🔒 Exercise 4 Facilitator Guide

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Exercise 4: Strategic Response Scenarios - Facilitator Guide

Duration: 15 minutes (1:15 PM - 1:30 PM) Core Learning: Frameworks become decision-making muscle memory. Use them automatically under time pressure.

Pre-Exercise Setup

Technology: - MS Forms (or Google Forms) with 3 scenarios - Projector to show results - Have QR code or link ready to share with participants

Room: - Each participant has device (laptop/phone/tablet) - Anonymous voting enabled

The Exercise Flow

Total time: 15 minutes - Intro: 1 min - Scenario 1: 3 min (read + vote + discuss) - Scenario 2: 3 min - Scenario 3: 3 min - Synthesis: 5 min

Lean structure. Move quickly.

Your Script

Intro (1 min): “Quick exercise. Three realistic strategic dilemmas. You have 90 seconds to decide on each, then we vote and discuss.

No wrong answers. We’re testing whether frameworks help you decide under time pressure.

Open the voting link on your device.” [Share MS Forms link/QR code]

Scenario 1: Competitive Threat (3 min total)

Read aloud (30 sec): “Competitor just launched AI-powered personalisation. They’re picking up our customers. Your options: 1. Fast-Follow: Build similar AI in 6 months (safe, reactive) 2. Differentiate: Invest in different AI capability (risky, could miss) 3. Wait: Let market mature, then enter with better technology (patient, could be too late)

Vote now. 90 seconds.”

During voting (1 min): - Let them think - No discussion yet

Results display (1 min): - Show voting breakdown - Ask: “Why did you choose that?” - Listen for: - “Portfolio thinking” (which horizon?) - “Competitive pressure” (can’t wait) - “Data readiness” (do we have what we need?)

Sample discussion prompt: If mostly Fast-Follow: “You chose reactive. Is that strategic or necessary?” If mostly Differentiate: “You chose risky. What’s the bet you’re making?” If mixed: “Interesting split. What made the difference?”

Key insight to surface (don’t mandate): “Notice: Traditional thinking says ‘match competitor.’ Strategic thinking says ‘match if it fits our portfolio, differentiate if it doesn’t.’ Frameworks help you decide instead of react.”

Scenario 2: Pilot Performance (3 min total)

Read aloud (30 sec): “Your AI chatbot pilot exceeded ROI projections (120% vs 100% target). But setup took longer than expected. Options: 1. Scale: Roll out company-wide now (capitalize on success) 2. Pivot: Modify approach based on learnings (better but slower) 3. Kill: This was just a pilot, focus on other priorities (disciplined)

Vote now. 90 seconds.”

During voting (1 min): - Let them think

Results display (1 min): - Show voting breakdown - Ask: “Why that choice?” - Listen for: - “ROI is strong, scale it” (traditional thinking) - “Setup delays suggest we missed something” (risk thinking) - “Is this transformational enough to justify focus?” (portfolio thinking)

Sample discussion prompt: If mostly Scale: “You’re chasing the ROI. But what about the setup delays? What were they telling you?” If mostly Pivot: “You’re optimizing the pilot. Cost to pivot vs. value gained?” If Kill: “Why kill a successful pilot?”

Key insight: “Notice: Success doesn’t always mean scale. Sometimes it means ‘we got lucky on this specific case. What will it look like at scale?’ That’s strategic thinking.”

Scenario 3: Emerging Technology (3 min total)

Read aloud (30 sec): “New AI technology (Retrieval Augmented Generation) shows promise in your industry. Competitors are starting pilots. Your data readiness: 6/10. Options: 1. Pioneer: Start now, build as you go (first-mover advantage, risky) 2. Fast-Follower: Wait 6 months, learn from competitors, enter with solid foundation (safer, may lose advantage) 3. Wait: Let it mature for 2+ years (most data-ready, might miss entirely)

Vote now. 90 seconds.”

During voting (1 min): - Let them think

Results display (1 min): - Show voting breakdown - Ask: “What made your decision?” - Listen for: - “First-mover advantage matters” (competitive thinking) - “Data readiness is critical” (implementation thinking) - “Wait and watch” (cautious, may be right or miss)

Sample discussion prompt: If mostly Pioneer: “Why pioneer if data readiness is only 6/10? What’s the risk?” If mostly Fast-Follower: “You’re betting you can learn from competitors. Will they share? What if you’re wrong?” If Wait: “What’s your confidence that it won’t disrupt you in 2 years?”

Key insight: “This one is hardest. No right answer. But notice: You used frameworks (data readiness, competitive dynamics, time horizons) to decide. That’s better than gut feel.”

Synthesis & Debrief (5 min)

Ask: “What did this exercise teach you about decision-making under pressure?”

Listen for: - “Frameworks help even when I don’t have time to think” - “Quick decisions are still strategic if you use frameworks” - “Muscle memory—I defaulted to the frameworks”

Your point (don’t lecture): “Exactly. Morning you learned frameworks. Afternoon you used them in Dragon’s Den. Now you’re using them automatically. That’s the goal—frameworks become muscle memory.”

Connect to rest of day: “This is the capstone skill. You’ve practiced frameworks, experienced AI’s value, made investment decisions, and now you’re using frameworks reflexively. Go back Monday and you’ll naturally reach for these frameworks. That’s sustainable change.”

Timing Notes

If running ahead (done at 1:25): - Skip synthesis, go straight to Dragon’s Den prep - Or ask deeper follow-ups on scenario discussion - Or do a 4th scenario (optional: you have time)

If running behind (still on Scenario 2 at 1:25): - Skip Scenario 3 - Go straight to synthesis - Still teaches the learning with 2 scenarios

Minimum viable: - Scenario 1 + 2 only - Quick synthesis - Total: ~10 min

What You’re Looking For

✅ Exercise worked if: - Participants vote quickly (framework thinking is automatic) - Voting shows diversity (not everyone agrees, frameworks give options) - Discussion reveals framework thinking (“portfolio,” “data readiness,” “time horizons”) - Participants realise they’re using frameworks naturally

Facilitation Tips

Keep energy high: - This is post-lunch energizer - Quick pace, quick voting, quick discussion - No deep dives

Don’t lecture: - You’re facilitating, not explaining frameworks again - They’ve already learned; you’re just observing them use frameworks

Celebrate framework usage: - “Notice how you’re thinking about data readiness?” - “You just applied Time Horizons framework automatically” - This reinforces the learning

Don’t worry about “right” answers: - There aren’t any - Scenarios are ambiguous on purpose - The point is: frameworks help you decide despite ambiguity

Why This Timing (1:15 PM)

Lunch effect: - Participants are re-energized after lunch - Attention refocusing needed - Quick, active exercise combats post-lunch dip

Prep for Dragon’s Den: - Exercise 3 team prep starts immediately after (1:30) - This exercise gets them thinking strategically - They’ll apply that thinking to their pitches

Learning curve: - Morning: Learn frameworks (intellectual) - Exercise 2: Experience AI (experiential) - Exercise 4: Use frameworks automatically (muscle memory) - Exercise 3: Make big decisions (integration)

Your Checklist

Before 1:15: - [ ] MS Forms link ready - [ ] QR code printed or ready to project - [ ] Projector working - [ ] All participants have device (or can share)

During (1:15-1:30): - [ ] Intro (1 min) - [ ] Each scenario: read → vote (1 min) → discuss (1 min) - [ ] Synthesis (5 min) - [ ] End by 1:30 to start Dragon’s Den prep

After: - [ ] Ask teams if they want to review frameworks before pitching - [ ] Mention: “You just used frameworks reflexively. That’s what you’ll do in pitch prep.”

This exercise is the bridge between learning and doing. Quick, energizing, and clinches framework adoption.