MASTER Risk Model - Learning Resources - Situation

Customers

Ask three clients what made them choose you over alternatives—note the benefit repeated most.

Identify one recurring support request—what does it reveal about expectations or fit?

Rewrite one service description using only words from client reviews or testimonials.

Ask your most loyal client what they praise most—spotlight that in your messaging.

Check your website’s top exit page—what might frustrate or confuse clients?

Compare satisfaction scores across client segments—who’s happiest, and why?

Think of when a client said, “This is exactly what I needed”—what made that delivery stand out?

Think of your last lost client—what didn’t connect, and were they really the right fit?

What hidden assumptions have you made about your clients’ goals or behaviors?

When were you last surprised by client feedback—and how did you act on it?

How often do you ask about clients’ long-term goals, not just immediate needs?

Which client voices get overlooked most—quiet churners, small buyers, or early adopters?

Ask three clients about their biggest challenges right now—don’t pitch, just listen.

Create a quick empathy map for your ideal client using real feedback from last month.

Run a “Why Us?” survey with five clients—capture their actual reasons for choosing you.

Call a lapsed client—ask why they left and what could bring them back.

Record a one-minute video walking through your service from the client’s view.

Review your onboarding—try it yourself or observe a new client step through.

Ask a client: “If you recommended us to a peer, what would you say?”—note their exact words.

Send a thank-you note with two short questions to five clients—what’s clear, what’s confusing?

Ask your service team: “Which features delight clients—and which frustrate them?”

Invite a loyal client to share what built their trust first—and what keeps it.

Show three different service headlines to a client—ask which feels most relevant.

Ask a client: “How would you explain our service to someone in your field?”

Shift from “we serve everyone” to “here’s who we serve best and why they return.”

Change “we offer many features” to “we solve this exact pain in this specific way.”

Reframe complaints as signals—what opportunity hides behind client frustration?

Replace “we’re chasing more clients” with “we’re deepening value with our best ones.”

Stop asking “what do you need?” and start asking “what outcome matters most to you?”

Instead of assuming churn is about price, ask what outcome they failed to reach.

Read client reviews—what words and phrases repeat most in positive feedback?

Watch client walkthroughs—note where they light up or get confused.

Track which subject lines in client emails get the best responses.

Observe how long clients take from signup to first meaningful use—what delays them?

Pay attention to client onboarding questions—what do they not understand?

Listen for hesitation or vagueness in discovery calls—what’s not being said?

Employees

Ask three staff members what helps them deliver quality service—note common themes.

Review your last internal note—was it clear, motivating, and relevant to your staff?

Update one team ritual (check-in, briefing, huddle) to make it more engaging.

Identify one recent decision—did you explain the “why” clearly to your team?

Scan your last five team messages—how often did you give recognition?

Run a quick anonymous poll: “Do you feel supported in your role right now?”

Reflect on when your team felt most engaged—what conditions made that moment possible?

When did a staff member positively surprise you—what enabled that?

Recall your last difficult staff talk—did you create room for their view?

What assumptions guide how you think staff stay motivated—are they accurate?

When have you unintentionally blocked a staff initiative—what could you change?

Do you make consistent time for staff development—or does service pressure block it?

Ask two staff members what they would change to improve teamwork—just note, no debate.

Shadow one employee for 30 minutes—watch how their daily workflow really works.

Swap feedback with a peer owner—exchange insights on leadership and teamwork.

Give recognition today—state the specific behavior and its positive impact.

Facilitate a session where each staff member shares one blocker and one enabler.

Re-delegate a task you’ve held too tightly—observe how the team manages it.

Ask your staff: “What’s one thing I could stop, start, or continue to support you better?”

Run a pulse check: “On a scale of 1–10, how connected do you feel to our mission?”

Ask each staff member to share a personal goal this quarter—compare with role goals.

Ask a colleague: “How do you see our team contributing to the bigger mission?”

Invite a junior employee to speak first in your next meeting—note the effect.

Ask a peer owner how they build staff trust—what practice could you adopt?

Shift from “managing staff performance” to “unlocking staff potential to delight clients.”

Reframe low staff engagement not as laziness but as a mismatch of support and energy.

Instead of “staff aren’t stepping up,” ask “what clarity or safety is missing?”

Replace “top-down orders” with “two-way dialogue”—where can you invite input?

View staff resistance as care—what values or fears drive their hesitation?

Instead of “checking in,” frame 1:1s as “co-designing success” with staff.

Watch who speaks most or least in team huddles—what influences their behavior?

Pay attention to how staff take feedback—defensive, curious, or disengaged?

Monitor what energizes or drains staff across the week—are tasks aligned with strengths?

Track how often staff take initiative without prompting—what conditions allow it?

Observe informal staff talk—what topics spark excitement or tension?

Notice how staff introduce one another—what qualities do they highlight?

Partnerships

List your top three partners—note one shared goal you haven’t acted on yet.

Review your last partner proposal—does it highlight what’s in it for them?

Schedule one informal check-in with a partner—no agenda, just build rapport.

Identify one delayed partner task—clarify ownership and unblock it.

Update your partner pitch to highlight shared outcomes, not just your offer.

Review old partnerships—spot one you could revive with a new approach.

Recall your strongest partnership—what made it thrive beyond shared outcomes?

When did you over-invest in a partner who gave little back? What did you learn?

How aligned are your current partners with your business strategy—not just last year’s?

What assumptions guide what partners expect—are they still valid?

Recall when trust eroded with a partner—what early signals did you overlook?

Do your partnerships give energy or drain it—what pattern stands out?

Ask a partner what’s one thing you could do to make working together smoother.

Map the lifecycle of one partner deal—where is energy high, low, or stuck?

Pitch a joint event or package to a partner—frame it as shared value creation.

Send a “success recap” to a partner—remind them of wins and suggest one next step.

Write down shared risks in one collaboration—clarify what makes success mutual.

Create a shared dashboard with a partner—use visibility to build trust.

Ask a partner: “What’s something we do more effectively than others you work with?”

Ask staff who interact with partners what strengths or frictions they notice.

Share your partner materials with a peer—ask what feels credible or unclear.

Run a quick feedback loop with two partners: “What’s one win and one wish?”

Ask a partner: “What’s a project you’d like to try but need a collaborator for?”

Ask a partner’s junior contact how they see the collaboration—note fresh insights.

Reframe from “using partners” to “building joint capability”—what shifts in approach?

View partnership slowdowns not as failures but as chances to reset alignment.

Shift from “what do we need from them” to “what problem are we solving together?”

Instead of “it’s their fault,” ask “where did we over-assume or miscommunicate?”

Reframe smaller partners as test beds for innovation—safe space to experiment.

Replace “partners aren’t responsive” with “have we earned their urgency yet?”

Notice which partnerships bring in referrals—what signals true collaboration value?

Observe how quickly partners follow up—what does that show about engagement?

Track which partnerships lead to referrals or repeat projects—what traits recur?

Monitor how often partner successes are shared internally—are they celebrated?

Watch for misaligned language—do you and your partner describe work the same way?

Listen for hesitation in partner meetings—what signals low trust or unclear goals?

MASTER Risk Hub