Professional Leadership practice
Free Professional Leadership practice with 80 original tasks, worked guidance and links to timed practice and a full mock. These tasks are not live-bank items.
What you will learn
- Practise analytical reasoning in Professional Leadership contexts.
- Practise quantitative data literacy in Professional Leadership contexts.
- Practise communication in Professional Leadership contexts.
- Practise ethical judgement in Professional Leadership contexts.
- Practise collaborative decision making in Professional Leadership contexts.
These 80 tasks teach the Professional Leadership reasoning process. They are public preparation, not a scored sitting, and they do not reuse protected assessment items.
Before you begin
- Use only the information given. State what remains unknown.
- Attempt a task before opening the guidance.
- Write the evidence for the choice, not only the final answer.
- Use timed practice after an untimed pass, then the full mock.
Practice activities
Analytical Reasoning · foundational
Which assumption must hold for that conclusion to follow? Situation: A board paper on whether to pause a product launch. Safety logs are incomplete for the last sprint; marketing spend is already committed; a regulator query arrived yesterday. A side count of 4 used a different definition from 9.
Review answer guidance
Name the missing premise. If it is unchecked, the conclusion is not shown. The claim in play is that committed spend means launch must proceed. spend already gone does not cancel a live safety and regulator issue The extra figure (A side count of 4 used a different definition from 9) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · moderate
Which inference is actually supported by the stated facts? Situation: Two directors disagreeing about a supplier risk. One cites a cheap quote; the other cites two missed safety drills at the supplier last year. The working copy is dated 9 days later than a 20-page cited copy.
Review answer guidance
Keep the conclusion inside the evidence. Do not import a cause that was not given. The claim in play is that the cheaper quote should decide. missed safety drills are a performance record the quote does not contain The extra figure (The working copy is dated 9 days later than a 20-page cited copy) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · challenging
What alternative explanation still accounts for the difference? Situation: A budget that can fund only one of three programmes. Programme A is popular; B prevents a known harm; C is a public promise from last year. 14 of 31 rows were added after the first total was announced.
Review answer guidance
A change that arrives with another change is not a cause until those extras are ruled out. The claim in play is that popularity is the decision rule. harm prevention and a public promise are competing duties that need an explicit rule The extra figure (14 of 31 rows were added after the first total was announced) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · foundational
Which of the two arguments is better supported, and why? Situation: A whistleblowing report about a favoured vendor. The report names a director who sponsored the vendor; the usual route is through that director. A second observer recorded 19 where the first sheet shows 42.
Review answer guidance
Score each argument by the evidence it actually cites, not by how confident it sounds. The claim in play is that use the usual route. the named sponsor cannot own the investigation The extra figure (A second observer recorded 19 where the first sheet shows 42) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · moderate
What counterexample would be enough to refute the general rule? Situation: A cross-border team interpreting urgent differently. One site hears 'urgent' as today; another hears it as this quarter; a regulator deadline is Friday. The window used for 5 days is not the window used for 16 days.
Review answer guidance
One well-formed contrary case is enough to show that an unrestricted rule fails. The claim in play is that culture difference can wait. the regulator Friday is an exact time that must be stated in UTC The extra figure (The window used for 5 days is not the window used for 16 days) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · challenging
Which constraint is being ignored in the recommended action? Situation: An AI monitoring tool with unexplained scores. Staff are ranked for 'risk'; there is no feature list, no appeal, and a low score blocks travel. A note in the margin says 10 cases were excluded without a rule, against 27 kept.
Review answer guidance
List the limits that still bind. An option that needs a resource you do not have is not available. The claim in play is that the tool is an efficiency gain. an unexplained score that blocks travel is a decision without a reason The extra figure (A note in the margin says 10 cases were excluded without a rule, against 27 kept) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · foundational
How far can the claim fairly be extended? Situation: A redundancy proposal affecting one site only. That site has the highest unit cost and the only specialised safety team; the paper discusses cost, not safety cover. The same label covers 15 events in one table and 38 in the other.
Review answer guidance
Match the claim's scope to the sample, time window and population that were actually observed. The claim in play is that unit cost is sufficient. losing the only specialised safety team is a risk the paper omitted The extra figure (The same label covers 15 events in one table and 38 in the other) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · moderate
What evidence is required before the claim can be treated as shown? Situation: A safety incident with incomplete near-miss logs. The incident matches two unlogged near-misses staff describe verbally. An appendix lists 20 exceptions that the summary of 12 does not mention.
Review answer guidance
Identify the comparison, baseline or source that is absent, and withhold the stronger wording until it arrives. The claim in play is that without logs there is no pattern. verbal near-misses are a signal to reconstruct the record, not to deny a pattern The extra figure (An appendix lists 20 exceptions that the summary of 12 does not mention) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · challenging
Which wording is stronger than the evidence permits? Situation: A partnership that creates a conflict of interest. A director's sibling owns 30 percent of the proposed partner; the paper is silent. A side count of 6 used a different definition from 23.
Review answer guidance
Replace 'proves' and 'always' with what the observations actually cover. The claim in play is that silence means no issue. a 30 percent sibling interest is a conflict that must be disclosed and managed The extra figure (A side count of 6 used a different definition from 23) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · foundational
Which disputed definition would change the result? Situation: A public commitment that operations cannot yet meet. The CEO said 'every request answered in a day'; current median is four days and staffing is unchanged. The working copy is dated 11 days later than a 34-page cited copy.
Review answer guidance
If two sides count different things, agree the definition before arguing about the number. The claim in play is that the commitment will stretch the team healthily. a public promise the operation cannot meet is a credibility and welfare issue The extra figure (The working copy is dated 11 days later than a 34-page cited copy) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · moderate
How did the way the cases were chosen affect the conclusion? Situation: A regulator query arriving during a leadership offsite. The query has a five-day clock; the offsite is three days with limited access. 16 of 45 rows were added after the first total was announced.
Review answer guidance
A volunteer, leftover or convenience sample cannot stand in for the group the claim names. The claim in play is that the offsite can finish first. the clock does not pause for an offsite; an on-call owner is required now The extra figure (16 of 45 rows were added after the first total was announced) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · challenging
Which other variable moved at the same time as the supposed cause? Situation: A succession plan that concentrates decision rights. Three critical approvals sit with one person who is due to leave in six weeks with no deputy named. A second observer recorded 21 where the first sheet shows 19.
Review answer guidance
Name the co-occurring change and say what comparison would separate the two. The claim in play is that six weeks is enough to 'see how it goes'. unnamed deputies plus a known departure is an immediate continuity gap The extra figure (A second observer recorded 21 where the first sheet shows 19) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · foundational
What comparison is required before calling one option better? Situation: A culture survey showing fear of speaking up, used as a comms win. Participation was 28 percent; the write-up headlines 'colleagues feel heard' from the 28 percent who answered a different question. The window used for 7 days is not the window used for 30 days.
Review answer guidance
Better than what, for whom, over which period, on which measure. The claim in play is that the headline is supported. 28 percent response and a different question cannot carry that headline The extra figure (The window used for 7 days is not the window used for 30 days) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · moderate
When would the recommended rule not apply? Situation: A bonus pool tied only to launch date. Quality gates are in the policy; the bonus formula ignores them. A note in the margin says 12 cases were excluded without a rule, against 41 kept.
Review answer guidance
State the boundary condition. A rule without a stated exception is being oversold. The claim in play is that people will still respect the gates. the formula teaches the opposite of the policy The extra figure (A note in the margin says 12 cases were excluded without a rule, against 41 kept) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · challenging
Who has the burden of proof for the disputed claim? Situation: A closed-session minute that records no dissent. Two members objected; the minute says the paper was 'noted'. The same label covers 17 events in one table and 15 in the other.
Review answer guidance
The party asserting a general effect must produce the comparison; the other party need not disprove a slogan. The claim in play is that noted is an accurate record. objections that affect a later reviewer must appear The extra figure (The same label covers 17 events in one table and 15 in the other) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · foundational
What mechanism is asserted, and what would count against it? Situation: A cyber incident. Customer data may have left; legal wants 72 hours of quiet; customers are logging in now. An appendix lists 22 exceptions that the summary of 26 does not mention.
Review answer guidance
A story about how an effect happens is not evidence that it happened. The claim in play is that quiet protects the investigation. people currently exposed may need a prompt, lawful notice; quiet is not automatic The extra figure (An appendix lists 22 exceptions that the summary of 26 does not mention) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · moderate
Which two statements in the account cannot both be true? Situation: A merger integration scorecard. It is all green; staff attrition at the acquired site is 22 percent in a quarter; green is defined as 'plan exists'. A side count of 8 used a different definition from 37.
Review answer guidance
Put the statements side by side. If they conflict, at least one needs a source or a revision. The claim in play is that green means the integration is healthy. a plan existing is not the same as attrition being acceptable The extra figure (A side count of 8 used a different definition from 37) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · challenging
Why is the measured proxy a poor stand-in for the stated outcome? Situation: A political donation on a personal account by a sitting executive. The organisation forbids using its name; a press photo shows the lanyard. The working copy is dated 13 days later than a 11-page cited copy.
Review answer guidance
Say what the proxy actually captures and what part of the outcome it misses. The claim in play is that the donation was personal so the organisation is clear. the lanyard makes it organisational in public, whatever the account The extra figure (The working copy is dated 13 days later than a 11-page cited copy) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · foundational
What time-order problem undermines the causal claim? Situation: A dual-hat chair who also sells to the organisation. The chair remains in the room for the supplier vote 'to provide context'. 18 of 22 rows were added after the first total was announced.
Review answer guidance
A cause must precede its effect. If the 'result' was already trending, the intervention is not shown to be responsible. The claim in play is that context justifies presence. the conflicted person leaves the vote; context can be written The extra figure (18 of 22 rows were added after the first total was announced) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · moderate
From this case, which generalisation is unwarranted? Situation: A risk register with unchanged reds for a year. Each month says 'monitor'; no owner has a stop-the-line authority. A second observer recorded 4 where the first sheet shows 33.
Review answer guidance
A single setting does not licence a rule about all settings of that type. The claim in play is that monitoring is management. a year of red without a stop authority is acceptance, not monitoring The extra figure (A second observer recorded 4 where the first sheet shows 33) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · challenging
Which unstated premise does the author need? Situation: An external investigation whose scope excludes the sponsoring executive. The terms were written by that executive's office. The window used for 9 days is not the window used for 44 days.
Review answer guidance
Write the suppressed step. If that step is false, the argument collapses. The claim in play is that external equals independent. a scope written to exclude the sponsor is not independent The extra figure (The window used for 9 days is not the window used for 44 days) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · foundational
Which rival hypothesis is most worth testing next? Situation: A 'temporary' exception that is 14 months old. The control is still bypassed; the original expiry was 30 days. A note in the margin says 14 cases were excluded without a rule, against 18 kept.
Review answer guidance
Pick the alternative that would produce the same observations, then name the test that could split them. The claim in play is that temporary still applies. 14 months is the new normal; re-approve or restore the control The extra figure (A note in the margin says 14 cases were excluded without a rule, against 18 kept) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · moderate
Which quantifier in the claim is unjustified? Situation: A board away-day at a supplier's resort. The supplier is in a live tender; the invitation calls it hospitality. The same label covers 19 events in one table and 29 in the other.
Review answer guidance
All, most, some and none are different claims. Keep the one the data can support. The claim in play is that hospitality is normal. a live tender plus hospitality is a procurement and perception problem The extra figure (The same label covers 19 events in one table and 29 in the other) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · challenging
Where does the analogy break? Situation: A KPI that counts tickets closed, including tickets closed without resolution. Closure codes include 'no response from user' after one email. An appendix lists 5 exceptions that the summary of 40 does not mention.
Review answer guidance
Name the property that holds in the source case but not in the target case. The claim in play is that rising closures mean better service. one-email closures can hide unfinished work The extra figure (An appendix lists 5 exceptions that the summary of 40 does not mention) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · foundational
What decision rule is being used, and is it stated? Situation: A CEO blog about wellbeing posted the day after a 90-hour-week leak. The blog does not mention the leak; hiring is frozen. A side count of 10 used a different definition from 14.
Review answer guidance
If the threshold is implicit, make it explicit before treating the verdict as fair. The claim in play is that the blog is the wellbeing action. a blog that ignores the live fact will be read as denial The extra figure (A side count of 10 used a different definition from 14) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · moderate
Which source is weakest, and why does that matter here? Situation: A legal privilege claim over an operational safety review. The review was done by engineers, then headed 'for lawyers'. The working copy is dated 15 days later than a 25-page cited copy.
Review answer guidance
Match the source type to the claim type. An opinion column cannot carry a prevalence claim. The claim in play is that the heading makes it privileged and hideable. an engineering safety review does not become unfindable by adding a heading The extra figure (The working copy is dated 15 days later than a 25-page cited copy) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · challenging
What was left out that would most change the decision? Situation: A diversity target met by reclassifying roles rather than hiring. The paper celebrates the target; the footnote shows the reclassification. 20 of 36 rows were added after the first total was announced.
Review answer guidance
Identify the missing group, time period or cost, and say how it would move the recommendation. The claim in play is that the target is met in substance. reclassification is not the change the target was understood to mean The extra figure (20 of 36 rows were added after the first total was announced) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · foundational
What would you need to see to reverse the current conclusion? Situation: A crisis comms draft that says 'no evidence of harm' while tests are still running. Results are due tomorrow. A second observer recorded 6 where the first sheet shows 10.
Review answer guidance
State a specific observation that would count the other way. If none exists, the claim is unfalsifiable. The claim in play is that no evidence is accurate today. tests still running means absence of evidence, which is not evidence of absence — and the sentence will be quoted tomorrow The extra figure (A second observer recorded 6 where the first sheet shows 10) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · moderate
How does aggregation hide an important subgroup difference? Situation: A director's side company bidding as a subcontractor. The bid is through a different brand; beneficial ownership is 60 percent. The window used for 11 days is not the window used for 21 days.
Review answer guidance
A total can be right while every important subgroup moves the other way. Ask for the split. The claim in play is that the brand difference is enough disclosure. 60 percent beneficial ownership is the interest, not the brand The extra figure (The window used for 11 days is not the window used for 21 days) is part of what you must not ignore.
Analytical Reasoning · challenging
What is the cost of doing nothing, given only the stated facts? Situation: A 'founder mode' instruction to skip committee on a related-party deal. The committee exists specifically for related-party deals. A note in the margin says 16 cases were excluded without a rule, against 32 kept.
Review answer guidance
Inaction is an option. Compare it with the proposal using the same outcome and the same unknowns. The claim in play is that speed justifies the skip. the committee is the control for this deal type; skipping it is the risk The extra figure (A note in the margin says 16 cases were excluded without a rule, against 32 kept) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · foundational
What percentage change is actually shown, and what is still unknown? Situation: A board paper on whether to pause a product launch. Safety logs are incomplete for the last sprint; marketing spend is already committed; a regulator query arrived yesterday. The same label covers 21 events in one table and 43 in the other.
Review answer guidance
Compute the change from the stated baseline. Percent change without a base, period or definition is incomplete. The claim in play is that committed spend means launch must proceed. spend already gone does not cancel a live safety and regulator issue The extra figure (The same label covers 21 events in one table and 43 in the other) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · moderate
Which ratio should be compared, rather than the raw totals? Situation: Two directors disagreeing about a supplier risk. One cites a cheap quote; the other cites two missed safety drills at the supplier last year. An appendix lists 7 exceptions that the summary of 17 does not mention.
Review answer guidance
Divide each count by its own eligible population and period before ranking. The claim in play is that the cheaper quote should decide. missed safety drills are a performance record the quote does not contain The extra figure (An appendix lists 7 exceptions that the summary of 17 does not mention) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · challenging
How should the base rate change the reading of the count? Situation: A budget that can fund only one of three programmes. Programme A is popular; B prevents a known harm; C is a public promise from last year. A side count of 12 used a different definition from 28.
Review answer guidance
A large count from a large group can be a lower rate than a small count from a small group. The claim in play is that popularity is the decision rule. harm prevention and a public promise are competing duties that need an explicit rule The extra figure (A side count of 12 used a different definition from 28) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · foundational
The chart's axis does not start at zero. What is the responsible reading? Situation: A whistleblowing report about a favoured vendor. The report names a director who sponsored the vendor; the usual route is through that director. The working copy is dated 17 days later than a 39-page cited copy.
Review answer guidance
Describe the difference in units, not the visual height. A truncated axis exaggerates change. The claim in play is that use the usual route. the named sponsor cannot own the investigation The extra figure (The working copy is dated 17 days later than a 39-page cited copy) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · moderate
What is the chance of the stated event on the information given? Situation: A cross-border team interpreting urgent differently. One site hears 'urgent' as today; another hears it as this quarter; a regulator deadline is Friday. 22 of 13 rows were added after the first total was announced.
Review answer guidance
Use the given counts as the sample space. Do not import an outside probability. The claim in play is that culture difference can wait. the regulator Friday is an exact time that must be stated in UTC The extra figure (22 of 13 rows were added after the first total was announced) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · challenging
How should missing values change the reported rate? Situation: An AI monitoring tool with unexplained scores. Staff are ranked for 'risk'; there is no feature list, no appeal, and a low score blocks travel. A second observer recorded 8 where the first sheet shows 24.
Review answer guidance
Recalculate under more than one assumption for the missing cases and say whether the ranking survives. The claim in play is that the tool is an efficiency gain. an unexplained score that blocks travel is a decision without a reason The extra figure (A second observer recorded 8 where the first sheet shows 24) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · foundational
Which weighted comparison is the fair one? Situation: A redundancy proposal affecting one site only. That site has the highest unit cost and the only specialised safety team; the paper discusses cost, not safety cover. The window used for 13 days is not the window used for 35 days.
Review answer guidance
Weight by the size of each group, not by the number of groups. The claim in play is that unit cost is sufficient. losing the only specialised safety team is a risk the paper omitted The extra figure (The window used for 13 days is not the window used for 35 days) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · moderate
What order-of-magnitude estimate is defensible from the figures given? Situation: A safety incident with incomplete near-miss logs. The incident matches two unlogged near-misses staff describe verbally. A note in the margin says 18 cases were excluded without a rule, against 9 kept.
Review answer guidance
Round to the precision the data support. A precise-looking figure from rough inputs is a false exactness. The claim in play is that without logs there is no pattern. verbal near-misses are a signal to reconstruct the record, not to deny a pattern The extra figure (A note in the margin says 18 cases were excluded without a rule, against 9 kept) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · challenging
What per-person figure is required before comparing the two groups? Situation: A partnership that creates a conflict of interest. A director's sibling owns 30 percent of the proposed partner; the paper is silent. The same label covers 4 events in one table and 20 in the other.
Review answer guidance
Totals are not comparable when the groups differ in size. Divide by headcount. The claim in play is that silence means no issue. a 30 percent sibling interest is a conflict that must be disclosed and managed The extra figure (The same label covers 4 events in one table and 20 in the other) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · foundational
The two percentages cover different time windows. What must you do first? Situation: A public commitment that operations cannot yet meet. The CEO said 'every request answered in a day'; current median is four days and staffing is unchanged. An appendix lists 9 exceptions that the summary of 31 does not mention.
Review answer guidance
Put both rates on the same period, or refuse the comparison. The claim in play is that the commitment will stretch the team healthily. a public promise the operation cannot meet is a credibility and welfare issue The extra figure (An appendix lists 9 exceptions that the summary of 31 does not mention) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · moderate
Which part-whole mistake is being made? Situation: A regulator query arriving during a leadership offsite. The query has a five-day clock; the offsite is three days with limited access. A side count of 14 used a different definition from 42.
Review answer guidance
A percentage of a subset is not the same as a percentage of the whole. The claim in play is that the offsite can finish first. the clock does not pause for an offsite; an on-call owner is required now The extra figure (A side count of 14 used a different definition from 42) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · challenging
What is the conditional rate, not the overall rate? Situation: A succession plan that concentrates decision rights. Three critical approvals sit with one person who is due to leave in six weeks with no deputy named. The working copy is dated 19 days later than a 16-page cited copy.
Review answer guidance
Restrict the denominator to the group named in the question. The claim in play is that six weeks is enough to 'see how it goes'. unnamed deputies plus a known departure is an immediate continuity gap The extra figure (The working copy is dated 19 days later than a 16-page cited copy) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · foundational
What expected value follows from the stated chances and amounts? Situation: A culture survey showing fear of speaking up, used as a comms win. Participation was 28 percent; the write-up headlines 'colleagues feel heard' from the 28 percent who answered a different question. 5 of 27 rows were added after the first total was announced.
Review answer guidance
Multiply each amount by its probability and add. Do not pick the most vivid outcome. The claim in play is that the headline is supported. 28 percent response and a different question cannot carry that headline The extra figure (5 of 27 rows were added after the first total was announced) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · moderate
Why might the mean mislead relative to the median here? Situation: A bonus pool tied only to launch date. Quality gates are in the policy; the bonus formula ignores them. A second observer recorded 10 where the first sheet shows 38.
Review answer guidance
A single extreme value pulls the mean. Report both, or use the median when the tail matters. The claim in play is that people will still respect the gates. the formula teaches the opposite of the policy The extra figure (A second observer recorded 10 where the first sheet shows 38) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · challenging
The figure is an index, not a count. What does a one-point change mean? Situation: A closed-session minute that records no dissent. Two members objected; the minute says the paper was 'noted'. The window used for 15 days is not the window used for 12 days.
Review answer guidance
Read the index definition. A point on an index is not a person, a pound or a percent unless the documentation says so. The claim in play is that noted is an accurate record. objections that affect a later reviewer must appear The extra figure (The window used for 15 days is not the window used for 12 days) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · foundational
Where did rounding create a false exactness? Situation: A cyber incident. Customer data may have left; legal wants 72 hours of quiet; customers are logging in now. A note in the margin says 20 cases were excluded without a rule, against 23 kept.
Review answer guidance
Keep the uncertainty that rounding removed. Do not treat a rounded input as a precise fact. The claim in play is that quiet protects the investigation. people currently exposed may need a prompt, lawful notice; quiet is not automatic The extra figure (A note in the margin says 20 cases were excluded without a rule, against 23 kept) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · moderate
Which unit conversion is required before the comparison is valid? Situation: A merger integration scorecard. It is all green; staff attrition at the acquired site is 22 percent in a quarter; green is defined as 'plan exists'. The same label covers 6 events in one table and 34 in the other.
Review answer guidance
Convert to one unit. Mixing hours with minutes, or local currency with another, is not a comparison. The claim in play is that green means the integration is healthy. a plan existing is not the same as attrition being acceptable The extra figure (The same label covers 6 events in one table and 34 in the other) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · challenging
How does double-counting affect the total? Situation: A political donation on a personal account by a sitting executive. The organisation forbids using its name; a press photo shows the lanyard. An appendix lists 11 exceptions that the summary of 45 does not mention.
Review answer guidance
If categories overlap, adding them inflates the whole. Use a unique-count. The claim in play is that the donation was personal so the organisation is clear. the lanyard makes it organisational in public, whatever the account The extra figure (An appendix lists 11 exceptions that the summary of 45 does not mention) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · foundational
Why is the percentage unstable at this sample size? Situation: A dual-hat chair who also sells to the organisation. The chair remains in the room for the supplier vote 'to provide context'. A side count of 16 used a different definition from 19.
Review answer guidance
A few observations swinging the other way would reverse a large-looking percentage. The claim in play is that context justifies presence. the conflicted person leaves the vote; context can be written The extra figure (A side count of 16 used a different definition from 19) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · moderate
A total is reported without a denominator. What must you obtain? Situation: A risk register with unchanged reds for a year. Each month says 'monitor'; no owner has a stop-the-line authority. The working copy is dated 21 days later than a 30-page cited copy.
Review answer guidance
Ask for the eligible population and period. Rank rates, not raw totals. The claim in play is that monitoring is management. a year of red without a stop authority is acceptance, not monitoring The extra figure (The working copy is dated 21 days later than a 30-page cited copy) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · challenging
Two points are not a trend. What extra series is required? Situation: An external investigation whose scope excludes the sponsoring executive. The terms were written by that executive's office. 7 of 41 rows were added after the first total was announced.
Review answer guidance
Ask for the values before and after the highlighted pair, and for any other change in that window. The claim in play is that external equals independent. a scope written to exclude the sponsor is not independent The extra figure (7 of 41 rows were added after the first total was announced) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · foundational
The share rose while the total fell. What does that mean? Situation: A 'temporary' exception that is 14 months old. The control is still bypassed; the original expiry was 30 days. A second observer recorded 12 where the first sheet shows 15.
Review answer guidance
A larger share of a smaller whole can be fewer people. Report both the share and the count. The claim in play is that temporary still applies. 14 months is the new normal; re-approve or restore the control The extra figure (A second observer recorded 12 where the first sheet shows 15) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · moderate
The gap is reported in percentage points. How is that different from percent? Situation: A board away-day at a supplier's resort. The supplier is in a live tender; the invitation calls it hospitality. The window used for 17 days is not the window used for 26 days.
Review answer guidance
Percentage points are a subtraction of two rates. Percent of a rate is a different number. The claim in play is that hospitality is normal. a live tender plus hospitality is a procurement and perception problem The extra figure (The window used for 17 days is not the window used for 26 days) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · challenging
How should you normalise before ranking the two sites? Situation: A KPI that counts tickets closed, including tickets closed without resolution. Closure codes include 'no response from user' after one email. A note in the margin says 22 cases were excluded without a rule, against 37 kept.
Review answer guidance
Use the same definition, the same hours, and the same eligible group. The claim in play is that rising closures mean better service. one-email closures can hide unfinished work The extra figure (A note in the margin says 22 cases were excluded without a rule, against 37 kept) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · foundational
What range of rates is consistent with the missing data? Situation: A CEO blog about wellbeing posted the day after a 90-hour-week leak. The blog does not mention the leak; hiring is frozen. The same label covers 8 events in one table and 11 in the other.
Review answer guidance
Compute the rate if all missing cases are successes, and if all are failures. Report that interval. The claim in play is that the blog is the wellbeing action. a blog that ignores the live fact will be read as denial The extra figure (The same label covers 8 events in one table and 11 in the other) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · moderate
At what point do the two options cost the same? Situation: A legal privilege claim over an operational safety review. The review was done by engineers, then headed 'for lawyers'. An appendix lists 13 exceptions that the summary of 22 does not mention.
Review answer guidance
Set the two cost expressions equal and solve. That break-even is the decision boundary given these figures. The claim in play is that the heading makes it privileged and hideable. an engineering safety review does not become unfindable by adding a heading The extra figure (An appendix lists 13 exceptions that the summary of 22 does not mention) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · challenging
After the stated adjustment, what residual difference remains? Situation: A diversity target met by reclassifying roles rather than hiring. The paper celebrates the target; the footnote shows the reclassification. A side count of 18 used a different definition from 33.
Review answer guidance
Subtract the explained portion. Do not treat the remainder as noise without saying so. The claim in play is that the target is met in substance. reclassification is not the change the target was understood to mean The extra figure (A side count of 18 used a different definition from 33) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · foundational
What happens to the headline figure if the extreme observation is set aside? Situation: A crisis comms draft that says 'no evidence of harm' while tests are still running. Results are due tomorrow. The working copy is dated 4 days later than a 44-page cited copy.
Review answer guidance
Recompute without it. If the story depends on one point, say so. The claim in play is that no evidence is accurate today. tests still running means absence of evidence, which is not evidence of absence — and the sentence will be quoted tomorrow The extra figure (The working copy is dated 4 days later than a 44-page cited copy) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · moderate
What share of the eligible group is actually in the dataset? Situation: A director's side company bidding as a subcontractor. The bid is through a different brand; beneficial ownership is 60 percent. 9 of 18 rows were added after the first total was announced.
Review answer guidance
Coverage is counted over the group the claim names, not over the files you happened to receive. The claim in play is that the brand difference is enough disclosure. 60 percent beneficial ownership is the interest, not the brand The extra figure (9 of 18 rows were added after the first total was announced) is part of what you must not ignore.
Quantitative Data Literacy · challenging
How many significant figures are justified? Situation: A 'founder mode' instruction to skip committee on a related-party deal. The committee exists specifically for related-party deals. A second observer recorded 14 where the first sheet shows 29.
Review answer guidance
Match the output precision to the roughest input. Extra decimals are not extra knowledge. The claim in play is that speed justifies the skip. the committee is the control for this deal type; skipping it is the risk The extra figure (A second observer recorded 14 where the first sheet shows 29) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · foundational
Rewrite the key message for a reader who has two minutes. Situation: A board paper on whether to pause a product launch. Safety logs are incomplete for the last sprint; marketing spend is already committed; a regulator query arrived yesterday. The window used for 19 days is not the window used for 40 days.
Review answer guidance
Lead with the decision, then the evidence, then the unknown. Cut decoration. The claim in play is that committed spend means launch must proceed. spend already gone does not cancel a live safety and regulator issue The extra figure (The window used for 19 days is not the window used for 40 days) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · moderate
What must change so the same facts work for this audience? Situation: Two directors disagreeing about a supplier risk. One cites a cheap quote; the other cites two missed safety drills at the supplier last year. A note in the margin says 5 cases were excluded without a rule, against 14 kept.
Review answer guidance
Name what the reader must do, by when, and which detail they do not need. The claim in play is that the cheaper quote should decide. missed safety drills are a performance record the quote does not contain The extra figure (A note in the margin says 5 cases were excluded without a rule, against 14 kept) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · challenging
Which synthesis is faithful to both sources? Situation: A budget that can fund only one of three programmes. Programme A is popular; B prevents a known harm; C is a public promise from last year. The same label covers 10 events in one table and 25 in the other.
Review answer guidance
Keep agreements, flag conflicts, and do not average two incompatible claims into one smooth sentence. The claim in play is that popularity is the decision rule. harm prevention and a public promise are competing duties that need an explicit rule The extra figure (The same label covers 10 events in one table and 25 in the other) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · foundational
Which sentence should open the note, given the decision that is needed? Situation: A whistleblowing report about a favoured vendor. The report names a director who sponsored the vendor; the usual route is through that director. An appendix lists 15 exceptions that the summary of 36 does not mention.
Review answer guidance
Open with the request or the recommendation. Context follows; it does not lead. The claim in play is that use the usual route. the named sponsor cannot own the investigation The extra figure (An appendix lists 15 exceptions that the summary of 36 does not mention) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · moderate
Which ambiguity would most likely cause the wrong action? Situation: A cross-border team interpreting urgent differently. One site hears 'urgent' as today; another hears it as this quarter; a regulator deadline is Friday. A side count of 20 used a different definition from 10.
Review answer guidance
Find the word that could mean two things to two readers, and replace it with a specific noun and a time. The claim in play is that culture difference can wait. the regulator Friday is an exact time that must be stated in UTC The extra figure (A side count of 20 used a different definition from 10) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · challenging
Which recommendation is actually backed by the stated evidence? Situation: An AI monitoring tool with unexplained scores. Staff are ranked for 'risk'; there is no feature list, no appeal, and a low score blocks travel. The working copy is dated 6 days later than a 21-page cited copy.
Review answer guidance
A recommendation needs a stated option, a reason from the facts, and a named unknown. The claim in play is that the tool is an efficiency gain. an unexplained score that blocks travel is a decision without a reason The extra figure (The working copy is dated 6 days later than a 21-page cited copy) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · foundational
The tone may be read as blame. What change preserves the facts? Situation: A redundancy proposal affecting one site only. That site has the highest unit cost and the only specialised safety team; the paper discusses cost, not safety cover. 11 of 32 rows were added after the first total was announced.
Review answer guidance
Describe the behaviour and the impact, not the person. Keep a specific request. The claim in play is that unit cost is sufficient. losing the only specialised safety team is a risk the paper omitted The extra figure (11 of 32 rows were added after the first total was announced) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · moderate
Which structure best reports this to a mixed audience? Situation: A safety incident with incomplete near-miss logs. The incident matches two unlogged near-misses staff describe verbally. A second observer recorded 16 where the first sheet shows 43.
Review answer guidance
Recommendation, evidence, limits. Put technical detail after the decision. The claim in play is that without logs there is no pattern. verbal near-misses are a signal to reconstruct the record, not to deny a pattern The extra figure (A second observer recorded 16 where the first sheet shows 43) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · challenging
A summary omits who is affected. What must the next sentence add? Situation: A partnership that creates a conflict of interest. A director's sibling owns 30 percent of the proposed partner; the paper is silent. The window used for 21 days is not the window used for 17 days.
Review answer guidance
Name the audience, the action asked of them, and the deadline or uncertainty. The claim in play is that silence means no issue. a 30 percent sibling interest is a conflict that must be disclosed and managed The extra figure (The window used for 21 days is not the window used for 17 days) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · foundational
Which subject line would let the right person act without opening every paragraph? Situation: A public commitment that operations cannot yet meet. The CEO said 'every request answered in a day'; current median is four days and staffing is unchanged. A note in the margin says 7 cases were excluded without a rule, against 28 kept.
Review answer guidance
Put the decision and the date in the subject. Curiosity is not a professional purpose. The claim in play is that the commitment will stretch the team healthily. a public promise the operation cannot meet is a credibility and welfare issue The extra figure (A note in the margin says 7 cases were excluded without a rule, against 28 kept) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · moderate
Where is the hedge hiding a decision that has already been made? Situation: A regulator query arriving during a leadership offsite. The query has a five-day clock; the offsite is three days with limited access. The same label covers 12 events in one table and 39 in the other.
Review answer guidance
If a choice was made, say it. Softening language after the fact is not caution; it is fog. The claim in play is that the offsite can finish first. the clock does not pause for an offsite; an on-call owner is required now The extra figure (The same label covers 12 events in one table and 39 in the other) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · challenging
Which term should be replaced so a non-specialist can act? Situation: A succession plan that concentrates decision rights. Three critical approvals sit with one person who is due to leave in six weeks with no deputy named. An appendix lists 17 exceptions that the summary of 13 does not mention.
Review answer guidance
Swap the in-group word for the ordinary description of the action required. The claim in play is that six weeks is enough to 'see how it goes'. unnamed deputies plus a known departure is an immediate continuity gap The extra figure (An appendix lists 17 exceptions that the summary of 13 does not mention) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · foundational
The facts are in chronological order. What order would help the reader decide? Situation: A culture survey showing fear of speaking up, used as a comms win. Participation was 28 percent; the write-up headlines 'colleagues feel heard' from the 28 percent who answered a different question. A side count of 22 used a different definition from 24.
Review answer guidance
Decision order beats diary order. Time-stamps can sit in an appendix. The claim in play is that the headline is supported. 28 percent response and a different question cannot carry that headline The extra figure (A side count of 22 used a different definition from 24) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · moderate
What should be cut first so the note stays under one screen? Situation: A bonus pool tied only to launch date. Quality gates are in the policy; the bonus formula ignores them. The working copy is dated 8 days later than a 35-page cited copy.
Review answer guidance
Cut repeated background and keep the numbers with units. Length is not thoroughness. The claim in play is that people will still respect the gates. the formula teaches the opposite of the policy The extra figure (The working copy is dated 8 days later than a 35-page cited copy) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · challenging
Which claim needs an attribution before it can be sent? Situation: A closed-session minute that records no dissent. Two members objected; the minute says the paper was 'noted'. 13 of 9 rows were added after the first total was announced.
Review answer guidance
A figure without a source is an assertion. Name who measured it, or drop the figure. The claim in play is that noted is an accurate record. objections that affect a later reviewer must appear The extra figure (13 of 9 rows were added after the first total was announced) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · foundational
What call to action is missing? Situation: A cyber incident. Customer data may have left; legal wants 72 hours of quiet; customers are logging in now. A second observer recorded 18 where the first sheet shows 20.
Review answer guidance
Say who does what by when. A situation report without an ask leaves the work on the floor. The claim in play is that quiet protects the investigation. people currently exposed may need a prompt, lawful notice; quiet is not automatic The extra figure (A second observer recorded 18 where the first sheet shows 20) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · moderate
Two people disagree. How should that be reported without taking a side in the prose? Situation: A merger integration scorecard. It is all green; staff attrition at the acquired site is 22 percent in a quarter; green is defined as 'plan exists'. The window used for 4 days is not the window used for 31 days.
Review answer guidance
State each position, the evidence each cites, and the decision that is still required. The claim in play is that green means the integration is healthy. a plan existing is not the same as attrition being acceptable The extra figure (The window used for 4 days is not the window used for 31 days) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · challenging
How should the numbers be written so they cannot be misread? Situation: A political donation on a personal account by a sitting executive. The organisation forbids using its name; a press photo shows the lanyard. A note in the margin says 9 cases were excluded without a rule, against 42 kept.
Review answer guidance
Keep the unit next to the figure, and write the comparison in the same unit. The claim in play is that the donation was personal so the organisation is clear. the lanyard makes it organisational in public, whatever the account The extra figure (A note in the margin says 9 cases were excluded without a rule, against 42 kept) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · foundational
What is the honest way to lead with unwelcome news? Situation: A dual-hat chair who also sells to the organisation. The chair remains in the room for the supplier vote 'to provide context'. The same label covers 14 events in one table and 16 in the other.
Review answer guidance
State the outcome in the first sentence, then the reason, then the next action. The claim in play is that context justifies presence. the conflicted person leaves the vote; context can be written The extra figure (The same label covers 14 events in one table and 16 in the other) is part of what you must not ignore.
Communication · moderate
The draft answers a different question from the one that was asked. What should you do? Situation: A risk register with unchanged reds for a year. Each month says 'monitor'; no owner has a stop-the-line authority. An appendix lists 19 exceptions that the summary of 27 does not mention.
Review answer guidance
Answer the asked question first. Extra context goes below, labelled as extra. The claim in play is that monitoring is management. a year of red without a stop authority is acceptance, not monitoring The extra figure (An appendix lists 19 exceptions that the summary of 27 does not mention) is part of what you must not ignore.