Leadership Starter
Leadership Starter is a foundational program for newly promoted managers, team leads, supervisors, and emerging leaders stepping into people leadership for the first time. The program covers the transition from individual contributor to manager, communication, feedback, difficult conversations, coaching, performance management, hiring fundamentals, cross-functional collaboration, delegation, and team standards.
This program is designed for SMBs that want new managers to lead with greater confidence, clarity, and consistency while building practical leadership habits and stronger, more accountable teams.
What to expect
Leadership Starter is a 6-week instructor-led program designed for newly promoted managers, team leads, supervisors, and emerging leaders who are stepping into people leadership for the first time.
The program helps participants make the shift from individual contributor to people leader. It focuses on the management skills most new leaders are expected to learn on the job, including communication, feedback, difficult conversations, performance management, delegation, cross-functional collaboration, and hiring fundamentals.
By the end of this program, participants will be able to:
- Shift from an individual contributor mindset to a people leadership mindset
- Communicate more clearly across one-on-ones, team meetings, and difficult conversations
- Use coaching and feedback frameworks to support team performance
- Set expectations and address underperformance with more confidence
- Navigate cross-functional relationships and represent their team effectively
- Apply a structured approach to hiring, interviewing, and onboarding new team members
Curriculum Details
Module 1:
The Mindset Shift: From Individual Contributor to People Leader
Participants learn how their role changes when they move from doing the work to leading the team. The module introduces practical leadership expectations, delegation habits, one-on-one meeting structure, and accountability standards that help new managers build trust with direct reports.
Module 2:
Communication, Feedback & Difficult Conversations
Participants learn how to communicate clearly in common management situations, including feedback, one-on-ones, upward communication, and difficult conversations. The module introduces frameworks such as SBI and COIN so managers can address issues with clarity instead of avoidance.
Module 3:
Coaching, Performance Management & Hiring Fundamentals
Participants learn how to coach team members toward stronger ownership and diagnose performance gaps before they become larger issues. The module also introduces hiring fundamentals, including role profiles, behavioural interview questions, and structured candidate evaluation.
Module 4:
Interdepartmental Collaboration & Building Team Standards
Participants learn how to work more effectively across departments, manage competing priorities, and build credibility with peers. The module also helps participants document communication norms, expectations, and team standards that support consistency after training.
Timeline
Registrations open year round.
Registration details
Program Format
The program is delivered in-person and virtually
Price
$5,000 + HST per trainee
Duration
6 Weeks
Best designed for
- Newly promoted managers stepping into a people leadership role for the first time
- Team leads and supervisors who manage others without formal leadership training
- Individual contributors preparing for an upcoming move into management
- SMB owners who have recently hired their first reports and need structured management frameworks
Registration is open
Registration is now open.
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Contact us
For more information, please contact us at
yspace@yorku.ca
416-736-2100 ext. 44940
