MASTER Risk Model - Learning Resources - Mindset

Cognitive Adaptability

Read a report that challenges your strategic view—summarize its strongest insight in one sentence.

Pause and ask: “What’s another way to see this?” when responding to complex stakeholder demands.

Choose one habit to change today—alter the order, method, or tool you rely on as CEO.

Read an article from an unrelated industry—note one idea you could apply in your company.

Challenge a default choice in a low-stakes task—test the opposite approach for flexibility.

Use the phrase “That’s interesting—tell me more” when someone challenges your vision.

Journal about a time rigid thinking limited options—what could openness to alternatives have created instead?

Reflect on your reaction to disruption—do you resist, explore, or experiment with new strategies?

Describe a time you adapted well to market surprises—what kind of thinking helped you shift perspective?

Write about a leadership assumption you’ve outgrown—what influenced you to finally change it?

List three recent challenges—did you consider multiple angles or get stuck in one view?

Explore how curiosity shows in your strategy—when do you ask “what if,” and when do you shut it down?

Present a bold idea to your board that challenges tradition—invite discussion, not immediate agreement.

Switch perspectives in a decision—see it from a regulator’s or competitor’s lens.

Do something intellectually stretching this week—then capture what you learned.

Teach a core concept to your executives as if they were new hires—simplify your thinking.

Respond to disagreement with “yes, and”—build while differing.

Invite your team to challenge your assumptions—respond with questions, not defense.

Ask someone to flag when you appear rigid—what signals do they see that you’re closing down?

Share an example where your mindset shifted recently—ask a peer how their perspective has evolved.

Ask your team for feedback on your openness in brainstorming—do you encourage or close ideas?

Start a conversation with someone outside your sector—ask how they adapt to major change.

Share how you processed a complex decision—invite a peer’s input on where openness was lacking.

Create a “blind spot exchange” with a peer—trade one area you overlook for theirs.

Recast “That’s not how we do it” as “What if we tried once to learn?”—test the mindset in practice.

Replace “That idea won’t work” with “Under what conditions could it succeed?”

Reframe uncertainty as optionality—see more paths, not more problems.

When stuck, ask: “What if the opposite were true?”—see what ideas emerge.

See dissent as insight, not threat—what factor might the other perspective reveal?

Reframe mistakes as data points—adjust the hypothesis and retest.

Notice when you dismiss a new idea quickly—what bias or fear might be shaping that reaction?

Track your inner stance when challenged—do you feel threatened, curious, or neutral?

Observe how you respond to disruption—do you freeze, pivot, or adapt quickly?

Watch someone navigate fast change—what inner stance do they project?

Observe high-performing teams in innovation—what mindsets are visible there?

Track your words in uncertainty—do you ask “what if,” or close doors with “impossible”?

Emotional Adaptability

When tension rises with stakeholders, pause and name the feeling—labeling reduces its grip on your tone.

Use a grounding question in stress: “What emotion am I feeling, and is it helping my leadership now?”

Practice rewriting a reactive message before sending—replace heat with clarity in communications.

Repeat “I choose how I respond” before entering tense investor or board conversations.

Smile or breathe before responding to criticism—reset emotional tone before speaking.

Do a quick body scan during pressure—note where tension sits in your body.

Reflect on a corporate transition—what emotions did you feel, and how did you regulate or resist them?

Journal about your emotional response to ambiguity—how do you usually feel, and what helps you adjust?

Explore your emotional triggers with stakeholders—when do you overreact, and what recurring patterns appear?

Write about a time you navigated emotional change gracefully—what inner resources helped you adjust?

Compare how you felt at the start and end of a corporate crisis—what shifted emotionally?

Identify one area where you often shut down emotionally—what drives it, and how can you soften it?

When caught off guard in Q&A, pause five seconds before replying—use silence as authority.

Choose calm in your next frustrating interaction—slow down and use empathy in response.

In your next meeting, share emotions with “I feel… because…”—model constructive expression.

Revisit a task abandoned from frustration—pick it up with composure and persistence.

Role-play a difficult talk with a peer—practice openness over defense.

Delay replying to critical emails—re-read after a thirty-minute reset.

Ask a colleague to observe how you manage emotions in high-stakes settings—what stands out?

Share your emotional response to market change—ask a peer how they saw you handle it.

Ask a peer to give feedback on how your emotions impact their energy in meetings.

Discuss with a peer how you each handle emotional volatility—what can you learn from differences?

Ask someone close when they’ve seen you adapt emotions well—what made it possible?

Reflect with your team on how emotional adaptability builds or weakens trust.

Reframe discomfort in leadership as emotional growth—what new capacity is being built in you?

Reframe “This stress is bad” to “This is stretching me”—notice how it changes your stance.

Recast avoidance as emotional data—what are you protecting, and why?

Replace “I can’t handle this” with “I learn more each time I try.”

Reframe emotion as instruction—ask: “What is this here to teach me?”

Reframe detachment as a call for reconnection—what’s missing emotionally?

Watch your emotional state across one day—what boardroom moments elevate or unsettle you most?

Observe how other leaders regulate emotions—what tones or cues do they use effectively?

Track where emotions show in your body—how does it affect your communication?

Listen for emotionally adaptive phrases—what redirects tension to curiosity?

Track how fast you return to balance after stress—what tools enable the shift?

Observe which allies shift your state reliably—what do they say or do?

Behavioral Adaptability

In your next executive meeting, shift your style—listen more if you dominate, speak more if you usually don’t.

Adjust one routine in your executive schedule—notice what happens when you break a habit.

Choose to observe one discussion silently—adapt to the group rhythm before adding your input.

Say “yes” to something you’d normally decline—document the leadership outcome it creates.

Try a different feedback style—if direct, soften; if soft, be more structured.

Work in a new location for half a day—track how it shifts focus and style.

Journal about a time when adjusting your leadership behavior led to success—what specific shifts made the difference?

Reflect on your go-to leadership habits—where might they limit effectiveness in emerging challenges?

Write down three situations where adapting your leadership behavior improved outcomes—what held you back before?

Think of a peer who adapts behaviors well—what traits or choices could you model in your own role?

Recall a time you failed to adapt—what was the cost, and how would you act differently now?

Track what adaptability means to you—compromise, creativity, or responsiveness—and why.

In your next strategy session, act as if you were in a different role—how would a coach or futurist respond?

Speak once in a meeting where you normally stay quiet—make a thoughtful, concise contribution.

Modify your approach with a challenging stakeholder—choose curiosity over control.

Redesign a process using a completely different method—visuals instead of text, story instead of data.

Invite someone to shadow your process—apply one suggestion right away.

On a difficult day, shift your tone intentionally—try calm if reactive, structured if scattered.

Ask a peer to watch one board meeting and give feedback on your adaptability—what did they notice?

Share a moment you adapted your leadership—ask your team how they perceived that shift.

Ask a colleague to name one behavioral habit that limits you—discuss how to change it.

In your next 1:1, ask for feedback on how you respond when strategies shift suddenly.

Compare reactions with a peer after a shared failure—what did you each do differently?

After a joint setback, compare responses with a peer—what behaviors worked or failed?

Reframe “That’s just how I lead” as “That’s how I’ve been—how do I want to grow now?”

Shift “Changing is fake” to “Adapting is strategic”—treat behavior as a leadership toolkit.

Instead of resisting feedback, ask: “What action could I test to stretch here?”

Change “They’re difficult” to “How can I adapt my style to reach them?”

Recast routine as rigidity—what one habit could you flex today?

Reframe change as range—flexing behavior expands leadership reach.

Notice which leadership behaviors once useful now hold you back at the top.

Track your posture in senior forums—what shifts when facing peers versus shareholders?

Observe a peer who adapts fluidly—what habits signal adaptability in them?

In stressful moments, note your shift speed—how quickly do you return to intention?

Monitor tone shifts in your speech—do you adapt to match stakeholders effectively?

Track one automatic behavior—pause it once and test a new option.

MASTER Risk Hub