Blanchard Management Essentials®

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Give new managers crucial skills for success

When managers struggle, the cost is significant: high turnover, low morale, poor productivity, and more. Frequently, these performance challenges are because they don’t have the essential management skills they need to succeed. That’s why we created Blanchard Management Essentials®: a transformational leadership training program for new managers and those who need to sharpen the essential skills required to build positive relationships with team members, inspire engagement, and drive productivity.

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Four Core Conversations

Management training for your emerging leaders

Blanchard Management Essentials training program builds on the key concepts of the best-selling business book, The New One Minute Manager®, and the One Minute Manager® course. Ideal for new manager training or as a refresher for veterans, it gives your people the necessary tools and training to become leaders who achieve the exceptional. The program covers the essence of management skills training: the right mindset, core conversations, and communication skills needed to build positive relationships and make everyone more productive. 

The course introduces the Four Core Conversations model, a highly effective framework for understanding the communication essentials needed to manage people and performance. 

Delivery Options to Meet Your Needs 

We can deliver Blanchard Management Essentials in-person, as virtual sessions, as part of a learning journey, or delivered in a self-directed online or moderated online version, so your managers can learn the methodology wherever they are and whenever they have time.

1 Day Instructor-led Course

Blanchard Management Essentials is delivered in a one-day, in-person session (six hours including 45 minutes for lunch and four five-minute or ten-minute breaks). After the session, participants have access to the Blanchard Management Essentials Challenge through the sustainment section of the Blanchard Exchange course, which guides learners through a set of tasks to practice new skills back on the job.

Prework: LAUNCH — Allows participants to view a live-action video (LAV) teaser and select four real-work situations to work on in class

Welcome: LEARN & PRACTICE — Welcomes participants and defines some outcomes and behavioral norms for the session

THE TRANSITION — Help participants understand the challenges of the transition from being an individual contributor to being a manager

INTRODUCTION TO THE FOUR CORE CONVERSATIONS — Presents an overview of the Four Core Conversations

THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS — Teaches managers the four essential skills they need to balance relationships and results

THE FOUR CORE CONVERSATIONS — Shows how to put the four essential skills to work in the context of the four core conversations: Goal Setting, Praising, Redirecting, and Wrapping Up.

CLOSING — Helps managers create a set of intentions to guide their future behaviors

Virtual Instructor-led Course 

Your leaders participate in three 2-hour virtual training sessions that teach them the world-renowned One Minute Manager conversations fundamental skills for building positive relationships that drive engagement and productivity for having effective performance conversations with their team members. 

Virtual Session 1: LEARN — Help participants understand the challenges of the transition from being an individual contributor to being a manager, and teach managers the four essential skills they need to balance relationships and results 

Virtual Session 2: PRACTICE — Shows how to put the four essential conversational skills to work in the context of the first two managerial conversations – Goal Setting and Praising.  

Virtual Session 3: PRACTICE — Guides participants through practice activities for the third and fourth Conversations – Redirecting and Wrapping Up — and prepares them to bring their new knowledge and skills back into their work lives. 

After the sessions, participants have access to the Blanchard Management Essentials Challenge through the sustainment section of the Blanchard Exchange course, which guides learners through a set of tasks to practice new skills back on the job. 

It is a two-hour leadership solution that teaches new managers the skills they need to step confidently into their new role. The course also supports established managers and supervisors in improving essential management skills and helps emerging leaders reach their full potential. 

Online Program 

Learning Design — Six modules (each approximately 20 minutes) that include assignments, engaging participant materials, videos, and learning activities 

Blended Learning Option — Optional Launch and Debrief sessions can reinforce the content and are easy to facilitate  Optional Reflect and Share sessions available for online overviews.

Sustainability Tools — After the course, participants can access videos and worksheets for reinforcement for a full year through their learner portal 

Digital Assets 

  • Micro-activities: Organized into bite-sized pieces, ranging from 1 to 5 minutes 
  • Interactive Exercises: Fun, engaging activities include videos, games, stories, case studies, and online discussions 
  • Manager-Led Debriefs: Optional manager-led debriefs enable collaboration and discussion for a blended learning experience 

Online Overview 

This 35-minute online overview teaches the core concepts of Blanchard Management Essentials through short videos, interactions, and tools. Ideal for learners who need an overview of the content or a refresher, this course design can be used along with virtual and in-person sessions, or as part of a learning journey, to create more flexible learning experiences. Optional Reflect and Share sessions are also available.

The New One Minute Manager®

The New One Minute Manager presents three fundamental practices to help you succeed as a manager sooner with less stress in changing times—both at work and at home.

Vital training to get managers off to a great start

45% of managers said they lack the confidence to help employees develop necessary skills.1

26% of first-time managers feel they weren’t ready to lead others to begin with.2

75% of managers would like more training in how to be a good boss.3

Don’t let your managers rely on faulty instincts that undermine morale and productivity. Give them essential management skills training to maximize their achievement.


1. Gartner,  45% of Managers Lack Confidence To Help Employees Develop the Skills They Need Today.

2. Center for Creative Leadership. 12 Challenges New Managers Must Conquer.

3. Fast Company, 6 Types of Bad Bosses and How to Deal With Them.

The New Manager Training Advantage

Blanchard Management Essentials turns struggling managers into inspiring leaders. It does this by teaching managers how to communicate effectively, set goals, be empathetic, and give feedback. And when managers know how to do this, your organization takes flight.

create managerial success

Create Managerial Success Fast

Put your managers on the fast track to success by teaching powerful management fundamentals. 
Build Positive Skills

Build Positive Skills

Skilled managers know how to support, motivate, and empower their team members so they can achieve the extraordinary. 
Reduce Staff Frustration

Reduce Staff Frustration

Effective managers are critical for helping employees manage heavy workloads, supporting career development, and communicating organizational goals.
Develop Future Leaders

Develop Future Leaders

Managers learn effective leadership techniques that form the foundations for successful careers.

Client Success Story

FINANCIAL

Building a culture of consistent leadership at WEX 

Learn how WEX drives innovation with a foundational leadership journey that includes Blanchard Management Essentials.

Read Client Story

Ready to Get Started?

Contact us today to learn how we can help your leaders learn the skills they need to manage and develop their people effectively. Whether you prefer to use well-established, standard training designs or to tailor your learning experiences for your employees, we can help you succeed.

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