The world of work has changed dramatically since Harvard Business School Online first launched its Management Essentials course in 2017. Today’s managers are navigating emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, distributed teams, and ongoing uncertainty—and need new tools and skills to succeed.
To meet that need, HBS Online is announcing an updated version of Management Essentials, featuring new content from Joseph Fuller, the MBA Class of 1960 Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School.
The course introduces a practical, process-based approach for everyday management and serves as a starting point for learners beginning their management journey. Through real-world cases and actionable frameworks, you’ll learn how to run effective meetings, strengthen team performance, and adapt the systems and incentives that drive results in today’s AI-enabled, distributed organizations.
Throughout the course, you’ll explore real management challenges facing leaders across industries, geographies, and organizational contexts, who work at companies such as Alba, UNCF, Hakluyt, Catalant, and Upwork. As their stories unfold, you’ll leverage course concepts and the diversity of your peers’ perspectives to analyze each scenario and determine a practical path forward.
“Being able to break down real-life scenarios and look at the management processes within each—what worked and what didn’t—provided a unique method of learning,” said Monica Higgins, a public relations account director who took Management Essentials to build her management skills through a practical, case-based approach. “[The learning method] is incomparable with other course offerings available.”
By the end of the course, you’ll be able to:
Apply a process perspective to core managerial work by understanding how implementation informs learning and when change has been truly institutionalized
Lead more effective conversations that strengthen communication, psychological safety, and team performance
Analyze how incentives shape behavior, identify misalignment, and make subtle changes that improve commitment beyond pay
Understand how AI-enabled work and distributed teams are reshaping organizations, and what managers must do to adapt
Begin developing the mindset to lead in flexible, tech-enabled environments
While the fundamentals of management still matter, the context has changed. This updated course grounds those fundamentals in today’s realities, helping you develop the mindset and tools to lead distributed, AI-empowered teams effectively.
Featured Certificate Course
Management Essentials
Explore a practical, process-based approach for everyday management in a changing world of work.
Self-Paced | 4 Modules | 5-6 Hours per Module | $1,949
Ready to strengthen your management skills? The next offering of Management Essentials begins on June 24, 2026, and is priced at $1,850. For subsequent offerings, the course fee is $1,949.
Management Essentials is part of our Leadership and Management Learning Track, which enables you to complete three courses within the topic area in 18 months to earn an advanced Certificate of Specialization. If you’ve already completed an HBS Online course, you’ll receive a 30 percent past participant discount on additional courses within the Track.