Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 341, an interview with the author of Inside the Competitor's Mindset , John Horn , where he shares proven techniques to help businesses think like the competition and understand why they act the way they do. Inside the Competitor’s Mindset presents a systematic approach to competitive intelligence that starts with three frameworks to get inside the competitor’s mindset, predict their reactions to your moves, and assess whether the competition is getting ready f...
Apr 26, 2023•1 hr
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic from a 10 episode program to help our clients and customers measurably, radically transform their careers through The Author Program. How would your career, reputation, and earnings change as a published author? Imagine your client interactions when potential and current clients saw your thinking in a published book before they met you? Imagine the time you would save not having to explain your ideas and the value you could add to them? I...
Apr 24, 2023•6 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic from a 10 episode program to help our clients and customers measurably, radically transform their careers through The Author Program. How would your career, reputation, and earnings change as a published author? Imagine your client interactions when potential and current clients saw your thinking in a published book before they met you? Imagine the time you would save not having to explain your ideas and the value you could add to them? I...
Apr 19, 2023•7 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 338, an interview with Ryan McAnnally-Linz, coauthor of Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most . This book provides readers with jumping-off points, road maps, and habits of reflection for figuring out where their lives hold meaning and where things need to change. The book draws from major world religions and from impressively truthful and courageous figures such as Jesus, Muhammad, the Buddha, Aristotle, Socrates, Martin Luther King, Jr., the Dalai L...
Apr 17, 2023•55 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic from a 10 episode program to help our clients and customers measurably, radically transform their careers through The Author Program. How would your career, reputation, and earnings change as a published author? Imagine your client interactions when potential and current clients saw your thinking in a published book before they met you? Imagine the time you would save not having to explain your ideas and the value you could add to them? I...
Apr 12, 2023•26 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic from the Corporate Strategy & Transformation study. In this phase of the podcast series, we are focusing on week 4 when we are bringing the entire leadership team together to help them make one decision. The only decision they have to make is: "Should Empire International focus on the non-regulated non-core activities as they are now doing or refocus their efforts to support Empire Energy on their core regulated business: generating energ...
Apr 10, 2023•18 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 335, an interview with Sandeep Chennakeshu, the author of Your Company Is Your Castle: Proven Methods for Building a Resilient Business , where he describes how to assess and systematically build a company’s business model, financial health, strategy, culture, products, sales channels, execution, and stakeholder confidence to make the company formidable. Y our Company Is Your Castle equips you with critical insights and principles to build strong businesses and...
Apr 05, 2023•57 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 334, an interview with Rishi Dave, a partner in Bain’s Commercial Excellence practice with deep expertise in B2B marketing and digital marketing. In this episode, Rishi explains the concept of a “Day 1 List” in B2B sales and marketing and the three things that will get a supplier or seller on the list. Rishi also discussed what a “sales play” is, how to build it, institutionalize the knowledge within the company, and get the sales team to adopt the sales play t...
Apr 03, 2023•56 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 333, an interview with Gaia Bernstein, a Law Professor, Director of the Institute for Privacy Protection and Co-Director of the Gibbons Institute for Law Science and Technology at the Seton Hall University School of Law. She writes, teaches and lectures in the intersection of law, technology, health and privacy. Gaia is also the mother of three children who grew up in a world of smartphones, iPads and social networks. Her forthcoming book: Unwired: Gaining Cont...
Mar 29, 2023•50 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 332, an interview with the author of How to Listen , Oscar Trimboli. Effective communication is not all about eloquent speaking. The key sits on the ability to listen and how you react and respond to what you hear. As Oscar said in the episode, “The difference between hearing and listening is action”. In this episode, we discuss what good listening and communication is. We also highlighted the impact of good listening in your career, organization, and personal ...
Mar 27, 2023•1 hr 13 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 331, an interview with the co-author of The Burnout Challenge , Michael P. Leiter, Ph.D. Burnout is one of the major contributors driving people to leave their job. It results from unsuccessfully managed workplace stress and is a combination of exhaustion, psychological distancing, and a low sense of accomplishment. So how do we address burnout and who is responsible for managing this issue? In this episode, we discuss the factors contributing to employee burno...
Mar 22, 2023•49 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 330, an episode with Christina Maslach, PhD, a professor of psychology (Emerita) and a researcher at the Healthy Workplaces Center at the University of California, Berkeley. In this episode, we discuss the causes of burnout and the factors contributing to it, and how leaders and organizations can address this issue to provide a sustainable and healthy working environment for their employees. Christina Maslach, PhD, received her BA from Harvard and her PhD from ...
Mar 20, 2023•1 hr 6 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 329, an episode with a Senior Partner and the global leader in the Tech and Telecommunication practice at McKinsey and Company, Venkat Atluri. In this episode, we defined the emerging ecosystem economy and how most successful companies navigate and thrive in this new world. Venkat Atluri is a thought leader at McKinsey, a prolific author, and a sought-after speaker at industry events. He collaborates with top executives, boards, and investors to create value th...
Mar 15, 2023•58 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we go back to the visioning workshop part of the study and re-visit some of the most important points you need to keep in mind. Click here to see the full study and here to see the merger study and market entry study. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube: Structure of the visioning workshop Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo...
Mar 13, 2023•10 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic from week 4 of the Corporate Strategy & Transformation study. Promoting women into leadership roles is a hot topic and, sadly, a debate. Why is it a debate? What are the elements that require further analysis? To paraphrase Marvin Bower, one does not ask a client if a woman should take over the relationship, one simply tells a client a woman is taking over. It is not the client’s job to decide what is right. In this podcast, we explain wh...
Mar 08, 2023•16 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we discuss how your cost of capital changes as you take on more debt and how this change is different between organizations. It's a crucial concept for this utility. We explain how the cost of capital change usually takes place and then we review the drivers at play that are different for this power utility vs. an average company. Click here to see the full study and here to see the merger study and market entry study. Watch the vid...
Mar 06, 2023•21 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we use economics to explain what is the role of government, when governments should intervene, how they should intervene, and when they should hand over certain activities to the private sector. If you want to further your understanding of strategy at the highest possible level you should listen to this. Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo...
Mar 01, 2023•18 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we interviewed the author of LET THEM LEAD: Unexpected Lessons in Leadership from America's Worst High School Hockey Team . This book is a true story filled with unforgettable characters, stories, and lessons that apply to organizations everywhere. It includes the leader’s mistakes and the reactions of the players, who have since achieved great success as leaders themselves. Let Them Lead is a fast-paced, feel-good book that leaders...
Feb 27, 2023•1 hr 7 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we interviewed the coauthor of Monster: A Tough Love Letter on Taming the Machines that Rule our Jobs, Lives, and Future, Ben Pring. Who is responsible for regulating and overseeing technology and online platforms? Is it the government? The ITs and developers? Or maybe…the users? In this episode, we deliberated the significance of technology in human lives and the negative consequences brought by irresponsible and abusive use of tec...
Feb 22, 2023•1 hr 8 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we interviewed the author of Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life , Luke Burgis. Why do we want what we want? This topic is rarely presented in conversations, business meetings, or political agendas, but it has a comprehensive impact on our lives and shapes our societies. This episode explores the psychology behind human desires, role modeling, competition, and the awareness of intentional wanting. Luke Burgis has f...
Feb 20, 2023•54 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we interviewed Jenn Lim, the CEO of Delivering Happiness, also known as DH. In this episode, Jenn speaks about her journey of discovering and understanding the meaning of happiness and purpose. What is the source of genuine happiness and how does it impact your work and career? Delivering Happiness, also known as DH is a company that Jenn Lim and Tony Hsieh, the late CEO of Zappos.com, cofounded to create happier company cultures fo...
Feb 15, 2023•1 hr 3 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we interviewed the author of Sales Management That Works: How to Sell in a World that Never Stops Changing by Frank Cespedes. How do you manage sales in a world that never stops changing? In this episode, Frank shares valuable insights to equip sales professionals and business leaders in managing sales within their organization and how to better improve and develop themselves while managing constant change. Frank Cespedes is a sales...
Feb 13, 2023•50 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we interview the coauthor of The Power of Trust, Sandra Sucher. In this book, Sandra Sucher and Shalene Gupta examine the economic impact of trust and the science behind it and conclusively prove that trust is built from the inside out. Trust emerges from a company being the “real deal”: creating products and services that work, having good intentions, treating people fairly, and taking responsibility for all the impacts an organiza...
Feb 08, 2023•1 hr 19 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we interviewed one of Wall Street’s legendary tech analysts, Mark Mahaney. In this episode, Mark discusses ten lessons that are proven to help investors succeed in tech stock investing. He shares powerful advice and knowledge from analyzing the most explosive sector on Wall Street over the past quarter century. Lesson 1: There Will Be Blood… When You Pick Bad Stocks Lesson 2: You Can Lose $...Even When You Pick The Best Stocks Lesso...
Feb 06, 2023•41 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we interviewed one of the most recognized, connected, and dynamic executives in the sports and entertainment industry today, Scott O'Neil. In this episode with Scott, he shared most of the valuable lessons in his life that keep him grounded and thriving as a leader, coach, husband, and father. Scott has more than 25 years of experience leading NBA, NHL, and NFL teams and leagues, including the National Basketball Association, Philad...
Feb 01, 2023•1 hr 4 min
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 316, an episode with the author of Digital Transformation Payday , Tim Bottke. Why do companies embark on digital transformation? Is it because they need it? Or is it because it’s the trend? In this episode, we deep dived into the world of digital transformation. We discussed the common mistakes companies make when pursuing digital transformation and the rationale that CEOs and leaders must have to succeed in this endeavor. Tim Bottke is a senior Strategy Partn...
Jan 30, 2023•45 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we interviewed Suneel Gupta, the author of the international bestselling book Backable (2020). This book is rooted in his inner journey from twice-failed entrepreneur to becoming a leader behind two IPOs and being named “The New Face of Innovation” by the New York Stock Exchange. The book reveals the mindset shifts and hidden habits of people who are extraordinary at pushing new ideas forward. It shows how the key to success is not ...
Jan 25, 2023•1 hr 22 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we interviewed the former Amazon Digital Media VP, Bill Carr. Bill is the coauthor of Working Backwards: Insights, Stories, and Secrets from Inside Amazon, an insider's breakdown of Amazon's approach to culture, leadership, and best practices from two long-time, top-level Amazon executives. Bill Carr joined Amazon in 1999 and spent more than 15 years with the company. As the former Vice President of Digital Media, Bill launched and ...
Jan 23, 2023•1 hr 15 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic from the Corporate Strategy & Transformation study. In this podcast, we look at the problem of superficial financial analysis. One way to save the client money, before they run out of cash in about 16 months, is to stop all investments which lose money. This, however, is a terrible idea that will cause enormous damage to the client’s core business, consumers, and the economy. We discuss how we handle this recommendation and what we propos...
Jan 18, 2023•9 min
For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we address how to answer difficult questions raised by the client during an executive workshop or another type of client's executive group meeting. We start with discussing the right mindset any consultant requires to be able to effectively handle difficult questions from a client. We thereafter review the particular steps in addressing a client's difficult questions raised during a workshop or a presentation. Lastly, we dive into w...
Jan 16, 2023•15 min
