The Training Your Employees Actually Need

Today’s workplace demands more than just technical skills.  Employees need to manage upwards, embrace change, take feedback without getting defensive, communicate with tact, and stay productive in the face of nonstop distractions.

But most managers don’t have the time to teach those critical soft skills—and most training programs are too long, too theoretical, or too boring to stick.

That’s why we built the High Impact Employee Masterclass Library.

This 10-course collection delivers the essential mindset and behavior shifts that transform good employees into high-impact performers.

Each 1-hour session is research-based, fast-paced, and immediately actionable—designed to work for real people in real jobs.  No fluff, no filler—just the core habits that move the needle on performance, accountability, and adaptability.

Built for Real Work, Not Just Check-the-Box Training

📘 Every course comes with a Trainer’s Guide

Each course includes a comprehensive Trainer’s Guide that your internal facilitators can use to lead live, face-to-face sessions. These guides include discussion questions, exercises, deeper dives, and more—empowering your L&D or HR team to build a fully customized leadership development curriculum using our content. Leadership IQ is the only firm that fully equips internal trainers this way.

♾️ You get perpetual access to these programs

There are no renewal fees—ever. Within minutes of purchase, you'll receive access to download every course (video in .mp4 format), PDF slides, and the Trainer’s Guides. Upload them to your own LMS or shared drive, and distribute PDF handouts internally. (Please note: content is licensed for internal employee use only and not for resale or external distribution.)

🎯 Behavior-based, not theory-heavy

Practical habits and scripts that employees can use immediately⏱ Bite-sized and efficient: Each session is around 1 hour—no wasted time

💻 Zero setup required

Upload to your LMS or shared drive

📂 Ready-to-use tools

Includes guides, exercises, and actionable frameworks for every session

💡 Backed by research

From the team at Leadership IQ, trusted by top employers worldwide

Each Course Taught by Mark Murphy

Mark Murphy is a New York Times bestselling author, Senior Contributor to Forbes, and Founder of Leadership IQ. His groundbreaking research & techniques have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fortune, Forbes, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Harvard Business Review, among others. And he's trained the leaders at Harvard Business School, the United Nations,  Microsoft, IBM, MasterCard, Merck, and thousands more.

What Your Team Will Learn

Each masterclass session delivers practical, fast-paced, and immediately usable lessons on:

• How to go from good to great performance using observable behaviors
• Managing upwards to strengthen relationships with leaders
• Prioritizing meaningful work and eliminating busyness
• Embracing change and building personal resilience
• Taking feedback without defensiveness
• Boosting optimism, proactivity, and motivation
• Communicating with diplomacy and tact
• Listening with empathy and psychological insight
• Growing emotional intelligence to better manage self and others
• Using AI tools (like ChatGPT) to boost productivity and decision-making

The Courses In The Library

HOW TO BE A STAR EMPLOYEE (AND GO FROM GOOD TO GREAT WORK)

You don’t need superhuman talent to be a star at work. What separates top performers from everyone else isn’t magic—it’s a set of specific, observable, and repeatable behaviors. This course teaches the simple but powerful habits that elevate performance from merely “good” to truly “great.” Using Leadership IQ’s proven Word Picture technique, you’ll learn how to decode what your boss and company really value—and how to exceed those expectations. You’ll discover how to:

• Define the subtle yet critical differences between good work and great work across multiple job types
• Use the Word Picture exercise to identify what your boss believes distinguishes great performance (and how to reverse-engineer success)
• Apply a 4-part conversation script to uncover your leader’s true priorities and expectations for excellence
• Cultivate a forward-looking mindset that helps you spot new opportunities and get tapped for stretch assignments
• Increase your self-awareness with 5 reflection questions to track your growth and elevate performance
• Implement a daily habit to recognize and reinforce your own great work behaviors (without needing constant praise)
• Leverage real examples of adaptability, accuracy, and teamwork to build your own “star employee” blueprint

MANAGING UPWARDS

In the real world, your relationship with your leaders has a huge impact on your ability to succeed. The stronger your relationship with your boss (and your boss’s bosses), the more success you’ll have. Managing upwards is not manipulation – it’s about understanding your leaders’ strengths, weaknesses, goals, styles and needs so that you can make them – and yourself – amazingly successful. You’ll discover how to:

• Boost your leaders’ trust with the 3-part script for delivering positive reinforcement “upwards”
• Amplify your leaders’ confidence by reducing the 3 fears that every leader has about their direct reports
• Implement the 9-part framework for delivering bad news to your boss to keep their confidence and solve underlying problems
• Discover the 8 questions you should always ask when your boss gives you an assignment (that ensures you exceed their expectations)
• Galvanize your “informational power” so your leaders turn to you for insights and suggestions
• Discover which of the 4 Communication Styles your leader has so you can adapt your messaging and build more support

STOP BEING BUSY AND START BEING PRODUCTIVE

We all suffer from the “busyness disease.” Over 60% of working Americans say they don’t have enough time to do the things they want to do. But we have a lot more time than we think we do. One study found that people who say they work 75-hours per week overestimated their working time by about 25 hours! There are 4 kinds of work that consume our time: Green Light, Yellow Light, Orange Light and Red Light Work. But only Green Light Work will give you a successful career. Most people spend less than 30% of their week on Green Light work—the other 70% is spent on Yellow, Orange and Red Light Work, that range from easily postponed to complete wastes of time. You’ll discover how to:

• Enact the Daily Goal-Setting Exercise to immediately improve your focus and prioritization
• Discover and harness your Zone of Optimal Productivity (the 2-3 hours every day where you’re at peak performance)
• Reveal your personal Green Light, Yellow Light, Orange Light and Red Light Work (and a Grid to plot your major activities) to maximize your personal productivity
• Uncover your Top 10 hidden timewasters (and how to eliminate them)
• Implement the 3 steps to overcome the Sunday Night Blues
• Adopt the 2-part script to (nicely) stop people from interrupting and distracting you
• Enact your personal script for saying “No” and creating boundaries
• Utilize 2 scientific discoveries for reducing procrastination

HELPING YOURSELF EMBRACE CHANGE

Do you see change as an opportunity or do you fear/resist it? You may find that, like most people, you feel some anxiety and discomfort in the face of change. While it is normal to feel this unease, fear of change can quickly snowball into a destructive force throughout an organization. This module will help you reframe your reactions to change and give you the tools to overcome resistance to turn any change into an opportunity. You’ll discover how to:

• Transform negative beliefs about change into positive opportunities using the 3-part cognitive restructuring script
• Accelerate your change-readiness with the 5-part Benefit-Finding Exercise (to reveal hidden benefits of every change)
• Utilize 1-sentence to prevent yourself from spiraling into negativity and anxiety about change
• Strengthen your coworkers’ buy-in for change with three simple phrases
• Reveal the hidden clues about what changes are coming next at your organization (so you can prepare yourself ahead of time)

HOW TO TAKE, EMBRACE, AND LEARN FROM, CRITICISM

If you live in the real world, at some point you're going to get some tough criticism. Even world-famous CEOs receive blistering criticism. But why do some people take tough criticism and use it as a catalyst for extraordinary success, while others get defensive, completely missing their opportunity to get useful information? In this module, you’ll discover how to glean nuggets of insight from every bit of criticism, and handle it all analytically and unemotionally. You’ll discover how to:

• Enable the 3-step reframing process for identifying at least one positive nugget of insight from every bit of criticism
• Dissect tough criticism into Facts, Interpretations and Reactions so you can react more logically and analytically (and not feel personally attacked or defensive)
• Ask 2 questions of your bosses and colleagues to predict tough criticism so you're not surprised (giving you more calm and control)
• Master the ‘Temporal Distancing’ visualization technique that immediately reduces negative emotions and even lowers blood pressure
• Adopt the 4 words you should always say when you receive tough criticism
• Utilize the 1 simple gesture that slows people down when the criticism turns toxic

BOOSTING YOUR PROACTIVE & OPTIMISM MINDSET

Optimistic people are 103% more inspired to give their best effort at work. And proactive personalities are 106% more inspired. Optimists actively work to generate well-being for themselves. Proactive personalities generally achieve more, including higher salaries and more professional prestige. Behavioral health research has found that people with these mindsets typically experience more career success, better health, less anxiety, and lower stress. In this module, you’ll learn specific techniques to drastically and immediately enhance your optimism and proactivity. You’ll discover how to:

• Use the 10-Minute Reframing Exercise to look at your situation with more optimism (and less pessimism)
• Enact the 7-part Self-Efficacy Exercise that bolsters your confidence that you can survive stressful times, no matter how tough or scary
• Implement the 7-Part Resilience Exercise to discover your unrealized sources of resilience
• Discover hidden reasons to feel optimistic and confident using the 4-Part Optimism Exercise
• Ignite the ‘Reason-Based Choice’ mental switch that focuses your mind on the positive instead of the negative
• Avoid the 8 words that proactive and optimistic people rarely use
• Initiate a 4-part conversation with your boss to immediately anticipate their needs and increase your proactivity

ENHANCING YOUR EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Emotional Intelligence is more predictive of success than raw brains or years of experience; it's one of the most essential professional qualities. Each participant will receive the 20-question Emotional Intelligence assessment to measure your current Emotional Intelligence and identity opportunities for further development. This masterclass is built on the tripartite emotional intelligence model of Self-Awareness, Other-Awareness and Emotional Management. You'll learn to develop self awareness, to figure out what makes you tick, what situations set you off, how to avoid them, and how to maintain great emotional control. You'll learn how to read other people. You'll become significantly more aware of what others are thinking and feeling, and how to be much more accurate in determining why people act the way they do. You'll develop emotional management skills to manage and influence others' emotions. You'll learn how to defuse and deescalate tense situations, to bring people out of their shell, link people together and turn seemingly messy situations into clearly predictable opportunities for great leadership. You’ll learn:

• Take the 20-question Emotional Intelligence Assessment
• The science of Self-Awareness: the ability to identify & understand your own emotions
• The science of Other-Awareness: the ability to identify & understand others’ emotions
• The science of Emotional Management: the ability to manage & influence emotions
• 8-part exercise to understand your emotions, why you react and act the way you do, so you can initiate or avoid certain situations, and rehearse and prepare for situations based on your likely reactions
• 3 steps to significantly increase your ability to quickly and accurately read other peoples’ emotions
• Why Emotional Intelligence is the #2 reason why new hires fail

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TACTICS OF GREAT LISTENING

If you want to succeed in the executive suite, leadership, sales, customer service, or anywhere that involves interacting with people, you need effective listening skills. And listening skills (especially listening empathically) are one of the biggest drivers of charisma and interpersonal communication. BUT the average person retains only 10% of what they hear. Only 30% of leaders currently listen with empathy. One study found that physicians stop listening 18 seconds after a patient starts speaking. Another found that salespeople stop listening 21 seconds after a prospect starts talking. You’ll learn the groundbreaking Structured Listening approach (including the listening techniques that clinical psychologists and behavioral investigators use). You’ll discover:

• How a cognitive listening technique called Perspective-Taking leads to others feeling 78% more empathy towards us
• Discover the science of Perspective-Taking, and how it differs from sympathy, active listening, and more
• Why Structured Listening is so much more powerful than older techniques like active listening
• The 3-Steps to effective Structured Listening: Eliciting, Listening and Confirming
• The Seven Phrases you should NEVER use when you’re listening to someone
• The Two Tests that determine whether you’ve truly heard what other people are saying
• 4 types of probing questions that direct people to share and reveal their deeper issues (Factual, Emotional, Direct, Indirect)
• 1 question that stops people from rambling, but redirects them and can still keep them talking
• 3-step process for resolving misunderstandings or when you misheard what they were saying)

THE ART OF COMMUNICATING DIPLOMATICALLY & TACTFULLY

Have you ever been told that your communication is a little too aggressive? OR have you ever gotten stuck trying to talk about tough issues because you were so worried about offending someone? You'll learn science and specific techniques for communicating with diplomacy and tact while still delivering even tough messages. Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Steve Jobs can get away with being 'rough around the edges' and lacking interpersonal skills, but unless you're going to invent Amazon, Tesla or the iPhone, you can't get away with being seen as harsh or brusque. More than just emotional intelligence, you'll discover the specific interpersonal communication skills, scripts and words that create diplomacy and tact, including:

• 7 Trigger Words that immediately make people angry (and what you should say instead)
• 5 Diplomacy Words that soften your message and reduce people’s anger and defensiveness
• How the “Yes And” technique allows you to disagree with someone while still being incredibly nice and diplomatic
• 4-Step Script for saying “No” without alienating your colleagues
• The 2-sentences that stop will you from arguing with people (even when you’re getting annoyed or angry)
• The 1-sentence that immediately increases your likeability by 19%
• How a specific type of compliment called “positive labeling” can radically improve people’s behavior and increase their trust in you
• 3-Step Script to apologize sincerely and restore the relationship when your communication process has gotten too aggressive
• The 1 Question you need to ask when you’re about to start a difficult conversation to immediately lower the other person’s defensiveness

AI QUICK START

AI is not just for tech experts—it’s for professionals who want to work smarter, not harder. Whether you’ve dabbled with ChatGPT and found it gimmicky, or you’re feeling left behind as AI reshapes the workplace, this 90-minute masterclass will give you the confidence and skills to use AI in practical, impactful ways. Many professionals hesitate to embrace AI, either because they think it’s too complex or they don’t see how it applies to their work. But the reality is that AI can help you write faster, analyze data effortlessly, and improve decision-making—all without needing any technical background. In this fast-paced, tactical session, you’ll learn how to start using AI immediately to boost your efficiency, improve communication, and solve real workplace challenges. We’ll cut through the hype and focus on the exact ways AI can make your work easier today. You’ll discover:

• Learn the AI essentials—what it can do, what it can’t, and how to get the most out of it
• Get a ready-to-use library of prompts for writing emails and memos faster (tactful feedback, declining requests, crisis communication), handling HR and leadership tasks (job descriptions, performance reviews), making better decisions (summarizing reports, pros & cons analysis, competitor research), boosting productivity (meeting summaries, prioritization help, time-saving templates), solving problems and generating ideas (brainstorming solutions, conflict resolution, creativity boost), analyzing data even without technical skills (data interpretation, trends analysis), and more!
• Discover how to write better, faster emails, reports, and memos using AI
• Learn simple AI techniques to summarize, analyze, and improve decision-making
• Get step-by-step guidance on using AI tools (like ChatGPT) effectively
• Learn exactly what to type to get useful results instead of generic nonsense
• Leave with immediate, practical applications—so you can start using AI the same day
• No prior AI experience required