Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 542, an interview with the author The Psychology of Leadership: Timeless principles to improve your management of individuals, teams… and yourself! , Sébastien Page. Ever wondered what truly drives successful leaders and how psychology plays a role? In this episode with Sébastien Page, we explore the habits, mindset, and science behind great leadership. He shares lessons drawn from 20 years of experience and in-depth research in positive and sports psychology. ...
Apr 14, 2025•48 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 541, an interview with the author of Transcend: Unlocking Humanity in the Age of AI, Faisal Hoque. In this episode, Faisal shares his journey from his early days developing software to becoming a business leader focused on strategy and impact. Faisal talks about how Eastern philosophy, particularly Buddhism, influences his approach to business and leadership, helping him stay grounded while pursuing innovation. He opens up about how his son's serious illness ch...
Apr 09, 2025•47 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 540, an interview with the authors of Meaningful Work: How to Ignite Passion and Performance in Every Employee, Wes Adams and Tamara Myles. What makes work truly meaningful, and how can leaders create it? In this episode, Tamara Miles and Wes Adams, researchers and positive psychologists, have studied how leaders can intentionally promote cultures where people find purpose, connection, and challenge in their work. Drawing from their own career and research, the...
Apr 07, 2025•54 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 539, an interview with the author of From Panic to Profit: Uncover Value, Boost Revenue, and Grow Your Business with the 80/20 Principle, Bill Canady. In this episode, Bill shares insights from his military background and how it shaped his leadership approach. Bill explains his Profitable Growth Operating System (PG OS) framework, including the five key components that drive business success. He also offers practical advice on pricing strategy, the need for a f...
Apr 02, 2025•53 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 538, an interview with the coauthor of Leading for Wellness: How to Create a Team Culture Where Everyone Thrives, Patricia Grabarek. In this episode, Patricia talks about why workplace wellness matters and why it’s important to have a holistic approach that includes physical, mental, and emotional health. She explains the gap in research on leadership practices that help create a healthy work environment and how leaders can balance getting results with supporti...
Apr 01, 2025•49 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 537, an interview with the author of Wild Courage: Go After What You Want and Get It, Jenny Wood. In this episode, Jenny discusses her career journey and the key skills that helped her rise from an entry-level role to an executive over 18 years. She also discusses overcoming imposter syndrome, being strategic with time, and saying no to non-promotable work. Jenny shares the importance of obsessing over key projects, leading with enthusiasm, and breaking unwritt...
Mar 26, 2025•51 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 536, an interview with the coauthor of Conflict Resilience: Negotiating Disagreement Without Giving Up or Giving In, Joel Salinas, MD. In this episode, Joel Salinas talks about conflict resilience and how our brain reacts to disagreements. He explains how loneliness affects health, how conflicts activate pain-related brain areas, and shares techniques to manage stress. Joel also discusses brain plasticity, how age affects conflict resolution, and the power of f...
Mar 24, 2025•29 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 535, an interview with the author of Richer, Wiser, Happier: How the World's Greatest Investors Win in Markets and Life, William Green. In this episode, William Green talks about his journey from Oxford to becoming a renowned journalist. He shares stories of his unconventional career path, including impulsive moves to New York and Hong Kong, financial struggles, and being laid off during the financial crisis. William discusses how he learned to handle failure w...
Mar 19, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 534, an interview with the author of The Science of Personal Power: How to Build Confidence, Create Success, and Obtain Freedom , Chris Lipp. Powerful people operate with a fundamentally different mindset. While others seek approval and dodge accountability, influential individuals take ownership and remain anchored to their goals and values. In this episode, Chris Lipp discusses the importance of personal power and the characteristics that differentiate powerf...
Mar 17, 2025•51 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 533, an interview with the author of Cultivating Audacity: Dismantle Doubt and Let Yourself Win, Anne Marie Anderson. In this episode, Anne Marie Anderson shared her journey from being rejected by ESPN at 21 to working there for 35 years and becoming one of the most experienced female play-by-play announcers in the country. She discussed the importance of audacity, combining confidence with bold risks, and learning from rejection. In Cultivating Audacity, Anne ...
Mar 12, 2025•50 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 532, an interview with the author of Big Goals: The Science of Setting Them, Achieving Them, and Creating Your Best Life, Caroline Adams Miller. In this episode, Caroline takes us through her journey of overcoming personal challenges to becoming an expert in positive psychology and goal setting. She breaks down why setting clear, challenging goals is so important and explains the difference between learning goals (developing new skills) and performance goals (i...
Mar 10, 2025•49 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 531, an interview with the author of Conflict Resilience: Negotiating Disagreement Without Giving Up or Giving In, Bob Bordone. Most of us instinctively avoid conflict, seeing it as a threat rather than an opportunity for growth. What if the conversations you dread most could actually strengthen your relationships and lead to better outcomes? In this episode, Harvard Law's Bob Bordone talks about negotiation and conflict resolution. He discusses seeing conflict...
Mar 05, 2025•53 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 530, an interview with a seasoned executive coach and the author of You're the Boss: Become the Manager You Want to Be (and Others Need), Sabina Nawaz. In this episode, Sabina shares her journey from software development at Microsoft to advising C-level executives. She explains the dangers of pressure overpowering leaders and advocates for self-care and emotional intelligence. Throughout her journey as a leader, she realized the need for effective communication...
Mar 03, 2025•46 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 529, an interview with the author of Who Needs College Anymore? , Kathleen deLaski. In this episode, Kathleen shares her journey from journalism to education reform. She talks about her time as a TV and digital journalist, White House correspondent, and Pentagon spokesperson, as well as her transition to education reform, founding the Education Design Lab in 2013, and her work on higher education innovation. Kathleen discusses the changing role of college and t...
Feb 26, 2025•50 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 528, an interview with the author of Performing Under Pressure: The Science of Doing your Best When it Matters Most , JP Pawliw-Fry. In this episode, JP walks us through the concept of pressure management—how to reduce pressure in our personal and professional lives to better excel in whatever we do. He also discusses the importance of self-awareness, especially under pressure, and the concept of 'aggressive learning,' where high performers extract more informa...
Feb 24, 2025•44 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 527, an interview with the coauthor of Make Work Fair: Data-Driven Design for Real Results, Siri Chilazi. In this episode, Siri shares her path from studying chemistry to researching workplace gender equality. Based on her experience and academic work, she explains how workplace systems shape behavior more than individual choices. Siri advocates for practical changes like redesigning resumes and conducting regular pay audits rather than focusing on diversity tr...
Feb 19, 2025•47 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 526, an interview with the author of Ping: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication , Andrew Brodsky. In this episode, Andrew shares the nuances of effective virtual communication in the workplace. He introduces the PING framework (Perspective Taking, Initiative, Nonverbal Behavior, and Goals) and discusses how different communication modes suit various objectives. Andrew also touched on strategies for maintaining creativity in virtual settings, building...
Feb 17, 2025•57 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 525, an interview with the authors of The ROI of Thought Leadership: Calculating the Value that Sets Organizations Apart , Cindy Anderson and Anthony Marshall. In this episode, Cindy and Anthony discuss how their work at IBM shaped their understanding of thought leadership's value in building client relationships and explain the quantifiable benefits of thought leadership. They also address how AI is impacting thought leadership creation and consumption, and th...
Feb 12, 2025•53 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 524, an interview with the author of Meet Every Learner's Needs: Redesigning Instruction So All Students Can Succeed , Robert Barnett. In this episode, Robert discussed his approach to educational fairness and equity and the importance of personalized learning experiences. He explained the need for engaging and challenging learning environments rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, highlighting the importance of tailoring learning to individual needs. Rober...
Feb 10, 2025•47 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 345, an interview with the Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, BCG’s think tank for new ideas in management and strategy. Martin has authored numerous books, including Your Strategy Needs a Strategy and The Imagination Machine , a handbook about how to systematically harness imagination to generate new ideas and transform businesses. Get Martin's book here: https://rb.gy/qmifgx The Imagination Machine: How to Spark New Ideas and Create Your Company's Futur...
Feb 05, 2025•1 hr
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 522, an interview with the author of Gambling Man: The Secret Story of the World's Greatest Disruptor, Masayoshi Son , Lionel Barber. In this episode, Lionel discusses his career and insights on leadership, journalism, and business transformation. He talks about his tenure at the Financial Times and offers advice to young professionals on how to succeed in today’s ever-changing and challenging world. In this interview, Lionel also shares key lessons from his ne...
Feb 03, 2025•46 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 521, an interview with the author of Essential: How Distributed Teams, Generative AI, and Global Shifts are Creating a New Human Powered Leadership, Dr. Christie Smith. In this episode, Christie shares her career journey through boutique firms, Deloitte, Apple, and Accenture. She shares key lessons about building client relationships, emphasizing that consultants should focus on understanding client needs rather than pushing their own agenda. Christie explains ...
Jan 27, 2025•53 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 520, an interview with the author of TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves, Alison Wood Brooks. In this episode, Alison shares how her experiences at Harvard shaped her understanding of one of the most critical skills for anyone in any industry: conversation. She introduces the concept of the “topic pyramid”, which includes small talk, tailored talk, and deep talk, and shares strategies for handling difficult conversations, such as us...
Jan 22, 2025•51 min
In this episode with Rob Markey, we will discuss valuing and measuring customer loyalty. Rob highlights the gap between executives' intentions to prioritize customers and their actual practices, noting that only 8% of customers believe they receive exceptional experiences, despite 80% of executives thinking so. Rob discusses the need for companies to measure and manage customer lifetime value, using tools like Net Promoter Scores and customer segmentation. He also discusses the challenges of imp...
Jan 20, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 518, an interview with the author of Change: Six science-backed strategies to transform your brain, body, and behavior , Michael J. Lopez. In this episode, Michael shares his consulting journey and leadership challenges that shaped his leadership style and led him to start his own firm. He shares his advice for consultants aiming to become partners in today's hybrid work environment. Michael also discussed change and how deeply personal it is that it can't be a...
Jan 15, 2025•47 min
In this episode, we dive into digital transformation consulting, exploring the top digital transformation challenges faced by today’s technology leader from a large consulting firm working with C-suite executives on large-scale transformation projects. We’ll discuss how emerging tech consulting is shaping the future and how to balance vision and practicality while staying up to date on technology trends, especially the rapid move from AI to generative AI. We cover the challenges of business case...
Jan 13, 2025•9 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 516, an interview with the author of Change the Wallpaper: Transforming Cultural Patterns to Build More Just Communities, Nilanjana Dasgupta. In this episode, Nilanjana discusses her career journey and research on implicit bias and diversity science. She highlights her groundbreaking 2001 study showing that implicit attitudes can be changed through exposure to counter-stereotypical media images. Nilanjana also discusses the importance of understanding and addre...
Jan 08, 2025•59 min
Today, we will answer a common question about how to determine office location preference to include on the consulting job application with firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain and when applying to firms like Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, et al. The thinking process will also be applicable when considering taking a leadership role in various parts of the world versus selecting a role in your hometown or closer to home. Question we received from one of our subscribers: “I’ve been told that the office locati...
Jan 06, 2025•16 min
Students and consultants usually ask us for help with consulting specialization. This is a crucial question that consultants have to consider when mapping out their management consulting career path. Today’s video will provide our perspective on this topic. Many consultants do not understand consulting specialization. Sector and type of work are not mutually exclusive. What does that mean? To specialize, you need to define your area of specialization around three areas. After watching this video...
Jan 01, 2025•10 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 513, an interview with the author of Leading Giants: A Leader's Guide to Maximum Influence , Dave Durand. In this episode, Dave explains his decision to approach life as an adventure, without fearing mistakes and prioritizing the best ideas over being right. He talks about building successful organizations by creating the right culture, hiring for values and cultural fit, and adapting to technological changes. He shares how he balances personal and professional...
Dec 30, 2024•56 min
