MASTER Risk Model - Learning Resources - Abilities

Leadership

Ask your early team: “What’s one thing I could do this week to support your best work?”

Write a one-sentence founder mantra that reflects how you want to lead—repeat it before key moments.

Thank a collaborator publicly for their contribution—recognition builds early culture.

Schedule 15 minutes today to check in informally with a peer founder—no agenda, just listening.

Share one founder story or struggle to model openness and build trust.

Observe one meeting silently unless needed—practice presence and active listening.

Reflect on a founder who shaped your path—what leadership traits did they consistently model?

Journal about a tough leadership call—what did it teach you about influence and decision-making?

Write down three leadership strengths you bring—how often do you use them as a founder?

Explore how your leadership style has shifted—what founder experiences drove that change?

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

Think about your leadership “default mode”—directive, coaching, or adaptive? When is it effective?

Share your start-up vision openly with your team—invite feedback and commit to supporting the direction.

Delegate a responsibility you usually hold tightly—coach someone else to deliver instead of doing it yourself.

Have the difficult founder conversation you’ve been avoiding—prepare carefully and choose clarity.

Ask a team member: “What’s one thing you’d change if you were in charge today?”

Volunteer to lead a small project outside your usual scope—practice influence in a new context.

During your next team sync, pause and ask: “What am I missing here?”—model open leadership.

Ask your team: “When do I lead best, and when do I hold us back?”

Request founder-specific 360 feedback on your leadership—listen fully before explaining.

Share your leadership goals with a trusted peer—ask them to hold you accountable for one shift.

Invite a team member to share how they see your leadership—compare with your own intent.

Ask a founder who leads differently to share their approach—what can you adapt?

Discuss with a peer founder how each of you builds trust—with teams, investors, or customers.

Reframe “I need to have the answers” as “I need to ask sharper questions.”

Turn “Being strong means certainty” into “Strength is adapting as data shifts.”

Recast “My job is to decide” as “My job is to create space for smart calls to emerge.”

Instead of “I should’ve led better,” say “That gave me data for next time.”

Shift from “I need to fix this” to “How can I enable the team to solve it together?”

View vulnerability not as weakness but as leadership capital—it builds credibility and trust.

Watch how you frame direction—do you lead with conviction, curiosity, or fear? What tone does it set for the team?

Observe how your team responds to your presence—do they lean in, hold back, or wait for direction?

Track who speaks in team meetings—what dynamics are you reinforcing without noticing?

Notice your body language under stress—are you showing calm, clarity, or pressure?

Monitor when you default to doing tasks yourself—what beliefs drive that?

Pay attention to how your team acts when you’re absent—what culture do you leave behind?

Collaboration

Start your next stand-up by asking someone else to open—give early ownership to foster shared space.

Send a quick thank-you to an advisor or peer who supported you this week—show genuine appreciation.

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

Offer to co-create a solution with your team instead of finalizing alone—invite collaboration early.

Suggest a working session instead of endless back-and-forth emails—create together in real time.

Add a “Collaboration Wins” slide to your next pitch deck—highlight one thing built better together.

Reflect on your collaboration style—are you more directive, co-creative, supportive, or adaptive in start-ups?

Journal about a collaboration that worked well—what made it smooth and productive?

Explore a time collaboration failed—what assumptions or gaps led to breakdown?

Write down your top three collaboration strengths—how do they appear consistently in your venture?

Think of a team you loved building—what norms or energy made it so effective?

Reflect on when you last sought feedback early, not late—what changed in the outcome?

Let a co-founder lead part of a key task this week—trust their approach and back their decision.

Connect two peers or advisors who could help each other—expand collaboration beyond your venture.

Start a shared doc instead of sending a draft—invite your team to co-create in real time.

Take a mentor’s advice and apply it immediately—share what improved as a result.

Offer to bridge updates in a cross-team project—own communication across perspectives.

Start your next brainstorm with: “Let’s build off ideas before we critique them.”

Ask a co-founder: “What’s one thing I do that helps or hinders our collaboration?”—listen without reacting.

Share your experience working with a partner—invite them to share theirs for mutual learning.

Request feedback on how you share space in team calls—do you dominate or create balance?

Ask a colleague how you handle disagreements—do they feel openness or defensiveness?

Debrief your last sprint with the team—what worked, what blocked progress?

Ask a strong collaborator: “What do you intentionally do to make teamwork easier?”

Reframe “I could push faster alone” as “We’ll scale better if we build this together.”

Shift “It’s hard to get team input” to “Maybe I haven’t made it safe enough to share.”

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

Recast conflict with co-founders as creative tension—how can you turn it into stronger solutions?

Reframe ownership as shared momentum—how do we make this a collective scale, not a solo sprint?

View resistance not as opposition but as missing context you must surface.

Observe who dominates discussions and who stays silent—how balanced is input, and how do you invite voices?

Watch how your team builds on each other’s ideas—what does healthy collaboration sound like?

Track your impulse to jump in or interrupt—what does that reveal about your leadership style?

Notice how trust builds in your team—what moments or actions increase confidence?

Observe how co-founders handle disagreements—do they avoid, confront, or turn it into progress?

Pay attention to how often credit is shared vs. centralized—what does that reveal about team culture?

Communication

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

Ask a peer to review your last investor email—revise it today based on their honest feedback.

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

In your next message, use bullet points instead of long paragraphs—make your ask easy to scan.

Record yourself explaining your start-up—replay and refine how clearly you deliver the pitch.

Replace filler words in your next pitch with one sharp phrase—practice direct delivery.

Reflect on a pitch that fell flat—what caused the disconnect, and how could you adjust?

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

Think about a communicator you admire—what makes them compelling and easy to follow?

Reflect on how often you listen to investors versus listen to understand—what do you gain or miss?

Explore your default communication under pressure—assertive, indirect, unclear? When is it helpful?

Write down three words others might use to describe your pitch—do they align with your intent?

Summarize your start-up idea in under 60 seconds—share it verbally or in writing with a non-expert.

Choose one investor or advisor to follow up with today—be intentional and concise in your outreach.

Facilitate a short team sync and close with: “Here’s what we decided, what’s next, and who owns it.”

Reframe your opinion by restating the other person’s view first—show you fully understood.

Use a pitch medium you rarely pick—try visuals instead of slides, or voice instead of text.

Send a thank-you message with specifics—practice giving clear, authentic, behavior-based praise.

Ask an investor or peer: “How do you experience my pitch—clear, rushed, or unclear?”

Request feedback on your last investor update—was the message structured and clear?

Share your clarity goal with a peer—ask them to flag when your pitch drifts.

Ask a co-founder how your tone comes across—calm, rushed, assertive, or uncertain?

Debrief a miscommunication in your pitch—what signals or assumptions caused the disconnect?

Invite someone outside your start-up to share how they interpret your brand story—seek insight.

Reframe “I’ve pitched it already” as “Have I pitched it in a way this investor or user can absorb?”

Change “I don’t want to bother them” to “Clarity speeds decisions—I’ll check in.”

Turn “I’m not a natural presenter” into “I’m learning to tell a clearer story.”

Recast a pitch stumble as insight—what did it reveal about the gap between story and listener?

Shift “I’ll handle it alone” to “If I explain it well, others can help or grow too.”

See listening not as silence but as part of pitching—engagement is a two-way act.

Watch how investors or users react—confusion, nodding, silence—what signals do you miss or ignore?

Track how many questions follow your pitch—do people need clarification or act confidently?

Observe when investors or partners lose focus—was your update too long or off target?

Pay attention to your pacing in pitches—does it shift with stress, authority, or audience?

Notice which storytelling formats work best for your team—slides, visuals, or demos?

Watch a strong storyteller on your team—what words, timing, or structure do they use?

MASTER Risk Hub