Essential People Skills for School Leaders
This four-part series provides practical, school-relevant tools to help academic and operational leaders manage people with confidence. From hiring to feedback, documentation to development, this course focuses on the everyday leadership skills that build strong teams, reduce friction, and foster a positive workplace culture.
Course Content
Week One
Hiring and Onboarding with Purpose
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Clarifying roles and setting expectations
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Inclusive recruitment practices
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What makes onboarding successful (and where it often fails)
Week Two
Feedback and Performance Conversations
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How to give feedback that supports growth
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Coaching vs. evaluating
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Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
Week Three
Managing Difficult Conversations and Conflict
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A simple framework for tough conversations
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Listening to understand, not to fix
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When to escalate and how to document
Week Four
Building a Positive Team Culture
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Your role in shaping culture
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Recognition, motivation, and accountability
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Small leadership habits that make a big difference
Learning Goals
Strengthen Core People Management Skills
Gain practical tools to confidently manage staff across academic and operational teams, with a focus on everyday leadership actions that foster clarity, accountability, and collaboration.
Hire and Onboard with Intention
Learn how to define roles clearly, implement inclusive hiring practices, and design onboarding processes that set new team members up for success from day one.
Deliver Effective Feedback and Performance Support
Develop the ability to give growth-oriented feedback, distinguish between coaching and evaluation, and navigate common communication pitfalls in performance conversations.
Navigate Difficult Conversations with Confidence
Use a clear, structured approach to address conflict, listen empathetically, and document appropriately when issues arise — knowing when and how to escalate when needed.
Cultivate a Healthy and Motivating Team Culture
Understand your influence on team culture and discover everyday leadership habits that boost morale, build trust, and reinforce shared values through recognition and accountability.
Who should join this course
Aspiring and new managers, department heads, team leads, and coordinators
Course Logistics
Course Start: 20 Jan 2026
Course Duration: 3 weeks
Course Meeting Dates: 20 Jan 2026 / 27 Jan 2026 / 3 Feb 2026
Course Start time: 13:00 CET
Course Weekly Meeting: 90 minutes
Course Cost: USD 400
This course is an online course, where participants will have access to instructional materials through our learning management system and attend an online zoom meeting for further collaborative and peer to peer learning.
Maximum participants for this online course is 20 only. Register now!
Registration is not complete until payment has been received by Sage Consultancy.
All Course materials, Online discussions and participant communication is managed through our learning management system.
Registration Deadline: 15 January 2026