Planning Development
How to Choose Leadership Training for School Nutrition Managers
By Donna Davis
Choosing leadership training starts with the situations your managers need to handle more effectively. Look for a facilitator who understands your audience, connects the content to real work, includes opportunities to practice, and helps you plan what happens after the session.
A full training calendar does not automatically mean your managers have the support they need. The useful question is: What do we want them to handle differently when they return to work?
Start with a moment, not a topic
"Communication" is a broad topic. "Addressing a concern without letting frustration take over" is a moment you can work on.
Illustrative scenario: a staffing change leaves a manager covering additional responsibilities. Directions become shorter, team members feel dismissed, and a small misunderstanding grows. A relevant session would help participants work on how to communicate priorities and address concerns when time is limited.
Before selecting a speaker, ask managers which conversations they find difficult. Look for patterns without collecting private personnel details.
Match the learning to the audience
Directors, managers, and frontline employees share responsibilities, but they do not make the same decisions. A manager may need to address follow-through. A director may need to communicate a change across several locations. A frontline group may need language for resolving everyday tension.
A mixed group can learn together when the activities respect those differences. Ask how the facilitator will adapt examples and participation.
Ask what participants will do
A useful proposal should explain more than the subjects covered. Will participants discuss a scenario, rehearse language, reflect individually, or choose an action to try?
Ask what the agreed session includes, how much time participants have to apply the ideas, and whether materials are provided. If continuing education credit matters, verify eligibility separately before advertising it.
Use this selection checklist
- We can name the leadership situation we want to improve.
- The facilitator understands the roles attending.
- Examples connect to our team's work.
- Participants will have an opportunity to apply an idea.
- Timing, delivery format, and materials are clear.
- We have relevant feedback about the facilitator's work.
- We know who will support application afterward.
A "not yet" is a question to resolve before booking.
Plan the return to work
Choose one behavior to revisit after training. For example: stating the expectation, asking what support is needed, and agreeing on a follow-up. Give managers a chance to discuss what they tried without turning the conversation into a public performance review.
Leadership development becomes more useful when the learning has somewhere to go.
Questions planners ask
Can technical training and leadership development work together?
Yes. They address different needs. Technical training supports program knowledge; leadership development focuses on how people communicate, make choices, and work with others.
Should every manager attend the same session?
Start with shared needs, then consider whether different roles need separate examples or deeper work. One session does not need to solve every development priority.
Choose the experience around your people
Explore Donna's school nutrition leadership development, or book a leadership consultation to discuss your audience and goals.