We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.
Course image
Vasanthi Srinivasan

Do you aspire to be an ideal people manager? The journey from being an individual contributor to a people manager requires significant personal development and growth. If you are a first time manager, you may have asked yourself:

  • Where did I go wrong in managing this particular employee?
  • How should I give feedback to my subordinates?
  • How do I handle potential assessments?
  • How should I motivate people who report to me?
Read more

Do you aspire to be an ideal people manager? The journey from being an individual contributor to a people manager requires significant personal development and growth. If you are a first time manager, you may have asked yourself:

  • Where did I go wrong in managing this particular employee?
  • How should I give feedback to my subordinates?
  • How do I handle potential assessments?
  • How should I motivate people who report to me?

The objective of this business and management course is to smoothen the transition for newly appointed people managers, motivate and guide people who are aspiring to become one and to think back and reflect for seasoned managers.

The course will provide learners with an enhanced understanding of the role of people management in organizational context.

What you'll learn

  • Gain an overview of what it means to be an effective people manager
  • Have a deeper understanding of the different aspects of people management
  • Be able to appreciate the challenges faced by a first time manager
  • Reflect on your managerial experiences

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Gain an overview of what it means to be an effective people manager
  • Have a deeper understanding of the different aspects of people management
  • Be able to appreciate the challenges faced by a first time manager
  • Reflect on your managerial experiences

Syllabus

Week 1: Introduction to People Management
Difference between People Management and Human Resource Management; impact of individual and organizational factors on people management.
Read more

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Helps new people managers who are transitioning to be more effective at people management
Designed for aspiring people managers, helping them to prepare for the role
Created for first-time people management to help them be more successful
Teaches the key aspects of people management, including getting work done through others, performance management, networking, and self-management

Save this course

Create your own learning path. Save this course to your list so you can find it easily later.
Save

Reviews summary

Practical foundation for people management

According to learners, the "People Management" course offers a strong foundation and provides practical knowledge relevant to real-world scenarios. Students praise the structured syllabus and the clarity of the concepts presented, finding them particularly beneficial for new and aspiring managers. While many appreciated the course as an excellent starting point, a few reviewers with prior experience noted that the material was somewhat basic and could benefit from more depth or advanced case studies.
Topics are logically organized and clear.
"Concepts are very clear and easy to grasp."
"The structure of the course is very well defined and helps to understand the topics better."
"Modules are logically sequenced and build upon each other."
"Content is presented in a simple and understandable manner."
Concepts are applicable to real-world work.
"It was very helpful to understand how to manage people in the real world."
"The concepts taught are practical and can be applied immediately in a managerial role."
"Highly relevant for anyone dealing with teams and people."
"Provides useful insights for day-to-day people management challenges."
Provides essential knowledge for new managers.
"This course provides a very good foundation for anyone who aspires to be a manager."
"It gave me a very good foundation on various aspects of people management."
"Excellent course for beginners to understand the concepts of people management."
"Good as a basic introduction to people management."
Experienced managers may find it basic.
"If you are already a manager for some time, it may feel a bit basic."
"More suited for freshers or those with very limited experience."
"Lacks the depth needed for seasoned professionals seeking advanced strategies."
"Could use more complex scenarios or case studies."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in People Management with these activities:
Review the course syllabus
Familiarize yourself with the course structure, key concepts, and expected outcomes to set clear expectations and goals for your learning journey.
Show steps
  • Thoroughly read through the course syllabus.
  • Note down important dates, deadlines, and assessment criteria.
  • Identify any areas where you may need additional support or preparation.
Join study groups
Working with peers can provide feedback and support while solidifying your understanding of different aspects of people management.
Show steps
  • Find or create a study group with other students in your program who are taking the same or similar courses.
  • Meet regularly to discuss course material, work on assignments, and prepare for exams.
  • Participate actively in study group discussions and share your insights.
  • Use the study group as a sounding board for your ideas and questions.
Practice giving guided feedback
Help solidify your understanding of giving effective feedback by practicing on hypothetical or past work with peers or in a private setting.
Show steps
  • Scenario: You have a team member that often misses deadlines. Use the STAR method to create constructive feedback to address this issue.
  • Scenario: You have a team member that wrote a report with grammatical errors. Use the praise sandwich method to create constructive feedback to address this issue.
  • Scenario: You have a team member that is very quiet in team meetings. Use active listening and reflective communication skills to create constructive feedback to address this issue.
Three other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all six activities
Attend a conflict resolution workshop
Learn practical techniques for managing and resolving conflicts within your team through a structured workshop.
Browse courses on Conflict Resolution
Show steps
  • Research and identify reputable workshops in your area that specifically focus on conflict resolution.
  • Attend a workshop that aligns with your learning needs and schedule.
  • Actively participate in the workshop exercises and discussions.
  • Apply the techniques learned in the workshop to real-life situations.
Create a leadership development plan
Develop a personalized plan to enhance your leadership skills through activities such as taking courses, reading books, attending workshops, and seeking mentorship and feedback.
Show steps
  • Identify your leadership strengths and weaknesses.
  • Research and identify different leadership development opportunities.
  • Create a plan that includes specific goals, activities, and timelines.
  • Monitor your progress and make adjustments as needed.
Create a peer feedback session
Foster a culture of feedback and growth within your team by organizing and participating in peer feedback sessions.
Show steps
  • Choose a specific area for feedback, such as communication skills or project management abilities.
  • Create a structured process for providing and receiving feedback.
  • Facilitate the feedback session, ensuring that all participants have a chance to share their perspectives and insights.
  • Encourage participants to be open and honest in their feedback, while also being respectful of others' opinions.

Career center

Learners who complete People Management will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
First-Line Manager
As a First-Line Manager, you would supervise and manage the work of a group of employees in a particular division or department. The course, People Management, introduces the challenges a first-time manager may face, and will help lead you to success in this position by providing an overview of what it takes to be an effective manager.
Human Resources Manager
Human Resources Managers are responsible for leading the activities of a company's HR department. In this role, you would use the concepts learned about people management to help maximize efficiency and effectiveness within a company. People Management will help you understand the different aspects of being an effective people manager, enabling you to improve employee retention and job satisfaction at your organization.
Recruitment Manager
Recruitment Managers help to build an organization's workforce by recruiting, interviewing, and hiring new employees. Knowledge of people management is crucial to this role, as being able to attract the best talent and build a strong team is essential. People Management would be valuable in this role, as it will help you understand how to assess and evaluate candidates.
HR Business Partner
HR Business Partners are responsible for working to ensure that an organization's HR strategies align with its business objectives. People Management can help you understand the role of people management in an organizational context, which is essential for success in this role.
HR Consultant
HR Consultants advise organizations on how to manage their human resources more effectively while also being responsible for developing policies and procedures. People Management will help provide you with the understanding needed to assist companies in evaluating the effectiveness of their people management practices and developing plans to improve those practices.
Department Manager
Department Managers are responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the activities of a particular department within an organization. People Management will help you gain the skills to get work done through others, assess and evaluate your team, and build peer networks.
Talent Acquisition Specialist
Talent Acquisition Specialists search for and identify potential job candidates to fill open positions within an organization. The People Management course can provide foundational knowledge to help you understand how to attract and hire the best talent to support a company's strategic goals.
Organizational Development Manager
Organizational Development Managers help organizations improve their performance by developing and implementing programs that focus on employee engagement, leadership development, and change management. People Management can help you develop the skills needed to understand the challenges faced by a first time manager and to reflect on your managerial experiences.
Compensation and Benefits Manager
Compensation and Benefits Managers design and administer employee compensation and benefits programs. People Management can help you develop a deeper understanding of the different aspects of people management, which is essential for success in this role.
Training and Development Manager
Training and Development Managers plan, develop, and implement training programs to help employees improve their skills and knowledge. People Management can help you understand how to build peer networks and communicate effectively, which are key skills for success in this role.
Director of Human Resources
Directors of Human Resources are responsible for leading and managing all aspects of an organization's HR function. People Management may be useful, as this course will help you gain an overview of what it means to be an effective people manager, enabling you to lead your team successfully.
Project Manager
Project Managers are responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. People Management may be useful, as this course will help you understand how to build peer networks and communicate effectively, which are key skills for success in this role.
Operations Manager
Operations Managers are responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the operations of an organization. People Management may be useful, as this course will help you understand how to build peer networks and communicate effectively, which are key skills for success in this role.
Senior Human Resources Manager
Senior Human Resources Managers are responsible for developing and implementing HR strategies and initiatives. People Management may be useful, as this course will provide you with an overview of what it means to be an effective people manager, enabling you to lead your team successfully.
Employee Relations Manager
Employee Relations Managers are responsible for handling employee relations issues and promoting positive employee relations. People Management may be useful, as this course will provide you with strategies for giving feedback, motivating people who report to you, and handling performance assessments.

Reading list

We've selected 12 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in People Management.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the key aspects of people management, including motivation, communication, and performance management.
A classic work on personal and professional effectiveness, this book offers timeless principles that can benefit people managers.
Provides a framework for having difficult conversations in a constructive and productive manner.
Explores the role of emotional intelligence in leadership and how it can be developed to enhance team performance and organizational success.
Highlights the importance of trust in organizations and offers practical advice on how to build and maintain trust-based relationships.
Save
Provides an overview of the latest research on motivation and offers insights into what truly drives people to perform at their best.
Examines the characteristics of leaders who have a positive impact on their teams and explores how they can create a culture of intelligence and innovation.

Share

Help others find this course page by sharing it with your friends and followers:

Similar courses

Similar courses are unavailable at this time. Please try again later.
Our mission

OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.

Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.

Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.

Affiliate disclosure

We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.

Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.

Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.

© 2016 - 2025 OpenCourser