Stanford
Manager Toolkit

Previous Manager Forums Resources

November 2025

Motivating Others to Perform

In our November 19 Manager Forums session, Frank Flynn, The Paul E. Holden Professor of Organizational Behavior, shared several psychological levers and strategies aimed at motivating employees to excel in their assigned roles while working hard to support the organization’s mission.

Session Resources:

  • At the presenter's request, slides were shared directly with session registrants.

October 2025

Understanding Organizational Culture -- And Why It Matters

In our October 22 Manager Forums session on Organizational Culture, Charles O’Reilly, The Frank E. Buck Professor in the Graduate School of Business, shared research and examples to highlight that a strong organizational culture shapes behavior through shared expectations and actions—defining “how things are done” and driving long-term success. By aligning leadership actions, rewards, and stories with strategy, organizations show that culture is a powerful differentiator that can be intentionally evolved.

Session Resources:

Think Forward: The Stanford Learning Series for staff

We’re excited to announce a new offering as part of Think Forward: The Stanford Insider Learning Series for staff.

Stanford Business Essentials (SBE) is a four-month, online certificate program designed to strengthen your skills in:

  • Economics and Strategy
  • Data and Decision Making
  • Finance and Accounting
  • Communication and Influence

This program is now STAP-eligible. Find more information on Cardinal at Work and register via STARS. 

September 2025

AI Leadership

In our September Manager Forums session, you were introduced to flash teams, an approach where teams form on demand around the problem at hand. Melissa Valentine, Associate Professor of Management Science and Engineering, shared a path for harnessing flash teams and AI to increase speed, agility, and impact in your organization. 

Session resources:

Professional Development Session & LinkedIn Learning:

  • The People Piece of Leadership: This two-part session on Oct 22 and 29, will share approaches for navigating the people-side of leadership by building resilience, composure, and empathy in high-stakes situations. Through practical tools and insights into emotional intelligence, participants will strengthen self-awareness, elevate listening, and turn difficult interactions into opportunities for connection and growth.
  • More on AI: LinkedIn Learning Leading Talent Development in the Era of AI
    • Length: 0:45:00
    • Why: Focuses on how managers can develop and empower talent when roles and teams are fluid. Particularly valuable for nonprofits/academia where career paths are less rigid.

Register and log in to LinkedIn Learning on Cardinal at Work.

August 2025

Fundamentals of Modern Management

In the August session facilitated by Bob Sutton, Organizational Psychologist and Professor of Management Science and Engineering, Emeritus, you received practical management methods to inspire your team and help you become the kind of boss you would want to work for. 

Session Resources: 

May and June 2025

The Systems Leader (a two-part series)

In the May Manager Forums session, you were introduced to The Systems Leader, Robert Siegel’s holistic framework to lead effectively. In our June session, Rob led an interactive discussion and shared how you can apply the five key dimensions to your work-life at Stanford and become more effective as a manager, particularly in times of disruption.

Session Resources:

April 2025

Principled and Purposeful Leadership (Part 3): Negotiation and Influence

In our final installment of the Principled & Purposeful Leadership series, Margaret Neale, The Adams Distinguished Professor of Management, Emerita, shared how to get more of what you want from your negotiations. 

Session Resources:

March 2025

Principled and Purposeful Leadership (Part 2): Coaching for Effective Leadership

In part two of our three-part Principled & Purposeful Leadership series, Stanford GSB executive coach and facilitator Inbal Demri-Shaham, PhD, introduced you to the EFECT Coaching Framework.

Session Resources:

February 2025

Principled and Purposeful Leadership (Part 1): The Stanford GSB Leadership Model

Kicking off the 2025 Manager Forums, Sarah A. Soule, The Morgridge Professor of Organizational Behavior and the Sara Miller McCune Director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, led the first discussion in a three-part series called Principled & Purposeful Leadership: The Stanford GSB Leadership Model. Sarah shared the Stanford GSB Leadership Model and practical ways to lead effectively. The session included recommended reading and helpful exercises to help you build on the Model and the five key leadership competencies.

Session Resources:

Suggested reading:

  • Hit Refresh by Satya Nadella
  • Mindwise by Nicholas Epley
  • The Systems Leader by Robert E. Siegel
  • Think Faster, Talk Smarter by Matt Abrahams

November 2024

‘The Manager’s Handbook,’ Session Two: From Good to Great -- Leveraging Mentorship and Coaching for Leadership Success

Stanford Graduate School of Business Lecturer of Management, David Dodson led the second session of the two-part series on ‘The Manager’s Handbook.’  

Session Resources:

Other Resources:

  • LinkedIn Learning courses
  • Personalized coaching
    • 1:1 Development Coaching powered by CoachHub: Partner with a professional coach for unlimited personalized, virtual coaching sessions for three months. Designed to enhance leadership skills, improve decision-making, and amplify your impact, this program is ideal for managers and their teams who are committed to their personal and professional growth. The next session starts on Jan. 27. Enroll by Jan. 13 on the 1:1 Development Coaching page.
    • Career Counseling Network: Access expert, confidential career guidance with career exploration, career advancement, strategic job search support, and more. This resource supports not only your career growth but also equips you to support your team’s aspirations. Schedule a session on the Career Counseling Network page. 

October 2024

‘The Manager’s Handbook,’ Session One: The Art of Giving Constructive Feedback and Managing High Performance

Stanford Graduate School of Business Lecturer of Management, David Dodson led the first session in a two-part series on ‘The Manager’s Handbook,’ The Art of Giving Constructive Feedback and Managing High Performance.  

Session Resources:

Other Resources:

September 2024

Navigating Conflict: Managing Difficult Conversations at Work

Rosan Gomperts, Director of the Faculty Staff Help Center, led a session on Navigating Conflict: Managing Difficult Conversations at Work. Rosan shared important skills and insights to help navigate challenging conversations at work more productively.  

Session Resources:

Other Conflict Management Resources:

August 2024

Mastering Flexible Work at Stanford: Best Practices to Optimize Your Team's Operations

Ann Foley, Stanford’s Sr. Director of Workplace Experience, led a session on flexible work where she shared the latest research on the ways distributed work affects our experience as individuals and teams. She also provided concrete, practical best practices to optimize team effectiveness and connection. 

View session resources:

More development resources for you and your team: 

May 2024

Introduction to Compensation Essentials for Today's and Tomorrow's Needs

Staff Compensation from University Human Resources led a session on managers' evolving needs in understanding and applying Stanford's Non-Academic Staff Compensation Program. Staff Compensation shared how they with school/unit Human Resources leaders to support manager needs and addressed the challenges of balancing the objectives of the compensation philosophy. Managers were also provided with tips on having compensation conversations.

View session resources: 

April 2024

Leaders as Trustees of Others' Time

Facilitator Robert Sutton, Organizational Psychologist and Professor of Management Science and Engineering led a session on Leaders as Trustees of Others' Time, which he described as part therapy and part organizational design. Bob discussed highlights from "The Friction Project," his new book with Graduate School of Business Professor Hayagreeva (Huggy) Rao. Their main insight was that skilled leaders and friction fixers, trustees of others' time who are bent on making the right things easier and the wrong things harder for others, and adept at helping them to move fast AND to slow down.

View session resources: