MASTER Risk Model - Learning Resources - Abilities

Financial Management

Review last quarter’s top spending line and highlight one area where efficiency could be improved today.

Set a calendar alert each Monday to review enterprise cash flow or reserves for early warning signals.

Create a simple one-page table of three major cost categories—track changes daily for one week.

Categorize five recent enterprise expenses as fixed or variable—see trends in cost flexibility.

List your top three recurring enterprise costs and note one immediate efficiency idea for each.

Review one past vendor invoice today—check for missed charges or avoidable costs.

Journal about a time you delayed major financial planning—what belief or fear drove your hesitation?

Reflect on a time poor capital allocation hurt results—what would you do differently with foresight?

Reflect on your confidence with balance sheets—what skills or insight would raise mastery right now?

Journal about one bold financial risk you took—how did it alter enterprise performance?

Journal about your budgeting cycle—does it keep you strategically connected or distance you from detail?

Journal about how your personal money lens shapes enterprise-level financial decisions.

Spend 30 minutes reviewing divisional financials outside your direct scope—spot risks and trends.

Ask to sit in on treasury or capital review—observe patterns and absorb financial nuance.

Track discretionary spending patterns for one quarter—summarize key insights for the board.

Review one KPI tied to capital efficiency—interpret its signal for broader strategy.

Flag an unclear budget item—request CFO clarification to avoid blind spots.

Set a measurable financial goal (e.g., cut 3% waste) and track results after one quarter.

Ask your CFO to walk you through one financial indicator you rely on but don’t fully grasp.

Share a cost-optimization idea with your CFO—ask for financial and strategic feedback.

Present a divisional budget scenario in the executive committee—ask for alternative perspectives.

Request feedback from your CFO on how financially strategic you are perceived to be by the board.

Ask a peer CEO how they maintain fiscal discipline under pressure—what practices keep them balanced?

Share a financial insight you recently gained—discuss its strategic relevance with your executive team.

Instead of thinking “I don’t understand the numbers,” reframe it as “Financial acumen is a core leadership skill I can strengthen.”

View fiscal constraints not as blockers but as strategic boundaries that force sharper priorities.

See budgets not as burdens but as levers for long-term influence and control.

Recast “cutting costs” as “redeploying capital to innovation and growth engines.”

Replace “finance is the CFO’s job” with “financial mastery is central to enterprise leadership.”

Instead of seeing financial reports as dry, view them as maps of risk, value, and opportunity.

Watch how CFOs and senior peers discuss financial direction—what terms and priorities are emphasized?

Observe when financial trade-offs dominate decisions—who raises them and how are they weighted?

Study how budget narratives justify spend—what framing convinces the board or investors?

Track how often ROI or value creation is invoked during planning—who raises it and why?

Listen for signals of financial confidence or unease among peers during investor or board prep.

Monitor how and when financial updates are framed in board settings—what signals are emphasized?

Project Management

List all critical initiatives under your control—note owners, risks, and the next concrete milestone.

Clarify one unclear responsibility on a major project today—ask a direct, no-nonsense question.

Break your next high-stakes deliverable into 3–5 steps—sequence them in writing for rapid execution.

Block 30 minutes today to personally review progress on one flagship initiative.

Write one-sentence progress notes for your board—practice concise, impactful updates.

Choose one delayed decision and advance it by doing 15 minutes of focused work now.

Reflect on a delayed transformation project—what part was in your control, and what would you redo today?

Journal about how you prioritize enterprise initiatives—what logic drives trade-offs, and does it hold?

Reflect on which stage of enterprise projects drains you—launch, scale, or sustain—and why?

Recall a successful enterprise initiative—what executive habits kept it on track under pressure?

Write about when you drop the ball—handoffs, oversight, or timing—and what pattern repeats?

Reflect on your tolerance for ambiguity—how do you lead when the path shifts mid-course?

Define and circulate scope, timeline, and key milestones for a corporate-level initiative.

Select one enterprise tool or platform and manage a week of operations fully within it.

Ask your exec team to align on governance norms before launching a critical initiative.

Draft a “Plan B” for a high-risk project—outline contingencies before execution.

Schedule a short post-mortem—review results, misses, and lessons across functions.

Take ownership of a high-stakes workstream—commit to visible updates until completion.

Ask your program leads: “What would make our enterprise reporting and updates easier or more effective?”

Request feedback from a board committee on your last update—was it too detailed, too vague, or well-balanced?

After an executive review, ask: “Was the path forward clear? Did I communicate effectively?”

Invite a seasoned program manager to review your enterprise plan—what improvements would they suggest?

Share your program tracker with a peer—ask: “Is anything unclear or missing in how I structure this?”

Ask a board peer what tools or rituals help them manage complexity and stay ahead of risk.

Change “I’m not a planner” to “Rigorous planning reduces uncertainty and enables bold execution.”

Reframe “We’re behind” to “We now see the gap—this lets us reprioritize with clarity.”

Instead of “It’s too early to commit,” think “Early clarity prevents costly missteps later.”

View process rigor as signals of discipline, not bureaucracy—they build trust and accountability.

Replace “We’re overwhelmed by projects” with “We need portfolio visibility and sharper prioritization.”

See shifting timelines as adaptive strategy, not failure—flex with structure and discipline.

Watch how project steering groups set cadence and structure—what practices sustain alignment?

Observe what happens when a program lacks clear executive ownership—how does drift show up?

Track which portfolio reviews drive clarity versus confusion—what makes the difference?

Listen to how executive priorities shift mid-cycle—are they documented or just passed verbally?

Monitor how executives respond to deadlines—who compresses, who delays, and what impact follows?

Notice how you switch between portfolio oversight and operational detail—do you calibrate at the right depth?

Change Management

Identify one upcoming organizational change and write its expected impact in one clear sentence.

Identify one personal routine that could be shifted to respond more flexibly to external changes.

Ask a colleague how they’re experiencing a recent shift—just listen without rushing to resolve it.

Pick one small change you’ve resisted and take the first 15-minute step toward resolving it.

Write down one lesson from your last change experience—capture what helped you adapt well.

Scan your organization’s last change memo for clarity—highlight one inconsistency to correct today.

Reflect on how you instinctively react to enterprise change—do you fight, freeze, or frame it as growth?

Reflect on a major change you sponsored—what helped you embrace it instead of resisting it?

Journal about your emotional triggers when facing systemic change—uncertainty, control, or ambiguity?

Recall a poorly led change—what damage did it cause, and what would you do differently as sponsor?

Reflect on a change you initiated—what made it succeed or stall in a complex organization?

Reflect on your role as change architect—do you act passive, reactive, or proactive, and with what effect?

Take ownership of one high-impact change—sponsor it visibly to set tone and commitment.

Draft a one-page executive “change brief” explaining the what, why, and how of a shift.

Pinpoint one ambiguous corporate change—seek clarity from peers and align communications.

Host a senior team check-in—surface emotional reactions to an ongoing transformation.

Adjust one habit this week to build resilience—model adaptability for your organization.

Translate one broad corporate change into a clear action for your executive team to own.

Ask your executive team: “What’s unclear or frustrating about this transformation? What would help you move forward?”

Share your position on a transformation with senior leaders—ask: “How does this land with you?”

Invite a peer CEO to share how they navigated a disruptive industry shift—what would they do differently now?

Ask your board chair for feedback on how you managed a recent organizational change—what worked, what didn’t?

Present a significant change initiative to your board—ask for candid feedback on blind spots.

Ask a peer leader resisting change: “What would make this transformation feel more fair or manageable for you?”

Shift from “change is disruptive” to “change is a platform to re-shape and grow with intention.”

Reframe “top-down changes are forced” to “Senior leaders may lack visibility—feedback can shape direction.”

Instead of “this change is inconvenient,” ask “what opportunity or learning could this unlock?”

Change “I have no influence here” to “I can shape how I respond and support others through transition.”

View uncertainty not as chaos but as a strategic window where influence is possible.

See resistance not as defiance but as a signal of care and values that must be understood.

Notice how leaders announce change—do they frame emotion and context, or just data and timelines?

Watch how business units sequence adoption—what pacing patterns support success across divisions?

Observe reactions in the first 48 hours after enterprise change—what early signals surface?

Track which functions embrace vs. resist transformation—what clarity or support shifts outcomes?

Notice when senior leaders disengage during change—what’s missing that would re-engage them?

Pay attention to your internal dialogue when disruption hits—are you narrating risk or opportunity?

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