First Time Manager
From Expert to Leader
Have you just taken on your first managerial position or your first project manager’s role? Are you about to? Are you wondering how to be a motivating and inspiring team leader? Are you ready to be challenged by your new responsibilities and to gain new insights into being a successful leader?
The First Time Manager training course is designed for experts who are just beginning their journey as a team leader or supervisor, are about to take on a managerial position, or are leading a project for the first time.
The course will help participants develop their leadership role, in which their task is to help the team or others succeed. Over the six-month course, participants will learn to understand their work environment, crystallize their ideas about leadership and influencing, and consolidate and improve their working methods and practices as managers.
The First Time Manager – From Expert to Leader training course is made up of five three-hour workshops, interim tasks based on personal reflection, and peer-to-peer work in small groups between the workshops. The training focuses heavily on applying the course’s themes to your practical leadership work and on putting your development plans into action.
The program starting in September is held in Finnish, and the program starting in January will be held in English.
For
The training is intended for people who are about to take on their first managerial role, or who have done so during the past year, and are responsible for productively supervising individuals and/or teams. The program is suitable for experts from different business areas, with diverse backgrounds. The important thing is that participants are able to reflect on and apply the themes of the course in their supervisory work. For this reason, the training is most beneficial when the participant’s new managerial role has begun within a couple of months from the start of the program.
The First Time Manager – From Expert to Leader training is suitable for new supervisors, team leaders, and project managers. Participants must have good interaction skills, a coaching-oriented approach, and be able to help others be successful. They should also understand the operating environment and culture of managerial and leadership work and improve their inter-relational and influencing skills. The aim is to create a path of continual development in the themes of the program. If you have been in a managerial position for some time already, but want to update your leadership practices or want to find new motivation for your leadership work, you are more than welcome to join the new supervisors on this program.
Instructor’s View
“The first managerial position and its experiences leave a strong mark on one’s leadership style. It is important to look at these experiences and consciously develop your leadership style. First Time Manager training makes it possible to build a strong foundation for one’s leadership and its continuous development.”
Dr. Jari Ylitalo, Aalto University, Instructor of the Program
Contents and Schedule
The course will help you deepen your personal leadership and influencing mindset and construct your leader identity.
Learning outcomes:
- You will better understand your own leadership and operational context.
- Your personal leadership practices and sense of authority will be stronger, more concrete and defined.
- You will have an established routine and practices for continuously developing your leadership skills and authority.
Program Structure
Workshops
Five three-hour online workshops include lectures as well as discussions
Assignments
Through four personal assignments, you will reflect the themes of the training for your own work
Peer-to-peer work
Five peer group meetings in small groups serve as support between workshops
Core Modules
Participant feedback from the First Time Manager training organized for Aalto University alumni. The feedback is translated from Finnish.
“I highly recommend the FTM training as an introduction to managerial work. Over the training, I have learned a lot about myself and my working methods. Not only have I learned to question my habits, but I have also been able to adapt completely new methods. The duration of the program is over six months, which helps in adopting new practices. Changes don’t happen overnight, but the support provided by the training helps you develop as a manager. The training doesn’t offer direct answers about how to be a great boss, but it gives you the tools to develop yourself towards that goal. If you participate in the training with an open mind and curiosity, you will surely find the program invaluable.”
“First Time Manager turned out to be a well-built training program with high-quality content. Managerial work is quite different from expert work. It is very useful for a new manager to have a comprehensive overall view of the different aspects and areas of management. Especially valuable in the training is the peer support from others in the same situation and the opportunity to discuss even difficult issues confidently. To get the most out of the training, it is advisable to reserve sufficient time for assignments, small group meetings, and independent reflection between training days.”
“The training provides a good basis for the beginnings of managerial work. The training provides peer support and contacts. It gives you tips on how to develop yourself as a leader. The best advantage of the training is gained by following the schedule of the assignments while making concrete small changes in your working environment. FTM training also highlights the importance of well-being and recovery and the emphasis on other areas of life in order to be able to keep up with work.”