MASTER Risk Model - Learning Resources - Abilities

Leadership

Ask a mentee or peer: “What’s one thing I could do this week to better support your progress?”

Write a one-sentence mentoring mantra that reflects how you want to guide others—repeat before each session.

Thank someone publicly for their contribution—recognition is a core leadership behavior at any age.

Schedule 15 minutes to check in with a younger professional—listen without agenda.

Share one personal story of transition to model openness and build trust with others.

Sit quietly during one group session without speaking unless necessary—practice active presence.

Reflect on a mentor who shaped your life—what consistent behaviors made them influential?

Journal about a recent mentoring challenge—what did you learn about your influence and guidance?

Write down three leadership strengths you bring to mentoring—how often do you use them, and where can you improve?

Explore how your leadership style has shifted across decades—what experiences shaped that evolution?

Reflect on a time you struggled to lead—what did it teach you about patience or confidence?

Think about your leadership “default mode”—is it guiding, supporting, coaching, or something else? When is it most effective?

Share your vision for this stage publicly—invite feedback and commit to one step forward.

Delegate a routine task you usually hold onto—coach someone else and step back.

Have a difficult conversation you’ve been avoiding—prepare clearly and choose honesty over comfort.

Ask a mentee or peer: “What’s one thing you’d change if you were in charge?”

Volunteer to lead a project outside your usual area—practice influence in a new space.

In your next discussion, pause and ask: “What am I missing?”—model openness and humility.

Ask a mentee: “When do I support you best—and when do I hold you back?”

Request focused feedback from someone you guide—listen fully before responding.

Share your leadership goals for this stage—ask someone to hold you accountable for one shift.

Ask a peer to share how they perceive your mentoring style—compare intent with impact.

Ask someone with a different style how they approach leadership—what could you adapt?

Compare with a peer how you each build trust—share stories and lessons.

Reframe “I should know it all” as “I can ask better questions and keep learning.”

Turn “Being strong means being certain” into “Real strength is adapting when life shifts.”

Recast “My role is to decide” as “My role is to create conditions for smart choices.”

Instead of “I failed at that moment,” say “That moment gave me learning for next time.”

Shift from “I must fix this” to “How can I enable others to help solve this?”

View vulnerability not as weakness but as wisdom—sharing it builds trust and depth.

Watch your tone in conversations—do you lead with confidence, curiosity, or hesitation?

Observe how others respond to your presence—do they lean in, hold back, or seek guidance?

Track who dominates group talks—what dynamic might you be reinforcing?

Notice your body language under stress—are you modeling calm, clarity, or worry?

Monitor when you default to “doing” instead of “guiding”—what belief drives that?

Pay attention to how others act when you’re absent—what culture does your influence leave behind?

Collaboration

Start your next group activity by inviting someone else to open—share the space from the start.

Send a quick thank-you to someone who encouraged you this week—show appreciation for support.

Ask a peer: “Is there anything I can take off your plate today?”—model shared responsibility.

Offer to co-create a solution with a peer instead of finalizing it alone—invite shared input.

Suggest a working session with a peer instead of long emails—use live time to create.

Add a “Collaboration Wins” note to your journal—highlight one thing achieved with others.

Reflect on your collaboration style—do you prefer guiding, supporting, or co-creating with others?

Journal about a community project that went well—what made the collaboration smooth and meaningful?

Explore a time when collaboration faltered—what assumptions or missteps shaped the result?

Write down your top three collaboration strengths—how do they show up in family, community, or mentoring?

Think of a group you loved working with—what norms or habits made it rewarding?

Reflect on when you last asked for input early—what difference did it make in the outcome?

Let a peer or family member take the lead on a shared task—support their approach fully.

Introduce two people in your network who could benefit from knowing each other.

Start a shared document instead of exchanging messages—invite co-creation in real time.

Take someone’s suggestion and apply it immediately—then share how it improved the outcome.

Offer to bridge communication between two groups—ensure information flows smoothly.

Begin a brainstorming session with: “Let’s build on each other’s ideas”—set a tone of growth.

Ask a peer: “What’s something I do that helps or hinders our collaboration?”—listen fully.

Share your experience in a project—then invite your peer to share theirs for comparison.

Ask for feedback on how you share space in group discussions—do you leave room for others?

Ask a peer how you handle disagreement—do they see openness or defensiveness?

Debrief a recent collaboration—what worked and what blocked progress?

Ask a peer who collaborates well: “What do you do intentionally to make it easier for others?”

Reframe “It’s easier alone” as “I’ll go further if I build this with others.”

Shift “It’s hard to get feedback” to “Maybe I haven’t made it easy for others to share.”

Instead of “They don’t get it,” ask “What perspective might they see that I can’t yet?”

Recast conflict as creative tension—how can this difference build a better outcome?

Reframe ownership as shared momentum—how do we make this a joint success?

View resistance not as refusal but as a sign of unmet needs or missing context.

Observe who contributes most in group settings—how do you encourage quieter voices?

Watch how people build on suggestions—what does constructive collaboration sound like here?

Track your urge to interrupt or correct—what does it reveal about your style?

Notice how trust builds in relationships—what small acts strengthen confidence?

Observe how peers handle disagreement—do they avoid, confront, or resolve productively?

Pay attention to how often credit is shared vs. centralized—what does it reveal about the group?

Communication

Before your next conversation, write down your key message in one sentence—practice saying it clearly.

Ask a trusted peer if your last message was clear—revise today based on their feedback.

Use a pause after making a point—let others respond instead of filling silence.

In your next email, use bullet points instead of long paragraphs—make it easy to follow.

Record yourself explaining a complex idea—replay and refine how clearly you deliver it.

Replace filler phrases with one strong word—edit your next message for clarity and impact.

Reflect on a recent time your message wasn’t understood—what caused the gap, and how could you improve?

Journal about your communication habits—do you over-explain, under-clarify, or adapt to your listener?

Think of someone you admire as a communicator—what techniques make them so effective?

Reflect on how often you listen to understand versus listening to reply—what do you gain by each?

Explore your communication under stress—direct, indirect, or unclear? When does each help or harm?

Write down three words others might use for your communication—do they fit how you want to be seen?

Summarize a personal story in under 60 seconds—share it clearly with someone new.

Choose one person to reconnect with today—make your message short, clear, and intentional.

End your next conversation with: “Here’s what’s decided, what’s next, and who’s doing it.”

Reframe your opinion today by restating the other person’s view before adding yours.

Use a new communication medium—try video instead of text, or visuals instead of words.

Send an appreciation message with specific details—make your praise clear and authentic.

Ask a friend: “How do you experience my communication—clear, rushed, or confusing?”

Ask for feedback on a recent message—was it clear, structured, and easy to follow?

Share your goal to communicate more clearly—ask a peer to flag when you lose focus.

Ask a peer to describe your tone—warm, rushed, assertive, or hesitant?

Debrief a miscommunication—what signs made it harder to connect?

Ask a peer to explain how they interpret your words—seek insight into their perspective.

Reframe “I’ve already explained it” as “Have I explained it in a way they’ll absorb?”

Change “I don’t want to bother them” to “Clarity helps us move faster—I’ll ask directly.”

Turn “I’m not a natural communicator” into “I’m learning to be clearer every day.”

Recast a miscommunication as insight—what gap between intent and impact did it reveal?

Shift “I’ll just do it alone” to “If I explain it, others can help and learn too.”

See listening as equal to speaking—engagement is always two-way.

Watch how listeners react—confusion, nodding, silence—what signals do you often overlook?

Track how many questions follow your story—do they need clarity or act confidently?

Observe when others lose focus—was your message too long, off-track, or unclear?

Pay attention to your tone and pace—do they shift with stress, age, or audience?

Notice which formats land best—letters, calls, or visuals? Adapt to what connects.

Watch a strong communicator—what words, pacing, or structure do they use consistently?

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