Just days after completing a 3-day strategic Income|Outcome workshop, a plant manager at Michelin’s Troy, MI facility received troubling news: a key brake supplier to General Motors—that facility's largest customer—was about to go on strike.

With the simulation still fresh in his mind, the manager didn’t just hear the news — he visualized the impact. He saw tires piling up in Finished Goods Inventory. He imagined cash flow stalling as Receivables dried up. He remembered what it felt like in the game when production outpaced demand and the team ran out of money.

And then he acted.

Rather than continuing to manufacture tires that no one could buy, he quickly sold off existing inventory and reduced production shifts. His fast, decisive response helped the plant avoid tying up working capital and prevented a buildup of unsold stock.

Later, the manager reflected:

“If I hadn’t gone through the workshop, I would have kept producing tires, stockpiled them, run out of money… and then wondered what to do.”

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What Happened Here?

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:

• Avoided a cash flow crisis.
• Demonstrated the real-time impact of financial acumen in a fast-moving situation.

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→ A rapid and appropriate response to an unexpected event is a Better Business Result!

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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.

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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'.