Extended FAQ

Microlearning is an education approach that uses short, on-demand content pieces focusing on need-to-know information. In the Academy, our lectures are between 90 seconds and 5 minutes in length and include tools like scenario learning, journaling, article reading and assessments. This style of instruction has been shown to reduce cognitive load and learner fatigue while improving retention.

The courses are self-paced. While you could watch all videos in 2-3 hours per course, we recommend breaking your learning into sessions of 1-3 lessons at a time, including completion of associated assignments. The first course, The Essential Guide for Effective Managers, has an estimated completion time of 4 weeks, though you may complete faster or slower based on your learning needs.

You need a reliable internet connection and any modern device (computer, tablet, or smartphone) with an updated web browser. Our platform is mobile-responsive, so you can learn anywhere. No special software downloads are required.

Our courses operate on an annual subscription model designed specifically to accelerate your leadership development success. You’ll have full access to all course materials, discussion forums, monthly office hours, and continuous content updates for one year from enrollment.

Research shows that most people don’t complete self-paced courses without accountability structures. The annual timeline creates natural momentum to engage with the material, practice the 75+ interpersonal skills with your team, and participate in our learning community while the concepts are fresh.

This model also ensures you’re always learning from the most current research in psychological safety, inclusive leadership, and collaborative management practices. As workplace dynamics evolve, we continuously update content to reflect new findings and real-world applications.

Because many of our courses are eligible for ongoing professional development credit units (PDCUs) it is important that we are able to make updates to course content in alignment with industry best practices for both human resources and coaching industries. 

Think of the bundle as your leadership development year – a focused period to master these interpersonal competencies rather than letting the course sit unused indefinitely. Most successful participants complete the full suite within 3-6 months and use the remaining time for deeper implementation and community engagement.

After your year, you can choose to renew your access or confidently apply your newly developed “peopling” skills, knowing you’ve invested the time to truly integrate them into your leadership practice.

While the courses are designed to build upon each other, you can take them in any order that suits your needs. However, we recommend starting with “The Essential Guide for Effective Managers” as it provides the foundation for the interpersonal skills developed in the other two courses. Start a course here

Yes, each course includes discussion forums where learners can engage with peers, share insights, ask questions, and learn from others’ experiences. This social learning component helps reinforce the collaborative leadership principles you’re developing and creates accountability partnerships.

Beyond our monthly office hours, you have access to course discussion forums where you can get peer support and instructor guidance. Our courses also include practical case studies and scenario-based learning to help bridge the gap between theory and application. For more intensive support, our coaching services provide personalized guidance.

The beauty of interpersonal skill development is that practicing better communication, asking more thoughtful questions, and creating psychological safety naturally improves relationships without seeming like “practice.” Our course includes subtle implementation strategies and real-time exercises you can use organically with your current team dynamics.

Most management training teaches administrative skills – scheduling, project management, task delegation. We focus on the 75+ interpersonal skills that make collaboration possible. Our approach is grounded in applied sociolinguistics and positive psychology, specifically designed to help managers transition from domination-based leadership to collaboration-based leadership, which Google’s research shows is the #1 predictor of team effectiveness.

Collaboration doesn’t mean consensus or indecision. It means creating psychological safety where people contribute their best thinking before you make decisions. Google’s Project Aristotle research identified this as the leading performance indicator for team effectiveness. You can be decisive AND collaborative – in fact, decisions made with diverse input and psychological safety typically yield better outcomes than top-down directives.

Success looks like improved team engagement scores, reduced turnover, increased innovation from your team, more effective difficult conversations, and your own increased confidence in leadership situations. Our courses include self-assessment tools and 360-feedback frameworks to help you track your development across the 75+ interpersonal competencies.

Absolutely! Many of the most effective collaborative leaders are introverts. These techniques aren’t about becoming extroverted – they’re about being intentional with your communication style to create psychological safety and bring out the best in others. Introverted leaders often excel at the listening and thoughtful questioning skills that are central to collaborative leadership.

Many leaders report improved team dynamics within 2-3 weeks of implementing our psychological safety and communication frameworks. However, sustainable culture change typically takes 3-6 months. The key is consistent application of the interpersonal skills rather than expecting overnight transformation.

Our inclusive leadership and equity-focused content complements most DEI programs by providing practical interpersonal skills for creating inclusive cultures. Rather than just awareness training, we teach the specific communication competencies needed to interrupt bias, create belonging, and amplify underrepresented voices in daily interactions.

Yes, when you license our content for your LMS, you’ll have full access to learner analytics, progress tracking, completion rates, and assessment scores. This helps HR teams demonstrate ROI and identify which managers may need additional support.

Yes, we provide digital certificates of completion for each course and the full suite. These can be added to LinkedIn profiles, professional portfolios, and HR development records.

Yes, we offer content customization services including adding your company’s values, specific case studies from your industry, and integration with your existing leadership competency models. This typically involves a separate consulting engagement to ensure the customization aligns with your organizational goals.

Yes, we offer comprehensive train-the-trainer programs for organizations wanting to build internal capacity to deliver this content. This includes facilitation guides, trainer certification, and ongoing support to ensure quality delivery.

If you desire to purchase 100 or more seats in any 3 or more High Tides courses, we do offer volume discounts. Please reach out to our support team to discuss your needs and receive a custom quote.

Absolutely! We offer live workshops, facilitated team sessions, and custom leadership development programs. These can be delivered virtually or in-person. Contact our team to discuss bringing this content to your organization in a live format.

Yes! High Tides has a full staff of certified coaches available to support individual learners and teams in their leadership journeys. Our coaching services complement the courses by providing personalized application support and accountability. To learn more about getting started with coaching for you or your team, you can send us an inquiry here.