How to approach the Strategic                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         How to earn                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Tackling  
                             Business Leader (SBL) exam                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Professional Skills marks                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            the exam  
                             SBL is a 4 hour integrated case study which examines a breadth of                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       20% of the total marks will be allocated to                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Each task will specify an answer format,  
                             organisational functions. It assesses not only technical and ethical                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Professional Skills:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 for example:
                             skills but the professional skills expected of effective leaders and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         n  Prepare	a	briefing	paper	…	
                             advisers to senior management.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          n  Read each requirement:
                             The rationale for the syllabus can be summarised as follows:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        •	 	Note	the	specified	answer	format	(e.g.	a	memo)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       n  Write	a	report	for	the	board	…
                             n  Leadership and governance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        •	 	Identify	the	professional	skill	(e.g.	scepticism)	and	                                                                                                                                                                                                                               n  Draft	a	letter	…
                             n  Strategy r                                     equires an understanding of risk management                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 recall	the	sub-skills	(e.g.	probe,	question,	challenge)	                                                                                                                                                                                                                       A task may have more than one requirement, 
                             n  T  echnology and data analytics are transforming businesses                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      •  Read t                          he prompt for how to demonstrate                                                                                                                                                                                                                      for	example	“evaluate…	and	recommend…”
                             n  Or                 ganisational control includes internal audit                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            (e.g.	‘by	challenging	the	comments	made	at	 
                             n  Financial aspects support decision making                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  the	emergency	meeting’)
                             n  Innovat                               ion, performance excellence and change management                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              n  Bear this skill in mind as you:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Most frequently used  
                                         are essential to organisational success.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                •  Read the requirement again                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  SBL exam verbs:
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 •	 	Actively	read	the	relevant	exhibit	(e.g.	transcript	of	
                                                                            SBL – Integrating technical                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    emergency	meeting)
                                                                            and professional skills                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              •  Think about and plan your answer points 
                                                                            The aim of the syllabus is to combine the main functions                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 n  When you prepare your answer:
                                                                            of organisations in the context of leadership capabilities.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          •	 Present	it	in	the	specified	format                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               EVALUATE                                                        DISCUSS                                              RECOMMEND
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 •  Use suitable headings and subheadings                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Read this article for more  
                                                                    Communication                                                                                              Commercial Acumen                                                                                                                                                                                 •  Make only relevant points                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                about exam verbs
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 •  Avoid repetition
                                                                                        A                                                                         B                                                                       C                                                 Emplo                                                                                •  Write clearly and concisely 
                                                                         Leadership                                                              Governance                                                                    Strategy                                                                                                                                          •  Keep your tone professional                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Links to support 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            y
                                           ysis                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             a                                                                        You should complete the Ethics and Professional Skills 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            bility                                                                   Module before attempting any of the Strategic                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        resources
                                           Anal                                         H                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Professional examinations.
                                                                         Innovation,                                                                                                                                                                                                        and T                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Examining team guidance
                                                                      performance                                                                                                                                                         D                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               n
                                                                   excellence and                                                                                                                                                     Risk                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         The importance of effective communication 
                                                         change management                                                                                                                                                                                                                  ec                                                                                                                     Tips for success                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       n
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            hnolo                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Professional Skills marking guide 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   in the SBL exam                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        n
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   How to approach the SBL exam
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          n
                                           aluation                                     G                                                                         F                                                                       E                                                 gy                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Tutor video review of the March 2020 exam
                                           Ev                              Finance in                                                        Organisational                                                               Technology                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      n
                                                                      planning and                                                                                                                                            and data                                                                                                                               ✓  Plan to study t                                                  he syllabus content as quickly as possible                                                                                                                                                                                                ACCA Practice Platform
                                                                 decision-making                                                         control and audit                                                                     analytics                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  n
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ✓  Start pract                                       icing case study questions as soon as possible.                                                                                                                                                                                                          Past exam questions and answers
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 If you’re preparing for an SBL CBE, visit this page                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      n
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Examiner’s  reports
                                                                                                                                           Scepticism                                                                                                                                                                                                                            for guidance on how to approach question practice,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       n
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Passing Strategic Professional exams
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 including using the new ACCA Practice Platform.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          n
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Strategic Professional CBE support
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ✓  W  ork on your professional skills from the outset                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                n
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 FAQs
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ✓  At                tempt each specimen and past exam in 4 hours                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    n
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 and in full.