Our Strategy Skills episode 527 is 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. I hope you…

We have just released Preparing for Disaster Management Proposal. It is accessible within the Strategy Control Room, Advanced Level. *** The new SCRA release is an unusual proposal, but it's very timely, given all the fires and natural disasters around California and so on. It is a proposal that we helped the client put together. He works at a very large professional services firm, and they are doing projects for one of the large utilities operating across the United States. That utility has decided that they need a dedicated Disaster Response Center and the capability to be able to forecast…

Strategy analyses are complicated. They are ambiguous and rarely present a definitive answer. We have to predict the future and tell a client where/how to operate in that predicted future. That is incredibly hard to do. It's unlike short-term trading, where traders can quickly adjust positions and minimize risk. Investors often move through trades in split seconds to minimize future volatility. Traders who work with commodities etc., usually have a buyer before they find a seller, thereby having strong certainty in the profit from a trade. Investors who take long-term bets sometimes win, but often lose. Successful long-term investing is rare…

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. I hope you will enjoy this episode. Kris Safarova         Andrew Brodsky…

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…

Robert Barnett, the author of Meet Every Learner's Needs: Redesigning Instruction So All Students Can Succeed, joins us for Strategy Skills episode 524. In this episode, Robert Barnett 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.  I hope you will enjoy this episode. Kris Safarova         Robert Barnett co-founded the Modern Classrooms Project. Robert’s approach - now known as the Modern Classroom instructional model -…

Strategy Skills episode 522 is 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. I hope you will…

Ten Lessons from Creative Destruction The California wildfires were a traumatic and shocking event. Though they tried, the media could never quite capture living through it. Many events stand out, but three will forever be etched in my memory. First, a neighbor stayed overnight and recorded the unfolding events over the first 24 hours. From the first reports of the brushfire to the now raging fire slowly coming over the hills, the embers flying at 100 mph, burning palm trees, and the eerie calm the next morning. Yet, it was not a true calm. In slow motion, he captures early morning footage…

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 522, an interview with the author of The Courage Gap: 5 Steps to Braver Action, Dr. Margie Warrell. In this episode, Margie shared her journey from a rural Australian dairy farm to a global career, and how she faced significant personal challenges including family illness and losing her first child. Instead of letting these experiences define her, Margie built a successful career while raising four children. She discusses how to overcome self-doubt, embrace uncomfortable situations, and build courage through daily practice. Margie discussed her book, "The Courage Gap," which outlines steps to close the gap…