541: One of the World’s Leading Management Thinkers on Unlocking Humanity in the Age of AI

What can a $2B concert tour teach us about business strategy? Quite a lot. We often speak about innovation and reinvention in the corporate world. Yet, few embody it as consistently and successfully as the artist and strategist Taylor Swift. In this episode, I spoke with Kevin Evers, Senior Editor at Harvard Business Review and author of There’s Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift. Kevin brings a rare perspective, someone who has quietly shaped the voices of influential business thinkers over nearly two decades, now stepping into authorship himself. Kevin shares insights from his new book on Taylor Swift, noting her strategic decision-making and marketing tactics that led her to where she is today. He stresses the value of trust and consistency in building a brand, citing Taylor Swift's $2 billion Eras Tour and her 2% market share in 2024. Kevin also underscores how Taylor treats her fans, leveraging fan engagement for marketing success, and how we can adopt it in the business world.   Get Kevin’s book here: https://rb.gy/il50j1 There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

21 Huhti 50min

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 543, an interview with the author of The Power of Enough: Finding Joy in Your Relationship with Money, Elizabeth Husserl.   Many people chase wealth as a number, but the truth is that true wealth is more than just money in the bank.   In this episode, Elizabeth challenges common assumptions about financial success and explores how fulfillment, stability, and meaning factor into what it really means to be wealthy. Elizabeth explains how our “scarcity brain” influences money decisions, why understanding your financial DNA matters, and how daily practices like journaling and meditation can transform your relationship with money. She also offers practical tools for building financial freedom and rethinking the emotional triggers that shape our financial lives.    Elizabeth Husserl is the first female principal and co-founder of a comprehensive boutique wealth planning firm, Peak 360 Wealth Management. She holds Series 6, 63, and 65 licenses, as well as a B.S. in Economics from Tulane University and an M.A. in East-West Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies. She is also a Certified Money Coach with the Money Coach Institute.    Get Elizabeth’s book here: https://rb.gy/vwqdm9 The Power of Enough: Finding Joy in Your Relationship with Money   Here are some free gifts for you:   Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

16 Huhti 50min

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 542, an interview with the author The Psychology of Leadership: Timeless principles to improve your management of individuals, teams… and yourself!, Sébastien Page.   Ever wondered what truly drives successful leaders and how psychology plays a role?    In this episode with Sébastien Page, we explore the habits, mindset, and science behind great leadership. He shares lessons drawn from 20 years of experience and in-depth research in positive and sports psychology. Sébastien introduces the PERMA model (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishment) and explains how it can be applied to leadership and organizational success. He also shares insights from studying billionaires and what drives their success beyond money.   Sébastien Page is the Chief Investment Officer of T. Rowe Price. He manages the division responsible for managing Multi-Asset portfolios there. he has won six annual research-paper awards: two from The Financial Analysts Journal and four from The Journal of Portfolio Management. He appears regularly on CNBC and Bloomberg TV. He has been quoted extensively in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.   Get Sébastien’s book here: https://rb.gy/mnu5an The Psychology of Leadership: Timeless principles to improve your management of individuals, teams… and yourself!   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

14 Huhti 48min

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 540, an interview with the authors of Meaningful Work: How to Ignite Passion and Performance in Every Employee, Wes Adams and Tamara Myles.   What makes work truly meaningful, and how can leaders create it?    In this episode, Tamara Miles and Wes Adams, researchers and positive psychologists, have studied how leaders can intentionally promote cultures where people find purpose, connection, and challenge in their work. Drawing from their own career and research, they outline the practices that lead to lasting meaning, starting from onboarding and extending to everyday leadership behaviors like showing appreciation and building community. They also explore how AI can be developed to support human fulfillment, and why understanding generational differences is key to creating meaningful work environments for all.   Wes Adams is the founder and CEO of SV Consulting Group, where he works with high-performing companies to develop leadership excellence, build organizational resilience, and deepen employee engagement through a meaningful work lens. He has more than two decades of experience as a successful entrepreneur and strategic partner for clients including Microsoft, KPMG, BlackRock, Google, and the United Nations, along with a range of high-growth organizations. Wes has been featured at South by Southwest Interactive and the Nobel Peace Prize Forum, and his work has been covered by the New York Times, BBC News, Forbes, and Business Insider. His teams have won multiple Webby Awards and been recognized as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Brands. His early career was spent launching and managing high-profile hospitality businesses for which he was nominated twice for a coveted James Beard Award.    Wes is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and holds a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Applied Positive Psychology.    Tamara Myles is an accomplished consultant, author, and international speaker with over two decades of experience helping leaders improve business performance. She is the author of The Secret to Peak Productivity, which introduced her proprietary Peak Productivity Pyramid framework. Tamara’s insights have been featured in leading publications such as Forbes, Fast Company, USA Today, and Business Insider. She has worked with clients such as Microsoft, KPMG, MassMutual, and Google.    Tamara has a master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, where she also serves as an instructor in the master’s program and a trainer for the world-renowned Penn Resilience Program. She is a professor in the Master of Science in Leadership program at Boston College, where she integrates cutting-edge research into practical applications for leadership and organizational success.   Get Meaningful Work here: https://rb.gy/fry7z5 Meaningful Work: How to Ignite Passion and Performance in Every Employee   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

7 Huhti 53min

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 539, an interview with the author of From Panic to Profit: Uncover Value, Boost Revenue, and Grow Your Business with the 80/20 Principle, Bill Canady.   In this episode, Bill shares insights from his military background and how it shaped his leadership approach. Bill explains his Profitable Growth Operating System (PG OS) framework, including the five key components that drive business success. He also offers practical advice on pricing strategy, the need for a focused team, and the importance of data-driven decision-making. Bill also shared insights on balancing personal and professional life and the critical role of mentorship in leadership success.   Bill Canady is the CEO of both OTC Industrial Technologies and Arrowhead Engineered Products (AEP). With over 30 years of experience, he specializes in driving organizational growth, cutting costs, and boosting profitability. At OTC, he led a 43% increase in revenue and an 80% rise in earnings, with annual sales now exceeding $1 billion. At AEP, he oversees more than 3,600 employees and $1.5 billion in sales. A U.S. Navy veteran, Bill holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BS in Business Administration from Elmhurst University. His Profitable Growth Operating System (PGOS) has helped countless organizations overcome challenges and seize new growth opportunities.   Get Bill’s book here: https://rb.gy/f8pkbf From Panic to Profit: Uncover Value, Boost Revenue, and Grow Your Business with the 80/20 Principle   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

2 Huhti 52min

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 538, an interview with the coauthor of Leading for Wellness: How to Create a Team Culture Where Everyone Thrives, Patricia Grabarek.   In this episode, Patricia talks about why workplace wellness matters and why it’s important to have a holistic approach that includes physical, mental, and emotional health. She explains the gap in research on leadership practices that help create a healthy work environment and how leaders can balance getting results with supporting their employees. Patricia shares simple ways to make wellness a priority, like setting aside time for self-care and building a supportive team culture. She also talks about the challenges of bringing wellness initiatives into remote and hybrid work settings.   Patricia Grabarek is a co-founder of Workr Beeing and an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist with a passion and expertise in workplace wellness, workplace culture, employee engagement, and leadership development. Patricia has spent her career as a practitioner, mostly working in consulting but, recently taking on more internal roles, leading people analytics and talent vitality teams. Throughout her career, Patricia has worked with over sixty different client organizations from various industries, implementing solutions to improve wellness, diversity, retention, performance, and engagement within their organizations. In addition, she taught organizational psychology in the Masters of Applied Psychology Program at the University of Southern California.   Patricia was featured on Culture Amp’s list of Top 25 Emerging Culture Creators for 2024 and has been featured in media outlets, including The L.A. Times, CBS News, and CBC Radio. Patricia received her PhD and MS in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University and her BA in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles.   Get Patricia’s book here: https://workrbeeing.com/book/ Leading for Wellness: How to Create a Team Culture Where Everyone Thrives   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

1 Huhti 48min

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 537, an interview with the author of Wild Courage: Go After What You Want and Get It, Jenny Wood.   In this episode, Jenny discusses her career journey and the key skills that helped her rise from an entry-level role to an executive over 18 years. She also discusses overcoming imposter syndrome, being strategic with time, and saying no to non-promotable work. Jenny shares the importance of obsessing over key projects, leading with enthusiasm, and breaking unwritten rules to stand out. Her book, Wild Courage, outlines nine traits for success, including being weird, shameless, and reckless.   Today’s guest is Jenny Wood. In her 18 years at Google, she grew from entry-level to executive, and she most recently led a large operations team that helped drive billions of dollars of revenue per year. Jenny’s writing has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, Inc. She is a licensed private pilot, a daily hiker, an improv student, a tap dancer, and a zucchini bread connoisseur. She lives in Boulder, Colorado with her two young children and her husband, Jon.   Get Jenny’s book here: https://rb.gy/6sj1rj Wild Courage: Go After What You Want and Get It   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

26 Maalis 50min