A new section of each course starts monthly. If enrolling in a series of two or
more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two
months apart.
All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons
are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have
to be present when lessons are released. You will have access to all lessons until
the course ends. However, the interactive discussion area that accompanies each
lesson will automatically close two weeks after the lesson is released. As such,
we strongly recommend that you complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
The final exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the final
exam has been released, you will have two weeks to complete all of your course work,
including the final exam.
Week One
Wednesday - Lesson 01
How has management theory evolved over the last 100 years? In this lesson, we'll take a fascinating glimpse back into the days of assembly lines and scientific management. Why did we need managers in the first place? We'll look at the ways organizations are structured and describe managerial jobs in terms of the technical and managerial tasks that are performed.
Friday - Lesson 02
Let’s see if we can identify the characteristics of a typical supervisor's day, as well as ways that we can handle the challenges that day. We’ll talk about ways to make the supervisor’s path smoother, such as empowerment and communication. We'll also go over some helpful hints on managing your image as a supervisor in your organization. How does one begin to think, act, and look like a manager?
Week Two
Wednesday - Lesson 03
Is leadership distinct from management? Do you have what it takes to be a leader, or are you cut out to be just a manager? In this lesson, we'll look at the evolution of leadership research and begin to discuss the fascinating field of motivation. Believe it or not, a good leader can build motivation right into the design of a job.
Friday - Lesson 04
In this lesson, we'll look at the ways a supervisor can handle the challenges of delegation, performance management, and time management. Once we understand the challenges of the typical day, we can certainly understand the importance of time management to a supervisor! In this lesson, we'll identify time-wasters and time-savers.
Week Three
Wednesday - Lesson 05
Time to really dig into the topic dear to many managers’ hearts-motivation! In this lesson, we'll clarify what managers need to understand about human motivation, and help you to understand the links between motivation and productivity.
Friday - Lesson 06
Motivational theories are great as long as they truly help you to manage people at work every day. We'll look closely at four theories that pass that test in this lesson: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Herzberg's two-factor theory of motivation, the three levels of human need in Alderfer's theory, and the three needs outlined by McClelland.
Week Four
Wednesday - Lesson 07
Do you believe that people naturally want to do a good job? Or are people lazy by nature and need to be watched? In this lesson, find out if you're a Theory X or a Theory Y-type of manager. There self-fulfilling prophecies to each of those beliefs, and we'll go over both in this lesson. We'll also discuss goal-setting theory, management by objectives, and the various types of conflict you may meet when motivating people.
Friday - Lesson 08
In this lesson, we'll define two more very practical and influential motivational theories; Equity theory and expectancy theory. Then we'll wrap up our theoretical discussion by making sure we understand the importance of creating a motivational environment.
Week Five
Wednesday - Lesson 09
Now comes the hard part-when real life doesn't work out they way the theories told us it should. What happens when conflict arises? We’re going to talk about conflict and conflict resolution in this lesson. We’ll include specific techniques of negotiation, a particular type of conflict management.
Friday - Lesson 10
We'll broaden our thinking a bit in this lesson: We’ve been looking a lot at individuals, but what about conflict and problem-solving in work groups? In this lesson, we'll identify means of solving conflict between groups. We'll also learn a problem-solving model that is useful in work and in life!
Week Six
Wednesday - Lesson 11
In this lesson, we'll continue to explore the problem-solving model introduced in Lesson 10 by talking about the importance of establishing objectives, generating alternatives, and choosing a solution.
Friday - Lesson 12
Lesson 12 concludes the problem-solving model by explaining the importance of having a plan of action, and giving you the tools you need to carry the plan through to completion. We'll conclude by taking a final look at the conflict that can arise while solving problems and completing action plans, and the appropriate use of power to solve some conflict.