Practical Leadership Skills for Managers - Supporting Staff and Adapting to Changing Environments

1-Day Online Course

1-Day Online Course

Wednesday 26 August 2026

Please note:

- This is a National HSCP Office funded course and as such is open to any OT in a HSE-funded role (including S38/S39) regardless of AOTI membership.

- This course is being run by AOTI as an interdisciplinary event with a number of other professional bodies. This booking page is for OT applications only. If you are applying from another HSCP profession please contact your relevant professional body or contact [email protected] / [email protected] for further information on how to apply.

- This course is for HSCP managers only. You must be currently working as a manager to apply.

Course Details

This one-day workshop is designed to support managers as they navigate the challenges of leading growing and changing teams. It will focus on managing change effectively as staff numbers increase, strengthening core management skills, and exploring practical leadership approaches that foster engagement and performance. Participants will also develop their coaching and mentoring capabilities; learning how to support staff development, build confidence, and encourage continuous improvement. Through interactive discussions and practical examples, managers will leave with practical tools they can apply immediately in their day-to-day leadership roles. A key theme throughout the day will be learning how to use clinical knowledge to support and guide others in their work, rather than taking on tasks yourself.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Apply practical leadership and management approaches to effectively lead growing teams, manage change, and maintain staff engagement and performance.

• Use coaching and mentoring techniques to support individual development, build confidence, and encourage continuous learning within their teams.

• Adapt their leadership style to balance operational demands with people development, using appropriate strategies to support team effectiveness during periods of growth and change.

• Shift from being the expert who does the work to the leader who enables others, using their clinical expertise to guide, develop, and empower staff rather than taking on tasks themselves.

About the Facilitator

Dr Gearóid Hardy is a leadership consultant, executive coach, facilitator, and educator with over 40 years’ experience working with healthcare leaders across Ireland. He has supported consultants, clinical directors, directors of nursing, allied health professionals, hospital executives, and multidisciplinary teams through leadership development, team development, coaching, and organisational change.

Having worked extensively across acute hospitals, community services, universities, and national healthcare programmes, Gearóid understands the realities of leading in complex clinical environments. His approach is practical, drawing on experience gained from working alongside healthcare professionals rather than relying on theory alone.

Gearóid’s particular interest is helping clinical experts make the transition into leadership roles. His programmes focus on enabling leaders to step back from doing the work themselves and instead create the conditions in which others can succeed, improving collaboration, staff engagement, and ultimately the quality of patient care.

Application and Payment information:

• Payment in full is taken at the time of application.
• Payment of the fee does not guarantee you a place at this event.
• Full payment must be received prior to the closing date in order to secure your place.
• If the event is oversubscribed you will be provided with a full refund.
• Successful applicants will be notified that they have a place at the event following the closing date.
• Places are limited and members are advised to apply early to secure a place.
• Please note: notifications will be sent to the email address entered on this application form. Please make sure to enter correctly the email address you wish to use for communication about this event.
• Please read our CPD events cancellation/refund policy. See AOTI T&Cs