Over the first half of the year, I’ve had the opportunity to listen to more than 300 Board of Directors presentations delivered by participants in our business acumen simulations. These presentations are the culmination of the learning journey: each team steps into the role of senior leadership, presenting their strategy, goals, accomplishments, and future guidance for their simulated company.
Nearly every team uses or slightly adapts the templates we provide, and the resulting presentations are often thoughtful, structured, and insightful.
As I was reviewing a few over the long weekend, one in particular stood out. It was from a team that participated in a pharmaceutical simulation back in March. The title of their final presentation was:
“If I Knew Then What I Know Now About Our Strategy”
I was instantly intrigued. The team used this framework to reflect on their experience, not just on what went well, but also on what they would have done differently if they had a chance to start again. In other words, they tapped into one of the most powerful outcomes of simulation-based learning: strategic hindsight without real-world consequences.
Their presentation boiled down to five key takeaways; five things they would have changed. I found their insights so relevant and widely applicable that I thought it would be a great way to ease back into the flow of work this week. Here they are:
Five Things We Would Have Done Differently If We Knew Then…
- We would have aligned our cross-functional goals from Day 1.
Early on, our teams set functional goals independently, as Marketing had one path, R&D another, and Supply Chain was in its own world. We realized too late that this siloed thinking created friction and missed opportunities. If we could go back, we’d start with a unified, enterprise-level strategy and align our function-level tactics accordingly.
- We would have made bolder early investments.
We hesitated to commit fully to a high-potential market opportunity due to uncertainty and risk aversion. By the time we acted, we were playing catch-up. In hindsight, we underestimated the cost of inaction. The simulation helped us see that strategic risk-taking, when grounded in data, can be a competitive advantage.
- We would have defined clearer performance metrics.
We thought we had KPIs, but they weren’t connected to decision-making. We defaulted to tracking obvious outcomes like revenue or margin, without measuring the leading indicators (e.g., rep productivity, market share by segment) that actually drive those outcomes. Next time, we’d establish sharper metrics and revisit them regularly.
- We would have communicated more consistently and transparently.
There were key decision points where not everyone was on the same page, and our assumptions diverged. A stronger communication cadence would have helped us act more cohesively. In a real-world setting, that misalignment could have cost us millions.
- We would have planned not just for growth, but for sustainability.
We aggressively pursued top-line growth, but neglected to consider scale, complexity, and cost structure. When our success hit, we were underprepared for operational strain. A more balanced view of profitable and sustainable growth would have helped us manage both upside and risk more effectively.
Final Thoughts:
Simulation experiences like these give learners a rare gift; the ability to reflect on what they would have done, and then bring that insight back into the real world. Whether you're leading a brand, running a business unit, or making cross-functional decisions, it’s worth asking yourself:
“If I knew then what I know now… what would I do differently?”
You might find the answer is exactly what you need to do next.