

Inside the Strategy Room
McKinsey & Company
We talk with McKinsey partners and corporate executives on the challenges they face creating lasting strategies in a fast-changing world. We also examine the different ways these executives approach these challenges and the new and innovative ways they think of creating a vision for their enterprises.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 25, 2020 • 30min
52. The Committed Innovator: Investor Kevin O’Leary
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 29:55) > In this episode Erik Roth, who leads McKinsey’s global innovation practice, interviews Kevin O’Leary as part of our ongoing series on innovation. The Canadian entrepreneur, best known as one of the investors featured on the American reality TV series Shark Tank, shares his bets on innovation’s next frontier.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Jun 18, 2020 • 23min
51. Choosing the right path to unlock the economy
In this episode we try to answer two urgent questions: how should governments approach the different possible paths to reopening their economies? And what is needed to spur businesses and consumers to start spending again? Two McKinsey senior partners who have been deeply involved in helping companies navigate the coronavirus pandemic discuss the current uncertainty and its impact on economic recovery. Penny Dash leads the healthcare systems and services practice in Western Europe while Sven Smit co-chairs the McKinsey Global Institute and is a member of McKinsey’s Shareholders Council. For more read our recent article, https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/crushing-coronavirus-uncertainty-the-big-unlock-for-our-economies Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Jun 15, 2020 • 44min
50. Transformation and resilience: An interview with Best Buy’s executive chairman Hubert Joly
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 43:54) > Hubert Joly, the former CEO and now executive chairman of Best Buy, speaks with Becca Coggins, a leader in McKinsey’s global retail practice, about Best Buy’s organizational transformation and how the coronavirus pandemic is changing the key measures of performance.This interview was recorded at the 2020 Global Business Leaders Forum, which was held online.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Jun 12, 2020 • 32min
49. Planning ahead of the crisis
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 31:54) > The coronavirus outbreak is shaping up to be the biggest economic crisis since World War II. The challenges associated with the virus are much larger than companies are used to dealing with, and firms need to have an adaptable operating model that can withstand an extraordinary level of uncertainty. How can companies adjust their business recovery responses according to the shifting time-frames?Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Jun 10, 2020 • 30min
48. Navigating unprecedented disruption
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 29:32) > In early April we sat down with two leaders from the McKinsey Global Institute to discuss their perspectives on how the long-term, structural trends driving global disruption are now intersecting with the current economic and health crisis. Jonathan Woetzel is a senior partner and director of the McKinsey Global Institute. He joined us from his home in the Los Angeles area. Susan Lund is a partner and leads MGI’s research on global financial markets, trade, labor markets, and the macroeconomic outlook. She joined us from her home in Washington, DC. This discussion took place during our 2020 Global Business Leaders Forum, which we held online this year.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Jun 4, 2020 • 28min
47. Making your business transformation stick
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 27:58) > In this episode, McKinsey contributor Cam MacKellar talks with two senior partners, Chris Bradley and Wesley Walden, about their research on improving the results of business transformation efforts.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Jun 1, 2020 • 30min
46. Protecting our lives and our livelihoods from coronavirus
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 30:21) > The COVID crisis has dominated headlines - and our lives - and it’s still not clear when and how we will return to the world we knew. Many questions remain. How will communities, businesses, and governments continue to respond to the crisis and what are the range of possible scenarios for decision makers to consider?To offer some perspective on these questions we feature a recent conversation between Sven Smit and Francisco Ortega. Sven is a senior partner at McKinsey, based in Amsterdam and is co-chair of the McKinsey Global Institute. He recently co-authored the article “Safeguarding our lives and our livelihoods,” which forms the basis of this discussion. Francisco is a senior partner based in our Buenos Aires office and serves as Managing Partner for Spanish Latin America. Sven and Francisco spoke via video conference in mid-April. This is an edited version of their conversation.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

May 29, 2020 • 41min
45. The war on the coronavirus
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 41:24) > McKinsey partner Yuval Atsmon talks with three top US Air Force and Navy leaders about what corporate executives can learn from the practices of military commanders. Michael Donley served as the 22nd secretary of the United States Air Force. He has 30 years of experience in the national security community, including service on the staffs of the United States Senate, White House, and Pentagon. Robert Kehleris a retired United States Air Force general who served as commander of the US Strategic Command and of Air Force Space Command, among other positions. Eric Olsonis a retired United States Navy admiral who headed the US Special Operations Command. He is also the first Navy SEAL to be appointed to three-star and four-star flag rank. Yuval Atsmon—himself a former tank commander—is the author of the new article “Lessons from the generals: Decisive action amid the chaos of crisis.”Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

May 27, 2020 • 37min
44. Four ways to assess projects and keep them on track
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 37:07) > Biases can lead executives to misjudge project potential, ignore potential pitfalls, and leave failures to fester. In this episode, McKinsey partner Tim Koller and University of Sydney professor of business strategy Dan Lovallo speak with McKinsey Strategy & Corporate Finance communications director Sean Brown about how to bust common biases by avoiding snap judgements, eliciting strong arguments for and against proposals, carrying out project premortems, and using contingency plans to avoid the so-called sunk-cost fallacy.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

May 15, 2020 • 22min
43. CFO leadership in the COVID-19 crisis
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 22:12) > As companies craft their responses to the COVID-19 crisis, CFOs are in the thick of the action. They need to make sure that their organizations weather the immediate business shocks while preparing them to emerge from the crisis in the best possible shape.In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, Strategy and Corporate Finance communications director Sean Brown talks with three of McKinsey’s corporate finance experts about the top imperatives for CFOs today. Ishaan Seth is the leader of the Strategy and Corporate Finance practice in the Americas and heads McKinsey’s Financial Services practice. Ankur Agrawal leads the CFO Finance service line in North America, working primarily in healthcare, and Kapil Chandra heads up our work in Europe on financial transformation in banking.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information


