers program to help managers shift from being individual contributors to people leaders. The program was rooted in the institution’s context, with examples and practice scenarios drawn from higher education functions such as admissions, student services, faculty coordination, academic operations, finance, compliance, orientation, timetable management and student experience.

The program helped participants understand that management is a skill that can be learnt and practised. It began with the idea that managers are mission carriers: they are not just managing tasks, but helping build an institution that delivers meaningful outcomes for students, faculty and staff. Participants then worked through practical frameworks for setting SMART goals, managing work, delegating outcomes, creating ownership and developing team members.

The topics covered included:

• Believing in the institutional mission

• Setting SMART team and individual goals

• Giving and receiving feedback

• Managing work and managing a team

• Delegating work effectively

• Building ownership of team outcomes

• Using the GROW model for development conversations

• Developing talent using the 9-box grid

• Having difficult conversations

• Dealing with ambiguity and the unknown

The sessions were designed to be practical and reflective. Participants used handouts, role-specific exercises, pair discussions, group activities and real workplace scenarios to apply each concept. They practised writing SMART goals, converting tasks into outcomes, using feedback structures such as SBI and COIN, delegating with clear ownership and boundary conditions, and using the GROW model to help team members become better problem-solvers.

A strong focus of the program was helping managers move from control to ownership. Participants explored the difference between micromanaging and managing outcomes, the importance of structured reviews, and the role of clarity, capability, systems and energy in driving team performance. They also worked on proactive reporting upwards, downwards and sideways so that managers could create better alignment with leadership, team members and peer functions.

If you are interested in strengthening the fundamentals of management across your organisation, reach out by booking a free discovery call with us.