Through our Business Acumen workshop, participants will improve their judgment and decision making skills. Business Acumen is all about seeing the big picture and recognizing that all decisions -no matter how small- can have an effect on the bottom line. Participants will increase their financial literacy and improve their business sense.

The Business Acumen workshop will help participants recognize learning events, improve their ability to manage risk, and increase critical thinking. This program has the ability to influence your entire organization, and provide that additional edge that will lead to ongoing success.

*This course pairs well with B usiness Ethics and/or Lean Process and Six Sigma in developing/enhancing essential business skills

Course Objectives:

• Learn to see the big picture
• Develop a risk management strategy
• Learn to practice financial literacy
• Develop critical thinking
• Practice management acumen
• Discover key financial levers

Course Outline:


Business Acumen

Module One: Seeing the Big Picture

• Short and Long Term Interactions

• Recognize Growth Opportunities

• Mindfulness of Decisions

• Everything is related

• Case Study

• Module One: Review Questions

Module Two: KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators)

• Decisiveness

• Flexible

• Strong Initiative

• Intuitive

• Case Study

• Module Two: Review Questions

Module Three: Risk Management Strategies

• Continuous Assessment

• Internal and External Factors

• Making Adjustments and Corrections

• Start, Stop, Continue

• Case Study

• Module Three: Review Questions

Module Four: Recognizing Learning Events

• Continuous Learning

• Evaluate Past Decisions

• Problems are Learning Opportunities

• Recognize Your Blind Spots

• Case Study

• Module Four: Review Questions

Module Five: You Need to Know These Answers and More

• What Makes My Company Money?

• What Were Sales Last Year?

• What is our Profit Margin?

• What Were Our Costs?

• Case Study

• Module Five: Review Questions

Module Six: Financial Literacy (I)

• Assets

• Financial Ratios

• Liabilities

• Equity

• Case Study

• Module Six: Review Questions

Module Seven: Financial Literacy (II)

• Income Statement

• Balance Sheet

• Cash Flow Statement

• Read, Read, and Read

• Case Study

• Module Seven: Review Questions

Module Eight: Business Acumen in Management

• Talent Management

• Change Management

• Asset Management

• Organizational Management

• Case Study

• Module Eight: Review Questions

Module Nine: Critical Thinking in Business

• Ask the Right Questions

• Organize the Data

• Evaluate the Information

• Make the Decision

• Case Study

• Module Nine: Review Questions

Module Ten: Key Financial Levers

• Investing in People

• Effective Communication

• Process Improvement

• Goal Alignment

• Case Study

• Module Ten: Review Questions

Module Eleven: Assignment Review / Wrap Up