Because Change Happens
Strategic acumen involves anticipating and responding to changes in the business environment. Leaders and individual contributors need to ensure the company can adapt and thrive in the face of uncertainty. Strategic acumen requires a forward-thinking mindset and the ability to make decisions that align with long-term goals.
A few days after attending a strategic-level Income|Outcome workshop, a Michelin plant manager faced unexpected news: a key brake supplier to General Motors, Michelin’s largest customer, was about to go on strike.
Thanks to the workshop, the manager immediately recalled a key scenario from the game board: unsold tires piling up in Finished Goods Inventory and no cash coming in from Receivables.
Rather than risk a cash flow bottleneck, the manager took action:
Without the workshop, the manager admitted, they would have kept producing tires, piling them up unsold and leading to inevitable cash flow problems.
Insight: The manager applied cash flow awareness from the workshop to real-world events.
Action: They sold off inventory and adjusted production schedules to protect cash flow.
Result:
→ A rapid and appropriate response to an unexpected event is a Better Business Result!
The Program
Senior managers and executives at Michelin participated in a strategically challenging three-day program: Managing a Global Business. Teams were so engaged that they often held planning meetings as late as 11 p.m. to refine their strategies for the next day.
While the workshop did not specifically address supply chain disruptions or strikes, it heightened participants' awareness of potential risks. One manager, inspired by the simulation, vividly envisioned tires piling up on his game board and warehouses filling up due to a strike. This flash of insight led him to take immediate action.
Better Business Decisions at Michelin
In 1996, Michelin North America began using Income|Outcome across the organization to build financial acumen and improve strategic decision-making among its employees. The program was integrated into various business units, helping teams align financial goals with operational strategies and identify opportunities for cost savings and revenue growth.
Almost 30 years later Michelin North America continues to run the simulation, and continues to generate ongoing tales of 'business bravado'.
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Developing strategic acumen isn’t just about knowing the right answers—it’s about asking the right questions, especially when the stakes are high and the future is uncertain. Our Finance & Strategy workshop gives senior leaders and executives the tools they need to steer the ship through turbulent waters, ensuring the company stays on course.
2-2.5 days
In-Person
Our Finance & Strategy workshop helps senior leaders and executives develop strategic planning and decision-making skills. It’s an immersive experience, requiring teams to analyze market conditions, make strategic decisions, and understand financial implications (and that is before we introduce unexpected change!). The simulation covers real-world scenarios, ensuring participants are better equipped for effective decision-making.
Strategic acumen is a necessity in today’s unpredictable business environment. Our workshops prepare your team to think strategically and act decisively in a fast-changing business environment.
"I think business acumen is an understanding of what an organisation does or needs to do to work and how the market works too. It's asking questions outside of your role and knowing how your role and others fit together to get the best outcomes. Also understanding how decisions you make can affect other areas."
What real-world issues will you handle differently after this program.
"The ability to understand that if we minimize the cost of supply chain operations, logistics, etc, it can have a massive impact on the income of the company. This was invaluable."