MASTER Risk Model - Learning Resources - Situation

Financial

Review your last three budget items—note one cost that could be reduced or reallocated.

List all active team subscriptions—are they used and aligned with current goals? Cancel one.

Create a basic forecast for the next month—include fixed and flexible team expenses.

Set a weekly reminder to check cash flow or budget status—even five minutes is enough.

Reallocate 10% of discretionary budget to the highest-impact priority this week.

Update or create a simple reserve target for your team this quarter.

When have you made your best budget decision? What mindset or process guided you then?

Think of a time when budget limits forced creative solutions—what did you learn?

What’s one expense you justify emotionally—does it deliver equal value in return?

Reflect on when delays in funding caused stress—was it planning, communication, or access?

Are you clearer on costs than benefits—or vice versa? How does that shape choices?

What’s your default response to financial risk—freeze, cut, or reframe?

Categorize current spending into must-have, nice-to-have, and waste—act on one today.

Create a one-page summary of the budget for your team—share it to build alignment.

Ask someone with finance expertise to review your latest budget or report for blind spots.

Build a scenario plan: what would you cut first if budget dropped by 25%?

Run a value-for-money test: for each expense, is ROI clear and measurable?

Track every expense for seven days—look for trends or surprises.

Ask your finance contact: “Which part of our budget worries you most?”

Present your budget to a peer lead and ask: “What feels missing or unclear?”

Ask a stakeholder: “Where do you think we’re overinvesting—or underinvesting?”

Share your budget plan with a junior teammate—can they explain it back clearly?

Ask your team: “What’s one thing we spend money on that feels misaligned?”

Run a team survey: “If you could reallocate 10% of our spend, where would it go?”

Reframe budgeting from “cutting limits” to “fueling what matters most.”

Shift from “we can’t afford it” to “how could we fund it if it’s worthwhile?”

Instead of broad cuts, ask “what priority are we protecting with this spend?”

Reframe financial risk as data, not fear—what patterns deserve more analysis?

Replace “we always fund this” with “does this still serve our top goals?”

Reframe finance from fear to clarity—what do we need to decide smartly?

Notice where budgets regularly overrun—what patterns or causes repeat?

Track where approvals stall—does money move when and where it should?

Watch reactions in budget talks—who avoids, who dominates, who leans in?

Monitor how funding shifts affect team morale or execution.

Check if staff know budget limits—does uncertainty cause waste or caution?

Review past funding decisions—what really influenced approval?

Technological

List all tools your team uses—highlight one that’s underused or outdated and test alternatives.

Clean up your digital team space (folders, apps, tabs)—remove or archive clutter.

Host a short tutorial on one tool your team struggles with.

Identify one manual team task to automate with current tools—start basic setup.

Activate a feature in a tool you already use but haven’t explored.

Review your software stack—cancel or consolidate overlapping services.

When did a tool last save your team significant time or stress—what made it work so well?

Which tools do you or your team avoid—and is it because of complexity, trust, or relevance?

How confident are you in your team’s tech skills? Where are the biggest gaps?

What’s your usual approach to new tools—early adopter, cautious, or resistant? Why?

When have you outgrown a tool or system—did you notice too late or in time?

Think of a recent tech rollout—what worked, and what caused rework?

Run a side-by-side test: compare two tools your team uses and evaluate clarity and ease.

Facilitate a 30-minute “tool swap” where team members teach shortcuts or features.

Draft a quick FAQ for a recurring workflow to reduce team confusion and errors.

Audit your tool stack—does each platform still have a clear role and purpose?

Introduce a lightweight dashboard to track tool usage or team performance.

Block 45 minutes to practice advanced features of a tool using real data.

Ask your team: “Which tool makes your work easier—and which one frustrates you?”

Invite your team to vote on the most and least useful tools—discuss outcomes.

Share your top three digital pain points—ask peers for tool suggestions.

Present a workflow to a colleague—ask where they’d automate or streamline it.

Ask your IT lead: “Where are we over-engineered or under-optimized?”

Run a retro on recent tool use: what worked, what failed, what’s missing?

Reframe tools from “extra cost” to “force multipliers—what do they unlock?”

Instead of “the system is too complex,” ask “is it set up for our real needs?”

Shift from “buy new software” to “are we maximizing what we already have?”

Recast tool resistance as feedback—what needs simplifying in rollout or setup?

Replace “this tool slows us” with “what behavior is this tool shaping?”

Treat each platform as a partner—what new ways of working does it enable?

Track how long common tasks take with different tools—what’s slowing people down?

Notice where tool use drops—are features skipped or replaced by manual work?

Notice how often teammates ask for tech help—where is training or setup failing?

Monitor how often tools are used proactively vs. reactively—do they guide or just record?

Watch for duplicate data entry—can integrations reduce the problem?

Pay attention to team habits—are workarounds undermining intended use?

Physical

Check your shared workspace setup—adjust lighting, seating, or layout to improve team comfort.

Take inventory of physical tools—retire or donate anything unused in the last three months.

Identify one essential item slowing your team—upgrade, fix, or reorder today.

Label or organize shared resources to cut confusion and speed up access.

Reset your shared workspace at day’s end—note how it affects tomorrow’s start.

Post simple instructions near shared tools to promote easier use.

When does your physical environment help your team perform better—and when does it slow them down?

What tool, supply, or setup do you take for granted—but would miss if it disappeared?

Which workspaces feel energizing for your team—and which drain motivation?

When have delays or quality issues stemmed from poor equipment or layout?

Are your physical resources aligned with your team’s real priorities and workflow?

What’s the most neglected resource in your workspace—and what does that reveal?

Walk through your team’s workspace and document any friction points or inefficiencies.

Create a basic restock or maintenance plan for high-use equipment or materials.

Assign a clear owner for each shared asset—who maintains, restocks, or troubleshoots it?

Hold a 20-minute team session to identify one improvement for the shared space.

Use one shared resource differently this week—test a new or expanded use case.

Lead a clean-up sprint for cluttered space—invite your team to co-design a better setup.

Ask: “What’s one thing about our workspace setup that slows you down?”

Interview a colleague in another department: “What setup or resource do you rely on most, and why?”

Run a poll: which shared space needs the most improvement—brainstorm a quick fix.

Invite a new hire to walk through your space—what feels confusing or inefficient?

Show your workspace setup to a peer—ask how they’d optimize it.

Ask facilities staff: “What workspace issues do you see that we might miss?”

Reframe your workspace from “good enough” to “a tool that drives team behavior.”

Instead of “we’ve always used this,” ask “what’s the best use of this space now?”

See clutter not as mess, but as a backlog of unprocessed decisions.

Shift from “we need more space” to “are we using current space fully?”

View equipment wear not as cost, but as a sign of how we value our tools.

See resources as enablers of flow—not just items or costs.

Watch how often teammates move, wait, or search due to poor layout or missing items.

Track how often equipment sits idle—does usage match its importance?

Observe how noise, clutter, or space limits affect focus and collaboration.

Monitor wear and tear on equipment—what does it reveal about care or workload?

Notice how often supply or maintenance issues interrupt work—where’s the weak link?

Watch how physical space affects mood, focus, and collaboration across the day.

MASTER Risk Hub