Data Science Foundations

Data Science: Foundations for Strategic Decision-Making

Data Science for Business

Data Science Models & Their Business Applications

Storytelling with Data

Data Visualization and Storytelling: Making Data Speak

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity: Securing the Modern Enterprise

Digital Transformation

Digital Leadership: Leading in a Digital World

Emerging Technologies

Emerging Technologies: Shaping the Future of Business

Creative Problem Solving

Design Thinking: Creative Approaches for Modern Challenges

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship: Launching and Scaling New Ventures

Growth Strategy

Growth Strategy: Expanding Business 

Innovation Management

Innovation Management: Driving Creativity and Change

Budgeting & Planning

Budgeting and Planning: Financial Success for Business

Finance Foundations

Finance Fundamentals: Building a Strong Financial Foundation

Investment Analysis

Investment Analysis: Making Data-Driven Investment Choices

Complex Decision Making

Decision-Making: Navigating Complex Business Challenges

Leadership

Leadership Essentials: Developing Personal Leadership Skills

Negotiation & Influence

Negotiation: Achieving Win-Win Outcomes

Storytelling in Business

Business Storytelling: Persuading and Inspiring Audiences

Strategic Leadership

Strategic Leadership: Visionary Leadership for Growth

Strategic Planning

Strategic Planning: Creating Long-Term Success

Team Leadership

Team Leadership: Leading High-Performance Teams

Brand Marketing

Brand Management: Building and Sustaining Market Leadership

Growth Marketing

Marketing Analytics: Data-Driven Marketing for Results

Marketing Foundations

Marketing Fundamentals: Building and Implementing Strategies

Sales Leadership

Sales Leadership: Leading Teams to Achieve Excellence

Strategic Sales

Sales Strategy: Driving Growth Through Strategic Sales

Influence & Power

Influence and Power: Strategies for Professional Impact

Product Design

Product Design: Crafting Solutions for Customer Needs

Product Management

Product Management: Driving Success Across Product Lifecycles

Product Marketing

Product Marketing: Aligning Product with Market Needs

Project Mgmt Leadership

Project Leadership: Managing Teams for Successful Outcomes

Project Management

Project Management: Delivering Projects on Time and Budget

Technical Program Mgmt

Technical Program Management: Leading Complex Programs

Strategic Marketing

Strategic Marketing: Aligning Goals with Market Opportunities

variant_1

Enjoy 7 days free

The promo may be over, but your opportunity isn't. Dive into the full experience, worry-free, with our 7-day money-back guarantee.

The offer has ended

Amount charged now

Your 7-day free trial starts today

Proof you've trained with the world's best

Leadership and Decision Making Under Pressure

Get this certificate.

Proof you’ve learned from the best.

Brand Strategist

Ana M. Gómez Sanabria

Founder

Karl Baron

Service Design & Design Strategist

Meghan Preiss

R&D Manager

Morten Refsgaard Drost

Chief Technical Advisor

Doug Needham

Service Manager

Ólafur Már Símonarson

Get 50% off an annual membership of MasterClass

Congratulations, you purchased an annual standard membership of MasterClass. A confirmation has been sent to your email. You will now be able to access 200+ classes in addition to your Certificate course.

You're all set!

Build practical AI skills that matter. Learn how to think with AI, make better decisions, and prove you’re ready for what’s next.

AI as Your Copilot (4 min)

Prompting: Speak So AI Listens (8 min)

Step inside The Moonshot Factory to see how teams prototype new concepts in hours, pinpoint the riskiest part of any idea, and turn bold thinking into real-world breakthroughs.

This Is Where Bold Begins (12 min)

"What If" Before "What Is" (8 min)

Learn from five former SEALs, including Medal of Honor winner Command Master Britt Slabinski (Ret), and hear how they tackle issues, recognize stress early, and use quick resets to regain composure.

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.

Intro to High-Stakes Leadership (10 min)

Strategic Readiness Starts With You (6 min)

Pre-enroll and save 30% on this Negotiations course. Available Summer 2026.

ni-preenrollment

Pre-enroll and save 30% on this AI Strategy course from NVIDIA. 

nvidia-preenrollment

From TIME ©2022 TIME USA LLC. All rights reserved. Used under license.

Times

Wirecutter

Reviewed - USA Today

Leadership and Decision-Making Under Pressure

Breakthrough Innovation Strategy

Scaling AI Strategy

Lead With AI

Strategic Communication: Build Trust. Drive Decisions. Lead With Influence.

Learn to persuade, influence, and lead conversations so your ideas get heard, your recommendations get backed, and you get the yes you deserve.

Advance your career in 9–15 hours with engaging video lessons, hands-on practice, and a capstone project. Some information relates to pre-released product which may be substantially modified before it’s commercially released.

MasterClass

Strategic Communication: Build Trust. Drive Decisions. Lead with Influence.

"A framework for identifying how anxiety shows up so you can choose strategies to manage it:

A: Affective (feelings)

B: Behaviors (actions)

C: Cognitive (cognitive)"

ABCs

Accessible communication is all about the ability to make your message easy to understand, process, and act on by using plain, **accessible language**; reducing jargon; and being concise.

Accessible Communication

Advance is the third phase of the course framework. It focuses on moving work forward through pitching, clarifying next steps, influencing decisions, and building long-term influence.

Advance (from the course framework)

Align is the second phase of the course framework. It focuses on understanding your audience and shaping your message to fit their priorities. This includes empathy, relevance, structure, storytelling, and adapting in real time.

Align (from the course framework)

Shared understanding and agreement on what matters, what’s happening, and what comes next. Strong alignment ensures people move in the same direction during and after a conversation.

Alignment

In this course, you’ll build your own Anxiety Management Plan, or AMP. It’s a set of strategies you’ll be able to use to stay calm and focused before, during, and after high-pressure communication moments.

Anxiety Management Plan (AMP)

Daniel Pink describes attunement as the ability to accurately read the room and adjust your message based on others’ perspectives, especially in moments of power or pressure.

Attunement

A measurable shift in what someone says or does. In communication, behavior change indicates that your message worked. Others took action, made a decision, or adjusted their approach based on what you shared.

Behavior Change

A technique for predicting likely questions or objections in advance and tracking how well you anticipate them. It helps you prepare for real-time pushback.

Boardroom Bingo (Stacey Tank)

A structure used when multiple options are on the table:

**Compare**: What options are we considering? What’s similar?

**Contrast**: What are the key differences or tradeoffs?

**Choose**: What do you recommend, and why?

Compare–Contrast–Choose

The degree to which others trust your expertise and judgment. Credibility grows when your message is clear, your thinking is sound, and your actions match your words.

Credibility

![](https://www.masterclass.com/course-images/attachments/ays2qceexsx14lo0z2rto8dqzpi5)

**Daniel Pink** is a No. 1 *New York Times* bestselling author whose books include *Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us* and *To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others*. 

His research on human motivation, framing, and behavioral science has made him one of the world’s most influential thinkers on how people make decisions and say yes.

His insights can help you craft purposeful messages, choose the right moment to speak, and structure communication that earns attention and buy-in.

Daniel Pink

**Do**

* Give yourself time to take the course. We recommend completing one to two modules per week. 
* Use what you learn immediately in meetings, pitches, and planned and spontaneous interactions to boost your persuasion and influence.
* Practice, practice, practice. Use AI tools for quick feedback on your structure and messaging. Even better—practice out loud to a real person or record yourself on your phone. You’ll say things out loud you’d never catch if you’re just going over them in your head. 
* Complete all the capstones and interactive activities to deepen your understanding of the concepts and apply what you learn in real time. 
* Have a growth mindset. Use this as an opportunity to play and test. This program is a safe place to try ideas—before the big pitch or moment. 

**Don’t**

* Try to rush through the modules. There’s a lot of content. It will take time and practice to grasp the concepts.
* Aim for perfection. The best communicators learn the skills while staying loose and adaptive to the moment.
* Pretend to be someone you’re not. Learn these skills to amplify your authenticity. 
* Think short term. Strategic communication is a long game. Commit to practicing, developing, and refining your skills throughout your career.

Dos and Don’ts

Understanding your audience’s needs, concerns, and motivations, and shaping your message around them to make your ideas relevant.

Empathy (in communication)

![](https://www.masterclass.com/course-images/attachments/zg584k0stl7q7gez447koqzh4a8d)

The overarching three-phase framework for the course, Engage–Align–Advance helps you plan, deliver, and refine strategic communication.

**Engage**: How you show up

**Align**: How you understand your audience

**Advance**: How you move work forward


Engage–Align–Advance

Engage is the first phase of the course framework. It focuses on how you show up in communication moments, including your presence, credibility, confidence, and self-awareness.

Engage (from the course framework)

![](https://www.masterclass.com/course-images/attachments/gxnk1g2ufm12xoncd0ceii5edn96)

One of Aristotle’s core modes of persuasion. It refers to credibility, trust, and character. It answers the question: Why should I trust you? 

Ethos (trust)

The initial perception others form based on your words, presence, and behavior. It sets the tone for how your message is received.

First Impression

The belief that abilities and skills are fixed traits, and that attempting to grow beyond them may risk failure or embarrassment.

Fixed Mindset (Carol Dweck) 

Framing is the lens through which you present your message. It shapes how others interpret your idea. Small shifts in language can move a conversation forward:

Cost = Investment

Problem = Opportunity

Failure = Learning

Framing

The belief that skills can be developed through effort and practice, including communication, persuasion, and influence.

Growth Mindset (Carol Dweck)

Signals that your audience is not ready to move forward, often due to risk, uncertainty, or competing priorities. It’s a cue to explore, not push harder.

Hesitation

The ability to shape beliefs, behaviors, and actions over time through trust, credibility, and consistent behavior.

Influence

A continuous cycle for improving communication skills through practice, self-assessment, outside input, and adjustment. It’s a framework that can be modified for improving any leadership skill.

Influence Loop (Repetition–Reflection–Feedback–Refinement)

![](https://www.masterclass.com/course-images/attachments/wnl0zm65tig5t7tmtxgqwvn8wa3i)

A mode of persuasion focused on timing and context. It answers the question: Why now?

Kairos (timing)

A framework that clarifies what your audience should understand, feel, and do after hearing your message. It keeps your communication relevant, focused, and actionable.

Know–Feel–Do

![](https://www.masterclass.com/course-images/attachments/5pdlrh1yq1zoaxgzd9yi84ks2lp8)

One of Aristotle’s core modes of persuasion. It refers to logic, data, and reasoning. It answers the question: Is this credible?

Logos (logic)

![](https://www.masterclass.com/course-images/attachments/gkholx593b472hmfqpoueod989eq)

**Lorraine K. Lee** is an award-winning keynote speaker and the bestselling author of *Unforgettable Presence*. 

She’s on a mission to make sure talented professionals are no longer the best-kept secret at work—helping them show up and be seen, heard, and impossible to ignore.

She’ll teach you practical strategies for crafting compelling messages, commanding attention in both virtual and in-person settings, and building a presence that people remember.

Her frameworks for professional visibility and influence have been adopted by Fortune 500 companies including Zoom, Amazon, and McKinsey.

Lorraine K. Lee

![](https://www.masterclass.com/course-images/attachments/51g7cid8bi3d0c9u2nyawwruqhny)

**Matt Abrahams** is a communication expert, author, and lecturer in organizational behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, where he teaches popular courses in strategic communication and virtual presenting.

A Stanford GSB Alumni Teaching Award recipient, he advises leaders and organizations worldwide, including the United Nations, and hosts the award-winning podcast *Think Fast, Talk Smart*.

He’s the author of *Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You’re Put on the Spot*, which provides practical tools for speaking with confidence and clarity in high-pressure moments.

Matt Abrahams

![](https://www.masterclass.com/course-images/attachments/iycm2puele680z2z5ddy3x121hwc)

A mode of persuasion focused on values and identity. It answers the question: How does this align with my beliefs?

Mythos (values)

![](https://www.masterclass.com/course-images/attachments/cgcziq9rk8zlbonnbe8enzwamqa5)

One of Aristotle’s core modes of persuasion. It refers to emotion, urgency, and impact. It answers the question: Why should I care? 

Pathos (emotion)

The ability to shape beliefs, attitudes, or decisions in a specific moment.

Persuasion

A storytelling structure inspired by Pixar films, often useful for big ideas and early-stage concepts:

Once upon a time...

Every day...

One day...

Because of that...

Because of that...

Until finally... 

Pixar Pitch (Daniel Pink)

An exercise where you imagine your idea failed and identify why. It helps you anticipate risks and strengthen your message in advance.

Premortem

How you show up in a moment through your voice, body language, and focus. Strong presence helps you project confidence, hold attention, and reinforce your credibility.

Presence

The process of challenging your message before a real interaction by identifying weaknesses, anticipating pushback, and refining your approach.

Pressure-Testing

A message structure that’s especially useful for proposals and pitches:

**Problem**: What’s the issue or opportunity?

**Solution**: How do you propose fixing it? 

**Benefit**: What improves as a result?

Problem–Solution–Benefit

The underlying reason behind your message—why it matters. Clear purpose helps your audience connect with your idea and understand its importance.

Purpose (in messaging)

Inviting others to critique your message and challenge your thinking. It reveals blind spots and improves clarity and logic.

Red Teaming

The degree to which your message aligns with what your audience cares about. Without relevance, even your best ideas can get ignored.

Relevance

The pattern of how others experience you over time. Your reputation is shaped by how you communicate, follow through, and show up across repeated interactions.

Reputation

A quick tool for structuring ideas in real time. Fill in the blanks to guide your message: 

What if you could…

So that…

For example…

And that’s not all…

Strategic Communication: Build Trust. Drive Decisions. Lead With Influence.

15–20 hours. Big results.

Taught by the world’s best

Build in-demand skills

Career proof, not just paper