MASTER Risk Model - Learning Resources - Situation

Operations

Identify one recurring report you could automate or delegate this week to free leadership time.

Check today’s workflow—remove one unnecessary approval or step that slows the team.

Revisit an existing SOP—shorten or update one that feels outdated or overly complex.

Ask your team: “What’s one operational task that slows you down more than it should?”

Time one routine task (e.g., reporting)—can it be faster using a template or shortcut?

Review your task backlog—archive or delete items older than 30 days with no progress.

Journal about when your operations ran effortlessly—what made the flow smooth and reliable?

Journal about one area where you reinvent the wheel—what process or tool is missing?

Reflect on a missed deadline—what operational failure contributed the most?

Journal about processes that feel bloated—are they adding value or just adding steps?

Journal about how consistent your team’s workflows are—do people know what to expect?

Journal about when you feel “in flow” operationally—and when friction peaks instead.

Map your weekly responsibilities—group them by category and identify the biggest drain.

Choose one recurring task and document it step by step—test it with a colleague for clarity.

Block one hour to build a template that replaces a workaround you’ve been using.

Ask your team to nominate the most frustrating process—and lead a redesign sprint.

Pilot a recurring team check-in focused only on operations—what’s working, what’s broken?

Conduct a task audit—highlight low-value work to batch, drop, or simplify.

Ask: “What’s one recurring task I handle that could be streamlined or delegated?”

Ask a peer to walk through one of your processes—where do they hesitate or get confused?

Share one of your workflows with a peer—ask, “Where would you streamline if it were yours?”

Run a poll with your team: which system or process wastes the most time right now?

Invite a junior colleague to shadow your admin tasks—what fresh insights do they notice?

Ask cross-functional peers where your team creates bottlenecks unintentionally.

Reframe “we just get it done” to “we design a repeatable system for sustainable delivery.”

Instead of “that’s just our process,” ask “what’s the real purpose of this step?”

Reframe operations not as “background tasks” but as the engine that drives delivery.

Shift from “it works for me” to “does it work for those depending on it?”

View operational chaos not as failure but as a signal for redesign or clarity.

Replace “just fix it later” with “how do we prevent this next time?”

Track how many times you resolve the same operational issue—what could be systemized better?

Watch how long staff take to find resources—does your system enable easy access?

Observe where processes stall—handoffs, unclear ownership, or conflicting steps?

Monitor whether workflows are followed or worked around—what does that reveal?

Track repeated last-minute fire drills—are they due to planning gaps or system flaws?

Pay attention to repeated team errors—are they due to flawed templates or unclear steps?

Decision-making

Identify one pending choice you’ve been avoiding—note the risk of delay and make the call.

Use a simple “Yes / No / Not yet” framework to triage current departmental decisions.

Revisit a recent minor decision—was it clear or made by default? Note what you’d do differently.

Write out three criteria that define a strong decision in your current leadership role.

Ask a trusted peer to sanity-check one decision you’re overthinking—note their feedback.

Block 15 minutes to review a past misstep—note what choice could have shifted the outcome.

Reflect on a moment you made a quick call that worked—what signals helped you trust it?

Reflect on when you overanalyzed a minor issue—why didn’t it matter in the long run?

Journal about which decisions feel easiest and which create the most friction or doubt.

Reflect on whether you prefer reversible or irreversible decisions—how does that shape behavior?

Reflect on how often your choices follow others’ expectations versus your own judgment.

Reflect on the last time you changed your mind from new data—what shifted your view?

Keep a decision log for one week—capture key choices, reasoning, and outcomes.

Before your next major choice, generate at least three alternatives, not just yes or no.

Run a pre-mortem with your team—identify what could derail your current initiative.

Ask two peers for opposing views on a decision—note what the tension reveals.

Lead a group through a structured decision matrix—compare options, risks, and weightings.

Force closure today on a decision that has been stalled over a week—commit to a direction.

Ask your manager: “What’s one decision you think I handled well this quarter, and why?”

Review a past decision with your team—what did you learn, and would you do it differently?

Present a tough decision to a manager outside your unit—what do they see that you don’t?

Ask feedback on your framing: “Did I explain the tradeoffs clearly when I asked for input?”

Ask your team: “Where do we get stuck in decision cycles—and what’s really driving it?”

Share a recent decision in a team retro—what helped or hindered alignment?

Reframe “I’ll wait to decide” to “what would make me 60% confident to act now?”

Change “I might be wrong” to “let’s test and learn fast.”

Recast mistakes not as bad calls but as experiments with valuable feedback.

Shift from “what’s safest” to “what’s most aligned with our goals?”

Instead of “I need certainty,” ask “what’s the minimum clarity I need to proceed?”

Reframe decisions not as outcomes but as bets—what are you willing to risk or learn?

Notice when your team avoids decisions—what fears or pressures appear most often?

Track how long it takes your group to close loops on key actions—are decisions actually final?

Watch how leaders frame choices—what filters or methods do they apply?

Listen to your self-talk before deciding—are you leaning on safety or clarity?

Observe when emotional triggers overtake logic in decisions—what drives the shift?

Monitor how priorities shift mid-project—were they driven by urgency or strategy?

Structure

Sketch your current team structure—are reporting lines and responsibilities fully clear?

Identify one responsibility where ownership is unclear—clarify who is accountable today.

Review your team’s goal-setting template—does it match how people are held accountable?

Update one job description or task list—align it with the role’s real daily work.

Ask one team member directly if they know who to escalate issues to—confirm clarity.

Write one sentence that defines your department’s core purpose—does it match daily work?

Write about when a structure supported team performance—what elements made it effective?

Journal about when unclear reporting lines caused friction—what triggered the confusion?

Write about how your team’s current structure helps or hinders cross-department collaboration.

Write about when you felt underutilized—was it caused by unclear authority or scope?

Write about which duties in your role are assumed but undefined—how does that affect clarity?

Write about when organizational restructuring hit your team—how did it change ownership?

Clarify who owns each of your top five priorities—write down names and accountability.

Map the escalation path for a complex project—who steps in when problems escalate?

Facilitate a mini-workshop: “What’s working or not in our structure right now?”

Draft a RACI chart for one project—clarify who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed.

Identify one “floating” task between roles—assign clear ownership and support.

Review your calendar and tasks—do they reflect defined responsibilities, or hidden gaps?

Ask a colleague: “What part of my role do you rely on most, and is that visible enough?”

Ask a direct report: “Which responsibilities in your role feel ambiguous or overlapping?”

Present your team’s structure to a peer—ask: “Where might confusion or friction arise?”

Ask a new team member to map reporting lines—do they match reality?

Gather input on accountability flow in your team—what adjustments are needed?

Share your scope of role with your manager—does it match their current expectations?

Reframe “roles are fixed” to “roles evolve with needs—what should shift right now?”

Shift from “we need more people” to “can we clarify or redistribute first?”

View unclear reporting lines not as dysfunction but as prompts for co-design.

Recast hierarchy as a tool for support—not control—what shifts in your leadership?

Instead of “I lack authority,” ask “what part can I own fully and visibly?”

Reframe org charts as maps of influence and accountability, not only reporting lines.

Watch where handoffs or approvals break down—what’s not clearly assigned or understood?

Observe team meetings—who drives decisions, who holds back, and why?

Track how often decisions bounce between managers—could clearer ownership help?

Notice recurring confusion in roles—are responsibilities overlapping or unclear?

Pay attention to onboarding for new staff—does it match how the structure actually works?

Monitor how often staff step outside scope—does it signal agility or a gap in structure?

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