The Strategy Skills Podcast: Strategy | Leadership | Critical Thinking | Problem-Solving

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 303, an episode with Frank O’Connell, the author of Jump First, Think Fast. In this episode, Frank takes us on his career journey as he successfully explores multiple industries from baked goods to sporting apparel to video games. He shares the lessons he learned and how he built lasting relationships as he worked in different industries. Frank O’Connell is known for his unconventional approach for high performance through his strategic thinking, brand building, breakthrough marketing, and new product ideas. His accomplishments include serving as president of Reebok Brands, president of HBO Video, CEO of Indian Motorcycle, and chairman and CEO of Gibson Greetings, Inc. He spent the first fourteen years of his career developing well-known brands at Arnold Bakery, Mattel, Carnation Company, and Hunt Wesson foods, among other brands in the baking and natural foods industry. O’Connell was a senior partner with The Parthenon Group, a top strategic consulting company for seven years. He also spent sixteen years on the board of TreeHouse Foods Inc., and he is an investor and board member at Schylling, Inc., a toy company and is cofounder of Tuckerman Capital. He has also served on numerous Cornell University boards where he earned his BS in Economics and an MBA. Get Frank’s book here: Jump First, Think Fast: An Unconventional Approach to High Performance. Frank O’Connell Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 302, an episode with a Professor of International Business and Strategy at Northeastern University's D'Amore-McKim School of Business, Ravi Sarathy. What happens if a company or country regulates its own digital currency? In this episode, Ravi Sarathy answers very interesting questions about blockchain and cryptocurrency. He outlines the features and capabilities of a blockchain, the implications of using it, and how organizations can leverage blockchain to their advantage. Ravi Sarathy is the author of Enterprise Strategy for Blockchain, published by MIT Press in Oct. 2022, in which he explains how companies can gain a competitive advantage by developing and deploying blockchain capabilities. Ravi has published in journals such as Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Management Studies, Long Range Planning, Small Business Economics, and California Management Review. His previous book was Firms within Families: Enterprising in Diverse Country Contexts. His research interests are in global strategy, technology strategy, and family business. Ravi holds a Ph.D., Univ. of Michigan, and is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He has taught executive education programs for companies such as BAE Systems, LG Electronics (S. Korea), Masa Shipyards (Finland), Mathworks, EMC, and others. He was a Fulbright scholar, as the Fulbright-Flad Chair in Strategic Management at the Technical University of Lisbon. He has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Michigan, at the Australian Graduate School of Management in Sydney, and other institutions. Get Ravi’s book here: Enterprise Strategy for Blockchain: Lessons in Disruption from Fintech, Supply Chains, and Consumer Industries (Management on the Cutting Edge) Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we explain how leadership is defined at great firms like McKinsey and BCG, and how we also manage leadership transition at FC. It will surprise you to see how different the mindset can be and that we think about these issues all the time.  The most important role of a partner is to leave the firm in a better place than when she/he joined, and to hand over a client relationship to a newer partner. The ability to maintain this cycle is critical.  If the mechanism is not there, even proud and great firms suffer during leadership changes. You want to avoid that. The cycle must be continuous.  Click here to see the Corporate Strategy & Transformation study. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Let’s be honest. Most consultants simply go into Google and search for any reports / analyses to compile market trends/an industry analysis fact pack. In other words, they do not put much thought into it beyond ensuring they are not caught for plagiarism. This is because many consultants think of the market trends or industry analysis as an output to deliver, which will never be used, and it does not matter what comprises the analysis. For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic from week 4 of the Corporate Strategy & Transformation study, where we discuss how/why we built a bespoke market trends pack for the client addressing the issues important to them and them only. We used this market trends analysis to guide the executives on the issues we considered important to their strategy. Click here to see the full study and here to see the merger study and market entry study. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we discuss how to convert insights into Strategy Maps. It is a powerful tool to create prescriptive / forecasting models to explain and predict strategy options. This is how to move from being a consultant to thinking and presenting like a partner. It is complimentary and available on iTunes, Youtube, Spotify, and many other podcast players. The Video version of this episode is available on youtube - https://youtu.be/hcStB7fjsJ0 Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo  

For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we discuss how to know what is corporate strategy. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo Subscribe to FIRMSconsulting's YouTube channel: http://bit.ly/Firmsconsultingsubscribe

For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we discuss what big picture thinking is. At least once in your life, you would have received feedback to be a more big picture thinker. The problem is that everyone will have a different definition of big picture thinking and many of the definitions are vague, counter-intuitive, or wrong. Based on advising some of the consultants on the study, this podcast provides a very simple, intuitive, practical, and correct definition of the big picture concept. It also explains why it is so important and how to use it. Keep in mind that this study is being updated on our website where you can view the training videos and PowerPoint slides. This is a huge study and will offer the most realistic training for both consultants and industry professionals. Pure corporate strategy studies are rare. This is a unique training opportunity. Click here to see the full study and here to see the merger study and market entry study. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo Subscribe to FIRMSconsulting's YouTube channel: http://bit.ly/Firmsconsultingsubscribe  

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 296, an episode with Nick Santhanam, the CEO of Fernweh Group, an investment company adapting an engaged investor & operator model (EIOM) to create alpha in the industrial and industrial technology sector. In this episode, we dig deep into the prevailing narrative about the decline of manufacturing in the US and if that is the case, the actions needed from the government to bring back the US as a thriving manufacturing nation. Nick Santhanam is a former Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company’s Palo Alto office and was the leader of their global industrials practice. In addition, Nick was the global convener of several McKinsey annual events, including the Industrial CEO event (GILS), Industrial-tech and Semiconductors CEO event (T-30), Food Processing CEO event (FPH-30), and Senior Tech Influencers Summit (TEDS). He co-authored several of their leading industrials research: McKinsey on Industrials, McKinsey on Food Processing and Handling, and McKinsey on Packaging. He is also on the Advisory Board of Smithsonian Libraries, given his passion in continuous learning. Early in his career, Nick worked as a technical manager at a printed circuit board (PCB) and ceramics manufacturer in New York. He also worked as a manufacturing engineer at another PCB and ceramics manufacturer in their Delaware facility. Nick has an MS in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois and an MBA in Strategic Management and Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a Ford and Palme Scholar. Get Nick’s book here: The Titanium Economy: How Industrial Technology Can Create a Better, Faster, Stronger America. Asutosh Padhi, Gaurav Batra, and Nick Santhanam Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 295, an episode with a highly regarded global executive, Daphne E. Jones. In this episode, Daphne shares her inspiring journey of overcoming criticism, judgment, racism, and doubt. She was told by her career counselor that Black girls don’t successfully make it in college, but should instead go to secretary school. Today, Daphne is a corporate board member who has held CIO and other leadership positions at Fortune 500 companies including IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Hospira (now Pfizer) and General Electric. With the right mindset and perseverance, Daphne defied everyone’s doubts, overcame life’s challenges, and emerged victorious. Daphne also discussed the role and significance of finding the balance with your 5 F’s (faith, family, finances, fitness, and furthering your career) to succeed in life. She also elaborated on the 4-step EDIT methodology (Envision, Design, Iterate, and Transform) that enables women to transform their mindset to win. Daphne E. Jones has 30+ years of experience in general management and executive level roles at IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Hospira, and General Electric but began her career as a secretary. At GE, she served as SVP for Future of Work, SVP & CIO for Product Engineering, Imaging, and Ultrasound, and as Senior Executive & CIO for Global Services, all of which composed a $13 billion segment of GE Healthcare. Jones serves on the board of directors for AMN Healthcare, Inc., Barnes Group Inc., and Masonite International Corp, and is the recipient of numerous domestic and international awards. She recently started a company that teaches leaders how to prepare to serve on boards.  Get Daphne’s book here: Win When They Say You Won't: Break Through Barriers and Keep Leveling Up Your Success Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we discuss about financial strategy. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo Subscribe to FIRMSconsulting's YouTube channel: http://bit.ly/Firmsconsultingsubscribe