If you’re comparing providers for supervisor training, two of the organizations you’re likely to find are Dale Carnegie and ERC. Dale Carnegie and ERC both provide live supervisor training online and in person for individuals and groups, but they are built for different buying situations. We put together a quick comparison of how Dale Carnegie and ERC compare on format, customization, trainers, follow-through, and cost.
The short version:
- Both offer open-enrollment classes and onsite training programs, taught live in person or online.
- Choose Dale Carnegie when your primary need is a broader leadership, communication, presentation, public-speaking, or sales-development program, or when your organization requires training coverage across multiple locations, countries, or languages.
- Choose ERC when your organization wants manager and supervisor training tailored to its workplace scenarios, industry, and scheduling requirements. ERC may be a particularly strong fit when post-training application and reinforcement are priorities, including follow-up sessions in which participants work through current leadership situations with a trainer.
- On price, both providers offer per-person options for individuals attending public or open-enrollment training. ERC also prices private group programs by the scope of the engagement rather than a standard per-seat rate. For teams, that can make ERC worth comparing on total program cost, not just cost per participant, especially when customization, flexible scheduling, and reinforcement are part of the requirement.
Dale Carnegie vs. ERC Supervisor Training at a Glance
| Dale Carnegie | ERC | |
| Best Known for | Confidence, communication, public speaking, and sales skills for individuals and employers | Supervisor and manager training for employers |
| Supervisor courses | Step Up to Leadership (two 3-hour sessions); Leadership Training for Managers (7 weekly sessions or 3 days) | 12-module supervisor curriculum, from Role of the Supervisor to Increasing Workplace Accountability |
| Session length | About 3 hours, or full days | 45 minutes, 90 minutes, half-day, or full day |
| Open enrollment | Public classes through local offices, in person or live online | Public classes online or in-person; group training available online, onsite at your location, or a location of your choice |
| Custom training programs | Custom corporate programs built on Dale Carnegie’s 30 human relations principles | Built around your challenges: your scenarios, industry language, and a session length and schedule that works for you |
| Who teaches | Trainers from the local, independently owned office | ERC trainers such as Tom Ault, Chris Powers, and Dr. Damon Linder, with a trainer video you can watch first |
| After training | Report-backs between sessions; follow-up support in corporate programs | Optional Leadership Application Lab: sessions with an ERC trainer to work through current situations |
| Measurement | Leadership Effectiveness Survey and other assessments; HR, PM, and CPE credits on accredited courses | Kirkpatrick Level I evaluation included; pre- and post-tests; DiSC and TKI assessments |
| Reach | 200 offices in 75+ countries; 32 languages | Online anywhere in the U.S.; onsite nationwide |
Dale Carnegie details are from its website. Last reviewed September 2026.
How Pricing Works at Dale Carnegie and ERC
Dale Carnegie publishes per-person prices for its public courses, so pricing a group means multiplying by the number of attendees. Custom training programs are quoted, and group pricing is available for 10 or more employees.
ERC quotes private programs by the program, based on session length, number of topics or sessions, and format. Training programs cost the same for 10 or 20 supervisors. ERC’s public classes are priced per seat.
Ask both providers for a total that covers materials, assessments, and follow-up sessions, so you’re comparing the same thing.
How Training Sessions are Designed
A study of hundreds of training programs found the strongest results in programs that include practice and feedback, space sessions over time, and train people at their own workplace.
Both providers teach live with practice, and Dale Carnegie’s 7-week format spaces sessions out.
ERC sessions spend 30% to 40% of the time on practice and are spread over weeks. Onsite delivery is available for groups of five or more, and Leadership Application Lab sessions help reinforce the training.
When to Choose Dale Carnegie or ERC for Supervisor Training
Choose Dale Carnegie when:
- The goal is public speaking, presentations, or sales skills, where Dale Carnegie’s catalog goes deepest.
- You need training in several countries or languages.
- Your people need continuing education credits from courses.
Choose ERC when:
- You’re training a group of supervisors and want scenarios from your own workplace: new supervisors going from friend to boss, hard conversations getting put off, accountability slipping.
- Schedules need to be flexible, and 45- or 90-minute sessions fit around shifts and production better than full-day training.
- You want training reinforcement through ERC’s Leadership Application Lab.
Questions to Ask Dale Carnegie and ERC Before You Choose
- Who will teach our group, and can we see them train first?
- What will you customize: scenarios, topics, session length?
- How many total hours will each supervisor spend in training?
- What happens after each session?
- What do you measure, and when?
- What’s the total cost for our group?
See ERC’s Supervisor Training Before You Decide
Watch a trainer video and review a sample workbook and the full program outline on our supervisor training page, or check upcoming dates on our public training calendar. Tell us how many supervisors you’re training, and we’ll put together pricing for your group.
