Executive Certificate in Practical Management & Leadership

Your First 20 Days: A Step-by-Step Playbook for the New Manager

You've been promoted. Congratulations. Now what?

You have a team of people looking to you for direction, support, and answers. While high-level strategic theory provides an essential foundation, the day-to-day reality of management requires a distinct and practical set of skills. This is the course that bridges that gap. This is the practical, step-by-step playbook you need to survive and thrive in your first month as a manager.

We Give You the Manager's Handbook.

When your dedication and hard work are rewarded, and you step into your first leadership position, you enter a new reality. The focus shifts instantly from your personal performance to the performance of your entire team.

Yet, in this critical moment of transition, no one hands you a practical handbook. There is no script for that first crucial 1-on-1 meeting, no template for delegating a high-stakes task so it gets done right, and no framework for navigating a conflict between two of your best employees on a Tuesday morning.

This certificate program is designed to be that essential guide. We solve that exact problem by providing the foundational, practical mechanics of management that are typically learned only through years of difficult trial and error. Think of this as your manager's handbook, your day-to-day professional toolbox.

Your First 20 Days: A Day-by-Day Management Simulator

This entire certificate program is structured as a 20-day simulator that guides you through your first month in a management role. Each day, you will receive a new lesson focused on a critical skill. Every lesson is text-based, allowing you to learn at your own pace, and is built on a powerful three-part structure:

·         📖 Part 1: The Theory & Concepts. We explain the core principle in clear, straightforward language.

·         🧠 Part 2: Deeper Frameworks & AI Prompts. We give you advanced models and show you how to use AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini as your personal executive coach.

·         🛠️ Part 3: A Practical Tool & Example. We provide a ready-to-use template, checklist, or script with a filled-in example that you can immediately apply to your work.

What You Will Master: The 20-Day Curriculum

This program is a comprehensive toolkit covering the full spectrum of practical management.

Week 1: Foundations & Building Your System (Days 1-5)

·         Day 1: How to Get the Manager Job: Master the interview by learning to answer questions like a leader, not an individual contributor.

·         Day 2: Your First Day on the Job: Learn our frameworks for your three critical first conversations: with your boss, your new team, and your key stakeholders.

·         Day 3: The Manager's Audit: Conduct a full audit of your new team's People, Processes, and Projects, including the critical Financial and Legal Risks you now own.

·         Day 4: Your Management Operating System: Design your team's "OS"—the rhythm of meetings, communication norms, and tools for success using principles from Kanban and Scrum.

·         Day 5: The Art of the 1-on-1: Learn to use the GROW coaching model to turn 1-on-1s from status reports into powerful sessions for growth and trust.

Week 2: The Core Mechanics of Management (Days 6-10)

·         Day 6: Setting Crystal-Clear Tasks: Master the SMART and CLEAR frameworks to eliminate ambiguity and ensure work is done right the first time.

·         Day 7: Mastering Delegation: Use the Seven Levels of Delegation to empower your team and scale your own impact.

·         Day 8: Planning & Backlog Management: Learn agile planning and use prioritization frameworks like ICE and RICE to focus your team on what matters most.

·         Day 9: Budgeting for the Non-Financial Manager: Understand your department's P&L and learn how to build and defend a budget request.

·         Day 10: Control & Feedback Loops: Create a system for effective oversight that empowers your team and avoids micromanagement.

Week 3: Leading People & Driving Influence (Days 11-15)

·         Day 11: Choosing Your Management Style: Learn the Situational Leadership® Model to adapt your style to the person and the situation.

·         Day 12: Team Conflict Resolution: Use the Thomas-Kilmann model to diagnose conflict and act as a neutral facilitator to find a solution.

·         Day 13: Handling Difficult Conversations: Master the SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) feedback model to address performance or behavior issues directly and respectfully.

·         Day 14: Stakeholder & Upward Management: Use the Power/Interest Matrix to create a proactive communication plan for your boss and key stakeholders.

·         Day 15: Running Effective Meetings: Learn the lifecycle of a perfect meeting, from agenda to follow-up, and stop wasting your team's time.

Week 4: Self-Management & Strategic Leadership (Days 16-20)

·         Day 16: Managing Your Time & Energy: Use the Eisenhower Matrix and "Maker vs. Manager" schedules to avoid burnout and focus on high-impact work.

·         Day 17: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Learn practical cognitive and behavioral techniques to manage self-doubt and lead with confidence.

·         Day 18: Conducting Effective Performance Reviews: Turn the dreaded annual review into a motivating, forward-looking conversation about growth.

·         Day 19: Leading Team Retrospectives: Use the "Start, Stop, Continue" framework to create a culture of continuous improvement.

·         Day 20: Your Next Career Move: Learn to think in strategic horizons and build a personal development plan to prepare for your next promotion, starting now.

What Makes This Program Different?

A Practical Tool, Every Single Day

Your AI Co-Pilot for Management

Every one of the 20 lessons concludes with a practical, ready-to-use tool. You will finish this program with a complete Manager's Toolbox of 20 templates, checklists, and scripts that you can use for the rest of your career.

Every lesson includes specific, copy-paste-ready prompts for AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini. You will learn how to use AI as your personal executive coach, helping you to prepare for difficult conversations, design your team's strategy, write better emails, and accelerate your learning.

Who Should Enroll?

This certificate program is designed for:

·         Aspiring Managers preparing to take the next step in their careers.

·         First-Time Managers in their first 0-2 years of a leadership role.

·         Experienced Managers from non-traditional backgrounds who want to fill in the foundational gaps in their management knowledge.

·         Entrepreneurs and Startup Founders who are building and leading a team for the first time.

Ready to become the manager you always wished you had? Enroll today and start Day 1 of your new career.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• How long do I have access to the course materials?
• Your enrollment includes lifetime access to all course lessons and supplementary materials. You can learn at your own pace and revisit the content anytime you need a refresher.
• Is the certificate provided?
• Upon completion, you will receive a certificate from the MTF Institute. This credential validates that you have attended comprehensive training and is a powerful addition to your CV.

Let's join MTF if...

• Want to get or refresh core knowledge about business, management, leadership
• Want to train your hard and soft skills and get promotion at your company
• Want to build global career and train your English
• You need new ideas, want to broaden your horizons and mindset, expand your contacts, learn about global best practices and become the best version of yourself
• Want to receive the prestigious european education and get certificate

After finishing of the program you will get:

• Digital Certificate from MTF with verification link and uploading to LinkedIn
• Verification Service in case of any requests
• Life-long access to course, all updates and Alumni community

Welcome to Your Institute and Community:

• MTF is the global educational and research institute with HQ at Lisbon, Portugal, focused on business & professional hybrid (on-campus and online) education at areas: Business & Administration, Science & Technology, Banking & Finance. MTF R&D center focused on research activities at areas: Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, Big Data, WEB3, Blockchain, Cryptocurrency & Digital Assets, Metaverses, Digital Transformation, Fintech, Electronic Commerce, Internet of Things. MTF is the official partner of: IBM, Intel, Microsoft, member of the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry. MTF is present in 218 countries and has been chosen by more than 915 000 students.

Program Details:

• Recommended duration: 30 days for deep dive to each topic and reflection about usage of knowledge at your real business or work, but you may finish program in your own rhytm faster or slower.
• Language of instruction and support: English
• Price: 19 EUR during Sale campaign (full price 90 EUR).
• Program format: Textual Lessons, AI prompts, templates and frameworks. Program is fully online.
• Academical Level: Professional courses and certificates are taught under the terms of paragraph 3 of article 3 of Decree-Law No. 474/2010, published on July 8th by the Portuguese Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity. The professional programs are related to professional / business education and are provided without official recognition (certificates are provided at a professional level and not academic degrees or diplomas and do not confer academic credits).

Please write us to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., in case of any questions.