A new one-day course designed to enhance people management skills is being launched by the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).

Part of the AFP Fleet Academy programme for 2026 and debuting in February, “Accelerate – Navigating People Challenges” consists of two modules. Develop Knowledge focuses on increasing your self-awareness as a leader while Activate Knowledge provides practical tools to manage your team more effectively.

Ronnie Gillman, AFP training manager, said: “Fleet managers frequently tell us that managing teams can be a challenge. It consumes much of their time and they find issues that arise often difficult to resolve.

“This course helps develop their skills to create better outcomes. Whether managing people is a new responsibility or something they’ve been doing for many years, it explores a range of different tools and approaches in a safe and supportive environment.

“Together, we will discuss how to find balance in the workplace by offering the level of support employees should expect from their manager while still ensuring people are performing effectively in the role for which they were employed.”

She said the course builds confidence in dealing with a wide range of everyday staff challenges – including anxiety, equality, health issues and disruptive behaviour.

“We provide a framework that equips delegates to address almost any problem. Every situation is unique and we can work through any scenarios delegates are currently facing, developing knowledge and skills together.”

The AFP Fleet Academy’s range of Accelerate courses cover specific topics and soft skills. For 2026, they include Your Voice in Fleet, Women’s Voices in Fleet, Making the Switch to Electric Vehicles and Operational eLCV Fleet Strategy.

Ronnie said: “Accelerate has become a very popular concept.  These short, impactful courses provide fleet managers with a strong grounding in essential areas of the profession. They have been an important part of the success of the AFP Fleet Academy in recent years.  We will be adding to our Accelerate offering in 2026, so watch this space for news on this.”

Accelerate – Navigating People Challenges will be initially delivered at Group 1 Mercedes-Benz in Coventry on two dates – 25th February and 16th June 2026. The fee is £395 per person for AFP members and £495 for non-members.

Further details can be found at https://www.theafp.co.uk/accelerate-navigating-people-challenges/.