529: Founder of Education Design Lab on ‘Who Needs College Anymore?’
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 529, an interview with the author of Who Needs College Anymore?, Kathleen deLaski. In this episode, Kathleen shares her journey from journalism to education reform. She talks about her time as a TV and digital journalist, White House correspondent, and Pentagon spokesperson, as well as her transition to education reform, founding the Education Design Lab in 2013, and her work on higher education innovation. Kathleen discusses the changing role of college and the impact of the pandemic on workforce dynamics and the shift towards shorter, job-focused educational pathways. Her book, Who Needs College Anymore?, dives deeper into these topics. Kathleen deLaski is an education and workforce designer, as well as a futurist. She founded the Education Design Lab in 2013 to help colleges begin the journey to reimagine higher education toward the future of work. Her non-profit has helped 1200 colleges, orgs and economic regions design shorter, more affordable pathways for learners to achieve their economic goals. She spends time as a senior advisor to the Project on Workforce at Harvard University and teaches human-centered design and higher ed reform as an adjunct professor in the Honors College at George Mason University. In a previous career, Kathleen spent twenty years as a TV and then a digital journalist, including time as ABC News White House correspondent. Followed by a political appointment as the first female Pentagon spokesperson. Get Kathleen’s book here: https://www.whoneedscollegeanymore.org/ Who Needs College Anymore?: Imagining a Future Where Degrees Won’t Matter 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 Feb 50min
528: Kellogg’s JP Pawliw-Fry on Aggressive Learning, the Last 8%, and Training Attention
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 528, an interview with the author of Performing Under Pressure: The Science of Doing your Best When it Matters Most, JP Pawliw-Fry. In this episode, JP walks us through the concept of pressure management—how to reduce pressure in our personal and professional lives to better excel in whatever we do. He also discusses the importance of self-awareness, especially under pressure, and the concept of 'aggressive learning,' where high performers extract more information from experiences. JP shares how meditation can change one's relationship with stress and improve focus. JP Pawliw-Fry is a world-renowned keynote speaker, and the author of the New York Times bestseller Performing Under Pressure which was named INC. Magazine’s Best Business Book of the Year. He teaches a leadership course at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management. Over the last 25 years, JP worked with leaders and high-pressure performers around the world — from Navy Seals and Olympic athletes to executives at global organizations like Intel, Coca Cola, and NASA. Get JP’s book here: https://www.jppawliw-fry.com/the-book Performing Under Pressure: The Science of Doing Your Best When it Matters Most 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
24 Feb 43min
527: Senior Researcher at Harvard Kennedy School on ‘Make Work Fair’
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 527, an interview with the coauthor of Make Work Fair: Data-Driven Design for Real Results, Siri Chilazi. In this episode, Siri shares her path from studying chemistry to researching workplace gender equality. Based on her experience and academic work, she explains how workplace systems shape behavior more than individual choices. Siri advocates for practical changes like redesigning resumes and conducting regular pay audits rather than focusing on diversity training. Siri discusses how to create fairer workplaces and suggests that small changes in organizational culture can lead to significant improvements in gender equality. Siri Chilazi is a senior researcher at the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School whose life’s work is to advance gender equality in the workplace. Siri has an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School, and a BA in Chemistry and Physics from Harvard College. Get Siri’s new book here: https://rb.gy/99mu86 Make Work Fair: Data-Driven Design for Real Results 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
19 Feb 47min
526: The University of Texas Professor on How to Improve Your Virtual Communication
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 526, an interview with the author of Ping: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication, Andrew Brodsky. In this episode, Andrew shares the nuances of effective virtual communication in the workplace. He introduces the PING framework (Perspective Taking, Initiative, Nonverbal Behavior, and Goals) and discusses how different communication modes suit various objectives. Andrew also touched on strategies for maintaining creativity in virtual settings, building trust in remote teams, and the importance of leading by example even in a virtual environment. Andrew Brodsky is an award-winning professor at The University of Texas. He is an expert in workplace technology, communication and productivity and serves as the CEO of Ping Group. Andrew earned a PhD in organizational behavior from Harvard Business School and BS from The Wharton School. He currently lives with his wife and two rescue dogs in Austin. Get Andrew’s new book here: https://rb.gy/ikgmit Ping: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication 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
17 Feb 57min
525: Quantifying the Real Value and Impact of Thought Leadership
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 525, an interview with the authors of The ROI of Thought Leadership: Calculating the Value that Sets Organizations Apart, Cindy Anderson and Anthony Marshall. In this episode, Cindy and Anthony discuss how their work at IBM shaped their understanding of thought leadership's value in building client relationships and explain the quantifiable benefits of thought leadership. They also address how AI is impacting thought leadership creation and consumption, and the distinction between thought leadership and sales content. They stress the need for independent, data-driven content to build trust and relationships, not for direct sales. Their insights stem from decades of combined experience at organizations like the Project Management Institute and IBM's Institute for Business Value. Cindy Anderson is the Chief Marketing Officer/Global Lead for Engagement & Eminence at the IBM Institute for Business Value. Anthony Marshall is the Chair of the Board of Advisors for The Global Thought Leadership Institute at APQC and the Senior Research Director of thought leadership at the IBM Institute for Business Value. Get The ROI of Thought Leadership here: https://rb.gy/3vv7wm 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
12 Feb 52min
524: Harvard Law School Alum on How to Train Your Team Effectively
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 524, an interview with the author of Meet Every Learner's Needs: Redesigning Instruction So All Students Can Succeed, Robert Barnett. In this episode, Robert discussed his approach to educational fairness and equity and the importance of personalized learning experiences. He explained the need for engaging and challenging learning environments rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, highlighting the importance of tailoring learning to individual needs. Robert Barnett co-founded the Modern Classrooms Project. Robert’s approach - now known as the Modern Classroom instructional model - has empowered more than 80,000 educators, across all grade levels and content, in all 50 states and 180+ countries worldwide. Evaluators from Johns Hopkins found "overwhelming positive support" for this model’s many benefits. Robert graduated cum laude from Princeton University and Harvard Law School and speaks English, French, and Spanish. Get Robert’s new book here: https://shorturl.at/2al4p Meet Every Learner's Needs: Redesigning Instruction So All Students Can Succeed 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
10 Feb 46min
523: Boston Consulting Group's Martin Reeves on 'The Imagination Machine' (Strategy Skills classics)
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 345, an interview with the Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, BCG’s think tank for new ideas in management and strategy. Martin has authored numerous books, including Your Strategy Needs a Strategy and The Imagination Machine, a handbook about how to systematically harness imagination to generate new ideas and transform businesses. Get Martin's book here: https://rb.gy/qmifgx The Imagination Machine: How to Spark New Ideas and Create Your Company's Future. 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
5 Feb 1h
522: Former Editor of the Financial Times on the Secret Story of the World's Greatest Disruptor
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 522, an interview with the author of Gambling Man: The Secret Story of the World's Greatest Disruptor, Masayoshi Son, Lionel Barber. In this episode, Lionel discusses his career and insights on leadership, journalism, and business transformation. He talks about his tenure at the Financial Times and offers advice to young professionals on how to succeed in today’s ever-changing and challenging world. In this interview, Lionel also shares key lessons from his new book and his research on SoftBank CEO and financial disruptor, Masayoshi Son, highlighting the insights we can learn from him. Lionel Barber is the former editor of the Financial Times. As editor, he interviewed many of the world’s leaders in business and politics, including US Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Barber has cowritten several books and has lectured widely on foreign policy, transatlantic relations, and economics. He also served on the Board of Trustees at the Tate and the Carnegie Corporation of New York. He graduated in 1978 from St Edmund Hall, Oxford University, with a joint honors degree in German and modern history, and speaks French and German fluently. Get Lionel’s new book here: https://rb.gy/4svgv0 Gambling Man: The Secret Story of the World's Greatest Disruptor, Masayoshi Son 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
3 Feb 45min
