Managing a team requires more than subject matter expertise, it demands strong communication, emotional intelligence, and the ability to guide people through change, conflict, and growth. The Managing a Team specialization—built with faculty across Arizona State University—prepares current and aspiring managers with the practical tools to lead diverse teams, deliver effective feedback, foster psychological safety, and make ethical, strategic decisions.
This specialization is designed for:
New and aspiring managers building foundational leadership skills
Team leads and supervisors seeking better communication and decision-making practices
Professionals transitioning into people management roles
HR, DEI, and L&D professionals training team managers
Anyone responsible for guiding teams toward shared goals
Applied Learning Project
What’s Included:
Ethical decision-making tools like the Blanchard-Peale and National Defense University (NDU) models
Frameworks for delivering feedback, including the Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) method
Conflict management strategies for in-person, phone, and email interactions
Empathy-building practices such as the HURIER model and mindfulness-based self-empathy techniques
Cognitive bias reduction techniques, including assigning devil’s advocates and promoting constructive disagreement
Key Benefits:
Gain essential skills to manage teams effectively
Deliver constructive feedback and promote team development
Resolve conflict and foster collaboration in high-stakes situations
Improve ethical and strategic decision-making under pressure
Build a culture of trust, accountability, and psychological safety
