Our Approach
Research-backed skills that drive big results
Get the leadership skills that tackle real-world challenges and make an immediate impact.
More isn’t always better —
we focus on what matters most
In the past decade, we’ve studied thousands of managers worldwide and reviewed extensive research to uncover what sets exceptional leaders apart.
This led to our Tipping Point Skills™ – key behaviors that drive immediate, high-impact results – that form the foundation of our Manager CORE programs.
Coaching Skills
According to our research, coaching is the number one skill of masterful managers, forming the foundation of great leadership.
Our approach: We focus on four foundational coaching tools that engage, empower, and improve employee performance.
Feedback Skills
Feedback is one of the biggest skill gaps we see among managers, making it a powerful Tipping Point Skill™ that significantly impacts various domains, from conflict resolution to meeting facilitation.
Our approach: We focus on a four-step process for giving specific and actionable feedback.
Productivity Skills
Productivity skills help you and your team transform time into the kind of progress that makes work matter, enhancing overall effectiveness.
Our approach: We focus on tools and techniques for improving time awareness, prioritization, organization, and focus.
Effective 1-1s
Employees who feel supported by their managers are 3.4 times more engaged at work, making effective one-on-ones a high-leverage tool for managers.
Our approach: We focus on identifying opportunities to coach, share feedback, and align on priorities during the 1-1.
Strategic Thinking
A study of 10,000 senior executives found 97% chose strategic thinking as the most important driver of business success.
Our approach: We focus on five cornerstone habits that catalyze strategic thinking the fastest.
Meetings Mastery
The average employee spends 20-40% of their work time in meetings, yet many report about half of those meetings are a waste of time.
Our approach: We focus on designing and facilitating effective meetings, both virtual and in-person.
Leading Change
Change can lead to meaningful success if managed effectively, but poorly led change initiatives often result in disaster.
Our approach: We focus on leading change to create more adaptive, resilient, and agile teams.
People Development
Research shows 94% of employees stay in their jobs longer if they receive employee development opportunities.
Our approach: We focus on developing people as part of their everyday roles and providing new opportunities for growth.
The behaviors that drive leadership
We focus on the key behaviors behind skills, breaking down Tipping Point Skills™ into simple, actionable Behavioral Units. These powerful, memorable habits address a range of leadership challenges.
Behavioral Unit:
Q-Step
Great managers start with questions, or Q-Step, to align and empower their team to take ownership.
Behavioral Unit:
Playback
A Playback is a paraphrase that clarifies, prevents misunderstandings, and builds trust.
Behavioral Unit:
Deblur
Great leaders spot and Deblur ambiguous words, turning them into clear, objective information.
Live workshops —
no recordings
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Delivered live, in-person or onlineLed by expert facilitators with real-time feedback
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Fresh and playfulPeer-to-peer opportunities make workshops engaging and fun while reinforcing core skills
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Instantly usefulWorkshops focus on Tipping Point Skills learners can use right away
Our pillars of exceptional learning experiences
Our content design philosophy is rooted in ongoing testing. Our team continally updates materials to keep them relevant and actionable. All of our workshops meet key criteria:
Behavioral
Our workshops promote actionable behaviors that learners can immediately apply and sustain over time, leading to lasting habit formation.
For example, instead of teaching “how to be a good coach,” we teach the most important “units” of behavior that lead to great coaching.
Memorable
Our workshops are designed in a way that the content is easily remembered, enabling learners to recall and apply the information when needed.
We use storytelling, analogies, and vivid examples to enhance engagement and memory, and we apply sticky terms and concepts to create strong mental associations.
Credible
Our workshops are trustworthy and backed by research so that learners confidently apply what they learn.
For example, when we present a claim, we always back it up with reputable studies and provide citations so learners can verify the information independently.
Relevant
Our workshops connect concepts to learners’ real-world scenarios and personal experiences to enhance engagement and practical application.
For example, when we teach a new behavior or skill, we encourage learners to practice applying it to their own real-life scenarios to deepen understanding.
Developmental
Our workshops create a supportive environment that encourages learners to take risks, engage actively, and grow through challenges, fostering psychological safety and confidence.
Playful
Our workshops incorporate playful elements that enhance engagement, creativity, and learning while ensuring relevance to real-world applications, providing a safe, inclusive environment, and offering fun opportunities to practice the behaviors and skills covered.
For example, we use games, role-playing, and simulations to maximize active participation and collaboration.
Accessible
Our workshops strive to be accessible to as many learners as possible, considering various physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities, cultural backgrounds, linguistic variations, and geographic locations to enhance participation and engagement.
By removing barriers and providing diverse options for interaction, we ensure learners of all abilities and backgrounds can engage meaningfully with the content.
Our leadership development approach produces rapid and lasting results
500,000+
people trained at the most innovative companies worldwide
55k+
live workshops delivered by expert facilitators
99%
of participants said the training was still having a positive impact on their performance after 6 months
“We had a problem with attrition and wanted to retain our great people. The work that we’ve done with LifeLabs has halved our regretted attrition. This is a big win for us! We’re a very client-focused firm, so it’s also a huge win for our clients.”
Helena Cantrell
Head of Global Talent Management, Lab 49
“GIPHY is obsessed with LifeLabs. Not only did we learn a ton, but our instructors made the courses fun and engaging. We walked away with tools that were easy to remember and implement immediately.”
Romy Saplicki
Head of People Operations/Giphy
“3 years later I am still thinking about & referring back to the trainings that LifeLabs did at our company. They were truly extremely valuable and something I was thankful to be a part of.”
Kirstin Slevin
Project Manager, Warby Parker
“LifeLabs is a wonderful partner specifically in helping provide science-based proven frameworks in real time, with sticky lessons that are easy to recall. I appreciate the immediate applicability, relatability, and value of the lessons.”
Melanna Carroll
CPO, Fresh Consulting
“What I appreciate most about LifeLabs Learning is their emphasis on practical application and real-world relevance. The training is not just theoretical; it’s designed to be immediately applicable, which has made a significant impact on our leaders’ day-to-day interactions.”
