WHAT TO SAY WHEN · THE MANAGER’S SCRIPT LIBRARY
Know what to say.
Be ready for what
comes next.
Practical scripts for 33 difficult employee conversations—with opening words, responses to common pushback, and a clear way to close.
By Mark Murphy New York Times bestselling author · Founder, Leadership IQ
184-page PDF · One-time purchase · Individual license
A practical reference for the conversation in front of you.TURN A DIFFICULT MOMENT INTO A CLEAR CONVERSATION
You know what needs to change.
Find the words to address it.
A missed deadline. A dismissive comment in a meeting. An employee who challenges every piece of feedback. You can see the problem. Preparing for the conversation is harder—especially when you’re not sure what they’ll say back.
This library helps you prepare for the whole exchange. Find your situation, work through the chapter, and adapt the language to your employee and your facts.
Open with specifics.
Start with observable facts and a clear expectation.
Be ready for pushback.
See three common responses and language for each.
Leave with a next step.
Close with a commitment, follow up, and document it.
A LOOK INSIDE · CHAPTER 7
When the eye-roll becomes
everyone’s problem.
Morgan keeps sighing and rolling her eyes while colleagues speak. Here’s the shorter opening from the chapter, for a manager who already has a good working relationship with her.
YOU OPEN WITH THE FACTS
“Morgan, two things from this month. Tuesday with Taylor, the sigh and the ‘here we go.’ Thursday with Priya, the eye-roll. You’ve probably got real objections in there, and I want them, out loud. What I don’t want is the sound effects.”
IF MORGAN SAYS
“I didn’t roll my eyes” or “you’re reading into it.”
YOU CAN RESPOND
“I’m telling you what I saw, and I’m telling you how it landed on the people at that table. You don’t have to agree with my read on it. What I’m asking for is simple: when Taylor or Priya is talking, the disagreement comes out in words.”
The chapter also explains what to prepare, two more ways Morgan might push back, and how to agree on what happens at the next meeting.
Read the complete sample chapter33 CONVERSATIONS · FIND YOURS
Start with the situation
you’re facing.
Explore all 33 situations below. The PDF includes linked contents and a “Find your situation” directory so you can go straight to the chapter you need.
Performance & accountability
6 situations- The first missed deadline
- The employee who always has a reason
- Sloppy work from someone who’s capable of better
- The strong performer who’s slipping
- The employee who thinks they’re exceeding expectations
- The employee who deflects, avoids, and blames
Attitude & behavior
6 situations- The eye-roller
- The employee whose negativity drags down the team
- The employee who argues with every piece of feedback
- The gossip
- The employee who undermines you to others
- The employee who stirs the pot and plays innocent
When they react
5 situations- The employee who cries
- The employee who gets angry
- The employee who goes silent
- The employee who says you’re picking on them
- The employee who threatens to quit
Team dynamics
7 situations- Two reports who can’t work together
- The high performer nobody can stand
- The credit-taker
- The employee who talks over everyone
- The employee for whom everything is a crisis
- The employee who won’t share what they know
- The brilliant new hire who’s alienating the team
Sensitive & personal
4 situations- The hygiene conversation
- The dress and appearance conversation
- The employee who overshares
- The employee who’s always on their phone
Delivering difficult news
5 situations- Telling someone they didn’t get the promotion
- No raise this year
- Changing someone’s role
- Putting someone on a plan
- The former peer who tests you
THE SAME USEFUL STRUCTURE, EVERY TIME
A plan for before, during,
and after the conversation.
Recognize the situation.
Understand the pattern and the mistake that can make it harder to address.
Prepare before you walk in.
Gather the facts, set the expectation, and identify anything to check with HR.
Choose your opening words.
Use the script as a starting point, with your employee’s name and your own facts.
Respond when they push back.
Work through three common reactions and the language for responding to each.
Close and follow through.
Agree on a specific next step, know what to check afterward, and make a factual record.
A FEW PRACTICAL DETAILS
Before you get your copy.
What do I receive?
A personalized, 184-page PDF containing all 33 chapters, the research introduction, four guiding rules, and linked contents. This offer includes the PDF edition.
Do I need to read it from beginning to end?
You can start with the situation you’re facing. Read the introductory research and guiding rules once, then use the library as a reference when a conversation comes up.
Should I use the scripts word for word?
Adapt them to your own voice, your employee, and the facts. The scripts give you a practical starting point and explain the reasoning behind the language.
Can I share it with my team?
The $47 purchase is an individual professional-use license for one reader. You can use and adapt the scripts in your work, but the ebook itself may not be shared, redistributed, or uploaded to a shared drive or learning platform. For multiple readers, ask Jill about team licensing.
Why is my email printed in the PDF?
Each page identifies the licensed reader using the purchase email address. It helps protect the work from redistribution. You can save the PDF on your own devices and print a copy for your own use.
How long do I have to download it?
Your private download link is valid for 30 days after payment. Save your copy within that window; the downloaded PDF remains yours to use under the individual license. If your link expires, contact jill@leadershipiq.com for help.
Does this replace advice from HR?
The ebook provides general management guidance. Chapters flag situations to bring to HR. Follow your organization’s policies and consult HR or an employment attorney about legal obligations in your situation.
Go into your next conversation
with words you can use.
Get the ebook — $47 One payment. Your personalized PDF. A reference to return to.