MASTER Risk Model - Learning Resources - Situation

Product Fit

Review your team’s mandate—does it clearly address a core business priority from leadership?

Ask one client why they prefer your team’s work over others—note which benefit matters most.

Compare your team’s most successful project with its weakest—what differentiator mattered most?

Identify one client complaint that repeats—does it show a misalignment in your team’s delivery?

Write in one sentence: Who is your department not serving—and why?

Search for recent competitor feedback—what are they praised or criticized for compared to you?

Journal about when your team’s work felt like a perfect fit for leadership goals—what made it succeed?

Journal about assumptions you’ve made about senior leaders’ needs—are those still valid now?

Reflect on how often you hear, “This is exactly what we needed”—if rare, why might that be?

Journal about whether you build based on client input or top-down vision—how balanced is it?

Journal about feedback you tend to dismiss—could it reveal deeper misalignment issues?

Journal about when trying to please everyone diluted your department’s true value.

Interview three internal clients about what outcome they needed and how well your team delivered.

Create a client persona using insights from three real customer conversations this quarter.

Map the full client journey with your department—from request to delivery—and flag friction points.

Test one initiative with a non-core customer segment—what does it reveal about fit and limits?

Run a mini-survey: what would make top clients recommend your department more confidently?

Pilot a small tweak in your team’s process and measure how client satisfaction changes.

Ask a senior stakeholder: “When you describe my team’s work, what do you say we do best?”

Present your team’s value pitch to a colleague outside your function—ask what feels unclear.

Share two versions of your team update and ask which better aligns with leadership needs.

Ask account managers: “What objections do clients raise most often, and what’s behind them?”

Invite a trusted partner to audit your messaging for clarity, precision, and credibility.

Ask a client to complete this line: “Your team would be perfect if only it also…”

Shift from “we cover everything” to “my team solves one key problem really well—let’s double down.”

Reframe weak adoption as “a signal to listen deeper” instead of “a flaw in my team.”

Instead of “we’re not for everyone,” proudly own “we are perfect for this specific need.”

View client churn not as rejection but as guidance on mismatched expectations.

Change “we need more reports” to “we need more timely insights for decisions.”

Replace “it’s good enough” with “is it irresistible to the right user right now?”

Notice the language senior clients use when describing your department—does it match how you describe it?

Track which clients or internal sponsors return consistently—what patterns do they share?

Watch how clients engage with presentations—where do they light up or lose focus?

Monitor which service requests reveal mismatches between intent and delivery.

Observe what peer organizations highlight in products—do you risk missing that in your area?

Listen for hesitation when clients commit—what concerns are left unspoken?

Growth Plan

Write down three clear departmental growth goals—impact, efficiency, or reach—within a timeframe.

Identify one bottleneck slowing progress and brainstorm two immediate low-cost ways to address it.

Revisit your last departmental initiative—note what worked, what failed, and why.

Ask one employee what growth means to them—note if their goals align with company direction.

Review a competitor department’s recent project—what might they be doing better?

List three assumptions you’ve held about growth—are they still valid in your context?

Write down what sustainable departmental growth looks like—are you pursuing depth or chasing volume?

Write about a time your team resisted a growth initiative—what root cause did you uncover?

Journal about how your personal ambitions align or clash with organizational growth goals.

Reflect on one risk you’ve avoided that might unlock meaningful growth if addressed.

Reflect on when rapid growth reduced quality—what lessons came from it?

Reflect on whether your growth path matches client needs—or just follows internal trends.

Build a basic forecast for your department—map one goal and the inputs required to hit it.

Run a “small bet” pilot—test one new growth initiative on a limited scale with your team.

Interview a leader in another division about growth priorities—capture transferable insights.

Organize a growth workshop with your team to align departmental and company goals.

Create a tailored service version for a smaller or underserved internal client group.

Track how much time you and your team spend on growth versus operational work for a week.

Share your growth plan draft with your director and ask, “What’s missing or unrealistic?”

Present your growth initiative in a management meeting—invite questions that stress-test it.

Ask your sales or service peers what customer trends they’re noticing—do they match your focus?

Ask a junior staff member: “What opportunity do you think our team is missing right now?”

Show your top three priorities to a customer—ask which one excites them most.

Share your growth approach with a former client—ask if it would have boosted long-term value.

Shift from “how do I hit targets fast” to “how do we grow in ways that last.”

Reframe missed goals as “data for learning” instead of “failure I must defend.”

Replace “growth = headcount” with “growth = creating more value per person.”

Instead of seeing risk as danger, view it as the entry to strategic opportunity.

Swap “we’re too small” for “we’re more agile than others—how do we use that?”

Rethink “growth happens after we fix X” to “what can grow now, even if imperfect?”

Track how quickly leadership’s growth initiatives turn into real team actions—where do delays occur?

Notice which growth metrics excite your team most—targets, learning, or recognition?

Watch which proposals spark momentum versus resistance in leadership discussions.

Monitor client behavior—are usage patterns showing readiness for broader adoption?

Observe which projects overrun consistently—are they misaligned with stated priorities?

Listen for comments like “we’ve always done it this way”—signs of hidden blockers.

Positioning

Review your team’s elevator pitch—does it state your distinct role in the wider organization?

List three peer teams and note how your group distinguishes itself from each.

Check if your team’s homepage or profile clearly communicates its unique value internally.

Ask a peer to describe your team’s reputation—compare it to how you want it perceived.

Update one slide in your presentation deck to sharpen your team’s distinct contribution.

Update your LinkedIn headline to better reflect your team’s unique impact in the company.

Reflect on the last time you updated your team’s positioning—does it still match your strengths?

Journal about what leaders consistently value most about your role—is that reflected externally?

Write about whether you’re known for what you want to be known for—why or why not?

Write about when your team’s role was misunderstood—what framing was missing?

Write about how clearly you can describe your ideal audience—and what language resonates.

Write about whether you position your team on tasks, results, or outcomes—and which works best.

Create a one-sentence statement about your team’s unique value and share it in a meeting.

Deliver a short pitch of your team’s role to a colleague—see if they immediately get it.

Rewrite your LinkedIn summary to reflect your leadership positioning in one clear line.

Conduct a mini-audit of competitor departments—identify one change to differentiate.

Present your value proposition to a small group—ask for their unfiltered interpretation.

Identify one project where you’ll test positioning your solution in a new way.

Ask a peer manager to describe what they see as your unique contribution to the company.

Ask two senior peers how they describe your department’s role—compare their answers.

Present three positioning statements for your department to your manager—ask which is strongest.

Post a short “what my team does” statement on LinkedIn or intranet—ask for reactions.

Interview a peer manager about how they explain their value—compare it to your framing.

Run a quick A/B test of two team messages—ask colleagues which one lands more strongly.

Instead of “what my team does,” focus on “what problem we solve for the company.”

Think of positioning not as bragging but as clarity that helps others act confidently.

Shift from “being better” to “being distinct”—what’s our angle, not just our strength?

Frame your messaging in terms of transformation—what changes because of your team?

Reframe positioning as storytelling: what narrative arc is your team part of?

Position yourself in terms of outcomes, not title—what impact do you drive?

Watch how peer departments frame their role—what’s clear, and what feels generic or vague?

Observe how leaders introduce your function—what positioning signals do they emphasize?

Pay attention to which pitches from your area gain quick traction—what language made the difference?

Analyze how well competitors in your industry highlight uniqueness—what proof points do they use?

Notice when colleagues struggle to explain processes—what could improve clarity?

Listen to how senior leaders describe your function—what words appear most?

MASTER Risk Hub