HR Leadership and Management Development Training Course

Duration 5 days 10 modules · 33 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends HR Managers, HR Business Partners and others
Fee from USD 1,100 KSh 95,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 7 Nov 2026 Course code SD-LD-161

Before you join: Participants should have practical HR experience, normally at least two years in an HR generalist, business partner, employee relations, talent or people operations role.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

HR managers are expected to lead through organisational change, advise senior leaders, develop managers, handle difficult workforce decisions and maintain confidence during uncertainty. Technical HR knowledge alone is not enough when priorities conflict, teams resist change or leaders need clear people advice linked to business results. HR professionals need the judgement, communication discipline and influence skills to lead credibly without relying solely on formal authority.

This course develops the leadership capabilities required of HR managers and business partners. Participants examine their leadership style, apply situational leadership, set direction through objectives and priorities, build trust, coach managers, manage performance conversations and influence stakeholders. The course also addresses change leadership, employee relations judgement, inclusive decision-making, team effectiveness and the practical use of workforce evidence in leadership decisions.

Teaching combines short instructor briefings with realistic HR cases, facilitated group work, role-played leadership conversations, stakeholder simulations and peer feedback. Cases reflect issues such as restructuring, poor management conduct, talent shortages, hybrid working disputes and capability concerns. Participants leave with a personal HR leadership development plan, stakeholder influence map, coaching conversation guide, team operating charter and change communication plan.

The course suits experienced HR practitioners moving into broader leadership responsibilities, as well as HR managers who need to strengthen their impact with senior leaders, line managers and cross-functional teams.

What you will be able to do

  • Apply Situational Leadership II to select leadership responses for different employee needs
  • Create a personal leadership profile using feedback, values and behavioural evidence
  • Set HR team priorities using SMART objectives, RACI roles and success measures
  • Conduct structured coaching conversations using the GROW model and active listening
  • Influence senior stakeholders through stakeholder mapping, evidence and tailored messages
  • Lead change communications using ADKAR principles and resistance-management actions
  • Handle performance and conduct conversations using factual, fair and documented approaches
  • Produce a 90-day HR leadership development plan with measurable commitments

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Greater confidence leading HR teams and advising senior decision-makers
  • A clear leadership approach for different employee capability and commitment levels
  • Practical language for coaching, feedback and difficult management conversations
  • Stronger credibility when presenting people risks, options and recommendations
  • A focused 90-day plan for progressing into broader HR leadership roles

For your organisation

  • More consistent HR leadership across manager support, employee relations and change activity
  • Better quality people decisions through structured evidence, options and accountability
  • Improved manager capability through stronger HR coaching and challenge
  • Clearer change communications that reduce uncertainty and resistance
  • Higher-performing HR teams with defined priorities, roles and service expectations

Course modules

10 modules over 5 days

Participants can define their leadership remit and align HR priorities with organisational direction.

  • HR leadership accountabilities beyond policy administration and transactional service delivery
  • Ulrich HR roles interpreted for contemporary business partnering responsibilities
  • Distinguishing leadership, management and professional advisory authority in HR
  • Organisational strategy translated into workforce priorities, risks and interventions
  • Leadership credibility built through expertise, reliability, courage and relationships
  • Decision rights clarified using RACI for people-management processes

Participants can assess their leadership patterns and choose behaviours suited to their role.

  • Leadership values identified through critical incidents and recurring workplace choices
  • Johari Window used to compare self-perception with colleague feedback
  • Emotional intelligence domains applied to pressure, conflict and difficult conversations
  • Recognising default responses to challenge, ambiguity and authority dynamics
  • Personal leadership brand expressed through consistent behaviours and communication
  • Feedback requests structured around observable behaviours and business impact

Participants can set direction, roles and performance expectations for an HR team.

  • SMART objectives linked to service outcomes, workforce priorities and deadlines
  • Team priorities ranked using impact, urgency, risk and available capacity
  • RACI matrices clarify ownership across HR operations and specialist teams
  • Team charters establish purpose, norms, decision rules and meeting rhythms
  • Performance standards defined through quality criteria, measures and escalation points
  • Psychological safety balanced with accountability for commitments and conduct

Participants can adapt direction and support to employee capability and commitment.

  • Situational Leadership II matches directive and supportive behaviours to development levels
  • Diagnosing competence and commitment before selecting a leadership response
  • Delegation agreements specify outcomes, authority boundaries, milestones and escalation routes
  • Stretch assignments build capability without transferring unmanaged operational risk
  • Progress reviews distinguish coaching needs from performance management requirements
  • Avoiding over-control, abdication and inconsistent standards during delegation

Participants can coach managers through people issues without taking over their responsibilities.

  • GROW coaching conversations establish goals, reality, options and committed actions
  • Active listening techniques include paraphrasing, summarising and purposeful silence
  • Open questions separate assumptions, facts, feelings and desired outcomes
  • Manager coaching boundaries distinguish advice, coaching, mediation and investigation
  • Feedforward focuses discussion on future behaviour and practical next steps
  • Capability plans combine practice opportunities, support, review points and evidence

Participants can prepare and deliver evidence-based HR recommendations to influential stakeholders.

  • Stakeholder mapping assesses power, interest, position and engagement approach
  • People data converted into concise risks, options, costs and recommendations
  • Influence messages tailored to executive priorities, concerns and decision criteria
  • Cialdini influence principles used ethically in HR leadership communication
  • Pre-wiring conversations identify objections before formal decision meetings
  • Constructive challenge frames disagreement around evidence, consequences and alternatives

Participants can lead sensitive conversations with clarity, fairness and appropriate documentation.

  • SBI feedback structures observations, behavioural impact and requested change
  • Performance conversations separate capability, conduct, attendance and motivation issues
  • Fact-finding questions test evidence before reaching people-management conclusions
  • Difficult messages delivered directly, respectfully and without false reassurance
  • De-escalation techniques manage emotion, defensiveness and conflict during meetings
  • Meeting records capture facts, commitments, support offered and review dates

Participants can plan HR-led change actions that address adoption, communication and resistance.

  • ADKAR identifies awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement requirements
  • Change impact assessments identify affected groups, process shifts and people risks
  • Sponsor maps define visible leadership actions and communication responsibilities
  • Resistance analysis distinguishes legitimate concerns, misinformation and loss responses
  • Communication plans match messages, channels, timing and audience needs
  • Transition support combines manager guidance, training, listening channels and follow-up

Participants can recognise bias and apply fair decision principles in HR leadership decisions.

  • Inclusive leadership behaviours increase voice, belonging, fairness and participation
  • Common decision biases tested through structured challenge and alternative explanations
  • Structured selection criteria reduce subjective judgement in talent decisions
  • Equity considerations examined across access, opportunity, reward and progression
  • Ethical decision tests assess legality, fairness, transparency and stakeholder impact
  • Speaking-up channels handled with confidentiality, impartiality and appropriate escalation

Participants can convert course learning into a measurable 90-day leadership development plan.

  • Leadership goals prioritised using current role demands and stakeholder feedback
  • A 90-day action plan sequences behaviours, milestones, support and measures
  • Personal stakeholder commitments identify conversations requiring early follow-through
  • Success measures combine employee experience, manager capability and delivery outcomes
  • Accountability partnerships establish review dates, evidence and constructive challenge
  • Reflection routines capture lessons from decisions, conversations and team results

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Personal HR leadership profile
  2. HR team charter template
  3. Stakeholder influence map
  4. GROW coaching conversation guide
  5. ADKAR change communication plan
  6. 90-day leadership development plan

Who should attend

  • HR Managers — leading teams, advising leaders and managing complex people decisions
  • HR Business Partners — strengthening influence with business leaders and line managers
  • Senior HR Officers — preparing for first-line HR management responsibilities
  • People Operations Managers — improving team direction, service standards and accountability
  • Learning and Development Managers — leading capability priorities through managers and sponsors
  • Employee Relations Managers — handling sensitive cases with leadership presence and sound judgement

Skills and tools covered

HR leadership judgementStakeholder influenceCoaching conversationsChange leadershipTeam performance managementWorkforce decision-making

Tools and standards

Situational Leadership II, GROW model, ADKAR model, RACI matrix

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings to introduce leadership models, followed by HR-focused cases, small-group analysis and facilitated discussion. Participants practise coaching, performance, employee relations and stakeholder conversations through structured simulations. Team exercises apply RACI, stakeholder mapping and change planning to realistic HR scenarios. Peer and instructor feedback focuses on observable leadership behaviours, message clarity and decision quality. Individual reflection and application planning connect each method to current workplace responsibilities.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have practical HR experience, normally at least two years in an HR generalist, business partner, employee relations, talent or people operations role. They should understand core HR processes such as recruitment, performance management, employee relations and manager support. Some experience of supervising staff, leading a project or advising managers is useful, but formal line-management experience is not essential. No prior leadership qualification, psychometric certification, legal qualification or specialist organisational development background is required.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should have practical experience in an HR or people-related role and understand routine HR processes. You do not need a formal leadership qualification or extensive line-management experience.

Bring examples of current leadership challenges, such as a team priority issue, a manager capability concern or an upcoming change initiative. You will use these examples when building your action plan, without needing to share confidential details.

It is designed for HR managers, HR business partners, senior HR officers and specialist HR professionals moving into wider leadership responsibilities. It also suits people managers who lead HR operations, talent or employee relations teams.

The course uses HR-specific leadership decisions, including manager coaching, workforce change, employee relations, people risk and senior stakeholder advice. General leadership methods are applied directly to the authority, confidentiality and fairness demands of HR work.

You will leave with reusable planning tools and a 90-day development plan tied to a current work priority. The methods can be used immediately in team meetings, manager coaching, stakeholder discussions and change communications.

Each training day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours. The five days combine ten modules, with time allocated to instruction, case analysis, simulations, feedback and individual application planning.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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