8. Amanda Setili on Strategic Agility
Episode description
Our guest today is my friend Amanda Setili, the author of two books:
The Agility Advantage: How to Identify and Act on Opportunities in a Fast-Changing World, was published in 2014. Her latest book is coming out in the fall of 2017, Fearless Growth:The New Rules to Stay Competitive, Foster Innovation, and Dominate your markets.
Amanda has an MBA from Harvard and started her consulting career at McKinsey & Co.
She has been running her own successful consulting firm, Setili & Associates, in Atlanta for nearly twenty years.
Her first book emerged out of something Amanda did which I think is pure genius: she created the Strategic Agility Think Tank, which brings together senior leaders from a blue-chip list of clients, several times per year for an in-person session that includes a panel discussion and then Q&A.
The Think Tank keeps Amanda top of mind with the clients she has served in the past and is a reason to reach out to new ones. It gives her fresh material and case studies for her writing. It positions her as the go-to thought leader on how to navigate turbulent markets.
It takes some real effort, long term dedication, and a willingness to invest to set up something like the Strategic Agility Think Tank – that’s why most people don’t do it. Those who do, like Amanda, are scarce and thus incredibly valuable.