Manager Development

Best manager development programs:
coaching and training compared.

For People and L&D teams choosing how to develop first-time and mid-level managers, and deciding between training, coaching, or both.

14 min readLast updated September 20269 programs compared

Manager development programs build the people skills managers need to lead a team: giving feedback, delegating, running 1:1s, and handling difficult conversations. They come in two models. Training programs from providers such as CCL, FranklinCovey, DDI, Dale Carnegie, and Harvard Business Impact teach a curriculum through workshops or digital courses. Coaching programs from providers such as Boon, BetterUp, CoachHub, and Torch build the same skills through ongoing coaching on each manager's real work.

Boon Grow combines the two models: a six-month manager development program with twelve 1:1 coaching sessions, peer cohorts, and competency measurement before and after, with an +23% average competency improvement. It is built for companies that need new and rising managers to actually change how they lead, and need to show that they did.

A disclosure: this page lives on Boon's website, and Boon is one of the programs compared. We have tried to be specific and fair about every provider, including where training is the better choice and where our own program falls short. Pricing and program details for other providers come from their public websites as of September 2026. If you find something inaccurate, let us know.

The Short Answer

Best manager development programs by use case.

There is no single best program. The right one depends on what your managers need and how many of them need it. Start with the use case closest to yours.

Best for a cohort of new or rising managers, with measured behavior change: Boon Grow
Six months of 1:1 coaching plus peer cohorts, measured before and after on your own competencies.
Best for confidential 1:1 coaching for managers at every level: Boon Scale
Always-on coaching, priced per completed session, so you are not paying for unused seats.
Best for manager coaching in many languages across many countries: CoachHub
The widest language and country coverage among coaching platforms.
Best for coaching combined with an internal mentoring program: Torch
One of the few platforms that runs external coaching and internal mentors together.
Best for an individual frontline manager who wants an intensive, research-based program: CCL Maximizing Your Leadership Potential
Three days in person or five half-days online, with a 360 and a few hours of coaching.
Best for one shared management vocabulary across a large, multilingual company: FranklinCovey
A widely known curriculum available in many formats and 24 languages.
Best for assessment-led skills courses rolled out across a large enterprise: DDI
A deep assessment toolkit paired with a library of leadership courses.
Best for a single manager who wants an open-enrollment class nearby: Dale Carnegie
Local offices with published prices and in-person or live online classes.
Best for on-demand management content for thousands of employees: Harvard ManageMentor
A large self-paced library that reaches many people quickly at low cost per person.

Developing a group of new managers?

See how Grow runs six months of coaching and peer cohorts, measured on your own competencies.

Explore Grow

Decision Matrix

Coaching vs training for managers.

Training transfers knowledge. Coaching changes behavior. Most companies buy one when they need the other, then wonder why nothing changed. Use the need in front of you to pick the model. For the longer argument, see coaching vs training.

If the need is	Choose	Why
Managers need to learn a shared model or vocabulary (how the company runs 1:1s, reviews, or hiring)	Training	A curriculum delivers the same content to everyone quickly and cheaply per person.
Managers know what good looks like but do not do it under pressure	Coaching	The gap is behavior, and behavior changes through practice on real situations with someone holding you accountable.
A wave of first-time managers promoted at the same time	Both	Shared fundamentals in a cohort, then 1:1 coaching as each manager applies them to their own team.
Compliance or policy knowledge every manager must have	Training	This is knowledge transfer with a completion record. Coaching adds cost without adding much.
An experienced manager stuck on one specific problem (a hard conversation, a struggling direct report)	Coaching	A workshop will not address their situation. A coach works on it directly.
Leadership wants proof that managers actually changed	Coaching	Programs that measure competencies before and after show change. Course completion only shows attendance.

Evaluation Framework

What to look for in a manager development program.

Seven questions separate programs that change how managers lead from programs that produce a good satisfaction survey. Ask all seven before you compare prices.

Coaching, training, or both

Training transfers knowledge; coaching changes behavior. Decide which gap you are closing before you compare vendors. Most manager development needs a little of both, in a specific order.

What gets measured

Completion rates and post-workshop satisfaction measure exposure. Look for competency growth measured before and after, ideally on your own competency framework, and behavior change that direct reports can see.

How long the program runs

Skills fade when managers go back to a full calendar the day after a workshop. Programs that run for months, with practice between sessions, give new habits time to stick.

Cohort, individual, or both

Cohorts build shared language and peer accountability. 1:1 work addresses each manager’s real situation. First-time managers benefit from both; experienced managers usually need the 1:1.

Manager visibility without breaking confidentiality

HR and senior leaders need to see participation and progress to reinforce the work. Managers need to know what they say to a coach stays private. Ask to see the actual employer report before you sign.

Pricing model

Per-seat licenses, per-participant program fees, per-session pricing, and open-enrollment course prices behave very differently when participation does not match plan. Compare total program cost and cost per completed participant.

What happens after the program ends

When a manager is promoted, does their development history move with them, or does the next layer start over with a new vendor? Programs connected to the rest of leadership development compound over time.

At a Glance

Manager development programs compared.

Coaching platforms first, then training providers. "Custom quote" means the provider does not publish a price for company-wide programs.

Provider	Model	Duration	Pricing	Measurement	Best For
Boon	Hybrid	Grow: six months, twelve 45-min 1:1 sessions plus cohorts. Scale: ongoing	Grow: flat fee per participant or per session, by contract. Scale: per completed session	Pre and post competency scores on the customer’s framework	Measured behavior change in new and rising managers
BetterUp	Coaching	Ongoing 1:1	Per seat (custom quote)	Platform assessments and engagement reporting	Enterprise, wellbeing-led coaching
CoachHub	Coaching	Ongoing 1:1	Per seat (custom quote)	Behavioral framework assessments	Multilingual, multinational coaching
Torch	Coaching	Ongoing 1:1 and mentoring	Custom quote	HR analytics dashboard	Coaching plus internal mentoring
CCL	Training	20-hour intensive within a five-month journey; includes 3 hours of 1:1 coaching	US$4,400 per person (open enrollment)	360 assessment and self-assessments	Intensive program for individual frontline managers
FranklinCovey	Training	Two half-day live online sessions (public course)	US$479 per person (public course); All Access Pass is custom quote	Impact assessments on its platform	Shared management vocabulary at scale
DDI	Training	Subscription of courses and microlearning	Custom quote	Assessments, 360s, simulations, impact evaluation	Assessment-led enterprise rollouts
Dale Carnegie	Training	Seven weekly sessions or three consecutive days	Set by local office; about US$1,995 to US$2,500 at US offices	Not published	Open-enrollment classes for individual managers
Harvard Business Impact	Training	Self-paced library; blended cohort options	Custom quote	Self-tests and admin dashboards	On-demand content for large populations

Program details and published prices come from each provider's website as of September 2026 and are not independently audited.

The Programs

Program-by-program breakdown.

Boon

Hybrid

Boon runs manager development through two programs. Grow is a six-month cohort program for new and rising managers: twelve 45-minute 1:1 coaching sessions, peer cohorts, and competency measurement before and after, built on the company’s own competency framework. Scale is always-on 1:1 coaching for managers and employees at every level, priced per completed session. Both sit inside a wider system that also covers executive coaching (Exec), team coaching (Together), and AI change management (Adapt), so a manager’s development history carries forward when they are promoted.

Strengths

+Coaching and structured cohort learning in one program, so managers practice skills on real situations between sessions
++23% average competency improvement across measured competencies, pre to post
+Grow’s strongest single competency is giving and receiving feedback at +53%, one of the top four alongside delegation (+41%), self-confidence (+33%), and prioritization (+32%)
+89% session attendance and +87 NPS across 110+ customers
+Built on the customer’s own competencies, and HR sees aggregate progress while individual sessions stay confidential
+Grow is priced by contract, either a flat fee per participant or by sessions used; Scale is priced per completed session

Limitations

-No large open-enrollment catalog of courses; teams that need a library of self-paced content for thousands of employees will want a content provider alongside it
-Less brand recognition in Fortune 500 procurement than CCL, FranklinCovey, or DDI
-English-first coaching; multinational programs in many languages are better served by CoachHub
-A six-month program asks more of managers’ calendars than a one or two day workshop

Best for: Cohorts of new and rising managers where the company needs measured behavior change

See Grow for the cohort program, Scale for ongoing 1:1 coaching, or manager development for how the two fit together.

BetterUp

Coaching

BetterUp is the largest coaching platform by coach network and brand presence. Manager coaching sits inside a broader model that blends leadership coaching with wellbeing, and coachees usually choose their coach from a list.

Strengths

+4,000+ coaches with broad global coverage
+Strong brand presence in Fortune 500 procurement
+AI coaching companion for support between sessions

Limitations

-Per-seat pricing makes broad manager access expensive
-Primarily 1:1, with less depth in cohort manager development
-Wellbeing framing can dilute focus on specific manager skills

Best for: Large enterprises that want a known brand and a wellbeing-led coaching program

For a detailed comparison, see Boon vs. BetterUp.

CoachHub

Coaching

CoachHub is a European-founded digital coaching platform with strong international and language coverage, plus an AI coaching assistant for self-guided work.

Strengths

+3,500+ coaches across 90+ countries and 80+ languages
+Strong compliance posture for multinational buyers

Limitations

-Per-seat pricing similar to BetterUp
-Stronger in EMEA than North America, and less depth in cohort formats

Best for: Multinational companies that need manager coaching in many languages

For a detailed comparison, see Boon vs. CoachHub.

Torch

Coaching

Torch combines 1:1 coaching, mentoring, and group learning in one platform, and supports both external coaches and internal mentor networks.

Strengths

+Coaching and internal mentoring in one system, which is rare in the category
+Analytics dashboard for HR teams

Limitations

-Smaller market presence and limited public data on coach network size
-Less specialized than platforms focused purely on coaching

Best for: Companies that want to use senior internal leaders as mentors alongside external coaches

Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)

Training

CCL is a nonprofit leadership research and training organization founded in 1970. Its program for first-level managers, Maximizing Your Leadership Potential, is a 20-hour intensive inside a five-month journey, delivered over three days in person or five half-days live online, with a 360-degree assessment and three hours of 1:1 coaching.

Strengths

+Deep research base; CCL pioneered 360 feedback and the 70-20-10 model
+Includes a 360 assessment and a small amount of 1:1 coaching
+Published open-enrollment price

Limitations

-Premium per-seat price for an individual program
-Coaching is capped at a few hours inside a fixed program window

Best for: Individual frontline managers who want an intensive, research-based program with a 360

FranklinCovey

Training

FranklinCovey’s manager program, The 6 Critical Practices for Leading a Team, runs publicly as two half-day live online sessions. Companies can license its full content library through the All Access Pass, delivered live in person, live online, and on demand in 24 languages. Coaching is sold separately.

Strengths

+Widely known frameworks that give a whole company a shared management vocabulary
+Many formats and 24 languages through one subscription

Limitations

-The core manager course is short, so practice depends on what happens afterward
-Coaching is sold separately as an add-on

Best for: Companies that want one management vocabulary across a large, multilingual workforce

DDI

Training

DDI sells its Frontline Leader Program through a Leadership Development Subscription that includes assessments, in-person and virtual courses, microlearning, and practice tools. It is known for leadership assessment and research, including its Global Leadership Forecast. 1:1 coaching is not part of the frontline program.

Strengths

+Extensive assessment toolkit, including 360s and simulations
+Large research base and impact evaluation dashboards

Limitations

-Enterprise subscription only, with no individual enrollment
-Course-centered, with no 1:1 coaching for frontline managers

Best for: Large enterprises that want assessment-led skills courses rolled out at scale

Dale Carnegie

Training

Dale Carnegie’s Leadership Training for Managers is built for new and mid-level managers, delivered in person or live online, most often as seven weekly sessions or three consecutive days. Local offices set prices and run the classes. 1:1 coaching is a separate offering.

Strengths

+More than a century of management training and a large network of local offices
+Open enrollment with published prices

Limitations

-Event-based classroom training, with coaching sold separately
-Price and delivery vary by local office

Best for: Individual managers or small teams that want an open-enrollment class near them

Harvard Business Impact

Training

Harvard Business Impact (formerly Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning) offers Harvard ManageMentor, a self-paced digital library of management content, videos, and tools, along with blended cohort programs and learning sprints for companies. Individual managers can also enroll in Harvard Business School Online’s self-paced Management Essentials course.

Strengths

+Harvard and HBR brand with a very large content library
+Reaches a large population quickly at low cost per person

Limitations

-Core offering is self-directed, so completion depends on the learner
-No 1:1 coaching listed

Best for: Companies that need on-demand management content for a large population

Honest Limits

When coaching is the wrong tool.

We sell coaching, and it is still the wrong answer in these four situations.

The issue is knowledge, and the answer is written down

If managers do not know the new review process or the leave policy, a short course or a clear document is faster and cheaper than coaching.

The manager is on a path to exit

Coaching assigned as a quiet performance process damages trust in the program for everyone. If the decision is already made, be honest about it.

The problem is the system around the manager

If a team is understaffed, the role is undefined, or decision rights are unclear, coaching the manager will not fix it. Fix the structure first.

You need thousands of people through the same content this quarter

Coaching does not scale to that timeline or cost per person. A training library or digital curriculum is the right tool, with coaching reserved for the managers whose behavior matters most.

If the line between development and performance management is already blurry, read coach vs PIP vs exit before you enroll anyone.

Measurement

How to measure manager development ROI.

Decide what you will measure before the program starts, or you will end up reporting attendance. Three layers work:

Early signals, first three months: attendance, participant satisfaction, and progress on stated goals.
Behavior change, six to twelve months: competency scores before and after on your own framework, and changes that direct reports can observe.
Business outcomes, twelve months and beyond: retention and engagement on the teams of developed managers, and promotion readiness.

How Boon Grow reports it: competency scores before and after on the customer's own framework. Across measured competencies the average improvement is +23%. The strongest single competency, giving and receiving feedback, grew 53%.

For the full framework, see measuring coaching ROI, and use the coaching cost per employee guide to compare total program budgets.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What are the best manager development programs in 2026?

The best manager development program depends on the gap you are closing. For measured behavior change in new and rising managers, Boon Grow combines six months of 1:1 coaching with peer cohorts and pre and post competency measurement. For confidential ongoing coaching at every level, Boon Scale. For multilingual coaching, CoachHub. Among training providers, CCL, FranklinCovey, DDI, Dale Carnegie, and Harvard Business Impact lead for curriculum-based programs. Boon publishes this guide and is one of the programs compared.

Is coaching or training better for managers?

Training is better when managers need to learn a shared model or policy quickly. Coaching is better when managers already know what good looks like but do not do it under pressure, because the gap is behavior. First-time managers usually need both: shared fundamentals in a cohort, then 1:1 coaching as they apply those fundamentals to their own team.

How do you measure manager development ROI?

Measure in three layers. Early signals (first three months): attendance and participant satisfaction. Behavior change (six to twelve months): competency scores before and after, and changes direct reports can observe. Business outcomes (twelve months and beyond): retention and engagement on the teams of developed managers. Competency growth measured on your own framework is the strongest single signal.

What is a manager development program?

A manager development program is a structured way for a company to build the people skills its managers need, such as giving feedback, delegating, running 1:1s, and handling difficult conversations. Programs are delivered through training (workshops, courses, digital libraries), coaching (1:1 or group sessions with a coach), or a combination of the two.

How long should a manager development program last?

Long enough for new habits to form. A one or two day workshop can introduce a skill, but behavior change usually takes months of practice with feedback. Many programs that combine training and coaching run about six months. Boon Grow runs six months with twelve 1:1 coaching sessions.

What is the difference between manager training and manager development?

Manager training is an event or course that teaches specific skills or knowledge. Manager development is the longer process of a manager actually changing how they lead, which usually combines training, practice on real work, coaching, and feedback over time.