Effectively Managing Technical Teams

Technical experts often find themselves managing teams without formal leadership training. This course bridges that gap. Participants will learn how to set meaningful goals, build empowered teams, manage performance, and communicate with clarity. With real-world strategies and practical exercises, this course helps transform technical managers into effective, people-centered leaders.

Effectively Managing Technical Teams focuses on the practical mechanics of setting up, running, and optimising high-performance teams, including creating a team charter, team dynamics, decision-making, and day-to-day leadership practices.

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Who Should Attend?

Experienced managers seeking to refine their leadership skills and enhance team performance.
Newly appointed managers or team leaders who are guiding technical teams and professionals in dynamic environments.
Engineers and technical professionals aspiring to transition into management and leadership roles.

What You Will Learn

Create a team charter and vision with aligned goals, measures, outputs and team culture.
Balance operational control with team autonomy to drive innovation and execution.
Understand personality differences to motivate high-performing, collaborative teams.
Manage time and operations effectively using structured planning, prioritization, and meeting strategies to avoid team burnout.

Course Details: RA01092-E185

Introduction to Managing and Leading technical teams

Understand why managing technical work and collaboration in teams differs from general management
Recognize a leadership mindset and how to cultivate it with team members
Understand what is unique and desirable about operating in teams

Operational Processes

Understanding the importance of 'team operating procedures' to build efficiency
Discover the power of understanding and sharing 'the why'
Setting team goals and measures that align with the business
Creating a team charter with objectives and meaningful measures

Establishing and evolving teams

Understanding the real meaning of a team
Managing virtual and remote teams effectively
Developing team capability and resilience
Understanding the importance of psychological safety in building team performance
Establishing operational governance and a healthy team culture
Decision-making in a team environment

Motivating teams for high performance

Understanding what drives technical professionals and how team dynamics affect performance
Handling top performers in a team
Dealing with poor performers in a team
Balancing personal performance metrics with team metrics

Operational Efficiency

Getting things done through teams
Running effective meetings using the PPPP method
Managing the work of technical teams without slowing them down
Dealing with the non-linear nature of technical progress
Applying radical time-management techniques, demonstrated with a real-world inbox exercise

Team Development

Developing team capability and resilience
Team leadership development survey

Course Location

Fluno Center

601 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706

Map

877-773-5866

608-441-7117

Lodging

Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor's Club

One West Dayton Street
Madison, WI 53703

Map

Room: rates start at $160

Accommodations include: Complimentary WiFi, Local/Airport Shuttle, Pool, and Fitness Center.

DoubleTree by Hilton Madison Downtown

525 West Johnson Street
Madison, WI 53703

Map

Accommodations include: Enjoy complimentary business center, WiFi and Local/Airport Shuttle. Each room has a refrigerator, microwave, 42-inch HDTV, and executive desk. Parking available $15/night.

Online Reservations

800-222-8733

608-251-5511

Fluno Center

601 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706

Map

Accommodations include: Your stay includes hot breakfast buffet, fitness center, business center, convenient on-site parking. Guest rooms are complete with Keurig coffee maker, refrigerator, complimentary high-speed Internet, and 40-inch, flat screen, high-def TVs.

Online Reservations

877-773-5866

608-441-7117

More Madison Lodging Options

This course is taught in-person only in Madison, WI. Active attendance is required to receive the course certificate. Seats are limited. Please enroll now if you are interested and to avoid being waitlisted.

Hotel Room Booking Options
The reservation links for several hotels are listed under the Location and Lodging tab above. These links offer our students discounted room rates. Please note that prices may change or the rooms may sell out as the course start date gets closer. The links will stay active until all rooms are booked. If you do not see any available rooms, the hotel is fully booked.

Instructor
Trevor Manning
Consultant
Trevor Manning is an accomplished author, leaderhsip consultant, and trainer with extensive international experience leading technical teams. He has held roles such as chief engineer, technical director, Chief Operating Officer, and board advisor.

With a diverse background spanning various companites including a large government-owned utility, a US-headquartered manufacturer, an international London headquartered start-up, and a privately owned telecommunications operator, Trevor offers valuable insights into real-world business operations.

Trevor leads three training courses at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, focusing on practical insights derived from his wealth of experience.

Effectively Managing Technical Teams

Leadership Beyond Your Team: Managing Up and Across

Critical Conversations: Results-based Communication

Trevor has published several technical and leadership books and lives in Brisbane, Australia.
Program Director
Susan Ottmann

Total Credits:

CEU 1.7,

PDH 17,

Applies to these Certificates:

Manufacturing Excellence,

Quick Response Manufacturing,

Technical Leadership,

Course Administration

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

Request Purchase Order information from registration@cerc.wisc.edu
- If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email registration@cerc.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

Create a custom learning experience

We can deliver this course as an on-site learning experience tailored to your organization’s specific training needs.

"Great use of real world experiences… Would highly recommend."
—Robert Kolar, DuPage County, Illinois DOT
"The best management course I’ve attended. Materials and examples were excellent."
—Martin Beranek, MSA Professional Services, Inc.

Course Details: RA01092-E492

Introduction to Managing and Leading technical teams

Understand why managing technical work and collaboration in teams differs from general management
Recognize a leadership mindset and how to cultivate it with team members
Understand what is unique and desirable about operating in teams

Operational Processes

Understanding the importance of 'team operating procedures' to build efficiency
Discover the power of understanding and sharing 'the why'
Setting team goals and measures that align with the business
Creating a team charter with objectives and meaningful measures

Establishing and evolving teams

Understanding the real meaning of a team
Managing virtual and remote teams effectively
Developing team capability and resilience
Understanding the importance of psychological safety in building team performance
Establishing operational governance and a healthy team culture
Decision-making in a team environment

Motivating teams for high performance

Understanding what drives technical professionals and how team dynamics affect performance
Handling top performers in a team
Dealing with poor performers in a team
Balancing personal performance metrics with team metrics

Operational Efficiency

Getting things done through teams
Running effective meetings using the PPPP method
Managing the work of technical teams without slowing them down
Dealing with the non-linear nature of technical progress
Applying radical time-management techniques, demonstrated with a real-world inbox exercise

Team Development

Developing team capability and resilience
Team leadership development survey

This course is taught online. Active attendance is required to receive the course certificate.

This course uses the Canvas course management and Zoom platforms. A UW NetID is required to access Canvas and digital course materials. Your registration confirmation email will give you instructions on how to access Canvas.

Please watch the email address you provided during registration for course information. Check your spam file if you do not see emails from the "wisc.edu" addresses.

Instructor
Trevor Manning
Consultant
Trevor Manning is an accomplished author, leaderhsip consultant, and trainer with extensive international experience leading technical teams. He has held roles such as chief engineer, technical director, Chief Operating Officer, and board advisor.

With a diverse background spanning various companites including a large government-owned utility, a US-headquartered manufacturer, an international London headquartered start-up, and a privately owned telecommunications operator, Trevor offers valuable insights into real-world business operations.

Trevor leads three training courses at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, focusing on practical insights derived from his wealth of experience.

Effectively Managing Technical Teams

Leadership Beyond Your Team: Managing Up and Across

Critical Conversations: Results-based Communication

Trevor has published several technical and leadership books and lives in Brisbane, Australia.
Program Director
Susan Ottmann

Total Credits:

CEU 1.7,

PDH 17,

Applies to these Certificates:

Manufacturing Excellence,

Quick Response Manufacturing,

Technical Leadership,

Course Administration

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

Request Purchase Order information from registration@cerc.wisc.edu
- If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email registration@cerc.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

Create a custom learning experience

We can deliver this course as an on-site learning experience tailored to your organization’s specific training needs.

"Great use of real world experiences… Would highly recommend."
—Robert Kolar, DuPage County, Illinois DOT
"The best management course I’ve attended. Materials and examples were excellent."
—Martin Beranek, MSA Professional Services, Inc.

Effectively Managing Technical Teams

Who Should Attend?

What You Will Learn

Course Details: RA01092-E185

Course Location

Fluno Center

Lodging

Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor's Club

DoubleTree by Hilton Madison Downtown

Fluno Center

Instructor

Trevor Manning

Program Director

Course Administration

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

Pay by Purchase Order

Military

Event Cancellation

Stay Connected

Course Details: RA01092-E492

Instructor

Trevor Manning

Program Director

Course Administration

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

Pay by Purchase Order

Military

Event Cancellation

Stay Connected

Effectively Managing Technical Teams

2027 and later

Who Should Attend?

What You Will Learn

Course Details: RA01092-E185

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Course Administration

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Stay Connected

Course Details: RA01092-E492

Expanded accordion Course Outline

Expanded accordion Course Schedule

Expanded accordion Course Notes

Expanded accordion Instructor and Program Director

Course Administration

Expanded accordion Fee Information

Expanded accordion Discounts

Expanded accordion Payment Options

Expanded accordion Cancellation Policy

Stay Connected

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