Leadership and Business

When it comes to the job market, things certainly have evolved in the past few years. During the pandemic, the unemployment rate reached almost 15%. Today, the labor market is strong and the unemployment rate is under 4%. When comparing today’s employment landscape with that of the pandemic, one word comes to mind: Change. We’re seeing changes in hiring practices, employee expectations, and the ages of available workers among other things. Stephanie Rentschler works at the Graduate Career Management Center at the William & Mary School of Business. She’s the Director of Career Advising and Education. She coaches MBA students and those pursuing Masters Degrees in Accounting and Business Analytics. She joins us to talk about the current job market, what companies are doing to attract talent, and what job seekers can do to find the right opportunity. Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

Host Phil Wagner fills in for Ken White on this special crossover episode of Leadership & Business and Diversity Goes to Work. Our guest today is Dr. Elias Zerhouni, who has had an incredibly inspiring story of pursuing the American dream while never forgetting his roots. Born in a small village in Algeria, he came to America in his 20s with only a few dollars to his name. Yet through hard work and mentors who saw his potential, he rose to become the director of the world’s largest biomedical research agency, the National Institute of Health. He pioneered breakthroughs in medical imaging including MRI techniques still used today. His scientific innovation combined with leadership skills earned him roles like Department Chair at Johns Hopkins, but few expected a boy from a small Algerian village could someday lead the NIH and its multi-billion dollar budget. We are honored to have Dr. Zerhouni - radiologist, researcher, and the former director of the NIH - on the podcast today. Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

Imagine leading and revamping your organizations cyber security system. For Lyn McDermid, that organization is the Commonwealth of Virginia, the 11th most populated state in the US. McDermid is Virginia’s Secretary of Administration. She was appointed to the position by Governor Glenn Youngkin in January of 2022. She oversees five state agencies and leads Virginia’s efforts in cyber security, IT, elections, Human Resources, and other important areas. Before making the move to state government, she was a successful IT professional and leader. She was CIO at the Federal Reserve System and held similar roles in private and public companies. She joins us today to discuss leading in state government, how states manage cyber security, and where technology may take us in the future. Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

One of the best ways to succeed in the future is to understand the past. A new partnership between Colonial Williamsburg and William & Mary will count on the past, along with a special place, to teach leadership, civil discourse, and engagement in a unique way. The newly created Williamsburg Institute will offer learning opportunities like no other for leaders, executives, adults, and young adults. It’ll use Colonial Williamsburg and William & Mary as living classrooms while it relies on some of history’s most influential leaders to teach lessons for today and tomorrow. Chris Caracci is Executive Director of the Williamsburg Institute. He’s spent years as a senior leader with Disney University and the Disney Institute. He teaches at the William & Mary School of Business and he joins us today to discuss the Williamsburg Institute and its unique approach to learning.  Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

About 1 in every 10 American households is food insecure. That’s according to the US Department of Agriculture. That means 10% of American households are uncertain of having, or unable to acquire, enough food to meet the needs of all members of the family. In addition, households with children have a higher rate of food insecurity than those without kids. A big problem like food insecurity requires a big solution. Michael Flood is part of that solution. He’s the President and CEO of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. A former All-American soccer player at William & Mary, he visited campus for a soccer reunion. And he visited us to talk about food insecurity, food banks, and leading in the non-profit space.  Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

Professionals, companies, and organizations everywhere are working to determine and refine the role automation and Artificial Intelligence play in their strategies and day-to-day activities. At BDO, one of the world’s top accounting and advisory firms, embracing technology, AI, and automation is a way of life. Brian Miller is BDO’s national audit, data analytics, and emerging methods partner. He works with the firm’s leaders to set assurance innovation strategies, assurance data analytics, automation, and AI strategies. He visited William & Mary recently where he was the keynote speaker at the business school’s Accounting Edge Program.  The next day he sat down with us to discuss thriving in an era of automation and AI. Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

Whether large or small, most companies and organizations engage with their target audiences on social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and others. But what about podcasts? Many companies and organizations have stayed away from hosting their own podcast despite the numbers. For example, the number of podcast listeners in the US has doubled in the last 10 years. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, 62% of American consumers listen to podcasts. Cody Watson is the Director of Marketing at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William & Mary. Before joining the Mason school, he worked in the ad agency space. He says companies should consider hosting their own podcasts, because doing so can create solid relationships with customers and prospective customers.  Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

Some of college football’s biggest and most influential teams and universities have decided to leave their longtime athletic conferences. For example, UCLA and USC - members of the PAC-12 Conference for decades are now a part of the BIG 10 Conference. To the non-sports fan, that doesn’t sound like much. However, the ripple effects of such moves are gigantic. While some universities have already joined new conferences, others continue to seek new affiliations. Why? Television and money. Brian Mann is the Director of Athletics at William & Mary; he previously served as Senior Associate Athletics Director at the University of California Berkeley, a university at the time we recorded the podcast in search of a new conference. He joins us to talk about the business of college athletics, conference realignment, and where it all may end up.  Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

You have control regarding the way you show up. And as a leader - or aspiring leader - you also have control over the way others perceive you, so developing your leadership style is important. It can work for you or against you. Erin Berube is a Managing Director and Executive Coach at Admired Leadership; a development program focused on the leadership behaviors that create loyal followership and exceptional results. She says the right leadership style will help you inspire others. She joins us today to discuss leadership style and some of its elements; including presence, influence, and advocacy.  Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

Remember when working meant going to the office everyday? Now, countless offices all over the US and the world are empty, or partially empty, thanks to remote work. It’s been over three years since the start of the pandemic, and there’s no doubt its lasting impact on commercial real estate has been significant. And no one’s quite certain what the future holds for the office market. Mike Seiler is a professor at William & Mary’s School of Business. In addition to teaching, he’s one of the country’s leading real estate researchers. He joins us today to talk about the future of commercial real estate, as well as other real estate markets, and what we might expect to see moving forward.  Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.