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

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 355, an interview with the author of REWIRED: The McKinsey Guide to Outcompeting in the Age of Digital and AI, Kate Smaje. The book REWIRED delivers a road-tested, how-to manual that Mckinsey consultants use to help companies build the capabilities to outcompete in the age of digital and AI. It reveals the learnings from large companies around the globe for succeeding at the six core elements of a digital transformation—strategy, talent, operating model, technology, data, and adoption and scaling capabilities.  Kate Smaje is a senior partner in McKinsey’s London office. She co-leads the McKinsey Digital practice globally and is a member of McKinsey’s Shareholders Council, the firm’s board of directors. She works with senior executives to deploy the power of data, digital culture and capabilities, and modernized core technology. She also has firsthand experience as a chief technology officer across core technology, digital product management and innovation, and cybersecurity work. In addition to her work with McKinsey, Kate is a trustee of Tommy’s, the children’s charity. Get Kate’s book here: REWIRED: The McKinsey Guide to Outcompeting in the Age of Digital and AI. Eric Lamarre, Kate Smaje, Rodney Zemmel. https://www.amazon.com/Rewired-McKinsey-Guide-Outcompeting-Digital/dp/1394207115#:~:text=This%20book%20is%20your%20how,teams%2C%20and%20scale%20the%20value. Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

14 Jun 202347min

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 354, an interview with the author of The Datapreneurs: The Promise of AI and the Creators Building Our Future, Bob Muglia. In this book, Bob helps us understand how innovation in data and information technology has led us to AI—and how this technology must shape our future.  Bob Muglia is a data technology investor and business executive, former CEO of Snowflake, and past president of Microsoft's Server and Tools Division. As a leader, Bob focuses on how innovation and ethical values can merge to shape the data economy's future in the era of AI. He serves as a board director for emerging companies which seek to maximize the power of data to help solve some of the world's most challenging problems.  The Datapreneurs: The Promise of AI and the Creators Building Our Future. Bob Muglia and Steve Hamm. https://www.amazon.com/Datapreneurs-Promise-Creators-Building-Future/dp/1510778411 Connect with Bob Muglia: Website: https://www.thedatapreneurs.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bob_muglia?lang=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-muglia-714ba592/ Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

12 Jun 202347min

For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic from the power sector corporate strategy study. A stream of our consultants is assessing the management skills of senior EI managers and executives to manage the transformation process. This process has not gone well. A senior manager of EI felt the management skills assessment was designed to present him in a poor light. He, therefore, complained to the unions and is considering legal action against EI. This is not good, but fairly common on such studies. So there is no need to overreact, though it must be managed and done very quickly and efficiently. The spillover of this is that the unions are refusing to allow the management skills analyses to take place and many employees are also refusing to participate. In this podcast, I discuss the process we will use to manage this misunderstanding. It is a real concern with the potential to spiral out of control. We have a plan and, to be fair, we could have managed this a little better from our side. The unions are not to blame for this. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

7 Jun 202314min

For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic from the power sector corporate strategy study. In this critical podcast, we focus on two things. First, we discuss the reason why corporate strategy studies rely so heavily on executive workshops. We explain why simply handing the perfect strategy to the client will never yield results, even if the client accepts it without any challenges. The workshop process plays a crucial role that cannot be easily replicated anywhere else in the study. That is the reason to hold the workshop. Second, we discuss the components of the corporate strategy analyses and how we use each part: 1 - Case studies 2 - Market analyses 3 - Customer value chain analyses 4 - Client value chain analyses Finally, we discuss how all of these come together in the scenario planning. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

5 Jun 202315min

For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we discuss advanced predictive problem solving.  Turquoise Eyes started off the groundbreaking new genre developed by FIRMSconsulting that combines compelling narrative while teaching problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Set after a bank begins implementing a new retail banking strategy, we follow Teresa García Ramírez de Arroyo, a director-general in the Mexican government, who has received some disturbing news. A whistleblower has emailed Teresa with troubling news about a mistake in the loan default calculations and reserve ratios. The numbers do not add up. Get the book here: The Turquoise Eyes: A Novel about Problem Solving & Critical Thinking https://amzn.to/3bzVa6g Watch the video version of this podcast here: https://youtu.be/xQqufjwFm9E Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

31 Mai 202325min

For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we discuss how to finalize the overall storyboard for the client. Watch the video version of this podcast here: https://youtu.be/7LXOL_KDZYQ 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

29 Mai 202321min

For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic where we discuss the role of the business unit strategy stream within a corporate strategy study. Watch the video version of this podcast here: https://youtu.be/mSNDAvmXjzA 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

24 Mai 20237min

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 348, an interview with the author of Bold Move: A 3-Step Plan to Transform Anxiety into Power. Bold Move is Dr. Luana Marques’ unique, tried and tested method to get you out of your rut and give you the courage to create a more confident and meaningful life. Dr. Luana pinpoints the anxiety at the root of avoidance and shows you how to overcome it and achieve your goals. Dr. Luana Marques is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and the Director of Community Psychiatry Program for Research in Implementation & Dissemination of Evidence-Based Treatments at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Dr. Marques is a national and international expert in Cognitive Behavioral Therapies (CBTs) and a leader in increasing access to scientifically rigorous mental health practices. Her decades of clinical and research experience implementing evidence-based practices encompass all types of roles and settings, from front-line staff to CEOs, diverse communities to organizations, both in the US and globally. Dr. Marques is the Former President of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). Connect with her online at drluana.com or follow her on Twitter at @DrLuanaMarques Get Luana’s book here: Bold Move: A 3-Step Plan to Transform Anxiety into Power. Dr. Luana Marques: https://www.amazon.com/Bold-Move-3-Step-Transform-Anxiety-ebook/dp/B0BFX423SN?ref_=ast_author_dp Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

22 Mai 202357min