Resources

Courses

• Coaching Skills for Managers Specialization — University of California, Davis ↗

  A UC Davis Coursera specialization that walks managers through coaching conversations, feedback, and building accountability. Structured, practice-based, and ICF-aligned for those new to formal coaching.

• Communicating with Stakeholders (LinkedIn Learning) — Jeff Ansell ↗

  A short course covering how to tailor messages to different stakeholder audiences, run effective updates, and handle tough questions. Good for managers who want structured frameworks they can apply immediately.

• Coursera: Goal Setting & Motivation — University of Virginia Darden School ↗

  UVA Darden's course on goal setting and execution, covering how to translate strategy into measurable team outcomes. A structured way for managers to build foundational goal-setting capability.

• Creating an Effective Onboarding Experience (LinkedIn Learning) — Todd Dewett ↗

  A focused course covering the design and delivery of onboarding programs that drive engagement and retention. Provides templates and checklists managers can apply directly to their own new hire processes.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration (LinkedIn Learning) — Daisy Lovelace ↗

  A practical course covering how to build trust, communicate effectively, and resolve conflicts across teams with differing priorities. Useful for managers who need actionable tactics they can apply immediately.

• Data Science for Managers (Coursera Specialization) — Johns Hopkins University ↗

  Johns Hopkins University course designed specifically for leaders who need to manage data-driven teams and initiatives. Covers framing problems, interpreting results, and building analytics-friendly cultures.

• Design Thinking — Jeanne Liedtka ↗

  University of Virginia's course on applying design thinking to drive innovation. Teaches managers a repeatable process for framing problems, generating options, and prototyping solutions.

• Dynamic Public Speaking Specialization — Dr. Matt McGarrity ↗

  A University of Washington Coursera specialization covering speech design, delivery, and audience adaptation. Great for managers who want a structured curriculum to strengthen verbal communication and presentation skills.

• Financial Accounting (Harvard Business School Online) — Harvard Business School Online ↗

  Non-finance managers often struggle to lead across functions without fluency in financial statements. This course builds the financial literacy needed to collaborate credibly with finance, operations, and strategy peers.

• Giving Helpful Feedback (Coursera) — Tracy Jennings ↗

  A short University of Colorado course focused on the principles and language of constructive feedback. Includes practical exercises and examples that help managers build a repeatable habit of timely, specific feedback.

• Inclusive Leadership — Catalyst ↗

  Catalyst's Coursera course teaches the six signature traits of inclusive leaders and how to apply them in daily management. Includes practical exercises on empowerment, accountability, and psychological safety.

• Inspiring Leadership through Emotional Intelligence — Richard Boyatzis ↗

  A free Coursera course by Case Western's Richard Boyatzis covering Intentional Change Theory and how to develop emotional and social intelligence. Includes exercises for surfacing your ideal self versus how others actually experience you.

• Leading People Through Change (Coursera, Prosci/UVA) ↗

  A structured online course covering change models, stakeholder engagement, and communication planning. Useful for managers who want a guided, certification-friendly path to building change leadership skills.

• Resilience Skills in a Time of Uncertainty — Karen Reivich (University of Pennsylvania) ↗

  A free Coursera course from UPenn's Karen Reivich based on decades of positive psychology research. Teaches cognitive techniques like ABC, real-time resilience, and mindfulness for managing stress effectively.

• Six Sigma Yellow Belt Specialization (Coursera) — University System of Georgia ↗

  University of Georgia System course teaching DMAIC methodology and statistical process improvement tools. Practical training for managers who want structured approaches to process optimization.

• Storytelling for Influence — IDEO U ↗

  IDEO U's course teaches managers how to craft and deliver stories that drive change inside organizations. Combines design-thinking practice with practical narrative structures.

• Strategic Planning and Execution Specialization — University of Virginia (Darden) ↗

  A University of Virginia Darden course series covering how to translate strategy into resource decisions and execution. Strong for managers who want a structured, academic grounding in allocation choices.

• Strategy Execution (HBS Online) — Robert Simons ↗

  Harvard Business School's online course teaches managers how to translate strategy into action through control systems, performance measures, and alignment. Strong on the underrated skill of making vision operational.