Quality, Lean & Project Management · Exam preparation
CM
Certified Manager (CM)
Why professional management matters
Many managers are promoted because they excel at technical work, then are expected to plan, decide, delegate, coach and run meetings without being taught how. When managers share a common foundation, goals are tied to strategy, decisions follow a clear process, and people receive regular, specific feedback on their work.
Without it, each manager improvises: plans stay vague, decisions are shaped by bias, capable people leave for lack of coaching, and meetings end without actions. This programme gives supervisors and managers the full toolkit of management practice, built on ICPM's job task analysis of the profession and leading to the Certified Manager (CM) designation.
What you will be able to do
- Set measurable goals and plans aligned with strategy, and use strategic analysis to set direction
- Follow a structured decision process and recognise the biases that affect individual and group decisions
- Communicate clearly through active listening and plan meetings that end in agreed actions
- Build cohesive, high-performance teams and coach each member with specific, constructive feedback
- Take part in recruitment, selection, training and performance appraisal as a manager
- Define a project's scope, schedule and budget and take corrective action as it progresses
Course outline: 20 modules
Each module below shows what it covers and what you will be able to do at the end of it.
1. The Management Process Today
Introduces management fundamentals, the core functions of planning, organising, leading and controlling, and how the manager's role is changing.
- Describe the four core functions of management
- Explain how today's environment is changing managerial work
2. Characteristics of Managers
Examines the skills, roles and traits of effective managers and how management differs from leadership.
- Identify the technical, human and conceptual skills managers need
- Distinguish between the roles of manager and leader
3. Ethics and Social Responsibility
Covers ethical decision-making in management and the organisation's responsibilities to employees, customers and society.
- Apply ethical reasoning to common management dilemmas
- Explain the scope of corporate social responsibility
4. Managing in the Global Environment
Examines how globalisation, culture and international business conditions affect the way organisations are managed.
- Identify the effects of globalisation on management decisions
- Adapt management practices to different cultural settings
5. Managing for Sustainability
Covers integrating environmental, social and economic sustainability into management decisions and organisational practice.
- Explain the business case for sustainable management
- Identify practical sustainability actions within a manager's control
6. Promoting Effective Communication
Covers the communication process, barriers to communication and techniques managers use to communicate clearly at work.
- Identify common barriers to effective workplace communication
- Apply active listening and clear feedback techniques
7. Decision Making
Examines structured decision-making processes, common biases and approaches to individual and group decisions.
- Follow a structured process to reach management decisions
- Recognise biases that affect individual and group decisions
8. Using Information Technology to Increase Performance
Covers how managers use information technology and systems to improve productivity, information flow and performance.
- Identify information systems that support management decisions
- Assess how technology can improve team productivity
9. The Legal Environment and Managing Risk
Introduces the legal framework managers work within and the basic principles of identifying and managing business risk.
- Recognise the main legal issues managers face at work
- Apply basic steps to identify and control business risks
10. Understanding Economics and How it Affects Business
Explains core economic concepts and how market and economic conditions influence business decisions.
- Explain supply, demand and market structure in business terms
- Assess how economic conditions affect organisational plans
11. Planning and Strategy
Covers the planning process, goal setting and the formulation and implementation of organisational strategy.
- Set measurable goals and plans aligned with strategy
- Use strategic analysis to inform organisational direction
12. Value-Chain Management
Examines how activities across the value chain, from suppliers to customers, are coordinated to deliver value.
- Map the main activities in an organisation's value chain
- Identify opportunities to improve value-chain efficiency
13. Organisational Structure and Culture
Covers organisational design choices and how organisational culture shapes behaviour and performance.
- Compare common organisational structures and their trade-offs
- Explain how culture influences employee behaviour
14. Managing a Diverse Workforce
Covers managing people of different backgrounds and building an inclusive workplace.
- Explain the benefits and challenges of a diverse workforce
- Apply inclusive practices in day-to-day management
15. Building High-Performance Teams
Examines how teams develop and the conditions that enable high team performance.
- Describe the stages of team development
- Apply practices that build team cohesion and performance
16. Human Resource Management
Covers the core HR activities managers take part in, from recruitment and selection to training and appraisal.
- Outline the main stages of recruitment and selection
- Explain the manager's role in training and performance appraisal
17. Coaching and Performance Feedback
Covers coaching employees and giving constructive performance feedback to improve results.
- Conduct structured coaching conversations with team members
- Give specific, constructive feedback on performance
18. Networking and Mentoring
Examines building professional networks and mentoring relationships to support career and organisational development.
- Build and maintain a professional network
- Establish effective mentoring relationships
19. Project Management
Introduces planning, scheduling and controlling projects so they meet scope, time and cost targets.
- Define project scope, schedule and budget
- Monitor project progress and take corrective action
20. Running Effective Meetings
Covers planning, facilitating and following up meetings so they produce clear decisions and actions.
- Plan meetings with a clear purpose and agenda
- Facilitate discussion and record agreed actions
Programme details
| Eligibility | At least 10 points in total: 3 or more for education (e.g. bachelor's degree 4) and 4 or more for experience (1 per full-time management year). |
|---|---|
| Exams | Three exams: Management Skills I (Foundations of Management), II (Planning and Organizing) and III (Leading and Controlling). |
| Exam format | International exams have 100 multiple-choice questions each (120 in the US), with a maximum of 120 minutes per exam. |
| Exam delivery | Proctored online exams taken on any computer with reliable internet; pass/fail result shown immediately on screen and sent by email. |
| Time allowed | Candidates have up to 15 months to complete the certification programme. |
| Study materials | ICPM study books plus access to the ICPM e-Learning Center with PowerPoints, quizzes, notes and outlines. |
| Designation | Certified Manager, with the right to use the CM post-nominal; new CMs receive a certification packet with two copies of the certificate. |
| Recertification | Initial certification is current for 3 years; renew by completing 45 management or leadership PDUs per three-year period and keeping annual renewal current. |
| Next step | CMs with a bachelor's degree and 4 years' management experience may apply for Chartered Manager (C.Mgr.) through CIM | Chartered Managers Canada. |
Your path to CM certification
- Enquire and choose your format. Classroom in Cairo, live online, or an in-house cohort for your team.
- Learn the 20 modules with practitioners. 90 hours over 15 weeks, every live session recorded on our learning platform.
- Practise with module tests and question banks. Exam-style questions with instant results, alongside the ICPM study books and the ICPM e-Learning Center with its PowerPoints, quizzes, notes and outlines.
- Sit the three ICPM exams. Management Skills I, II and III are proctored online exams you take on any computer with reliable internet, each after its module, with the pass or fail result shown on screen straight away. You have up to 15 months to complete the certification programme.
- Earn the CM designation. You may use the CM post-nominal and receive a certification packet with two copies of the certificate. The certification is current for 3 years and is renewed with 45 management or leadership PDUs per three-year period.
- Keep climbing. With a bachelor's degree and 4 years' management experience, you may apply for Chartered Manager (C.Mgr.) through CIM | Chartered Managers Canada.
What you walk away with
- A management toolkit you can apply the next working day, from planning and decisions to coaching and meetings
- The Certified Manager (CM) designation from ICPM, with the right to use the CM post-nominal
- A renewal route of 45 management or leadership PDUs every three years
- Recordings of every live session, official study material, question banks and module tests on our learning platform
- Support until exam day, then a clear route to Chartered Manager (C.Mgr.)
Want the full picture?
The CM brochure has the complete module outline, exam facts and delivery options in one PDF.
Download the CM brochure (PDF) Enquire about the next cohort
How you will learn
- Classroom: Interactive sessions at our training and exam centre in Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt.
- Live online: Instructor-led virtual classes for participants anywhere in the region.
- In-house: A private cohort for your team, at your premises and tailored to your context.
- Every live session recorded: Watch any session again, or catch up on one you missed, on our learning platform.
- Official study material: Books, handbooks and course files for the programme, in one place.
- Question banks and module tests: Exam-style practice with instant results.
- Support until exam day: Keep studying on the platform after the live sessions end, right up to the exam.
Exam and certification
Exam preparation for ICPM
| Exams | 3 proctored online exams: Management Skills I, II and III |
|---|---|
| Questions | 100 multiple-choice questions per exam, up to 120 minutes each |
| Good to know | Each exam is taken after its module is completed |
Who should attend
- Senior managers
- Mid-level managers
- Supervisors
Frequently asked questions
What is the CM course?
Prepares participants for the Certified Manager credential from the Institute of Certified Professional Managers. Based on a job task analysis of the profession, it covers the essential tools and principles of management practice.
Who should take CM?
It suits: Senior managers; Mid-level managers; Supervisors.
How long is the CM course at Transights?
90 hours, 15 weeks. It runs live online, in class in Cairo, or in-house for company teams in Egypt and the GCC.
What is the CM exam like?
The exam is set by ICPM; you book and sit it with ICPM directly. 3 proctored online exams: Management Skills I, II and III. 100 multiple-choice questions per exam, up to 120 minutes each. Each exam is taken after its module is completed.
Who awards the CM certification?
ICPM awards CM to candidates who pass its exam. Transights provides the exam preparation course.