The complete management capability system for early-stage managers. Stop dreading difficult conversations. Start showing up with clarity and confidence—in weeks, not years. 

FAQ

Who is this for?

Managers who want to be genuinely good at the people side of leadership—not fake it, not perform management theatre, but actually develop the capability.

You might be:

• A new manager trying to figure out what this job actually is
• An experienced manager realising what got you here won't get you where you want to go
• Technical (engineer, analyst, designer) wondering how to develop the “soft skills” that aren't soft
• Naturally good with people but lacking structure to make it systematic
• Burned out from rescuing your team and want to build a team that doesn't need rescuing

If you manage people and want to stop dreading it (or start loving it), this is for you.

What do you mean by “early-stage manager”?

Anyone in their first 5 years of managing people—whether that's 1 direct report or 50.

This includes:

• First-time managers (0-2 years)
• Managers who've been doing it a while but never got proper training
• Individual contributors who just got promoted
• Senior ICs managing small teams for the first time
• Managers of managers who want to get better at developing their people leaders

You don't need to be “early” in your career. You need to be early in taking the people side of management seriously.

What if I'm in a non-traditional management role?

The principles work regardless of your context.

The programme teaches:

• How to coach and develop people (works for any team)
• How to build trust and psychological safety (universal)
• How to have productive one-to-ones (not industry-specific)
• How to give feedback and navigate conflict (human skills, not role-specific)

Whether you manage engineers, retail workers, sales teams, creatives, or remote contractors—if you're developing people, this applies.

The AI coach adapts to your context. You tell it about your team (size, industry, challenges), and it helps you apply the frameworks to your specific situations.

How is ManagerHow different from books, courses, or traditional management training?

Books: Give you knowledge but not application. You read about feedback, but when it's time to talk to Sarah on your team, you're still guessing.

Courses: Teach frameworks but not your context. Generic advice for generic managers.

Traditional training: One-size-fits-all workshops that assume all managers face the same challenges.

ManagerHow:

• Teaches proven frameworks (the knowledge)
• Then helps you apply them to your actual team through AI coaching
• Adapts to your specific situations: “You mentioned Sarah shuts down in feedback conversations. Walk me through what usually happens.”
• Available 24/7, not once a quarter for 2 hours
• Costs less than one hour with an executive coach

You're not collecting management knowledge. You're building actual capability through repeated practice with your real team.

I'm skeptical about management training—is this going to feel fluffy or awkward?

No corporate speak. No trust falls. No “let's go around the room and share.”

This is:

• Direct: “You're stuck in the rescue cycle. Here's why. Here's how to stop.”
• Research-backed: Gallup, Google Project Oxygen, Amy Edmondson, Carol Dweck—not feel-good platitudes
• Practical: Frameworks you can use tomorrow, not abstract principles
• Psychological: We teach the psychology of why people do what they do, not just “have better one-to-ones”

If you're allergic to corporate training fluff, you'll appreciate this. It's more like learning a craft than attending a workshop.

What makes this different from using ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is general-purpose. ManagerHow is purpose-built for developing management capability.

ChatGPT:

• Starts from scratch every time
• Doesn't remember your context or progress
• Not structured around progressive skill development
• Gives you answers, but doesn't ensure you've internalised the principles

ManagerHow:

• Structured learning path (foundations → core skills → mastery)
• Remembers your team context, challenges, and progress
• Coaches you through applying concepts to your specific situations
• Ensures you've understood principles before moving on
• Curated content from the best management research and literature

ChatGPT is like asking a knowledgeable friend. ManagerHow is like having a coach with a deliberate development plan.

Is the coaching human or AI? How does it actually work?

It's AI coaching, but not in a “chatbot” way.

Here's how it works:

Step 1: Learn the framework
Visual lesson (5-10 min) teaches the concept—trust-building, coaching mindset, feedback, etc.

Step 2: Apply to your context
AI coach helps you apply what you learned to your actual team through conversation:

• “Think about your team. Who do you rescue most often?”
• “Walk me through your last one-to-one with them.”
• “What triggers your rescue impulse in that situation?”

Step 3: Practice and iterate
Use the frameworks in your real work, then return to reflect on what happened.

The AI doesn't replace human coaching—it makes the principles of good coaching accessible 24/7 at a fraction of the cost.

Can I trust AI advice when it comes to managing people?

The AI isn't inventing advice. It's helping you apply established principles.

What the AI does:

• Teaches frameworks from proven sources (Gallup, Google, Harvard research)
• Helps you see patterns in your own behaviour
• Asks questions that develop your thinking
• Adapts general principles to your specific context

What the AI doesn't do:

• Make decisions for you
• Replace your judgment
• Claim to know your team better than you do
• Provide therapy or professional HR advice

Think of it as having a really knowledgeable colleague who's read all the best management books, helps you think through your challenges, and is available whenever you need them.

Important: You're still responsible for your decisions. The AI is a learning tool, not a substitute for your judgment or professional advisors.

How much time does this take?

Learning: 45-90 minutes per module (8 modules total)

Practice: Apply what you learn in your actual work (one-to-ones, feedback conversations, etc.)

Most managers:

• Complete 1-2 modules per week (2-3 hours)
• Finish the core programme in 6-8 weeks
• Continue using the principles and tools ongoing

The real time investment is in changing how you manage, not sitting through content. You're not adding work—you're doing your existing work (one-to-ones, feedback, development) differently.

How quickly will I see results?

Week 1-2: Relief
Understanding why you're stuck and having frameworks that actually work reduces anxiety immediately. You'll walk into your next one-to-one with a plan instead of dread.

Month 1-2: Competence
You'll notice yourself handling situations differently. Asking questions instead of jumping to solutions. Your team starting to respond differently.

Month 3-6: Transformation
Your one-to-ones are actually productive. Difficult conversations don't drain you. You're building a team that solves problems without you.

Month 6+: Mastery
Management becomes energising instead of exhausting. You see people grow because of you. This becomes craft you're proud of.

The timeline varies, but most managers notice a shift in how they approach management within the first month.

What's available right now?

Programme 1: “Become the Coach Your Team Needs”

8 modules covering:

• Why coaching is your highest-leverage work
• What kills most one-to-ones (and what to do instead)
• Building trust and psychological safety
• The coaching mindset (questions not answers)
• Powerful questions
• The framework for developmental conversations
• Handling resistance and difficulty
• Coaching for development

Coming soon:

• Master Difficult Conversations
• Make Decisions That Stick
• Delegate Like a Leader
• Build Team Culture Intentionally
• And more

We're launching with the foundation—coaching-style leadership—because it's the capability everything else builds on.

How often is new content added?

We work in 6-week cycles. New programmes are released every 2-3 months.

Active subscribers get:

• Early access to new programmes
• Input on what we build next
• Continuous improvements to existing content

This isn't a static course. It's a living platform that grows based on what managers actually need.

Why is ManagerHow a subscription rather than a one-off purchase?

Because developing management capability takes time and repeated practice.

One-off courses give you:

• A burst of knowledge
• Initial motivation
• No ongoing support

Then you're on your own.

Subscription model gives you:

• Progressive skill development over months
• Ongoing support as you apply what you learn
• New content as you're ready for it
• Access to tools and resources when you need them

Think of it like a gym membership, not a workout DVD. You're building capability over time, not just consuming content once.

Plus: You can cancel anytime. No long-term contracts.

Is ManagerHow worth paying for out of my own pocket?

Here's the math:

What you're spending:

• 6 months: $288 ($48/month)
• 12 months: $480 ($40/month)

What it costs NOT to develop these skills:

• Burnout from rescuing your team constantly
• Team members quitting because you're not developing them
• Missed promotions because you haven't mastered people leadership
• Stress and anxiety from avoiding difficult conversations
• Years of trial-and-error learning management the hard way

What good people managers get:

• Better retention (your team stays)
• Stronger performance (your team grows)
• Career progression (people leadership is how you move up)
• Less stress (you're not solving everything yourself)
• Actual fulfilment in the work

One retained team member saves your company £20-50K in hiring costs. One promotion is worth £10-30K in salary. Your manager capability affects your entire career.

Most companies won't invest in your development. Investing in yourself is the highest-ROI decision you can make.

What about data privacy?

Your conversations are private:

• Encrypted at rest in our database
• Not used to train AI models (per Anthropic and OpenAI policies)
• Not analysed for research or product improvement
• Yours to delete anytime

You control your data:

• Toggle chat history on/off in settings
• Delete conversations anytime
• Delete your entire account anytime
• Request data export at support@manager.how

We're GDPR compliant for EU/UK users.

Full details in our Privacy Policy.

Do you offer a trial or guarantee?

Yes, both:

Free trial: Start with a free trial to explore the platform and first module before committing.

7-day money-back guarantee: If you're not satisfied within the first 7 days, email support@manager.how for a full refund, no questions asked.

After 7 days: No refunds for unused time (because you're paying for access to develop capability, not consume content).

You can cancel your subscription anytime—it just won't renew at the end of your billing period.

Is there a team or company option?

Coming soon.

We're currently focused on individual managers, but we're exploring company pilots for teams of 10-20 managers.

If you're interested in bringing ManagerHow to your company, email support@manager.how with:

• Company name and size
• Number of managers you'd want to include
• What challenges you're trying to solve

We'll keep you updated as we develop the team offering.

Still have questions? Email us at support@manager.how