Business Acumen

The complex and dynamic nature of business creates a situation where employees are unsure about what business their company is really in. Furthermore, many people are unsure about their role and what they need to do differently to help the company achieve its strategic and operational goals. Lacking an understanding of a company's profit drivers, product lines, and value proposition - people make poor decisions on a daily basis.

We develop business acumen solutions that advance employees' knowledge of a company's business and financial inner-workings. Employees are transformed into thoughtful business partners, actively aligning their daily activities to the needs of the business.

Leadership Development

Knowledge Maps have been used with executives and managers in a variety of venues - from 1-hour modules, to 2-day events to ongoing programs. At Applied Learning, we work with your project team to develop customized Knowledge Maps in order to achieve participant learning and program goals.

When asked, leaders and managers agree on the primary reasons why they prefer to have Knowledge Maps integrated into their programs. These reasons are:

  1. Fun & Collaborative Engagement Process - leaders from various countries and business units can share their thoughts and learn from their peers using a dialogue-based engagement process. The engagement process creates a fun and dynamic environment while ensuring a high quality learning outcome.
  2. Meaningful Dialogue - the content of the Knowledge Map developed for your program are focused on issues relevant to program participants. The discussion that Knowledge Map participants have is focused on business issues that people care about.
  3. Leadership Alignment - Knowledge Maps engage participants in a number of targeted issues with an end result being a set of agreed upon conclusions. The issues being discussed are ultimately brought together by the group so that everyone shares the same perspective.

Our Process

We work with you to understand your leadership program needs and goals. Our client collaborative process ensures that the customized Knowledge Maps we develop are integrated into the program in a way that best achieves your goals.

Our client collaboration process and Knowledge Map development process are best discussed within the context of your program needs and participant characteristics. Please contact us to explore our services within the context of your needs.

New Employee Orientation

Companies have used custom Knowledge Map and eLearning VOLTs to improve the on-boarding process of new employees. Whether you want employees to understand the industry your business competes in, or the culture of your organization, we are able to help you achieve these goals.

Some clients have used a series of Knowledge Maps to form the backbone of their new employee orientation program, while other clients have integrated Knowledge Maps and eLearning VOLTs to fill the holes in their pre-existing program. Either way, we have proven that Knowledge Maps can be highly successful in quickly and effectively integrate new employees into the business.

Business Acumen Solution Example

Detailed below is a series of Knowledge Maps that are used to build business acumen among client organizations. These maps are fully customized per each client's specific set of strategic issues and organizational culture. A client may choose to use one map to focus in on a particular topic area, or use all of them to build broad business acumen skills.

Map #1 The Big Picture

A big picture map is designed to have everyone in the organization understand what marketplace realities exist. Everybody in the organization has to share an understanding of where we are today, if they are to work as a team to create a shared tomorrow.

In approximately 1-hour, participants will discuss and explore:

  1. What the 'good old days' use to be like
  2. The impact of government regulation and litigation
  3. The emergence of new local competitors and global competition
  4. The evolution of technology and its challenges and opportunities
  5. The changes in customer expectations and how these changes have impacted the industry
  6. The likely future changes and how we need to be prepared to deal with a dynamic environment.

Map #2 The Competitive Landscape

By understanding the competitive dynamics of the marketplace, employees are able to understand the critical tactics that the business must take in order to be competitive.

In approximately 1-hour, participants will discuss and explore:

  1. What defines the market space we compete in.
  2. Who are our key competitors.
  3. What factors differentiate the various competitors.
  4. The perception of customers of all competitors.
  5. Our strengths and weaknesses.
  6. Areas to improve our weaknesses and take advantage of market opportunities.
  7. How our value proposition is different and how to position our value proposition.

Map #3 Our Money Flow

Understanding the underlying economics of the business and industry are key if employees are to make good business decisions. In order to have employees understand how they contribute to the organization, they need to understand the economics of the business and where they impact the financial performance of the company.

In approximately 1-hour, participants will discuss and explore:

  1. Our sources of revenue
  2. Where revenue 'leakage' occurs
  3. Where we spend money (expense categories)
  4. What our profit or loss is
  5. The key profit drivers that each of us impact
  6. Where our profits go: to shareholders, lenders, employees and reinvestment in the company

Map #4 Our Value Chain

The value chain map achieves many things. In particular, employees are able to see where in the value chain they fit and how they impact areas 'upstream' and 'downstream' from them. Many employees don't understand what business their company is really in. The value chain map enables all employees to share a common vision of what the company is all about.

In approximately 1-hour, participants will discuss and explore:

  1. They key steps in our value chain
  2. Where each person fits in the value chain
  3. The impact each person has 'upstream' and 'downstream' from them
  4. The key stakeholders our value chain is designed to deliver value to
  5. The critical breakdowns in our value chain
  6. The impact that breakdowns have on our key stakeholders and our financial health
  7. The initiatives that are underway to resolve these breakdowns
  8. The role that each person plays in making sure these initiatives are successful
  9. The implications of successfully or unsuccessfully improving our value chain

Map #5 Creating Our Future

Employees have a large appetite for knowing where the company is going and what their role is in making their future a reality.

In approximately 1-hour, participants will discuss and explore:

  1. What the long-term vision for the company is
  2. What is our strategy for getting there
  3. How the components of the strategy work together
  4. The role that each person plays in executing the strategy
  5. The financial and other key metrics we use to manage our business
  6. The rewards that will be generated by effective execution of the strategy