The Management Jump: What to Do When the Job Gets Real

A 4-week online course for new and aspiring library managers

When - February 2026

Where - Online

You’ve landed the management role—congratulations! But between team dynamics, tough conversations, and the sudden pressure to “just know” how to lead, you might be wondering… when exactly was I supposed to learn all this?

The Management Jump is your practical, people-centred guide to the messy, rewarding, and often overwhelming realities of managing in a library setting. It’s everything they didn’t teach you in library school—designed for real life, not theory.

Over four weeks, we’ll help you build core skills, confidence, and community. Each week includes a live expert-led session, facilitated discussion, and an optional working session to practise what you’ve learned. Between sessions, you’ll work through hands-on activities with your peer cohort, building your own Manager’s Toolkit you can use long after the course ends.

What You’ll Learn:

What kind of manager you want to be—and how to lead with clarity and care
How to build a culture of trust, inclusion, and psychological safety
Running effective meetings (that people actually want to attend)
Giving feedback, navigating conflict, and holding difficult conversations
Managing crises, supporting staff wellbeing, and preventing burnout
Making confident, data-informed decisions and advocating for your team
Balancing priorities while setting boundaries for yourself

You’ll Leave With:

Practical tools and templates you can start using immediately
A peer network of managers from across the sector
Personal reflection prompts and feedback from expert facilitators
A certificate of completion and the confidence to manage your way

Whether you're stepping into your first supervisory role or trying to fill in the gaps library school missed, The Management Jump is here to support you—because being a good manager isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about learning how to lead with heart, skill, and intention.

Join a Live Empower Session