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Description

Supportive Management: Listening, Setting Boundaries and Supporting Your Team Day to Day

Combining genuine attention to people with high expectations on results, without letting the framework slip

  • 2 days — 14 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • All levels
  • Up to 6 participants

A manager may genuinely intend to be attentive and still overlook tensions, early signs of disengagement or situations of discomfort within the team. Conversely, trying to keep everyone comfortable often leads to avoiding difficult subjects, until the working framework erodes and the team no longer knows what is expected of it.

These two days provide clear reference points for holding expectations and attention to people together. You will work on day-to-day listening, the wording of feedback, setting the framework and conducting sensitive conversations, based on real situations brought by participants.

Learning objectives

  • Identify early signals of disengagement or workload overload within your team
  • Conduct a one-to-one discussion focused on the team member's needs
  • Give feedback that describes facts without judging the person
  • Set operating rules that are understood and accepted by the team
  • Conduct a corrective conversation while preserving the working relationship

What makes this programme different

Each participant leaves with a conversation framework built around a real situation in their own team
Practice sessions run in sub-groups with immediate feedback from the other participants
A thirty-day action plan is formalised and then tested with the group at the end of the session

Programme

1What supportive management actually means

Setting a practical definition

  • The difference between managerial support and over-accommodation
  • Observed effects on engagement and cooperation
  • Risks of a stance that is misread by the team
  • Self-assessment of your own managerial reflexes

2Listening and understanding needs

Listening that is useful day to day

  • Reformulating and questioning in short conversations
  • Spotting signs of withdrawal or workload overload
  • Conducting a one-to-one follow-up discussion
  • Acknowledging a need without committing automatically

3Saying things without damaging the relationship

Feedback and corrective conversations

  • Describing facts rather than assumed intentions
  • Formulating a clear and verifiable request
  • Handling defensive or emotional reactions
  • Following up on commitments made during the discussion

4Sustaining the stance over time

Team framework and personal balance

  • Operating rules built together with the team
  • Handling tensions between two team members
  • Protecting your own availability and energy
  • Building an individual action plan

Who is it for

Line managers and cross-functional managers wishing to develop their relational stance, as well as newly appointed team leaders.

Prerequisites

No prior knowledge required

Dates & locations

12 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

  • 31 December 2026 – 4 January 2027 5 days

    Online Virtual classroom

    Request this date

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

  • 30 December 2027 – 3 January 2028 5 days

    Online Virtual classroom

    Request this date

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.