The new Google People Management Essentials course

For over two decades, Google has been researching what makes a great manager. Now, for the first time, we’re sharing what we’ve learned with everyone. Today, we’re launching Google People Management Essentials, a new course created by The Google School for Leaders. This program is designed for new and aspiring managers who want to build the confidence and skills to lead effective, high-performing teams.

Developing leaders for today and tomorrow

We’ve seen firsthand how investing in managers at Google creates a more effective, collaborative and supportive environment for all and drives business outcomes. We believe the principles behind effective management are universal. By sharing what we’ve learned, we hope to give leaders and their teams the tools to thrive in any organization.

Sharing practical skills for modern managers

Google People Management Essentials distills insights from Google’s extensive research on management excellence into practical, actionable lessons. The course is taught by more than a dozen Google leaders who share their real-world wisdom, personal stories and leadership styles. Self-paced and designed to be completed in under eight hours, the curriculum is structured around four key topics:

• Create a high-performing team: Learn to build community and drive impact
• Set and achieve team goals: Develop strategies for clear goal setting and effective work allocation
• Support individual growth and development: Learn to coach and give feedback that inspires growth
• Grow as a manager: Invest in your own development through self-reflection and continuous learning

A key feature of the course is learning to integrate AI as a collaborative partner in your daily work. You’ll get hands-on experience using AI tools like Gemini and NotebookLM for management tasks like creating SMART goals, developing project plans, and tailoring your communications for different audiences.

Prioritizing flexible learning with no prior management experience necessary

Google People Management Essentials is part of Google’s commitment to help people gain skills to advance in their careers. That’s why we’re collaborating with organizations like E.W. Scripps, Shutterstock, the University of Illinois’ Gies College of Business and Florida State University to offer this new course to their employees and students to help them grow and develop their people management skills.

We believe that great managers create great teams. By making our foundational management principles accessible to everyone, we hope to empower the next generation of leaders to build a better future for teams, one manager at a time. Learn more and enroll today.