Podcasts about c suite

In today's episode, Bob shares a list he developed of the conditions that help accelerate cultural change in today's fast-paced environment. The list isn't based on theory or the latest management fad. It's drawn from his experience observing what was present when organizational change moved quickly—and actually stuck. Joyce adds her perspective, and the sparks begin to fly when she admits her instinctive resistance to change happening too quickly. She also argues that Organizational Development carries an important responsibility: setting the thermostat for change by helping create the conditions where meaningful change can take root, grow, and endure. The conversation explores the tension between speed and sustainability. Along the way, Bob and Joyce discover that some surprisingly simple actions can have an outsized impact on successful change. As a teaser, here are a few items from Bob's list: • Be grounded in the business. Understand how work really gets done, not just how it appears on an organization chart. • Have an OD presence where decisions are made. The OD practitioner serves as a trusted thought partner to the CEO and senior leadership team. • Engage a vertical slice of the organization. Involve people from different levels and functions to assess readiness for change and provide feedback as the change unfolds. Join us as we explore what it really takes to accelerate change without sacrificing the conditions that make it sustainable. You may discover that the "secret ingredients" are less about sophisticated change models and more about a handful of practical choices that leaders make every day.

Westfair Communications hosted its 2026 C-Suite Awards on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at the Mansion on Broadway in White Plains, NY. The evening celebrated outstanding senior executives and organizations across Fairfield and Westchester Counties, highlighting the visionary strategies and innovative initiatives driving the local economy. It brought together regional leaders and decision-makers to honor stories of resilience and leadership, emphasizing how individual business success helps elevate the entire community.Anthony Pili, Senior Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at Orange Bank and Trust, spoke with host Joan Franzino at the 2026 C-Suite Awards. Anthony discussed his progression within the company, rising from the director of cash management to his current role leading the bank's future-facing initiatives. He detailed how the mid-tier organization differentiates itself by bringing top-tier, national-level banking technology to a local level for regional businesses, non-profits, and municipalities. Anthony emphasized his team's hands-on approach as consultants, providing risk mitigation tools and walking clients through the process of setting up and utilizing technology to streamline their banking operations.

Westfair Communications hosted its 2026 C-Suite Awards on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at the Mansion on Broadway in White Plains, NY. The evening celebrated outstanding senior executives and organizations across Fairfield and Westchester Counties, highlighting the visionary strategies and innovative initiatives driving the local economy. It brought together regional leaders and decision-makers to honor stories of resilience and leadership, emphasizing how individual business success helps elevate the entire community.Glen LeBlanc, Chief Lending Officer at Fairfield County Bank, shared his insights with host Joan Franzino during the celebration. Glen, who manages a team of lenders and administrative assistants to finance businesses and commercial real estate projects across Westchester and Connecticut, detailed his long career which uniquely included a 12-year stint as a "junk man" in his family's salvage yard business. He emphasized that his hands-on experience running a family business gave him a profound understanding of what business owners undergo to maintain operations, purchase inventory, and make payroll, allowing him to better serve his banking clients today.

Westfair Communications hosted its 2026 C-Suite Awards on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at the Mansion on Broadway in White Plains, NY. The evening celebrated outstanding senior executives and organizations across Fairfield and Westchester Counties, highlighting the visionary strategies and innovative initiatives driving the local economy. It brought together regional leaders and decision-makers to honor stories of resilience and leadership, emphasizing how individual business success helps elevate the entire community.Marissa Weidner, the Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer at Webster Bank, spoke with Westchester Talk Radio host Joan Franzino at the event. Marissa discussed the varied nature of her role, noting that her responsibilities can change every 30 minutes, ranging from regulatory compliance to brand awareness campaigns and community engagement initiatives. She highlighted her oversight of a $6.5 billion community investment strategy designed to drive real impact, which she credits alongside her supportive team for helping her earn the award that evening.

Westfair Communications hosted its 2026 C-Suite Awards on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at the Mansion on Broadway in White Plains, NY. The evening celebrated outstanding senior executives and organizations across Fairfield and Westchester Counties, highlighting the visionary strategies and innovative initiatives driving the local economy. It brought together regional leaders and decision-makers to honor stories of resilience and leadership, emphasizing how individual business success helps elevate the entire community.Regginald Jordan, Vice President and Executive Director of Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital, also spoke with host Joan Franzino. Reggie explained that his primary responsibility is servicing the hospital's CEO and exploring opportunities to develop clinical programs and recruit physicians to meet local healthcare needs. He discussed current initiatives aimed at addressing diabetes on both an inpatient and outpatient basis to prevent costly hospital readmissions, and announced the upcoming ribbon-cutting on June 25th for a newly renovated emergency department that will triple the size of their current facility.

Are you letting the golden handcuffs of a corporate salary destroy your health and rob you of true time freedom?  In this powerful interview, Billy Keels sits down with Glenn Hicks, a former telecom CIO who walked away from the corporate C-suite at 48 years old after a life-altering health crisis to design life on his own terms. Discover how to completely rewrite your leadership philosophy, trade a soul-crushing productivity race for radical presence, and build a sustainable "digital independent" lifestyle that allows your business assets to fund your ideal lifestyle.

AI is reshaping innovation as businesses embed it into core operations and move more processes online. This transformation is often seen as a tradeoff between innovation and data risk, but that assumption is wrong. Businesses can innovate and scale in the AI era while maintaining strong data security, ensuring protection, compliance, and control remain intact. Segment Resources: Check out these assets from Fortra for more information around Data Security for AI. Learn more about our Data Security suite: https://www.fortra.com/solutions/data-protection Get the ungated guide: Secure AI Innovation > https://www.fortra.com/resources/guides/secure-ai-innovation Read the blog: Staying Compliant While Using AI: What CISOs Need to Know https://www.fortra.com/blog/staying-compliant-while-using-ai-what-cisos-need-know This segment is sponsored by Fortra. Visit https://securityweekly.com/fortra to learn more about them! In the leadership and communications segment, Lost in translation: Cybersecurity board reporting for CISOs, AI may finally unlock the cyber budgets CISOs have wanted for years, How People Actually Get to the C-Suite in S&P 500 Companies, and more! Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/bsw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/bsw-451

I was sent a note saying the private aviation companies are booming right now. I found that interesting and wondered if private aviation is just for the C-Suite folks or can anyone get on board. TO answer those questions and so much more, I invited Barry Shevlin, CEO of FlyUSA to be here on the show. Also, how would you like your package delivered by a 300 mile long conveyor belt? All that and more on the Driving You Crazy Podcast.    Contact: https://www.denver7.com/traffic/driving-you-crazy 303-832-0217 or DrivingYouCrazyPodcast@Gmail.com Jayson: twitter.com/Denver7Traffic or www.facebook.com/JaysonLuberTrafficGuy  WhatsApp: https://wa.me/17204028248 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denver7traffic   FlyUSA: www.flyusa.com   Production Notes: Open music: jazzyfrenchy by Bensound Close music: Latché Swing by Hungaria

AI is reshaping innovation as businesses embed it into core operations and move more processes online. This transformation is often seen as a tradeoff between innovation and data risk, but that assumption is wrong. Businesses can innovate and scale in the AI era while maintaining strong data security, ensuring protection, compliance, and control remain intact. Segment Resources: Check out these assets from Fortra for more information around Data Security for AI. Learn more about our Data Security suite: https://www.fortra.com/solutions/data-protection Get the ungated guide: Secure AI Innovation > https://www.fortra.com/resources/guides/secure-ai-innovation Read the blog: Staying Compliant While Using AI: What CISOs Need to Know https://www.fortra.com/blog/staying-compliant-while-using-ai-what-cisos-need-know This segment is sponsored by Fortra. Visit https://securityweekly.com/fortra to learn more about them! In the leadership and communications segment, Lost in translation: Cybersecurity board reporting for CISOs, AI may finally unlock the cyber budgets CISOs have wanted for years, How People Actually Get to the C-Suite in S&P 500 Companies, and more! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/bsw-451

AI is reshaping innovation as businesses embed it into core operations and move more processes online. This transformation is often seen as a tradeoff between innovation and data risk, but that assumption is wrong. Businesses can innovate and scale in the AI era while maintaining strong data security, ensuring protection, compliance, and control remain intact. Segment Resources: Check out these assets from Fortra for more information around Data Security for AI. Learn more about our Data Security suite: https://www.fortra.com/solutions/data-protection Get the ungated guide: Secure AI Innovation > https://www.fortra.com/resources/guides/secure-ai-innovation Read the blog: Staying Compliant While Using AI: What CISOs Need to Know https://www.fortra.com/blog/staying-compliant-while-using-ai-what-cisos-need-know This segment is sponsored by Fortra. Visit https://securityweekly.com/fortra to learn more about them! In the leadership and communications segment, Lost in translation: Cybersecurity board reporting for CISOs, AI may finally unlock the cyber budgets CISOs have wanted for years, How People Actually Get to the C-Suite in S&P 500 Companies, and more! Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/bsw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/bsw-451

AI is reshaping innovation as businesses embed it into core operations and move more processes online. This transformation is often seen as a tradeoff between innovation and data risk, but that assumption is wrong. Businesses can innovate and scale in the AI era while maintaining strong data security, ensuring protection, compliance, and control remain intact. Segment Resources: Check out these assets from Fortra for more information around Data Security for AI. Learn more about our Data Security suite: https://www.fortra.com/solutions/data-protection Get the ungated guide: Secure AI Innovation > https://www.fortra.com/resources/guides/secure-ai-innovation Read the blog: Staying Compliant While Using AI: What CISOs Need to Know https://www.fortra.com/blog/staying-compliant-while-using-ai-what-cisos-need-know This segment is sponsored by Fortra. Visit https://securityweekly.com/fortra to learn more about them! In the leadership and communications segment, Lost in translation: Cybersecurity board reporting for CISOs, AI may finally unlock the cyber budgets CISOs have wanted for years, How People Actually Get to the C-Suite in S&P 500 Companies, and more! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/bsw-451

Many leaders and teams are not always aware of what is getting in their way and what opportunities exist to improve their culture and performance. Tools help us see more clearly. For Full Show Notes and Links Visit: https://www.jasonvbarger.com/podcast/self-awareness-tools-with-jason-p-carroll/ Jason is joined by his friend, Jason P. Carroll, the founder of Aptive Index, for an insightful conversation about leveraging self-awareness tools to remove leadership obstacles and build high-performance teams. Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: With employee engagement hitting a ten-year low and only 23% of workers trusting their organization's direction, how can executives build an environment where teams truly thrive? In this episode of The Thermostat, Jason V Barger sits down with behavioral intelligence specialist, TEDx speaker, and certified Dare to Lead facilitator Jason P. Carroll. Together, they explore the profound intersection of psychometric science, data-driven self-awareness, and strategic culture shaping. This conversation moves beyond generic motivational advice to break down the mechanics of human hardwiring in the workplace. Jason and Jason examine the hidden traps of leadership habits, highlighting how executives often inadvertently erode trust through micro-doses of misaligned communication. They analyze real-world case studies of behavioral clashes, emphasizing that true self-awareness isn't just about collecting personality data—it's about understanding your systemic impact and knowing how to dial in your personal strengths with precision. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, founders, and managers committed to mastering corporate culture, this episode offers a practical blueprint on leveraging AI-powered behavioral intelligence, navigating cultural dissonance, and deploying the core drivers of organizational trust to enhance leadership in teams. Episode Notes & Timestamps: Intro: Jason Barger introduces Jason P. Carroll, founder of Aptive Index, setting up a conversation on self-awareness tools and removing leadership obstacles. Meet Jason P. Carroll: A look into Carroll's background, including scaling a previous company from $20M to $80M through people decisions, training with Brené Brown, and playing sandlot baseball. Running Hot: Analyzing the cartoon imagery of running at maximum temperature and the difficulty high-performing leaders face when trying to slow down. The Evolution of Culture: Observations on how economic uncertainty, work-from-home shifts, and AI require leaders to reframe people leadership with deep intentionality. The Trust Crisis: Discussing the Gallup data hitting a 10-year low in employee engagement and the reality that only 23% of workers trust their leadership. The Data vs. Self-Awareness Trap: Why listing personal tendencies on a spreadsheet isn't true self-awareness, and the necessity of understanding your behavioral impact on a team. The Cowboy Hat Case Study: A narrative about a high-energy CEO learning that he can't expect a structured accounting department to adapt to his chaotic executive style. Misaligned Hardwiring: Jason P. Carroll shares a story from his previous company where clashing behavioral needs created an operational chasm between visionaries and operators. Dialing in Strengths: Why self-awareness doesn't mean becoming a chameleon, but rather finding the proper execution balance without losing your executive edge. Cultural Dissonance & Lingering Habits: Jason Barger unpacks why "what we allow lingers and what we teach triggers," and the leadership obligation to protect the culture of "we." The Trust Drivers: A comparison of the HBR trust drivers (logic, empathy, authenticity) and the Aptive Index metrics (character, competence, compassion). Psychometrics & The AI "Now What?": How the AI system Aria converts dusty, one-time personality data into continuous, real-time workplace conflict guides. Outro: Jason outlines steps for leaders to calibrate their thermostat by proactively shifting behaviors to shape culture. Key Takeaways for Leaders: Systemic Impact Mapping: Move past simple personality test checklists; true self-awareness requires evaluating how your hardwired tendencies alter team dynamics. Dial, Don't Discard: Refining your leadership style is not about erasing your natural strengths, but dialing back over-indexing tendencies (like steamrolling) to allow for team autonomy. Address the Dissonance: Guard your culture fiercely by refusing to let misaligned behaviors linger, actively teaching back to your core operational values. Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/self-awareness-tools-jason-p-carroll/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your 2026 Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason

A CMO Confidential Interview with Joe Gagliese, Co-Founder and CEO at Viral Nation, a full-service digital and social agency. Joe discusses the concept of social as "the people's media," details why he believes "discovery begins with social" and outlines how brands might think about becoming "social centered." Key topics include:Why social has become a prerequisite for certain categoriesQuestions to ask your social agencyWhy measurement is still a bit of an Achilles heelHow to think of social as a living organism which works in concert with the rest of your marketingTune in to hear why social is so important for autos and thoughts on reading Marcus Aurelius.⏱️ Chapters01:12 - Introduction to CMO Confidential01:42 - Introducing Joe Gagliese02:46 - Defining "Social First"05:40 - Social Strategy as a Behavioral System08:03 - The Prerequisite of Radical Transparency12:11 - Transitioning to a Social-First Organization15:03 - Maintaining Authenticity with Creators17:33 - Steps to Develop a Social-First Strategy20:20 - Determining Brand Readiness22:01 - Measuring Social Performance and Conversion25:18 - Five Questions to Ask Social Agencies28:28 - Common Mistakes in Social Marketing30:10 - Practical Advice and Closing RemarksThis episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo.Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentricSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kathy Floam-Greenspan, founder of Palm Marketing, shares insights from her recent survey on B2B marketing challenges, the impact of AI, and strategies for maintaining focus in a rapidly changing environment.TakeawaysExpectations are outpacing staffing and budgets in B2B marketing.Only 29% of marketers are confident in proving ROI with current tools.AI impacts strategy but is not a magic solution; human touch remains essential.Maintaining focus and a quarterly plan is key to marketing success.The full "Marketing Under Pressure" report is available for download athttps://pomagency.com/marketing-under-pressure-b2b-leaders/Learn more at https://pomagency.comChapters00:00 Introduction to Cathy Floan-Greenspan and Palm Marketing02:45 The Evolution of B2B Marketing and Survey Insights05:30 Challenges in B2B Marketing: Resource Gaps and ROI08:03 The Role of AI in Marketing Strategies10:57 The Importance of Focus in Marketing13:45 Navigating Change in B2B Leadership16:29 The Wake-Up Call for C-Suite Executives19:06 Final Thoughts and Resources for Marketers

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   In this episode, Justin interviews François Beaume about the AMRAE 2026 RMIS Panorama available now and about the RISKWORLD 2026 session that François presented. Justin and François discuss ESG functional coverage. They discuss how François uses AI daily. They discuss the continuing increase in RMIS users, moving RIMS out of the niche tool category into an enterprise governance platform. They discuss the 2026 RMIS Panorama findings, the Panorama database, and how you can access it. Listen for insight into the 2026 RMIS Panorama and how your organization compares.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:16] About this episode of RIMScast. We are delighted to welcome back to RIMScast AMRAE President François Beaume. He's here to discuss the findings of the 2026 AMRAE RMIS Panorama. We'll talk all about emerging trends. But first… [:48] RIMS Virtual Workshops. The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep with AFERM will be held on June 16th and 17th. The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep with PARIMA will be held virtually on July 21st and 22nd. Links to registration are in this episode's notes. [1:06] You can enroll now in the RIMS CRO Certificate Program in Advanced Enterprise Risk Management hosted by the famous James Lam. Beginning July 15th, workshops will be held bi-weekly from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The registration link is in the show notes. [1:27] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 19th and 20th in Columbus, Ohio. We want to hear from you. Submit a session proposal by June 19th to reach engaged practitioners, innovators, and leaders looking for guidance they can utilize right away. [1:45] Help define what's next for Enterprise Risk Management. Submit a session proposal by Friday, June 19th. A link is in this episode's show notes. [1:53] Folks, through the generosity of industry partners, RIMS has launched The Foundation for Risk Management™, which provides scholarships for early-career professionals to attend RIMS events like the RIMS Texas Regional Conference, RIMS Canada Conference, and RISKWORLD. [2:11] The Foundation also helps beneficiaries earn their RIMS-CRMP and fund research projects. To learn more or contribute to the Foundation, visit RIMS.org/FRM and visit the link in this episode's show notes. [2:27] RIMS is back on YouTube. Our handle is @RIMSOfficialChannel. We've got plenty of videos there, including RIMScast, RIMScast Canada video podcasts, and other informative and entertaining content from RIMS. Subscribe to the channel today! [2:46] On with the Show! Our guest today is making his third appearance here on RIMScast. He is the Senior Vice President for Risks and Insurance at Sonepar, and he is the President of AMRAE, the Association for the Management of Risks and Insurance in Enterprises. [3:04] François Beaume is here to discuss the 2026 RMIS Panorama, published by AMRAE, in partnership with EY. Panorama is free and publicly available. [3:14] Panorama provides an in-depth look at the organizations and professionals who are using risk management information systems, how well they've adapted, and guidance for those seeking their first or newest framework. It's always great to speak with him. Let's get to it! [3:28] Interview! François Beaume, Welcome Back to RIMScast! [3:36] François has been Chairman at AMRAE for a year and will be for two more years. Because of his role at AMRAE, Justin wanted to have him on the show to speak about this year's RMIS Panorama. [4:04] Justin mentions a difference between last year's RMIS Panorama and this year's RMIS Panorama. Last year, AI felt like an emerging capability. This year's report shows a 20-point jump in planned or actual AI integration and an 8-point increase in functional coverage. [4:19] At the same time, people aren't always happy with AI. The satisfaction part is still a little bit behind. Justin asks, Are we entering a phase where expectations are outpacing execution? [4:32] François says, Yes, probably. AI has moved faster in CEOs' and leaders' minds than in the organization. Everyone wants the data, governance, and skills. Educating the workforce users takes time. The ambition was there, but the "plumbing" is catching up. [5:11] François says that is what is being reflected in the 2026 RMIS Panorama's deep dive on AI. [5:29] François says he uses AI all day long for various things. As a risk manager, he uses it to increase his efficiency and daily productivity. He thinks that is quite common. He says it's also what we need for faster and better analysis. [6:00] Daily analysis from an AI engine using trusted sources is much faster than manual analysis. Now he has the time to tighten it, understand it, and complement it. [6:44] SONEPAR is using it for their benefit and to better spread risk management principles throughout the organization through Helpdesk or Chatbot, allowing people who are less skilled in risk management or insurance to ask questions through the tools to get support. [7:05] Those tools answer almost 90% of the questions. The remaining questions go to the Risk Management team because they are in a gray area. SONEPAR is using AI more and more and is entering a phase where they are looking at automating some risk management processes. [7:33] François says he is looking at automating business partner assessments, a cumbersome and complex process that the Risk Management team is doing with multiple tools. [7:49] Now, they are trying to streamline it, still with humans making the decisions, based on an AI data set that will be faster and easier to produce and much more reliable. [8:24] Justin says one of the more surprising findings in the RMIS Panorama is that ESG Functional Coverage dropped by 15 points this year. François explains why he thinks this is the case. It's not ESG fatigue, but it's in the way companies are approaching ESG. [9:22] François says a lot of ESG features are moved out of risk management information systems into dedicated tools and sometimes into dedicated teams. In the beginning, some ESG features were encapsulated in Risk Management systems. [9:39] François says it's less and less the case, at least in the tools that are sold in Europe. In the U.S., it could be more mixed. Separating ESG from Risk Management is more linked to maturity and topical evolution, rather than fatigue or a decrease in the importance of ESG. [10:06] Justin says the report also suggests that functional coverage overall has stabilized, which Justin asks if that indicates a mature market. François speaks of maturity and breaks down the RMIS Panorama, made from three surveys: Vendors, Risk Managers, and Insurers. [10:43] Maturity is reflected by a mix of these studies. Almost 250 Risk Managers from 36 countries took the survey. They want smarter features, better insight, better connections, and better decisions. They want the tools RMIS is using to be part of the group's way of functioning. [11:27] François says this is not yet the case. The tools are a bit apart and not fully connected with the CRM and other tools. François says they are starting to change. The risk managers using these tools are expecting change to come in the next few years. [11:52] Justin asks if it's easier today for a startup to build from the ground up with their Risk Management Information System embedded in their processes, or for an established organization. François says today it's easier for both, but big groups are more complex. [12:39] A Quick Break! There are so many other wonderful RIMS events coming up in 2026. The 2026 Florida RIMS Educational Conference will be held from July 28th through August 1st at the lovely Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida. A link to the event is in this episode's show notes. [12:57] Register now for the Second Annual RIMS Texas Regional Conference, which will be held from August 10th through 12th at the Grand Hyatt on the San Antonio River Walk. [13:08] The 11th Annual Chicagoland Risk Forum will return to the Old Post Office on Thursday, September 24th, 2026, in Chicago. Visit ChicagolandRiskForum.org for more information. [13:18] The RIMS Western Regional Conference will be held from October 4th through the 7th in Seattle, Washington. Registration is open, and you can also submit a session. Visit RIMSWesternRegional.com and the link in this episode's show notes for more information. [13:35] Save the dates October 18th through the 21st. We will be in Quebec City to celebrate the 50th Live RIMS Canada Conference. Booth sales are already open. Advance registration will open on June 10th. [13:50] Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca for more information. Also, remember to check out RIMS.org/Canada for our spinoff show, RIMScast Canada, hosted by National Conference Committee Chair, Aaron Lukoni. [14:04] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 18th and 19th in Columbus, Ohio. The deadline for educational content submissions is Friday, June 19th. Get submissions in now. The link is in this episode's show notes. Registration opens in July. [14:27] Let's Return to Our Interview with François Beaume! [14:36] François Beaume presented at RISKWORLD 2026. You can check out the materials from his presentation on RIMS.org/ASC. You will have had to have registered for or attended RISKWORLD 2026 to check it out. We're here to continue the dialog. [15:12] François feels his session went well. There were 50 to 55 people gathered there to listen and take notes. For François, it was pleasant to do. [16:00] François says you have a feeling when you are connecting with an audience. You can see that they are following you, and the message is passing from you to them. [16:51] François says, If you are losing your audience, you can try to use humor. Sometimes you succeed. He tells of a session in a noisy room, where everybody, including himself, was provided with a helmet, to listen to like a podcast. He could not feel if they were getting the message or not. [17:47] When presenting, you try to hold the attention of the room. Justin says that sometimes he locks eyes with somebody who's listening and then talks to that person and hopes that others will pick up on that energy. [18:18] Justin says risk management is not the easiest topic to make exciting. You have to figure out ways to jazz it up a little bit. [18:31] François says if you are convinced that the topic is interesting, that conviction, at a certain point, will pass through the mic and go to the room. If you are not convinced, the public will feel it. Justin says, If you are not excited to present, the audience will not be captivated. [18:58] François notes that he is French and speaks English like a Frenchman, so he has to manage that. His message may not be phrased as the audience expects. The way an American would phrase it is not the way I am using it. Justin stresses listening better to different accents. [19:58] Justin says François is a very good presenter, and the RISKWORLD audience seemed engaged in his message. Justin says if one person walks away with something actionable, it was worthwhile. François says, "Mission accomplished!" [20:23] Another Quick Break! The Spencer Educational Foundation's Risk Manager on Campus application period is now open, and it will close on June 30th. Grant awardees, colleges, and universities are typically notified in September. [20:43] The Course Development Grant application deadline for Interval Number 2 will be on June 15th, 2026. Award notifications will be sent out in late July. [20:58] General Grant applications are open, and the application deadline is July 30th. Internship Grant applications open on August 15th and close on October 15th. [21:09] Links to each of these grants are in this episode's show notes. Visit SpencerEd.org for more information. [21:17] The Spencer 2026 Funding Their Future Gala will be held on Thursday, September 17th, from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. at a different venue this year. It will be at the fabulous Waldorf Astoria in New York City. [21:32] Sponsorship opportunities and benefits are available now. A link to the Funding Their Future Gala is in this episode's show notes. [21:40] Next week's guest is the Funding Their Future Gala Honoree, Marya Propis! More Spencer celebrities and board members will be making appearances on RIMScast this summer, as well. [21:53] Let's Conclude Our Interview with François Beaume! [22:09] Justin says the Panorama notes an increase in organizations with more than 200 RMIS users. Does that signal that RMIS is becoming an enterprise-wide infrastructure, or is it still a niche tool for risk teams? [22:26] François says that this is really positive. A Risk Management Information System is not a niche risk tool anymore. It's becoming part of the company infrastructure. [22:44] Once you have hundreds of users, expectations explode, the momentum is there, and user patience drops. As the tool starts to become more massive and interconnected with other tools, you have to manage expectations. The scope of usage of these tools is widening. [23:16] You have not only niche risk usage, but you also have risk management, internal control, insurance, compliance, etc., that are managed inside the tool. The tool reaches all areas of development. The momentum is self-generating. [24:15] François says executive involvement in RMIS usage is positive. Executives want clarity from dashboards. They want to know what matters, why it matters, and what we can do next. They want the deep insight of the tool. They may not go into the tool, but will use the dashboard. [25:10] François speaks of the progress of the techniques of Risk Management Information Systems. Data mining, SaaS contracts, and AI usage have contributed to making RMIS easier to deploy, connect, and access in order to load data, analyze data, and extract data. [26:08] Now is a time of wider usage of Risk Management Information Systems; once they have been adopted, they are there for life, and then you have to make them evolve. [26:21] This means that we have more discussions inside the corporations on RMIS evolutions and replacement. Are we able to make it evolve on its own, or is it time to change? If yes, what kind of process can I depend on to contemplate and manage that change? [26:56] This is executive level. You have created expectations. You have provided dashboards and KPIs, and you have to manage the production. Once it's done, you need a different momentum to run the production and make it better and more accurate over time. It's not easy. [27:40] With their partner EY, AMRAE is finalizing the deployment of the 2026 Panorama Sessions. The French translation will be released by mid-June, and explanation sessions will be run with vendors, risk managers, insurers, and brokers. [28:05] François says AMRAE is already working on the 2027 Panorama, which will be ready for the next RISKWORLD session in New Orleans. [28:27] If someone wants to participate in the Panorama, they need to contact AMRAE. Risk managers will be contacted by the risk management association of the country where they operate. If you are a vendor, you can contact AMRAE. AMRAE contacts insurers and brokers. [29:35] Justin says if you wish to participate, reach out. Go through your risk association where you have membership, like RIMS, FIRMA, or IFRIMA. The confidential information collected helps educate the global risk community. This Panorama is very important for us. [30:08] François says that inside the Panorama, all the contact details are available. As part of the panel, you have access to an online data form. The Panorama has a PDF version, a snapshot of what's in the database. The full database is accessible to anyone. [30:27] François says that as a risk manager or a vendor, you can run your own analysis by filtering and sorting the Panorama database. [30:45] Justin says that's the nice thing about it: AMRAE has made it complimentary and is broadening the horizons of the global risk community by doing so. [30:57] Justin says, I do miss recording with you in person. So, next year, hopefully we get a chance to see each other and have some Cajun food, put the mic up, and eat some jambalaya and talk. It will be great. I want to thank you again, and you're welcome back any time. [31:17] Special thanks again to François Beaume for joining us here on RIMScast! We look forward to seeing him at a future RIMS event. You can visit AMRAE.fr to access the free and publicly available RMIS Panorama 2026. [31:34] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [32:03] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [32:21] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [32:39] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [32:55] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [33:09] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [33:21] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continued support!   Links: RIMS ERM Conference 2026 | November 19‒20 in Columbus, Ohio | Session Submission Deadline: Friday, June 19 RIMS Canada Conference — Oct. 18‒21, 2026 | Quebec City | www.rimscanadaconference.ca | Registration Opens June 10 RIMScast on YouTube! Spencer Educational Foundation — Scholarships and Grants | Open Calls and Timelines. RIMS-CRO Certificate Program In Advanced Enterprise Risk Management | July‒Sept. 2026 Cohort | Led by James Lam | Register Now! 2026 Florida RIMS Educational Conference | July 28‒Aug. 1 | Register Now RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 | Aug. 10‒12 in San Antonio | Register Now! ChicagoLand Risk Forum | Sept. 24, 2026 RIMS Western Regional Conference — Oct. 4‒7, 2026 | Seattle, WA | Register Today and Submit an Educational Session! RIMS Risk Management Magazine | Contribute | Look for the Awards Edition in "Digital Issues"! RIMS Now RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) | Insights Video Series Featuring Joe Milan! RIMS, the Foundation for Risk Management The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center RIMS Diversity Equity Inclusion Council RIMS-CRMP Stories RIMScast Canada — Episodes Now Live RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RISKWORLD 2026 Presentations Available via Attendee Service Center — www.RIMS.org/Asc - and via the RIMS Events App RMIS Panorama: https://www.amrae.fr/bibliotheque-de-amrae/2026-rmis-panorama Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Prep Virtual Workshops: RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep with PARIMA | July 21‒22, 2026 RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep with AFERM | June 16‒17, 2026 Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops   Upcoming RIMS Webinars: RIMS.org/Webinars   Related RIMScast Episodes: "Strategy and Change with Ward Ching and Aaron Olson" "Live from RISKWORLD 2026!" "The Evolving Role of the Risk Analyst" "AI and the Future of Risk with Dan Chuparkoff" "Live from RISKWORLD 2025" "AI Risks and Compliance with Chris Maguire"   Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: "AI-Scale, Risk Ready: Engineering Controls for the New Data Center Boom" (New!) | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company "Facing Into Risk: Navigating the New Risk Landscape" (New!) | Sponsored by AXA XL "Secondary Perils, Major Risks: The New Face of Weather-Related Challenges" | Sponsored by AXA XL "The ART of Risk: Rethinking Risk Through Insight, Design, and Innovation" | Sponsored by Alliant "Mastering ERM: Leveraging Internal and External Risk Factors" | Sponsored by Diligent "Cyberrisk: Preparing Beyond 2025" | Sponsored by Alliant "The New Reality of Risk Engineering: From Code Compliance to Resilience" | Sponsored by AXA XL 'Change Management: AI's Role in Loss Control and Property Insurance" | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company "Demystifying Multinational Fronting Insurance Programs" | Sponsored by Zurich "Understanding Third-Party Litigation Funding" | Sponsored by Zurich "What Risk Managers Can Learn From School Shootings" | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog "Simplifying the Challenges of OSHA Recordkeeping" | Sponsored by Medcor "How Insurance Builds Resilience Against an Active Assailant Attack" | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog "Third-Party and Cyber Risk Management Tips" | Sponsored by Alliant   RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS President Manny Padilla!   RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model®   Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information.   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   About our guest: François Beaume, SVP Risks and Insurance, Sonepar President of AMRAE   Production and engineering provided by Podfly.

Have you ever had ongoing disagreements with your boss? Do you struggle trying to become more visible to leadership at your organization?Have you gotten feedback that YOUR feedback style needs improvement?In this episode, Amy Gallo workplace expert and author of “Getting Along,” joins host Muriel Wilkins to tackle questions from the Coaching Real Leaders community and listeners on their toughest leadership problems. For further reading: Learn more about Amy here: www.amyegallo.comCheck out her book Getting Along: How To Work With Anyone (Even Difficult People): https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Along-Anyone-Difficult-People/dp/16478210618 Practices to Break Free From Conflict: https://jengoldmanwetzler.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/8-Practices-to-Break-Free-From-Conflict-.pdfSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What does it take for a high-achieving executive to step off the traditional path, relocate to Spain, and build a life of true freedom — without sacrificing success? Billy Keels has done exactly that, and he's made it his mission to help other ambitious C-Level leaders do the same.Billy is a national bestselling author, the host of the top 1% globally ranked podcast Going Long, and an executive-level coach who works with driven leaders ready to grow beyond the boardroom. With a background in corporate leadership and real estate investing, Billy brings a rare combination of real-world experience and strategic clarity to every conversation.In this episode, we dig into what it really means to lead at the highest level — not just professionally, but in life. Billy shares how he helps C-Suite executives break through the invisible ceilings they've unknowingly built, why so many high performers are quietly unfulfilled, and the mindset shifts that change everything. Plus, we talk real estate, building wealth with intention, and what life looks like when you design it from the outside in — from sunny Spain.If you're ambitious, driven, and ready for more, this one's for you.Get your copy of Rick Segal's book, The Heart of It here: https://amplifypublishinggroup.com/product/nonfiction/business-and-finance/entrepreneurship/the-heart-of-it/Read Rick Segal's blog: https://impactinvestorsegal.com/blog

Former Dove CMO Alessandro Manfredi joins That's What I Call Marketing to discuss Dove Real Beauty, brand fundamentals, AI, creative effectiveness and why marketing may be losing some of its professionalism. Alessandro spent 28 years at Unilever and played a major role in the growth of Dove, one of the most famous examples of long-term brand building in modern marketing. In this conversation, he explains why Dove's success was not built on purpose alone, but on product quality, emotional connection, research, innovation, communication architecture and strategic rigour. Thanks to the Marketing Society of Ireland for organising this event. Tracksuit cares deeply about marketing professionalism and have introduced Tracksuit University to close the gap between Marketing and the C Suite and you can get 20% Off with an exclusive TWICM Discout - use the code thatswhaticallmarketing at https://university.gotracksuit.com/This episode is for marketers, CMOs, brand leaders, strategists and agency teams who want to understand what it really takes to build brands that last.What you will learn:Why marketing is losing some of its professionalism and trainingHow Dove Real Beauty moved the brand from product love to emotional connectionWhy “people don't buy beautiful ideas” without strong products behind themWhat Alessandro means by brand fundamentalsWhy AI is powerful for execution, but not a replacement for strategyHow CMOs can reclaim strategic influence without making it a power grabWhy brands need to shape culture rather than chase trendsHow purpose can work when it is grounded in a real human tensionWhat smaller marketing teams can learn from Dove's approach to creativity, insight and rigourChapters:03:35 From academia to Unilever and Dove06:22 The origins of Dove Real Beauty09:37 Why marketing is losing strategic discipline12:03 How Dove grew over 20 years14:23 Research, insight and emotional connection19:30 Why people do not buy beautiful ideas alone20:41 Brand fundamentals and communication architecture22:54 Why AI is not strategy24:32 Working with agencies and strategic planners25:48 The three elements of bulletproof brand fundamentals29:34 Purpose, North Star and shaping culture33:09 Creative effectiveness: culture, talent and rigour36:50 What smaller marketing teams can learn from Dove37:26 Handling criticism of Real Beauty39:04 Social media, mental health and marketers' responsibility41:23 Life after Dove and Unilever44:37 Where to find Alessandro ManfrediGuest: Alessandro ManfrediHost: Conor ByrnePodcast: That's What I Call MarketingFind out more about Alessandro Manfredi: aleikigai.comLearn more about Tracksuit: gotracksuit.comSubscribe for more conversations with leading marketers, CMOs, brand builders, strategists and creative leaders. https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.com/#Marketing #BrandBuilding #Dove #RealBeauty #CMO #BrandStrategy #CreativeEffectiveness #AIInMarketing #Unilever #MarketingLeadership #PurposeMarketing #BrandFundamentals #ThatsWhatICallMarketing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Black Men Sundays, we sit down with Dr. Chuck Wallington, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer and author of A Seat at the C-Suite Table. We discuss what it really takes for Black men and people of color to reach executive leadership positions, the importance of education, mentorship, networking, sponsorship, and navigating corporate America at the highest levels. Dr. Wallington shares powerful insights on leadership, career growth, mental resilience, and building a legacy that opens doors for the next generation.You can purchase the book at the link below:https://www.amazon.com/Seat-C-Suite-Table-Leadership-Executives-ebook/dp/B0CL56TB36/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3EI8PHKYTP0JC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.M5-NGPDzoo5MahlHD1yRiXhvvxMTjAKHErb2Wqo5kprSWp9tGHbAJ9tIw9W6oNK7E177sgats-wxPX3CrnfBzRUiqoJp6Y660DJm68GGi5fnwbRSj-GSF74rSgBuMAOhbytj-N-NN1ui78XE909vFvmoIX_-OLRkZ6YueJNv1OeqeamdZn_c3t8346XU0QSsIBdARakAYNrIgzQsj3ve0LXkF3Jz-gXxvb1EOkkiZRw.fUT3rqF69J6ZunojIpGDjAXd6GOVmmBr55XhD6ICQF8&dib_tag=se&keywords=a+seat+at+the+c-suite+table&qid=1780685784&sprefix=a+seat+at+the+c-suite+table%2Caps%2C350&sr=8-1Follow the movement on Instagram and Tiktok for short weekly tips @blackmensundaysFollow Black Men Sundays on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@blackmensundaysBlack Men Sundays is independently produced to bring real conversations on wealth, business, and mental health to our community. If this episode added value to you, consider supporting the platform so we can keep growing and bringing on more powerful guests. Every contribution helps us keep the show going. Tap the link. https://blackmensundays.com/support

Dennis is a passionate and recognized national expert on nonprofit leadership and board governance with over four decades of experience. He founded and chaired DCM Associates Inc., from 2007 to 2024, a highly successful and nationally recognized executive search firm for nonprofit CEOs and C-Suite leaders. As the former president and chief executive officer of Somerset Medical Center and Foundation in New Jersey from 1999 to 2004, his reputation as a respected healthcare executive resulted in numerous honors including becoming the Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Center for Health Affairs, Inc. in Princeton, and served in a leadership capacity on many other nonprofit boards.Dennis earned his Fellowship in the American College of Healthcare Executives – ACHE – was recognized by the Somerset County Business Partnership as the Business Leader of the Year, awarded by the Boy Scouts as Citizen of the Year, inducted into the Hall of Fame by St. Joseph Regional High School where he chaired their first ever capital campaign and became Chairman of the Board, and many other honors and awards from business trade associations.Dennis obtained his undergraduate degree from Rutgers University graduating Phi Beta Kappa and master's degree in public health administration from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. Passionate about leadership and governance, Dennis was the Founder of the Center for Excellence in Leadership, Governance and Philanthropy at Fairleigh Dickinson University, the largest private university in New Jersey.Dennis is the author of five books on nonprofit organization success: A Guide to Achieving New Heights: The Four Pillars of Successful Nonprofit Leadership; The Nonprofit Board Therapist: A Guide to Unlocking Your Organization's True Potential; The Power of Strategic Alignment: A Guide to Energizing Leadership and Maximizing Potential in Today's Nonprofit Organizations; A Guide to Recruiting Your Next CEO: The Executive Search Handbook for Nonprofit Boards; and The Importance of Nonprofit Board Leadership: A Guide to Creating a Highly Successful Nonprofit Board. Dennis is also a regular columnist for many of America's leading nonprofit business publication and blogs.In his compelling autobiography, Moppin' Floors to CEO: From Hopelessness and Failure to Happiness and Success, Dennis mixes together the right ingredients for an engaging, illuminating and inspiring, gut-honest recount of his highly eventful life; lots of engaging stories; and some valuable life lessons.

AI isn't just changing how enterprises do business, it involves a new kind of leadership and fundamentally reshaping the C-suite. In the season 1 finale of Techfluential, we connect the dots across our conversations with C-suite and board executives, revisiting the most powerful insights on why technology leadership is a shared enterprise agenda, and how leaders can drive real, recognizable value and measurable impact for their organization.  Listen to recent episodes here. 

In this episode, we use a bit of lateral thinking to explore a provocative question: What can organizations learn from healthy families? Joyce introduces a list of characteristics commonly found in healthy families, and together we examine how these traits might apply to organizational culture. Which qualities translate well to the workplace? Where do the parallels break down? And where might seemingly positive family values create unintended consequences? Many of us cringe when leaders describe their company as "a family." While the phrase can evoke warmth, belonging, and mutual support, it can also signal blurred boundaries, favoritism, unhealthy loyalty, or expectations that employees put the organization's needs ahead of their own. With that tension as our backdrop, we dive into a lively conversation about the traits of healthy families and what they might teach us about creating healthier, more human workplaces. The discussion led us to some conclusions that surprised even us. Join us and see where the conversation takes you.

Many women leaders say they want the C Suite, yet privately wrestle with fears they rarely discuss out loud. In this episode, I unpack the hidden tension between ambition and uncertainty and how it quietly influences career decisions at the highest levels. If you've ever questioned whether you're truly ready for the next level, this conversation may resonate more than you expect. FREE TRAINING Register for The Catapult Your Career Bootcamp (http://thecatapultbootcamp.com) WORK WITH US Join the Catapult Your Career Program (http://cycprogram.com) GET IN TOUCH Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellaodogwu/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_intelle/ Email: contact@intelle.us Text: 949-519-4554

Will that trend continue to grow? Vineeta talked it over with the CEO of the Minnesota Business Partnership, Kurt Zellers.

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After years of advising CEOs and senior leaders, she's learned that the higher you climb, the more the same human stuff shows up: insecurity, miscommunication, fear of failure, and avoiding the conversations nobody wants to have. In this episode, Erin sits down with the self-proclaimed "C-Suite Whisperer" , Paru Radia, to talk about tough conversations, turning adversity into an advantage, and why standing still might be the riskiest thing you can do. Along the way, Paru shares lessons from her own journey and her no-BS coaching style. Some of the things you'll hear are: -Why Paru actually loves tough conversations (and how to stop dreading them) -How being bullied, underestimated, and treated like an outsider became her superpower -Why "magic happens in momentum" If you've ever felt stuck, overlooked, or unsure of your next move, this episode will challenge how you think about growth, leadership, and success. Check out Paru's Website   Connect with Paru on LinkedIn   Book Erin to speak Ready to modernize your culture, liberate your leadership, and differentiate your business without sounding like every other company on LinkedIn? Bring Erin Hatzikostas in to show your team how authenticity can become an actual strategic advantage, not just another corporate buzzword. Book Erin to Speak If you'd like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple "plays" to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie   If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!   - Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram    - Take our simple, fun and insightful"What's your workplace superhero name?"quiz - Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin's book,"You Do You (ish)"  -Throw out half the playbook and start competing in a league of your own. Check out Erin's book, The 50% Rule.    -Work with Us -Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: hello@bauthenticinc.com    DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments "Don't self-filter and be apologetic about something. It is what it is.  "If you are not confident about the things that you don't like about yourself, you are giving people ammunition to also dislike you. Just own it." "Magic happens in momentum." "The magic won't happen if something is standing still. You need other things to happen for the reaction to happen, which equates to magic." Editor's note: This transcript has been edited for clarity, readability, and length while preserving the core conversation and key teaching moments. In this episode, Erin talks with executive strategist Paru Radia about how to navigate tough conversations at work, communicate with more clarity, own the messy parts of your story, and use momentum to create real career growth. Their conversation covers executive coaching, leadership communication, performance reviews, workplace conflict, career transitions, and the real-life messes behind success. Transcript Why Paru Calls Herself the C-Suite Whisperer Erin: You call yourself the C-Suite Whisperer. If I saw that on a page without knowing you, I might side-eye it. But after meeting you, I thought, "Oh my gosh, she totally is." Where did that come from? Paru: I was talking to a client a few years ago, describing what I do without making it sound too prescriptive. I was explaining how I listen, question, translate, and help executives understand what is really happening. I thought of the show Ghost Whisperer, where someone translates what ghosts are saying to the people who cannot hear them. I realized, "I do what she does, but for executives." So I said, "I'm a C-Suite whisperer." She completely got it. A week later, she told someone she had hired a C-Suite whisperer, then wrote about me on LinkedIn using that phrase. So I thought, "I guess that's what I am." Erin: I love that idea of translating between what someone says and what people actually hear. What gets mistranslated the most when you are working with executives? Paru: Intention. And that applies to everyone. People are often so busy thinking about themselves, what they mean, and what they think other people are hearing that they miss how the message is actually landing. I do not mean that in an arrogant way. No matter how senior you get, it is the same stuff with more at stake. It is the same insecurity, the same miscommunication, the same desire for the business to be successful, the same desire to look good, be liked, be understood, be seen, and be heard. We are all human. The stakes just get higher. How Childhood Shaped Her Ability to Read People Erin: I saw in another interview that when you were asked what time in your life you would change, you mentioned primary school and high school. What were those years like, and how did they shape the bold person you are now? Paru: I want to be careful with that answer. I am really happy in my life now, and I know I would not be where I am today without everything I experienced. But if I could still be where I am today and remove some of the pain from those years, I would. I grew up in a very conservative, traditional Indian household in the seventies and early eighties in racist Britain. We had bricks thrown through our window. We had racial slurs shouted at us. As a child, I had people on the street threaten me because I was Indian. It was scary. Some of that racism translated to school. I was made fun of for being Indian. I was also a chubby kid, so I was made fun of for that too. What happened was that it became safer for me to observe than to participate. It was safer to figure out where the next landmine was or where the next grenade might be thrown. That has worked in my favor now. I observe closely. I have a very keen eye and a very keen ear. I think some of that came from life circumstances that forced me to develop those skills. Erin: That makes so much sense. For people listening who have gone through challenges, trauma, or difficult experiences, how do they start to turn those things into a strength? Paru: First, be kind to yourself. And I do not mean that in a fluffy way. I mean dig deep and own everything about yourself. I am a big advocate of owning all of it. When I work with clients, I am their biggest fan, but I am also very direct. I often say that when you work with me, you will be punched and hugged at the same time. I am not soft. I will tell you things other people are too scared to tell you. I will tell you things you may not want to hear. But I am also there to catch you. I am not doing it to be mean. I am doing it to be real, so we can actually address what is happening. The first step is not self-filtering or apologizing for what is true. If something happened, it happened. If you messed something up, own it. If you do not like something about yourself, name it. Many people start to malfunction when they are not being who they really are. When you try to cover something up or perform as someone else, it creates friction. It is what it is. Own it. If you are not confident about the things you dislike about yourself, you give other people ammunition to dislike those things too. Own them. There are things about me I do not think are fantastic, but I love them anyway. It has taken me a long time to get here. Why Tough Conversations Matter Erin: One thing I wanted to talk to you about is tough conversations at work. The employee who is not performing. The job elimination. The numbers that are not hitting forecast. A lot of smart, capable people want to crawl under their desk when it is time to have those conversations. What advice do you give them? Paru: I love tough conversations. Erin: Why? Paru: Because they are the beginning of something different. Once you have the tough conversation, something is going to change. It might be an action, a perception, or a mindset, but something shifts. I am all for change. I challenge the status quo all the time. I am always looking to be better, do better, and grow. I want that for my clients too. When it comes to tough conversations, language is incredibly important. If I were giving general advice, I would say: get out of your own head and be factual. Avoid making everything about "you," because that can sound aggressive. Keep it business-focused. Ask questions. Do not go straight into the conversation without understanding the other person. Be genuinely curious. I start many difficult conversations by asking for the person's understanding of the topic first. That way, we are on the same page. Then I can share my definition or perspective. That moves me from being opposite them to being next to them. It becomes, "This is how I am looking at it. How are you looking at it?" Then I stay factual. I might say, "The business needs this. The problem we have is this. What do you think we could do about that?" If their answer is not feasible, I might say, "Here is what I am thinking. What are your thoughts on that?" Behavioral issues are different and need more specific examples, but in general, curiosity, clarity, and facts matter. How to Approach a Performance Conversation Erin: Let's use an example. Joe is a project manager. He has moments of brilliance, but he is inconsistent. Sometimes he solves a big problem. Other times, he makes promises he cannot deliver, or his work is not good. How would you coach someone to have that conversation? Paru: There is a lot I would want to understand first. I would want to know what is going through Joe's mind when he performs well, and what is going through his mind when he does not. I would ask whether Joe agrees with the assessment that he is inconsistent. Does he think he is not performing well? What does "well" look like to him? What outcome does he want? I am very outcome-focused. I always ask, "What outcome are you looking for?" Then we work backwards. Many people start from where they are and move forward, but ego and fear get in the way. They think, "I do not want to look bad. I do not want them to think this. I do not want to say that." As a kid, I never saw the point of doing a maze by constantly hitting walls. I would start in the middle, draw the path backwards, and say, "This is the way to get there." I approach coaching the same way. When we start with the outcome, ego becomes less of a problem. We can say, "If you want that outcome, it will take this. You will need to say this. You will need to do that." Once the person can see the outcome clearly, they are usually willing to put their ego aside because they know what they are aiming for. Erin: So with Joe, instead of starting with, "How do you think you are doing?" you would start with what he wants? Paru: Yes. If Joe says, "I want a promotion," I would ask, "What do you think it would take for that promotion to be awarded to you?" He might say he needs to perform at a certain level. Then I would ask, "What would it take to perform at that level?" We would look at relationships, technical ability, consistency, communication, and everything else involved. If relationships are part of the issue, I would ask, "What would your relationship with your boss need to look like?" I do not call myself a coach. I am an executive strategist. Coaching is part of what I do, but I am also opinionated and will share my perspective. I do not do that upfront. I want the client to get there first, but if they do not, I will share what I see. So I might say, "To me, it sounds like your boss needs to see this, this, and this. Right now, you are not showing it. What can we do to make sure you show that?" Why Clarity Changes the Conversation Erin: I love that because so many people go into reviews and ask broad questions like, "How do you think you are doing?" But that can feel like a trap. Paru: Exactly. I like asking a lot of questions to get clarity. Clarity is the first word on my website because it matters so much. When there is clarity, you can have conversations without obsessing over, "What are they going to think? How are they going to take it? What if they do not understand me?" If someone asks me a question that is too broad, I usually do not answer it right away. I ask for context. If someone asked me in a performance review, "How do you think you are doing?" I would either break the answer into categories or ask, "Is there a specific context for that question, or is there a category you would like me to focus on first?" That way, I know I am answering the question they are actually asking, not the question I think they might be asking. Erin: That is such a useful takeaway. If someone asks a question that feels too big or like a landmine, you can ask for clarity. You can say, "Are you asking about my attitude, my deadlines, my communication, or something else?" Paru: Yes. It gives everyone a better chance of having the real conversation. Preparing for High-Stakes Business Conversations Erin: Let's say someone is going into a quarterly business review with their boss, the CFO, and other senior leaders. The business has missed revenue numbers three months in a row. Most people would dread that conversation. How would you advise them to go into it? Paru: If there is going to be a tough conversation with a group, I would get to the audience before they are all in the same room. Relationships are easier one-to-one. If there are four senior stakeholders in the room, I would try to speak with each one individually beforehand. I want to know what I am walking into. I want to be able to predict what is coming my way. If I can preempt some of that through individual conversations, I am better equipped to have a potential solution, even if I have not fully actioned it yet. I might still get hurt a little, but I am less likely to get destroyed by the meeting. Erin: So you would have those pre-conversations, understand the feedback and questions, and make sure the missed numbers are not a surprise. What else? Paru: I would want to know why the numbers were missed. What went wrong? How can it be fixed? How can you make sure it does not happen again? What will you do differently? How do you feel about it? Then I would help the person take ownership of the parts they are responsible for. I would help them own the mistakes with confidence instead of becoming defensive. No one wants to deal with someone who is defensive. The audience is already taking care of themselves. They do not have time to take care of your defensiveness too. Go into the meeting understanding the problems, owning the mistakes, and bringing possible solutions. Why Magic Happens in Momentum Erin: You said something that caught my eye: "Magic happens in momentum." Tell us more about that. Paru: I had that as the screenshot on my phone for about a year. There is an old saying that standing still is the equivalent of moving backwards. Things move. Things change. People evolve. Time passes. If you are not moving, you are going backwards. Even if you are scared, do it anyway. Change will happen. You will grow. You will learn something. You might learn, "I do not like that," or "That did not work," but at least now you know and can move forward. I am a big fan of momentum. Standing still bores me. That is my personality. Some people love stability. I am not risk-averse. I like newness, change, and growth. Momentum creates that. Erin: When I read that, I thought about momentum in relationships too. Someone sends an email saying, "I loved your book," or "I loved your coaching session." There is a difference between responding three days later and capturing that energy in the moment. Paru: Yes. People are forgetful, and enthusiasm dwindles. If someone says, "I loved your book," and you respond a month later, they have already moved on to the next shiny object. The effort it takes to remind them how great you are becomes wasted energy. When there is energy, build on it. That is what improv taught me too. I did improv classes for a year, and so much of improv is about building on other people's ideas. Momentum works the same way. You do something, then the next thing, then the next thing. Magic is the result of action causing a reaction. If everything is standing still, nothing reacts. You need movement for the reaction to happen. The Expiration Date on Favors Erin: For our listeners, especially corporate women in mid-career and up, momentum is so important in relationships and sponsorship. If a senior leader notices what you are doing or reaches out after a good meeting, grab that momentum. Paru: I have the same theory with favors. If you have done something for someone and they say, "Let me know if there is anything I can do for you," there is always an expiration date on that offer. If there is something they can genuinely do, do not waste the favor. But if there is something meaningful, ask while the momentum is there. They have just experienced the good feeling of what you did for them. That feeling will dwindle. People get distracted. Later, they may still help, but it is harder. Erin: A body in motion tends to stay in motion. Paru: Exactly. The Messes Behind Successes Erin: I want to talk about your book, Messes Behind Successes. What is the premise? Paru: It is about navigating reality on your rise to the top. I am tired of reading books about unicorn billionaires. I am happy for them, but many of those stories sound like, "Life was tough, I lost money, then I was on the golf course with my dad's best friend and he invested in my business. Now look at me." That is great for them, but how does that help the rest of us? I do not have a rich dad. I do not have a golf course. I did not go to Harvard, and most people did not either. We hear success stories, but we rarely get a real how-to guide for navigating the mess on the way there. Mess is real. People get married. People get divorced. People move houses or countries. People get sick. People pass away. That is the personal side. At work, you may not get along with your boss. You may not get the promotion. You may mess up an interview, a meeting, or a target. You may be scared you are going to get fired. People do not talk enough about those moments. I am interviewing C-suite leaders who look very successful on paper, and many of them are successful and happy. But they had so much mess along the way. I want to share those stories so people do not feel alone, and so they have tangible examples of how to navigate real life and still make it. Erin: I love that. Those are the stories people need when they are wondering whether they should go for the career move, the big meeting, the executive job, or the new business. It is inspiring to hear how people got through the hard parts. Paru: Exactly. The mess is part of the story. Helping People Recalibrate in Career and Life Erin: Who is your ideal client? Who might be listening and think, "I would really benefit from working with Paru"? Paru: I work with executives in corporations, first-time CEOs, C-suite leaders, rising C-suite leaders, small businesses, startups, and multi-billion-dollar companies. I love working with first-time CEOs because they often do not realize how great they are, and I get to help them shine. I also work with individuals in transition. A lot of people come to me saying, "I want to do this," or "I want to do that," and I ask, "Why?" I really want to know why. About half the time, once they answer that question, they realize they have been working so hard for a dream that is no longer their dream. Their dream has changed. I love when those epiphanies happen. I like helping people in transition understand who they are deep down. Things happen along the way, and sometimes people need to recalibrate. Who are you today because of everything that happened, or despite everything that happened? What does today's version of you want? That is what I want to know, and then I want to help you get there. Where to Find Paru Erin: Where can people follow you and get more of your brilliance? Paru: The only social media platform I am on is LinkedIn. You can find me there as Paru Radia. You can also visit my website. I share a lot of my thoughts, stories, and lessons on LinkedIn. The book also includes many personal stories, including some I cringed while writing. But they are a big part of who I have become, how I think, and how I operate. Erin: Please promise me you will read your own audiobook. Paru: I absolutely will. Erin: Good. Your personality and authenticity need to come through in the audio version. Thank you for sharing your candor, your insights, and part of yourself with us today. Paru: Thank you for opening the door into your world and letting me in. It has been so much fun.

Assessing your team's culture is an important step for your culture's future development. Jason discusses best practices for assessing the culture and leading real change. View Full Show Notes Here: https://www.jasonvbarger.com/podcast/assessing-your-team-culture/ Jason breaks down the critical architecture of a comprehensive cultural audit, explaining how elite teams can move beyond superficial surveys to actively calibrate their organizational environments. Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: Why do so many organizations excel at collecting workplace data yet consistently fail when translating those metrics into meaningful execution? In this episode of The Thermostat, Jason V. Barger breaks down the structural gap between simply "taking the temperature" of a workforce and actively "setting the temperature" for future growth. He explores why standard digitized employee engagement surveys often fail when deployed in isolation, and details a holistic methodology designed to map pain points and optimize organizational workflows. Moving past automated human resources checklists, Jason defines a robust, three-angled strategy for a comprehensive cultural audit. This framework blends organization-wide quantitative surveys with deeper cross-functional interviews and executive vantage point discovery sessions. By constructing a participatory assessment process rooted in active listening and clear forward plans, leaders can avoid employee cynicism, secure long-term buy-in, and successfully position corporate culture as a non-negotiable strategy. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, operations directors, and culture transformation advocates committed to leadership in teams, this episode offers a practical blueprint for turning baseline diagnostics into an active, high-performance roadmap. Episode Notes & Timestamps: [00:00] Intro: Jason introduces the essential requirement of evaluating your current corporate state before designing a future trajectory. [00:01] Calibrating the Thermostat: A milestone reflection on 335+ episodes and the ongoing commitment to breathing good oxygen into global workforces. [00:02] Authentic Algorithms: Why genuine human feedback is critical in the age of automated bots, and how listeners can help amplify positive leadership messages. [00:03] The 6 A's Framework: An overview of change management theory and the circular roadmap of Assess, Align, Aspire, Articulate, Act, and Anchor. [00:05] The Survey Trap: Examining why many companies get stuck in a passive loop of "taking the temperature" without ever building a real operational strategy. [00:08] The Cultural Audit Blueprint: How to design a holistic evaluation process using quantitative surveys to isolate trends across all departments. [00:09] Cross-Functional Layers: The power of structured qualitative interviews with multi-tiered representatives to extract deeper frontline insights. [00:10] Senior Leadership Vantage Points: Leading discovery sessions with the executive tier to target pain points and align baseline data with macro visions. [00:11] Core Values as Tools: Parallels between precise, actionable cultural language and utilizing assessment data as a living mechanism rather than a decorative poster. [00:13] Pillar 1 - Participatory Inclusion: Ensuring every employee feels their voice is an essential building block of upcoming operational pivots. [00:14] Pillar 2 - Active Listening Posture: Overcoming survey fatigue by transparently synthesizing, contextualizing, and sharing assessment results back with the workforce. [00:15] Pillar 3 - Decisive Action Plans: Activating the remaining 6A phases to turn qualitative benchmarks into sustainable corporate habits. [00:16] Strategic Inquiries: Jason outlines strategic closing questions to ponder for leaders preparing to gauge their team's current landscape. Key Takeaways for Leaders: Move Beyond Metrics: Avoid institutional cynicism by ensuring that every culture or engagement survey is instantly paired with a visible strategy for operational action. Holistic Diagnostics: Build a multi-angled cultural audit that checks automated survey data against deep cross-functional focus groups and executive roundtables. Foster Active Ownership: Build a highly participatory assessment process where frontline teams realize they are active co-creators of the target organizational temperature. Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: Make Your 2026 Effective!  Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason

A CMO Confidential Interview with Mike Kaput, the Chief Content Officer at SmarterX and Marketing AI Institute and co-host of "The Artificial Intelligence Show."Mike shares research across 2000 companies regarding AI adoption and highlights the gap between what companies say they are doing and what is happening, the fact that only 25% of companies have achieved "scaling" status, and how larger companies can be slowed by complexity.Key topics include:- Why training and education represent the biggest obstacle to progress- Why you should measure "tool usage"- Why job clarity is important for agents.Tune in to hear about rising AI pessimism and building yourself a "second brain." This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmoSubscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.⏱️ Chapters01:12 – Intro: Meet Mike Kaput & AI topic overview02:37 – State of AI report: how the data was gathered05:53 – Key insight: people vs organizations gap06:43 – What scaling AI actually looks like08:06 – Pilot phase reality across companies10:11 – AI hype vs real adoption13:02 – The “say vs do” gap in execution14:15 – AI literacy is the #1 barrier16:13 – How to assess AI maturity (individual & company)20:06 – Biggest mistake: tools without training23:20 – AI agents, risks, and what's next#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #AIMarketing #AIBusiness #GenerativeAI #AIAgents #MarketingAI #DigitalTransformation #AIAdoption #AITrends #FutureOfWork #Automation #MarketingStrategy #EnterpriseAI #AIWorkflows #AIEducation #AProductivity #AIInnovationSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What does it actually take to become an industry leader when you never planned to be one? Charli Rogers, Chief Customer Officer at Botify, joins Toni for a conversation that covers the full arc of her leadership journey — from an accidental start in tech to leading customer success teams of 150-200 people across multiple continents, to taking her first CCO seat at a company sitting right at the intersection of search, AI discoverability, and the future of how brands get found. This conversation covers all things great leadership from quiet confidence, allyship in executive teams, what holding space for women in a boardroom actually looks like in practice, and the language shift — "and" versus "but" — that Charli teaches every woman she mentors. Charli also gets honest about the biggest challenge she's navigating right now: how do you lead an AI-forward customer experience function while keeping the team delivering, changing everything about how you operate, and nobody really knows what the next two years look like? If you're figuring out what kind of leader you want to be, how to back yourself at the next level, or how to build allies in rooms that weren't always built for you — this is the episode. What we cover: ◾ The serendipitous career path from accidental tech foray to Chief Customer Officer ◾ Why Charli put her hand up for people leadership before she felt ready — and what happened next ◾ Quiet confidence: what it really looks like at the executive level and why it's different from the performative kind ◾ The "and" vs "but" language shift and why words matter more than most leaders realize vAllyship in the exec room — what it looks like when it becomes second nature rather than a conscious act ◾ Holding space for women in a male-dominated executive team: practical, not theoretical ◾ AI in customer experience — leading an AI-forward function while the team keeps delivering today ◾ Building a virtual board of directors and why network investment is a long-term leadership strategy ◾ The worst piece of advice Charli was ever given: "dial it down, Charli" ◾ Confidence plus capacity: why both are non-negotiable and how to know when it's time to speak up   **Useful links** ◾ Connect with today's guest and sponsor, Charli Rogers and Botify:           ◾ Charli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlirogers/            ◾ Botify: https://www.botify.com/    This episode was sponsored by our guest, Charli Rogers at Botify. Thank you Charli for helping to bring Leading Women in Tech to this community!  

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   In this episode, Justin interviews Emily Buckley, Insurance Risk Manager at Specialized Bicycle Components. They discuss how, in her career, she arrived at risk management, from tossing T-shirts into the stands at Ball Stadium. They talk about her work leading risk at Kroenke Sports and Entertainment for years, and then joining Specialized Bicycle Components to become their Risk Management program and launch ERM for them. Emily talks about Specialized hiring the best people, including professional and Olympic athletes, to make the best product. Emily's purpose is to build the best Risk Management and ERM Program for them. Justin and Emily discuss how she feels about being named the RIMS 2026 Honor Roll Recipient. They discuss her involvement with the Rocky Mountain RIMS Chapter and her engagement in the ERM Engage Group. Listen for the excitement and energy Emily brings to the ERM Program at Specialized.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:16] About this episode of RIMScast. We are so excited to welcome back to the show Emily Buckley of Specialized Bicycles. She was recently named to the RIMS Honor Roll at RISKWORLD, so we have lots to discuss regarding safety, career development, and ERM. But first… [:48] RIMS Virtual Workshops. The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep will be held on June 9th and 10th. The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep with AFERM will be held on June 16th and 17th. Links to registration are in this episode's notes. [1:04] You can enroll now in the RIMS CRO Certificate Program in Advanced Enterprise Risk Management hosted by the famous James Lam. Beginning July 15th, workshops will be held bi-weekly from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The registration link is in the show notes. [1:25] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 19th and 20th in Columbus, Ohio. We want to hear from you. Submit a session proposal by June 19th that will reach engaged practitioners, innovators, and leaders looking for guidance they can utilize right away. [1:43] Help define what's next for Enterprise Risk Management. Submit a session proposal by Friday, June 19th. A link is in this episode's show notes. [1:51] Folks, RIMS is back on YouTube. Our handle is @RIMSOfficialChannel. We've got plenty of videos there, including RIMScast, RIMScast Canada video podcasts, and other informative and entertaining content from RIMS. Subscribe to the channel today! [2:10] On with the Show! Our guest today is one of the liveliest RIMS members I know! She is Emily Buckley, the Insurance Manager for Specialized Bicycle Components, a global performance brand. [2:23] Emily is the Vice President of the RIMS Rocky Mountain Chapter. At RISKWORLD 2026, Emily was named to the RIMS Honor Roll in 2026. Emily made her RIMScast debut in 2024 for National Bike Safety Month in Man, and we're recording in May again. [2:47] We'll have a lot of fun talking about bicycle safety and how Emily embeds safety into all aspects of risk management and the risk culture over at Specialized Bicycle Components. [2:59] Emily has had a remarkable career at Specialized. She is the company's first-ever dedicated risk manager. She has built a modern enterprise-ready risk and insurance function from the ground up, which we are going to talk about today. [3:12] We'll talk about her risk philosophies, her approach to polycrisis and supply chain risk management, and why her involvement in the RIMS Rocky Mountain Chapter has been so critical for her career. Let's get to it! [3:27] Interview! Emily Buckley, Welcome Back to RIMScast! [3:50] Emily says receiving the RIMS Honor Roll award seemed surreal. It was very cool to be onstage, be recognized, and have the village she had built around herself there supporting her. Everyone was so excited for her. It was one of the coolest things she had ever experienced. [4:27] Justin calls Emily the Risk Queen of Denver and the Greater Denver Area and says she has a lot of support behind her. She's "got heat!" [4:48] Justin is recording this episode during National Bicycle Safety Month. This is Emily's month. At Specialized Bicycle Components, every day is National Bicycle Safety Month! [5:19] Justin talks about safety being embedded into the manufacturing and shipping of bicycles. [5:34] Emily says every day, even when she is sleeping, safety is on her mind. [5:46] Specialized Bicycle Components has a Safety Team. Emily's broker has a Safety Specialist assigned to her account. Emily has connected those two teams. She is a liaison between them, and she works very closely with her Safety Team at Specialized Bicycle Components. [6:02] Emily has monthly meetings with groups at Specialized Bicycle Components to discuss safety initiatives. She says the Safety Team at Specialized does a phenomenal job. [6:26] Emily says Risk Management is a department of many hats. She tells people that if there is pushback on an initiative, I'll be the bad guy. Tell them, Sorry, Risk Management is making us do this. Sometimes that's a little bit easier to sell. [7:11] Emily has been practicing risk management for almost 15 years. She started at Kroenke Sports and Entertainment in Customer Interaction, including tossing T-shirts into the crowd for the Denver Nuggets. People wanted those shirts. [9:05] When Kroenke posted a job for a risk analyst, Emily applied, and Peggy Miller hired her. Emily talked about this in her past appearance on RIMScast. Peggy is the President of Rocky Mountain RIMS. Peggy taught Emily almost everything Emily knows about risk management. [9:34] Peggy took Emily under her wing. She taught Emily how to review contracts for risk management wording and insurance requirements. Emily could go to Peggy with any question, and Peggy would explain it. Emily says that Peggy is a phenomenal boss. [10:07] Emily found an opportunity at Specialized when it was time to spread her wings. She still calls Peggy from time to time for advice. Peggy is always willing to help. [10:34] Emily joined Specialized Bicycle Components and became the risk management department. She came in two or three months before they did their insurance renewal, so it was initiation by firehose. [10:53] It was a great opportunity to learn about the program. She was also educating them about what risk management does and how they should be running their program, and educating them about insurance requirements. [11:16] Emily says Specialized has an amazing executive team and ownership. They were so receptive to all the ideas Emily brought them. They also had a lot of creative ideas. As a risk manager, it was fun to come into that environment. [11:49] The risk department has not grown since Emily joined Specialized. [12:21] Emily started an ERM Program at Specialized. It takes a team, and it takes the right partners. Emily thinks every company will benefit from an ERM Program. Stepping into a manufacturing company very dependent on the supply chain, Emily saw that ERM was a must. [12:49] Emily worked with the right partners, did a couple of different tabletops, and hyper-focused on three or four ERM initiatives, for which she built the ERM foundation and the risk management foundation on top. Every project she works on goes back to those initiatives. [13:24] Emily says she is very fortunate to have the ear of the executive leadership. [13:32] One of the mantras at Specialized Bicycle Components is Innovate or Die. Emily has taken that to heart in Risk Management and ERM. Emily is constantly trying to find ways to make the ERM stronger and better, going back to those three or four initiatives. [13:51] Emily thinks outside the box. She has seen some products that don't completely fit Specialized, but by working with the service providers and saying she likes this product, but she needs it to do this, she has found some amazing service providers and partners to work with.  [14:24] As a risk manager, Emily lives in worst-case scenarios. Professionally and personally, she can never get away from worst-case scenarios. A good risk manager is always preparing for the worst-case scenario, always thinking, what is the absolute worst thing that could happen. [14:46] Emily says one of the hardest things is realizing that a lot of people don't live in that headspace. When she goes to teams and tells them the worst thing that can happen, they ask if she is OK. She insists that this worst-case scenario is something they need to think about. [15:12] That's where education comes in. We need to think about it. If this worst-case scenario happens, all of these ripple effects hit every portion of the company. [15:43] Emily says Specialized has been around so long, and with the leadership and experts they have in place, Emily is amazed every day at the team that Specialized has assembled. She says they are the best in their class. There are Olympic and professional athletes on the team. [16:43] A service provider noticed that Specialized Bicycle Components recruits the best people in the world. They want that experience so they can build a better product with better processes. [17:07] A Quick Break! There are so many other wonderful RIMS events coming up in 2026. The 2026 Florida RIMS Educational Conference will be held from July 28th through August 1st at the lovely Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida. A link to the event is in this episode's show notes. [17:27] Register now for the Second Annual RIMS Texas Regional Conference, which will be held from August 10th through 12th at the Grand Hyatt on the San Antonio River Walk. Advance rates are available through June 5th. [17:41] The 11th Annual Chicagoland Risk Forum will return to the Old Post Office on Thursday, September 24th, 2026, in Chicago. Visit ChicagolandRiskForum.org for more information. [17:51] The RIMS Western Regional Conference will be held from October 4th through the 7th in Seattle, Washington. Registration is open, and you can also submit a session. Visit RIMSWesternRegional.com and the link in this episode's show notes for more information. [18:08] Save the dates October 18th through the 21st. We will be in Quebec City to celebrate the 50th Live RIMS Canada Conference. Booth sales are already open. Early-bird registration will open in June. [18:22] Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca for more information. Also, remember to check out RIMS.org/Canada for our spinoff show, RIMScast Canada, hosted by National Conference Committee Chair, Aaron Lukoni. [18:37] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 18th and 19th in Columbus, Ohio. The deadline for educational content submissions is Friday, June 19th. Get submissions in now. The link is in this episode's show notes. We'll let you know when registration opens. [18:59] Let's Return to our Interview with RIMS 2026 Honor Roll Recipient Emily Buckley! [19:13] Justin speaks about the profile of Emily Buckley in the RIMS Risk Management Magazine Awards Edition. It mentions that Emily consolidated fragmented global insurance structures into a unified strategy across more than 30 countries. [19:38] Emily says, trying to get the insurance together at a global company was hard. A lot of people were autonomous, getting their own insurance and doing their own thing. In almost 15 years as a risk manager, Emily learned that insurance is very touchy for a lot of people. [20:23] Insurance costs a lot of money for something that you can't see. You're not using it unless something bad has happened. So it's a very sensitive subject for a lot of people. Emily says it's a job that won't ever really be done because there are so many different moving parts. [21:03] Emily says that in all the different countries we're in, every country has different insurance laws, different ways to buy and pay for insurance, and what kind of insurance you have to have. [21:13] Emily says in some countries, I have to have a locally placed general liability policy, but the property policy that I place on a global level will sit over that. In a different country, I have to have a locally placed general liability/property and a locally placed stock throughput. [21:31] For almost 40 different countries, you have to know which countries you have to have insurance in. That's when your broker becomes invaluable. [21:48] It's helpful to have a foreign team on your broker who are subject matter experts in placing locally placed policies. Emily says she would not be able to do that without the team at her broker, Brown & Brown.  [22:03] Emily talks about educating the people at your company: This is what we currently have, and this is what we need. We need it in almost 40 countries. These 20 are our top priority. You tier them down so you're not throwing everything at the wall. [22:27] You're formulating a plan, then educating and speaking with the people in your company. A lot of questions come up, not only about general liability, but also cyber, and directors & officers. [22:37] It's a sensitive subject that you have to take your time with. Build a relationship with those offices so that when something does happen, or they have a question, they come to you. [23:04] You will always be making connections with your offices, making sure they're happy with their insurance, they understand it, and they have a local contact. If something happens in Taiwan, they need a local contact who can answer questions and relay that to the global team. [24:12] Emily says that every year, there are two or three problem countries, from an insurance perspective, where the carrier or broker has thrown a curveball. Sometimes she has had to pull people out of the program and put them on their own. It's a constantly moving target. [25:13] Emily says at Kroenke, she and Peggy did a business continuity tabletop, where they sat down with all the different department heads at Ball Arena (Pepsi Center, then) and walked through scenarios. They presented a worst-case scenario tabletop with 30 people in the room. [25:52] Emily and Peggy also did a couple of cyber tabletop exercises. Emily stresses how important it is to do a cyber tabletop with your executive and leadership team. They're always amazed at how many different small issues and questions come up that they never thought of. [26:35] Emily says her leadership team at Specialized is fantastic. They've been very supportive. She can throw ideas at them, and they'll say, "Let's do it." [26:49] Justin says people receive these awards from RIMS not just for their achievements in risk management, but also for what they give back to the broader risk management community or their local chapters. [27:09] Justin says Emily is very involved in the RIMS Rocky Mountain Chapter and is a great Networker and is very plugged in. Justin says that if it weren't for Emily, he doesn't think he would have gotten Rich Lenkov from SERMA on the show this year. (Shout out to Rich!) [27:40] Emily says she started going to the Rocky Mountain RIMS Chapter when she was an analyst, working under Peggy Miller. She remembers walking into a Lunch and Learn. Going to Chapter meetings was very inspiring. She wanted to be that knowledgeable one day. [29:10] Emily says this industry is built on your connections to people and how you know people. She says we have the best people in our chapter. We're very involved with students and RRP. [29:24] Emily tells students in RRP, "Come to our meetings. If you don't know anybody, you know me. I will introduce you to everybody. This is where your career is going to take off. This is where you're going to be able to make steps and strides and really make connections." [30:11] Emily says she cannot say enough great things about Rocky Mountain RIMS. She thinks they have one of the best chapters in the U.S., because they have the best people. [30:24] Justin recalls that Ondrea Matthews with CoorsTek was on the show last year. She is in Rocky Mountain RIMS. Emily says Ondrea is one of the best people she knows. Justin says she had fascinating stories. A link to her RIMScast episode is in the show notes. [31:02] Emily says when she joined Specialized, she told them she's a Rocky Mountain RIMS board member, she speaks at conferences, and is a guest lecturer at CU Denver. They were super supportive. [31:47] Emily says Specialized wants to put the best product on the market, and Emily takes that into risk management and insurance. She wants to create the best risk program that she can. She wants to work with the best service providers that she can. [32:12] Another Quick Break! The Spencer Educational Foundation's Risk Manager on Campus application period is now open, and it will close on June 30th. Grant awardees, colleges, and universities are typically notified in September. [32:32] The Course Development Grant application deadline for Interval Number 2 will be on June 15th, 2026. Award notifications will be sent out in late July. [32:57] General Grant applications are open, and the application deadline is July 30th. Internship Grant applications open on August 15th and close on October 15th. [32:59] Links to each of these grants are in this episode's show notes. Visit SpencerEd.org for more information. [33:07] The Spencer 2026 Funding Their Future Gala will be held on Thursday, September 17th, from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. at a different venue this year. It will be at the fabulous Waldorf Astoria in New York City. [33:23] Sponsorship opportunities and benefits are available now. A link to the Funding Their Future Gala is in this episode's show notes. [33:32] Be on the lookout for some of the honorees and Spencer Board members to join RIMScast in June and July. [33:41] Let's Conclude Our Interview with RIMS 2026 Honor Roll Recipient Emily Buckley! [33:48] Justin mentions the RIMS Strategic and Enterprise Risk Management Council. The RIMS ERM Engage Group is a member-only offshoot of SERMC for people to have candid dialogues. All RIMS members have exclusive access to the ERM Engage Group. Emily is a member. [34:38] Emily says the ERM Engage Group gets together monthly for an hour. Morgan O'Rourke, VP of Editorial at RIMS, leads it. Everyone brings issues, or Morgan will have a guest speaker. Emily says it's just such a great place to go and learn from industry peers with similar issues. [35:55] Emily is not trying to reinvent the wheel. If she can bring the problems she is dealing with to a group of professionals, ask how they have done it in the past, and get 10 or 20 ideas, it's amazing. [36:13] Emily recommends the movie, Project Hail Mary, which she calls amazing. [36:27] Justin talks about the monthly guest speaker, often from SERMC, who presents a topic and then engages the group in discussion. The Engage group lets the leaders see who the next ERM leaders are going to be through their participation. It's very interactive. [37:32] If you are a RIMS member, just check out the RIMS ERM Engage Group. Justin says Emily's involvement is above and beyond, not just for her job, but for RIMS, so he was not surprised she received the 2026 RIMS Honor Roll; it's well deserved. [38:18] Emily loves her job. She loves this industry.  [38:40] Emily admits her blood caffeine content was through the roof, preparing for the awards ceremony. Emily looked it up. She is the 43rd recipient of the Risk Management Honor Roll in 75 years of RIMS. She has the award in her window in her office. It is cool to be celebrated. [40:26] Emily says her award makes it into everything. After she got it, she carried it around with her. At lunch, it was sitting on the table. At dinner, it was sitting on the table. She carried it onto the plane with her. [41:22] In the profile about Emily, it talked about perseverance in mountain biking. Juston asks Emily for her inspiration for the next generation of risk professionals. [42:04] Emily's words: "Keep going. You're going to fail, and that's fine. It's part of the journey. Fail. Learn the lesson or lessons, but keep going. Always keep looking at the horizon, saying, OK, I'm going to get there. I'm going to get there, I'm going to get there. [42:21] "The absolute most important thing is, have fun on the way." Emily says she did a little dance on the awards stage, and some students told her they loved seeing her having fun with it. It made Emily's day for them to stop and tell her. "If you're not having fun, what's the point?" [43:21] Justin tells Emily, We look forward to more great things from you in the coming years. We thank you, and we congratulate you again. [45:33] Special thanks again to Emily Buckley of Specialized Bicycle Components for joining us here on RIMScast! Congratulations again to her for being named to the RIMS 2026 Honor Roll. More coverage is available in the RIMS Risk Management Magazine's Awards Edition. [43:27] Go to RMMAgazine.com and check out the digital issues section. We look forward to having Emily back again. [43:55] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [44:23] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [44:41] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [44:59] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [45:15] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [45:29] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [45:41] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continued support!   Links: RIMS ERM Conference 2026 | November 19‒20 in Columbus, Ohio | Session Submission Deadline: Friday, June 19 RIMS Canada Conference — Oct. 18‒21, 2026 | Quebec City | www.rimscanadaconference.ca | Registration Opens in June RIMScast on YouTube! Spencer Educational Foundation — Scholarships and Grants | Open Calls and Timelines. RIMS-CRO Certificate Program In Advanced Enterprise Risk Management | July‒ Sept. 2026 Cohort | Led by James Lam | Register Now! 2026 Florida RIMS Educational Conference | July 28‒Aug. 1 | Register Now RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 | Aug. 10‒12 in San Antonio | Register Now! ChicagoLand Risk Forum | Sept. 24, 2026 RIMS Western Regional Conference — Oct. 4‒7, 2026 | Seattle, WA | Register Today and Submit an Educational Session! RIMS Risk Management Magazine | Contribute | Look for the Awards Edition in "Digital Issues"! RIMS Now RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) | Insights Video Series Featuring Joe Milan! 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"RIMS Risk Manager of the Year Jeff Bray" "RIMS Rising Risk Professional Award Winner Tyler Vaughan" "Sports, Spotlight, and Risk Leadership with Rich Lenkov, Founder and CEO of SERMA" "Supply and Bike Chains with Emily Buckley" (2024) "Absence Management with Ondrea Matthews"   Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: "AI-Scale, Risk Ready: Engineering Controls for the New Data Center Boom" (New!) | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company "Facing Into Risk: Navigating the New Risk Landscape" (New!) | Sponsored by AXA XL "Secondary Perils, Major Risks: The New Face of Weather-Related Challenges" | Sponsored by AXA XL "The ART of Risk: Rethinking Risk Through Insight, Design, and Innovation" | Sponsored by Alliant "Mastering ERM: Leveraging Internal and External Risk Factors" | Sponsored by Diligent "Cyberrisk: Preparing Beyond 2025" | Sponsored by Alliant "The New Reality of Risk Engineering: From Code Compliance to Resilience" | Sponsored by AXA XL "Change Management: AI's Role in Loss Control and Property Insurance" | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company "Demystifying Multinational Fronting Insurance Programs" | Sponsored by Zurich "Understanding Third-Party Litigation Funding" | Sponsored by Zurich "What Risk Managers Can Learn From School Shootings" | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog "Simplifying the Challenges of OSHA Recordkeeping" | Sponsored by Medcor "How Insurance Builds Resilience Against An Active Assailant Attack" | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog "Third-Party and Cyber Risk Management Tips" | Sponsored by Alliant   RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! 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After years of advising CEOs and senior leaders, she's learned that the higher you climb, the more the same human stuff shows up: insecurity, miscommunication, fear of failure, and avoiding the conversations nobody wants to have. In this episode, Erin sits down with the self-proclaimed "C-Suite Whisperer" , Paru Radia, to talk about tough conversations, turning adversity into an advantage, and why standing still might be the riskiest thing you can do. Along the way, Paru shares lessons from her own journey and her no-BS coaching style. Some of the things you'll hear are: -Why Paru actually loves tough conversations (and how to stop dreading them) -How being bullied, underestimated, and treated like an outsider became her superpower -Why "magic happens in momentum" If you've ever felt stuck, overlooked, or unsure of your next move, this episode will challenge how you think about growth, leadership, and success. Check out Paru's Website   Connect with Paru on LinkedIn   Book Erin to speak Ready to modernize your culture, liberate your leadership, and differentiate your business without sounding like every other company on LinkedIn? Bring Erin Hatzikostas in to show your team how authenticity can become an actual strategic advantage, not just another corporate buzzword. Book Erin to Speak If you'd like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple "plays" to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie   If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!   - Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram    - Take our simple, fun and insightful"What's your workplace superhero name?"quiz - Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin's book,"You Do You (ish)"  -Throw out half the playbook and start competing in a league of your own. Check out Erin's book, The 50% Rule.    -Work with Us -Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: hello@bauthenticinc.com    DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments "Don't self-filter and be apologetic about something. It is what it is.  "If you are not confident about the things that you don't like about yourself, you are giving people ammunition to also dislike you. Just own it." "Magic happens in momentum." "The magic won't happen if something is standing still. You need other things to happen for the reaction to happen, which equates to magic." Editor's note: This transcript has been edited for clarity, readability, and length while preserving the core conversation and key teaching moments. In this episode, Erin talks with executive strategist Paru Radia about how to navigate tough conversations at work, communicate with more clarity, own the messy parts of your story, and use momentum to create real career growth. Their conversation covers executive coaching, leadership communication, performance reviews, workplace conflict, career transitions, and the real-life messes behind success. Transcript Why Paru Calls Herself the C-Suite Whisperer Erin: You call yourself the C-Suite Whisperer. If I saw that on a page without knowing you, I might side-eye it. But after meeting you, I thought, "Oh my gosh, she totally is." Where did that come from? Paru: I was talking to a client a few years ago, describing what I do without making it sound too prescriptive. I was explaining how I listen, question, translate, and help executives understand what is really happening. I thought of the show Ghost Whisperer, where someone translates what ghosts are saying to the people who cannot hear them. I realized, "I do what she does, but for executives." So I said, "I'm a C-Suite whisperer." She completely got it. A week later, she told someone she had hired a C-Suite whisperer, then wrote about me on LinkedIn using that phrase. So I thought, "I guess that's what I am." Erin: I love that idea of translating between what someone says and what people actually hear. What gets mistranslated the most when you are working with executives? Paru: Intention. And that applies to everyone. People are often so busy thinking about themselves, what they mean, and what they think other people are hearing that they miss how the message is actually landing. I do not mean that in an arrogant way. No matter how senior you get, it is the same stuff with more at stake. It is the same insecurity, the same miscommunication, the same desire for the business to be successful, the same desire to look good, be liked, be understood, be seen, and be heard. We are all human. The stakes just get higher. How Childhood Shaped Her Ability to Read People Erin: I saw in another interview that when you were asked what time in your life you would change, you mentioned primary school and high school. What were those years like, and how did they shape the bold person you are now? Paru: I want to be careful with that answer. I am really happy in my life now, and I know I would not be where I am today without everything I experienced. But if I could still be where I am today and remove some of the pain from those years, I would. I grew up in a very conservative, traditional Indian household in the seventies and early eighties in racist Britain. We had bricks thrown through our window. We had racial slurs shouted at us. As a child, I had people on the street threaten me because I was Indian. It was scary. Some of that racism translated to school. I was made fun of for being Indian. I was also a chubby kid, so I was made fun of for that too. What happened was that it became safer for me to observe than to participate. It was safer to figure out where the next landmine was or where the next grenade might be thrown. That has worked in my favor now. I observe closely. I have a very keen eye and a very keen ear. I think some of that came from life circumstances that forced me to develop those skills. Erin: That makes so much sense. For people listening who have gone through challenges, trauma, or difficult experiences, how do they start to turn those things into a strength? Paru: First, be kind to yourself. And I do not mean that in a fluffy way. I mean dig deep and own everything about yourself. I am a big advocate of owning all of it. When I work with clients, I am their biggest fan, but I am also very direct. I often say that when you work with me, you will be punched and hugged at the same time. I am not soft. I will tell you things other people are too scared to tell you. I will tell you things you may not want to hear. But I am also there to catch you. I am not doing it to be mean. I am doing it to be real, so we can actually address what is happening. The first step is not self-filtering or apologizing for what is true. If something happened, it happened. If you messed something up, own it. If you do not like something about yourself, name it. Many people start to malfunction when they are not being who they really are. When you try to cover something up or perform as someone else, it creates friction. It is what it is. Own it. If you are not confident about the things you dislike about yourself, you give other people ammunition to dislike those things too. Own them. There are things about me I do not think are fantastic, but I love them anyway. It has taken me a long time to get here. Why Tough Conversations Matter Erin: One thing I wanted to talk to you about is tough conversations at work. The employee who is not performing. The job elimination. The numbers that are not hitting forecast. A lot of smart, capable people want to crawl under their desk when it is time to have those conversations. What advice do you give them? Paru: I love tough conversations. Erin: Why? Paru: Because they are the beginning of something different. Once you have the tough conversation, something is going to change. It might be an action, a perception, or a mindset, but something shifts. I am all for change. I challenge the status quo all the time. I am always looking to be better, do better, and grow. I want that for my clients too. When it comes to tough conversations, language is incredibly important. If I were giving general advice, I would say: get out of your own head and be factual. Avoid making everything about "you," because that can sound aggressive. Keep it business-focused. Ask questions. Do not go straight into the conversation without understanding the other person. Be genuinely curious. I start many difficult conversations by asking for the person's understanding of the topic first. That way, we are on the same page. Then I can share my definition or perspective. That moves me from being opposite them to being next to them. It becomes, "This is how I am looking at it. How are you looking at it?" Then I stay factual. I might say, "The business needs this. The problem we have is this. What do you think we could do about that?" If their answer is not feasible, I might say, "Here is what I am thinking. What are your thoughts on that?" Behavioral issues are different and need more specific examples, but in general, curiosity, clarity, and facts matter. How to Approach a Performance Conversation Erin: Let's use an example. Joe is a project manager. He has moments of brilliance, but he is inconsistent. Sometimes he solves a big problem. Other times, he makes promises he cannot deliver, or his work is not good. How would you coach someone to have that conversation? Paru: There is a lot I would want to understand first. I would want to know what is going through Joe's mind when he performs well, and what is going through his mind when he does not. I would ask whether Joe agrees with the assessment that he is inconsistent. Does he think he is not performing well? What does "well" look like to him? What outcome does he want? I am very outcome-focused. I always ask, "What outcome are you looking for?" Then we work backwards. Many people start from where they are and move forward, but ego and fear get in the way. They think, "I do not want to look bad. I do not want them to think this. I do not want to say that." As a kid, I never saw the point of doing a maze by constantly hitting walls. I would start in the middle, draw the path backwards, and say, "This is the way to get there." I approach coaching the same way. When we start with the outcome, ego becomes less of a problem. We can say, "If you want that outcome, it will take this. You will need to say this. You will need to do that." Once the person can see the outcome clearly, they are usually willing to put their ego aside because they know what they are aiming for. Erin: So with Joe, instead of starting with, "How do you think you are doing?" you would start with what he wants? Paru: Yes. If Joe says, "I want a promotion," I would ask, "What do you think it would take for that promotion to be awarded to you?" He might say he needs to perform at a certain level. Then I would ask, "What would it take to perform at that level?" We would look at relationships, technical ability, consistency, communication, and everything else involved. If relationships are part of the issue, I would ask, "What would your relationship with your boss need to look like?" I do not call myself a coach. I am an executive strategist. Coaching is part of what I do, but I am also opinionated and will share my perspective. I do not do that upfront. I want the client to get there first, but if they do not, I will share what I see. So I might say, "To me, it sounds like your boss needs to see this, this, and this. Right now, you are not showing it. What can we do to make sure you show that?" Why Clarity Changes the Conversation Erin: I love that because so many people go into reviews and ask broad questions like, "How do you think you are doing?" But that can feel like a trap. Paru: Exactly. I like asking a lot of questions to get clarity. Clarity is the first word on my website because it matters so much. When there is clarity, you can have conversations without obsessing over, "What are they going to think? How are they going to take it? What if they do not understand me?" If someone asks me a question that is too broad, I usually do not answer it right away. I ask for context. If someone asked me in a performance review, "How do you think you are doing?" I would either break the answer into categories or ask, "Is there a specific context for that question, or is there a category you would like me to focus on first?" That way, I know I am answering the question they are actually asking, not the question I think they might be asking. Erin: That is such a useful takeaway. If someone asks a question that feels too big or like a landmine, you can ask for clarity. You can say, "Are you asking about my attitude, my deadlines, my communication, or something else?" Paru: Yes. It gives everyone a better chance of having the real conversation. Preparing for High-Stakes Business Conversations Erin: Let's say someone is going into a quarterly business review with their boss, the CFO, and other senior leaders. The business has missed revenue numbers three months in a row. Most people would dread that conversation. How would you advise them to go into it? Paru: If there is going to be a tough conversation with a group, I would get to the audience before they are all in the same room. Relationships are easier one-to-one. If there are four senior stakeholders in the room, I would try to speak with each one individually beforehand. I want to know what I am walking into. I want to be able to predict what is coming my way. If I can preempt some of that through individual conversations, I am better equipped to have a potential solution, even if I have not fully actioned it yet. I might still get hurt a little, but I am less likely to get destroyed by the meeting. Erin: So you would have those pre-conversations, understand the feedback and questions, and make sure the missed numbers are not a surprise. What else? Paru: I would want to know why the numbers were missed. What went wrong? How can it be fixed? How can you make sure it does not happen again? What will you do differently? How do you feel about it? Then I would help the person take ownership of the parts they are responsible for. I would help them own the mistakes with confidence instead of becoming defensive. No one wants to deal with someone who is defensive. The audience is already taking care of themselves. They do not have time to take care of your defensiveness too. Go into the meeting understanding the problems, owning the mistakes, and bringing possible solutions. Why Magic Happens in Momentum Erin: You said something that caught my eye: "Magic happens in momentum." Tell us more about that. Paru: I had that as the screenshot on my phone for about a year. There is an old saying that standing still is the equivalent of moving backwards. Things move. Things change. People evolve. Time passes. If you are not moving, you are going backwards. Even if you are scared, do it anyway. Change will happen. You will grow. You will learn something. You might learn, "I do not like that," or "That did not work," but at least now you know and can move forward. I am a big fan of momentum. Standing still bores me. That is my personality. Some people love stability. I am not risk-averse. I like newness, change, and growth. Momentum creates that. Erin: When I read that, I thought about momentum in relationships too. Someone sends an email saying, "I loved your book," or "I loved your coaching session." There is a difference between responding three days later and capturing that energy in the moment. Paru: Yes. People are forgetful, and enthusiasm dwindles. If someone says, "I loved your book," and you respond a month later, they have already moved on to the next shiny object. The effort it takes to remind them how great you are becomes wasted energy. When there is energy, build on it. That is what improv taught me too. I did improv classes for a year, and so much of improv is about building on other people's ideas. Momentum works the same way. You do something, then the next thing, then the next thing. Magic is the result of action causing a reaction. If everything is standing still, nothing reacts. You need movement for the reaction to happen. The Expiration Date on Favors Erin: For our listeners, especially corporate women in mid-career and up, momentum is so important in relationships and sponsorship. If a senior leader notices what you are doing or reaches out after a good meeting, grab that momentum. Paru: I have the same theory with favors. If you have done something for someone and they say, "Let me know if there is anything I can do for you," there is always an expiration date on that offer. If there is something they can genuinely do, do not waste the favor. But if there is something meaningful, ask while the momentum is there. They have just experienced the good feeling of what you did for them. That feeling will dwindle. People get distracted. Later, they may still help, but it is harder. Erin: A body in motion tends to stay in motion. Paru: Exactly. The Messes Behind Successes Erin: I want to talk about your book, Messes Behind Successes. What is the premise? Paru: It is about navigating reality on your rise to the top. I am tired of reading books about unicorn billionaires. I am happy for them, but many of those stories sound like, "Life was tough, I lost money, then I was on the golf course with my dad's best friend and he invested in my business. Now look at me." That is great for them, but how does that help the rest of us? I do not have a rich dad. I do not have a golf course. I did not go to Harvard, and most people did not either. We hear success stories, but we rarely get a real how-to guide for navigating the mess on the way there. Mess is real. People get married. People get divorced. People move houses or countries. People get sick. People pass away. That is the personal side. At work, you may not get along with your boss. You may not get the promotion. You may mess up an interview, a meeting, or a target. You may be scared you are going to get fired. People do not talk enough about those moments. I am interviewing C-suite leaders who look very successful on paper, and many of them are successful and happy. But they had so much mess along the way. I want to share those stories so people do not feel alone, and so they have tangible examples of how to navigate real life and still make it. Erin: I love that. Those are the stories people need when they are wondering whether they should go for the career move, the big meeting, the executive job, or the new business. It is inspiring to hear how people got through the hard parts. Paru: Exactly. The mess is part of the story. Helping People Recalibrate in Career and Life Erin: Who is your ideal client? Who might be listening and think, "I would really benefit from working with Paru"? Paru: I work with executives in corporations, first-time CEOs, C-suite leaders, rising C-suite leaders, small businesses, startups, and multi-billion-dollar companies. I love working with first-time CEOs because they often do not realize how great they are, and I get to help them shine. I also work with individuals in transition. A lot of people come to me saying, "I want to do this," or "I want to do that," and I ask, "Why?" I really want to know why. About half the time, once they answer that question, they realize they have been working so hard for a dream that is no longer their dream. Their dream has changed. I love when those epiphanies happen. I like helping people in transition understand who they are deep down. Things happen along the way, and sometimes people need to recalibrate. Who are you today because of everything that happened, or despite everything that happened? What does today's version of you want? That is what I want to know, and then I want to help you get there. Where to Find Paru Erin: Where can people follow you and get more of your brilliance? Paru: The only social media platform I am on is LinkedIn. You can find me there as Paru Radia. You can also visit my website. I share a lot of my thoughts, stories, and lessons on LinkedIn. The book also includes many personal stories, including some I cringed while writing. But they are a big part of who I have become, how I think, and how I operate. Erin: Please promise me you will read your own audiobook. Paru: I absolutely will. Erin: Good. Your personality and authenticity need to come through in the audio version. Thank you for sharing your candor, your insights, and part of yourself with us today. Paru: Thank you for opening the door into your world and letting me in. It has been so much fun.

Erik Brooks is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Ethos Capital, a middle-market private equity firm built to bring seasoned C-Suite operators into every aspect of the investment process. Erik's experience prior to founding Ethos in 2019 spanned privatizations in Eastern Europe, value investing at Baupost, and twenty years at Abry Partners. Our conversation covers Erik's path to private equity, lessons learned about risk, the importance of betting on people, and the evolution in his thinking that led to forming Ethos. We then cover Ethos' focus on durable business models, one-deal-a-year cadence, operating system to evaluate and improve companies, and an investment example that brings it all to life. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)

Most teams can identify friction in their customer experience. The challenge is convincing leadership to invest in fixing it. Digital leaders from Walmart, FanDuel, US Bank, and American Eagle have all faced that challenge. In this encore episode, hosts Chuck Moxley and Nick Paladino revisit key lessons on elevating frictionless experiences to the C-suite and reveal what separates ideas that get funded from those that don't.Vijay Jayaraman from Walmart explains how teams use peak events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday to quantify the impact of customer experience issues before they become major business problems. Shawn Sheely from US Bank shares how his team reframed accessibility from a compliance requirement into a billion-dollar market opportunity, helping reduce onboarding costs by 70%.Catherine Gignac from American Eagle offers a powerful perspective on designers as connectors, bringing together the work of dozens of stakeholders into a single customer experience.Scott Smith from FanDuel challenges a common assumption: stop obsessing over competitors. Your customers chose your brand for a reason. Instead of copying what others are doing, focus on understanding why your customers engage with you and what keeps them coming back.You'll also hear practical insights on measuring friction, defining the "spine" of an experience, interpreting customer behavior data, and translating customer pain points into business outcomes that executives care about.Key Actionable Takeaways:Quantify friction using peak seasonal periods to justify investment - A problem affecting 10,000 Walmart users today could impact millions on Black Friday; use known high-traffic events to correlate current issues with future revenue impact and demonstrate why fixing seemingly trivial problems matters nowReframe compliance as market opportunity not checkbox - US Bank saw accessibility as a billion-dollar market rather than legal requirement, reduced onboarding costs 70%, and opened entirely new customer channels by simplifying experiences for assistive technology usersPrioritize customer voice over competitive benchmarking - Your customers chose you because your brand resonates with them specifically; copying competitor journeys misses the point because their customers are fundamentally different people with different needs and preferencesWant more tips and strategies about creating frictionless digital experiences? Subscribe to our newsletter! https://www.thefrictionlessexperience.com/frictionless/ Download the Five Step Site Speed Target Playbook: http://bluetriangle.com/playbookDom Costa's LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/dominickcosta  Nick Paladino's LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/npaladino Chuck Moxley's LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/chuck-moxley Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(03:18) Quantifying friction(06:20) Vijay peak periods(11:10) Black Friday first impressions(15:15) Scott traffic conversions(20:40) Sean accessibility market(27:00) Compliance reframe(31:25) Team alignment(38:00) Katherine designers as builders(43:40) Voice of customer(45:25) Customer vs competitor focus(53:15) Vijay customer first(57:00) Katherine friction tools(01:01:20) Data interpretation(01:03:31) Conclusion

Remembering the core of why you exist and your purpose as an individual or a culture requires intentional remembrance. AND, ReMembering is a process for the future of who you hope to become.  Jason explores the transformative power of "active remembrance," offering leaders a strategic blueprint to align core organizational identity with future execution. For Full Show Notes Visit: https://www.jasonvbarger.com/podcast/remember-who-you-are-becoming/ Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: In a fast-paced commercial landscape dominated by continuous systemic distraction, how do elite executives anchor their organizations while successfully driving innovation? In this episode of The Thermostat, Jason V Barger handles the profound practice of structural remembrance, demonstrating how looking backward at your core roots is the essential first step to moving forward effectively. This conversation moves beyond standard management advice to deconstruct the active process of what it means to ReMember. Jason breaks down the dual responsibility facing modern leaders: the cognitive requirement to recall exactly why an enterprise exists, paired with the structural assembly needed to align everyday habits with a future vision. Drawing on historical frameworks like Memorial Day and insights from his second book, Jason challenges leaders to shift their attention away from safe, repetitive patterns to build a highly connected corporate culture. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, HR directors, and managers focused on leadership in teams, this episode offers a practical five-part framework to reframe corporate narratives, hone non-negotiable priorities, and ensure that who you are becoming is explicitly aligned with your foundational purpose. Episode Notes & Timestamps: [00:00] Intro: Jason introduces the spirit of remembrance and the necessity of stepping back to evaluate the long-term journey. [00:01] Setting the Temperature: A reflection on 330+ episodes and the ongoing dedication to breathing good oxygen into leadership spaces globally. [00:03] The Origin of Memorial Day: Tracing the history of Decoration Day (1868) as a cultural blueprint for tracking foundational roots and honoring corporate sacrifice. [00:04] The 3 PM Pause: An analysis of the national moment of silence as a operational metaphor for executive self-reflection and recalibration. [00:07] Deconstructing "ReMember": Insights from Jason's second book on returning to core purpose while actively assembling a participatory, forward-looking future. [00:09] 1. Clarifying Future Identity: Why leaders who aim at nothing hit it every time, and how to explicitly describe your target organizational identity. [00:10] 2. Building Intentional Habits: Auditing how your team thinks, acts, and interacts daily to prevent institutional complacency and comfortable regressions. [00:12] 3. Process Over Results: Understanding why sustainable revenue and performance metrics are simply the downstream outcomes of intentional human development. [00:13] 4. Reframing the Inner Narrative: Strategies to break out of repetitive, risk-averse internal dialogue to focus on collective innovation and possibility. [00:15] 5. Honing Priorities: Dispelling the myth of multitasking and why high-performing teams must narrow their focus to 3-5 core objectives. [00:16] Active Renewal: A closing call to action on carrying the best elements of your past to co-create a resilient enterprise ecosystem. Key Takeaways for Leaders: Identity-Driven Habits: Ensure your daily operational habits and communication structures actively back up the aspirational culture you claim to build. Input Management: Focus directly on the development of your workflows and people; when you protect the input, the performance metrics take care of themselves. Radical Focus Restriction: Overcome organizational exhaustion by ruthlessly eliminating peripheral noise and committing fully to 3-5 strategic priorities. Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/remember-who-you-are-becoming/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice.   Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your 2026 Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason

This week on CMO Confidential, we're revisiting our conversation with Tom Goodwin from August of 2025 - this is one of our favorites with topics just as relevant to marketers today. Tom discusses his belief that today's CMO's are overly focused on efficiency versus marketing principles and that the contemporary playbook has been created by tech companies focused on performance metrics. Key topics include: -An unhealthy focus on the speed of measurement and short-term results-Marketers having a "feeling of vulnerability" if they haven't heard of new tech-The fact that many of the hyped direct-to-consumer brands like Casper and Ridge Wallets aren't actually doing that well Tune in to hear the underestimated impact of "beauty" and a story about being locked out of a self-driving car. This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmoSubscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives. ⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Intro: Meet Tom Goodwin02:28 – Would 1950s Marketers Beat Today's CMOs?05:41 – Is Marketing Actually More Complex Today?09:15 – Fundamentals vs Growth Hacking & Performance Tactics11:05 – DTC vs Traditional Brands: What Actually Works15:13 – Short-Term Metrics, AI Hype & Tech Overload28:36 – Dark Social, Hidden Influence & What Data Misses34:21 – Predictions, AI Reality & The Power of Simplicity #MarketingStrategy, #CMOConfidential, #TomGoodwin, #BrandMarketing, #DigitalMarketing, #PerformanceMarketing, #MarketingFundamentals, #GrowthMarketing, #Advertising, #MarketingTrends, #AIinMarketing, #FutureOfMarketing, #CreativeStrategy, #CannesLions, #AdTech, #BrandBuilding, #ConsumerBehavior, #DirectToConsumer, #MarketingLeadership, #MarketingInsightsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Forty percent of prospects never make a buying decision, and the reason is rarely the competition. Rohail Khan, founder of Avant.AI and executive consultant for Corporate Visions, breaks down why the status quo is the most dangerous competitor in any sales cycle and how to defeat it.Khan draws on 25 years as a C-suite executive, including roles at Xerox and Bank of America, to explain what CEOs and CFOs actually pay attention to during a pitch and why most sales teams lose the room within the first five minutes. The conversation covers how to use earnings call transcripts to find unconsidered risks, how to escape the commodity trap by shifting from features to financial outcomes, and why "you phrasing" transfers ownership to the buyer in ways that change the entire power dynamic of a pitch.Host Sean Grady also gets into Daniel Kahneman's prospect theory, the EBITDA pivot, the value wedge, and the three deadly sins of sales messaging. Khan offers specific AI prompt strategies using tools like Perplexity and Gemini to surface insights that clients do not yet know they need.Whether you manage large accounts, prepare executive proposals, or are trying to break through to the C-suite for the first time, this conversation delivers a concrete framework for turning uncertainty into urgency.Learn more about Corporate Visions at corporatevisions.com. Visit Sean Grady's website at seankgrady.com to sign up for the newsletter.#SalesPodcast #CSuiteStrategy #EnvironmentalTransformationTAGS:Rohail Khan, Avant AI, Corporate Visions sales training, C-suite selling, executive sales strategy, no decision sales, EBITDA pivot, value wedge, prospect theory, Daniel Kahneman loss aversion, B2B sales podcast, sales training podcast, closing deals, unconsidered needs, sales messaging, commodity trap, Environmental Transformation PodcastCHAPTERS:0:00 Introduction and Rohail Khan's Background2:55 The Elevator Pitch and C-Suite Preparation8:00 Understanding the CEO, CFO, and COO Mindset11:30 Using Earnings Calls for Sales Research15:55 Sponsor Messages16:40 Why No Decision Is the Biggest Competitor19:45 Finding Unconsidered Needs With AI Research25:30 Biggest Preparation Mistakes in Executive Pitches29:30 You Phrasing and the Power Dynamic Shift31:45 The EBITDA Pivot and Avoiding Speeds and Feeds34:30 Breaking Through the Procurement Gatekeeper38:30 The Value Wedge and Defensible Differentiation41:00 Making the Customer the Hero Through Storytelling43:00 Decision-Making Psychology and Managing Risk47:30 Prospect Theory and the Cost of Inaction52:30 Telling Details Versus Superlatives in a Pitch53:45 Reframing Emotional Anchors With Analogies55:30 The Three Deadly Sins of Sales Messaging56:30 How to Connect With Corporate Visions

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   In this episode, Justin interviews Ward Ching and Aaron Olson of Aon about their recent session at RISKWORLD 2026 and the book they co-authored, Strategy and Change: Finding Opportunity in Disruption Through Insight, Choice, and Risk. They discuss the dizzying, disruptive transformation in today's market, where conventional risk management frameworks, tools, and solutions have become increasingly ineffective. They explore technological innovation in terms of the new powers of next-generation microprocessors and the accompanying robustness of machine learning-based analytics. Aaron explains how he built an AI analysis agent over a weekend. Aaron and Ward discuss their book and how to use it to help you and your organization navigate disruption. Listen for insight on how to use disruption without being disrupted in the risk ecosystem.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:16] About this episode of RIMScast. Our topic is strategy and change in a world full of innovation and disruption, and we will be joined by our guests, Aaron Olson and our friend Ward Ching of Aon, but first… [:45] RIMS Virtual Workshops. The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep will be held on June 9th and 10th. The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep with AFERM will be held on June 16th and 17th. Links to registration are in this episode's notes. [1:01] Webinars. On May 28th, Zurich returns with "From Underwriting To Risk Management: What To Expect From The Growing Demand For Data Center Construction." Register for webinars at RIMS.org/Webinars or through the links in this episode's show notes. [1:17] Folks, RIMS is back on YouTube. Our handle is @RIMSOfficialChannel. We've got plenty of videos there, including RIMScast, RIMScast Canada video podcasts, and other informative and entertaining content from RIMS. Subscribe to the channel today! [1:36] On with the Show! Our guests today are, respectively, the Executive Vice President at Aon Corporation and a Managing Director at Aon Corporation. They are Aaron Olson, making his debut on RIMSCast, and our good friend Ward Ching, also a former RIMS-CRMP Commissioner. [1:52] They presented a session at RISKWORLD 2026, titled "Strategy and Change: Understanding Disruptive Innovation Through Insight, Choice and Risk." They recently published a book, Strategy and Change: Finding Opportunity in Disruption Through Insight, Choice, and Risk. [2:11] We will talk about the risk management practices, philosophies, and frameworks that went into the book and the session, what it took for Mr. Olson to build an AI agent, and how you can assess whether this is the sort of business decision for your organization. Let's get to it! [2:32] Interview! Aaron Olson and Ward Ching, Welcome to RIMScast! [3:12] Aaron says Ward and he work together at Aon, and they work with risk managers around the world. They also do some academic work. Ward, at USC, Marshall School of Business, and Aaron, at Northwestern, just outside Chicago. [3:25] Aaron says that for 20 years, he's been working as a member of the faculty there, part-time, teaching on the topic of the intersection of strategy and leadership. [3:38] About 10 years ago, Aaron did some research and published a book focused on the intersection of strategy and leadership. He looked at different companies and examples to learn how individuals lead strategy. [3:55] Ten years later, Aaron and Ward talked about it regarding the clients they work with and the challenges risk managers working in those organizations face. In the last 10 years, the world has gotten a lot more complicated and volatile, and is facing more and more risk. [4:16] Aaron and Ward decided to do some new work. This time, it's not strategy and leadership; it's strategy and disruptive change. [4:27] They looked at what lessons they could learn from COVID, from the supply chain, and from the unpredictable rising cost of doing business. What can we do about that? [4:42] How can companies be successful? How can risk managers be successful? What is the changing, evolving role of risk in the midst of that?  [4:53] Ward says one of the interesting things is that disruption has always been part of the economic environment. It is now a hyper-important part of economic decision-making in every industry vertical. [5:12] Ward's research in the disruptive innovation space started with a paper for RIMS that he did with Paul Walker several years ago on the issue of enterprise risk management tools and capabilities. Paul and Ward did the research, looking at all the tools. [5:38] Then February 2020 rolled around, and the world went completely dark. Everybody predicted that there was exposure to a pandemic, but nobody had any thought of how it would go from ranking number 25 or 50 on risk registers to number one, overnight. [6:14] Paul and Ward asked each other what was underneath this. Why did all of our tools fail? They found an interesting literature base around disruptive innovation. Ward says a lot, if not all, of our core disruptive events throughout history started with a technological innovation. [6:38] Aaron and Ward went further, looking at all the disruption in the marketplace now: new silicon chips, our speed toward AI, agentic AI, the things we can do now with data that we couldn't do or see five years ago. That's creating a very interesting, disruptive environment. [7:10] Disruption needs to be considered as part of the decision calculus for most organizations. Similarly, disruption is a new risk issue that has not been well understood, measured, or evaluated in the past. That's what Ward and Aaron were trying to look at. [7:30] In the book and at RISKWORLD, Ward and Aaron looked at it from several perspectives: How is disruption creating advantage? How is disruption creating new opportunities? How is it changing the way we think about risk, risk management, and risk mitigation? [7:58] Aaron says one of the things we uncovered as we got into this was that going back 10 years ago, on any given day, your average executive was maybe dealing with one crisis or issue coming at them. [8:14] Aaron says that today, an executive coming into the office or dialing in on Zoom is probably dealing with two or three simultaneous challenges, and that has a compounding effect. Technology is an accelerant and also an amplifier. [8:37] The combination of speed and severity means that organizations deal with an external environment that has multiple concurrent risks. Then you have internal execution risks, and they, too, are more complicated. [8:52] Take AI, as an externality, but also inside. All kinds of new risks are surfacing as AI is changing workflows, processes, and the nature of people's jobs and work. That is a level of complexity we have not had to deal with in most of our professional lifetimes. [9:12] Ward says most of the tools that we use to mitigate those risks are now obsolete. When you look at a heat map, it is point-specific. You look at various risks along a series of axes. These point-specific numbers or locations don't answer the question, "So what do you do?" [9:59] You understand where the risk might be, on a frequency, severity, or likelihood scale, but if you were the CFO, you would be asking, "What investment do I have to make to move something that's at an extraordinarily high, or even uninsurable space, into someplace more acceptable?" [10:18] Those comparative static tools don't give you enough information to make significant decisions, especially now that a problem may have adjacencies that impact a decision, so that needs to be broader in terms of its context and execution. A lot of those tools don't work now. [10:41] A Quick Break! There are so many other wonderful RIMS events coming up in 2026. The 2026 Florida RIMS Educational Conference will be held from July 28th through August 1st at the lovely Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida. A link to the event is in this episode's show notes. [11:02] Register now for the Second Annual RIMS Texas Regional Conference, which will be held from August 10th through 12th at the Grand Hyatt on the San Antonio River Walk. Advance rates are available through June 5th. [11:16] The 11th Annual Chicagoland Risk Forum will return to the Old Post Office on Thursday, September 24th, 2026, in Chicago. Visit ChicagolandRiskForum.org for more information. [11:29] The RIMS Western Regional Conference will be held from October 4th through the 7th in Seattle, Washington. Registration is open, and you can also submit a session. Visit RIMSWesternRegional.com and the link in this episode's show notes for more information. [11:46] Save the dates October 18th through the 21st. We will be in Quebec City to celebrate the 50th Live RIMS Canada Conference. Booth sales are already open. Early-bird registration will open in June. [12:01] Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca for more information. Also, remember to check out RIMS.org/Canada for our spinoff show, RIMScast Canada, hosted by National Conference Committee Chair, Aaron Lukoni. [12:15] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 18th and 19th in Columbus, Ohio. Details will follow on RIMS.org. [12:24] Let's Return to our Interview with Ward Ching and Aaron Olson! [12:33] Aaron built the strategy agent at Aon. Aaron shares how it was done. He was a one-man team on this project. Aaron tells about vibe coding. He took a routine that he and Ward have been doing for years, and he realized that an agent could do some of that work.  [13:36] Aaron and Ward have been working together for a couple of years. On the academic side, they wrote a book and codified some of the work they do with their clients. Aaron says they took a framework and turned it into a simple worksheet. [13:53] Aaron now uses that worksheet to prepare for clients. It's an analysis tool for what is going on in that client's industry, what key issues they need to deal with, and what insights, decisions, and risks Aaron will discuss with them. [14:09] As Aaron started to look at agents, he realized that he didn't have to do all that work himself. [14:16] Aaron uses ChatGPT. There's an ability within ChatGPT to create a Custom GPT. It asks you to follow a set of instructions. It isn't coding, just guidance. [14:36] Aaron wrote out his guidance, uploaded his worksheet, and constructed prompts. A prompt is a good question to ask. Aaron preloaded some good prompts to get an agent. [14:52] Aaron, Ward, and others use this agent, which they call the Strategy and Change Diagnostic. They input the client's name and problem, the type of conversation they want to have with the client, the situations they are focusing on, and the present disruptive changes. [15:16] Aaron asks the agent, "What are the things we should be focusing on?" It comes back with a lot of the work Aaron would have had to think through himself. It's pulling on the logic he taught it and pulling real-time, relevant financial information from the internet. [15:43] Aaron says it would have taken a team of people working for months to get the same result. We're living in a different world. [15:52] Ward says that Aaron can change the persona of the agent. The agent is looking at it from one point of view. It can look at it from a different point of view or a competing point of view. All of those will generate additional insights into what the client's issues might be. [15:14] Aaron built the Strategy and Change Diagnostic over a weekend and refined it by trying it out with some real situations. Aaron thinks this type of agent is in the future for all of us. [16:27] Ward says, Strategy and Change: Finding Opportunity in Disruption Through Insight, Choice, and Risk, and the recent RISKWORLD 2026 session, cover disruption and disruptive innovation in a clinical way, and case studies, new tools, and responsibilities that are coming out.  [16:54] Ward talks about the necessary skills. Many people in risk management are asking what skills and capabilities they need to be successful going forward. That's a big issue. What is the impact of AI? What is the impact on data analysis and on the types of things they need to do? [17:19] Risk professionals wonder if they should be coders, actuaries, or engineers. Ward says, the answer is yes. They need to be all of those, going forward. That's a big issue in question. [17:28] Justin says an editorial strategy shift at RIMS is that it's no longer just about identifying risk. It's how to leverage it to do your job better. It's what you need to know now to enable you to succeed later. It's not just about the "what." It's about the "why" and the "how." [17:52] Another Quick Break! The Spencer Educational Foundation's Risk Manager on Campus application period is now open, and it will close on June 30th. Grant awardees, colleges, and universities are typically notified in September. [18:14] The Course Development Grant application deadline for Interval Number 2 will be on June 15th, 2026. Award notifications will be sent out in late July. [18:27] General Grant applications are open, and the application deadline is July 30th. Internship Grant applications open on August 15th and close on October 15th. [18:39] Links to each of these grants are in this episode's show notes. Visit SpencerEd.org for more information. [18:48] The Spencer 2026 Funding Their Future Gala will be held on Thursday, September 17th, from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. at a different venue this year. It will be at the fabulous Waldorf Astoria in New York City. [19:03] Sponsorship opportunities and benefits are available now. A link to the Funding Their Future Gala is in this episode's show notes. [19:12] Be on the lookout for some of the honorees and Spencer Board members to join RIMScast in June and July. [19:21] Let's Conclude Our Interview with Ward Ching and Aaron Olson!! [19:32] Aaron says this is the second book he has written and the first book he has written with Ward. They enjoyed the opportunity to bring together some things they had been doing in their respective professional backgrounds. [19:46] The book is an investigation into what is driving us to live in a world that's more complicated and faster-moving, where risk is different, and we need to work differently because of it. [20:01] They go into practical things with three different lenses on the issues we all face in a world of disruptive change. The lenses are insight, choice, and risk. They get to the practical aspects of what that means for us. [20:15] They address success in a world that's more complicated, is moving faster, and has a lot more volatility that's not going away. They use case examples. They look at real organizations. What happened to GE over the last decade? How did they navigate changes in their industry? [20:35] How did S&P Global evolve from a very different business a decade ago? They were McGraw-Hill, the publisher. These are real companies that have faced real challenges, and they've taken proactive approaches that have evolved the way they do business. [20:52] The book brings it down to individuals and how you lead through that kind of change. There are practical things and a few tools to use. [21:05] Ward adds that it points to some additional literature to think about. [21:09] Clayton Christensen at Harvard did a lot of interesting work associated with the innovator's dilemma, in which he was asking the question, "How do organizations that have been innovative throughout their lifespans, when they continue to be innovative, fail?" [21:28] Ward says it has to do with disruptive elements in the marketplace. It raises the question of how you, in risk management, can help the organization think slightly disruptively to help it push through the biases and barriers that might cause it to have difficulties going forward. [21:40] The issue of understanding disruptive innovation is part of the new toolkit that the next generation of risk professionals is going to have to have, sharpened up, with a strong acumen around, to help their organization succeed going forward. [22:09] Those are some of the more subtle elements of the book. It also talks about a risk ecosystem as opposed to separate distinct property and casualty, wealth, well-being, and more. [22:27] They're not in separate locations; they're in an ecosystem. The data is showing us how they interact with each other. New skills, new capabilities, and new perspectives are highlighted in the book. [22:44] Special thanks again to Aaron Olson and Ward Ching of Aon for joining us here on RIMScast! Remember to check out their book Strategy and Change: Finding Opportunity in Disruption Through Insight, Choice, and Risk. It is available worldwide right now. [22:57] If you are looking for the slides from their RISKWORLD 2026 presentation, open up the RIMS Events app and go to the Attendees Service Center. Also visit RIMS.org/ASC. Navigate over to their names, and you should find it. [23:13] Be sure to check out the links in this episode's show notes for the past appearances of our friend Ward Ching. [23:20] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [23:48] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [24:07] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [24:24] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [24:41] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [24:54] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [25:06] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continued support!   Links: RIMS Canada Conference — Oct. 18‒21, 2026 | Quebec City | Registration Opens in June RIMScast on YouTube! Spencer Educational Foundation — Scholarships and Grants | Open Calls and Timelines. RIMS-CRO Certificate Program In Advanced Enterprise Risk Management | July‒Sept. 2026 Cohort | Led by James Lam 2026 Florida RIMS Educational Conference | July 28‒Aug. 1 | Register Now RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 | Aug. 10‒12 in San Antonio | Register Now! ChicagoLand Risk Forum | Sept. 24, 2026 RIMS Western Regional Conference — Oct. 4‒7, 2026 | Seattle, WA | Register Today and Submit an Educational Session! RIMS Risk Management magazine | Contribute RIMS Now RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) | Insights Video Series Featuring Joe Milan! The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center RIMS Diversity Equity Inclusion Council RIMS-CRMP Stories RIMScast Canada — Episodes Now Live RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RISKWORLD 2026 Presentations Available via Attendee Service Center — www.RIMS.org/Asc — and via the RIMS Events App Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Prep Virtual Workshops: RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep | June 9‒10 RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep with AFERM | June 16‒17, 2026 Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops   Upcoming RIMS Webinars: From Underwriting To Risk Management: What To Expect From The Growing Demand For Data Center Construction | May 28 | Presented by Zurich RIMS.org/Webinars   Related RIMScast Episodes: "Live from RISKWORLD 2026!" 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She recently transitioned to a new role and organization and is having trouble finding inspiration and motivation. Host Muriel Wilkins coaches her through why she feels professionally unfulfilled, and what she can do about it. For further reading: When Work Truly Fills Your Cup: https://karen-onpurpose1.medium.com/when-work-truly-fills-your-cup-83b0890ccf8b3 Questions to Ask When Your Job Isn't Fulfilling: https://hbr.org/2022/11/3-questions-to-ask-when-your-job-isnt-fulfillingHow to Transition from Public Service to the Private Sector: https://www.executivegov.com/articles/how-to-transition-from-government-to-industryConnect with Muriel:Website: murielwilkins.comLinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins Instagram: @CoachMurielWIlkins Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community: coachingrealleaderscommunity.comRead Muriel's book: LeadershipUnblocked.com Masterworks: Visit masterworks.art/leaders to view their track record and inquire for membership.Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Investing involves risk. See important disclosures at masterworks.com/cdSee the Offering Circular for our current offering featuring work by Jean-Michel Basquiat here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How much business are you losing simply because you're not staying in consistent contact with your audience? Most companies don't have a sales problem—they have a follow-up problem. And follow-up isn't about chasing people…it's about staying top of mind with value, relevance, and consistency. That's why my interview with Smita Wadhawan, CMO of Constant Contact, on the THINK Business – What Are You Good At? series hit on a hard truth—consistency is the new marketing advantage. Here are 5 takeaways that stood out: ✅ Mindshare → Market Share People can't buy from you if they forget you exist. Marketing isn't optional—it's oxygen. ✅ Consistency builds trust Trust isn't built in a moment—it's built in the follow-up moments people rarely do. ✅ Simple wins Customers don't want clever. They want clear. They want fast. They want relevant. ✅ Start now—then scale Stop overthinking platforms, funnels, or brand perfection. Start small. Ship. Learn. Improve. ✅ AI is here to help, not replace Use AI to automate repetitive work—so you can stay human where it matters most.   Smita Wadhawan Verma Global Chief Marketing Officer | Top 50 CMO | PayPal | Intuit | GoDaddy | Visa | SaaS | HealthTech | FinTech Award-winning Chief Marketing Officer with experience at GoDaddy, PayPal, Intuit, VISA, and SimplePractice — across SMB/consumer, SaaS, HealthTech, and FinTech. Global teams and global leadership at EcoVadis. Scaled and led businesses from a mid-size company to a $32B established brand, with budgets up to $175M. Expertise in growth marketing, product marketing, B2B and B2C marketing, lifecycle marketing, PR and comms. Smita has built and led teams of 150+ people in highly matrixed, cross-functional organizations across the US, Europe, Africa, Japan and India. She has partnered with top agencies like Koto, Instrument, Razorfish, TBWA, Highwire PR — and managed award-winning internal creative teams. Under Smita's leadership, her teams have won Digiday Awards and several Webby Award nominations. Smita is well known as a culture champion and recognized as a highly influential and inclusive C-Suite leader who can inspire teams to deliver outstanding results. Recognized as a 2024 Top 50 CMO in the US. Connect with Jon Dwoskin: Twitter: @jdwoskin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.dwoskin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejondwoskinexperience Website: https://jondwoskin.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jondwoskin Email: jon@jondwoskin.com Get Jon's Book: The Think Big Movement: Grow your business big. Very Big! Connect with Jeff Gunsberg:Website: https://title-connect.com Connect with Smita Wadhawan:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smitawadhawan/ *E - explicit language may be used in this podcast.

In today's episode, we wrestle with a tension many OD practitioners quietly carry: wanting our work to matter without wanting to be the center of attention. Much of what we do happens behind the scenes — coaching leaders, shaping conversations, diffusing conflict, and helping teams succeed in ways that are often invisible to others. When things go well, the leader or team rightfully gets the credit. In many ways, that's exactly how OD work is supposed to work. But if we're honest, there are moments when the lack of acknowledgment can sting. At the same time, many of us feel uncomfortable when the spotlight turns our way. We deflect praise, minimize our contributions, or almost cringe when recognition comes too directly. So what is this tension really about? Is it humility? Professional identity? Ego? Or simply the complicated reality of doing work that is deeply relational, highly influential, and often hard to see? In this conversation, we explore the quiet paradox of OD work: helping others shine while remaining mostly invisible ourselves — and the mixed emotions that come with that role.

25 May 2026. President Trump says he’s close to a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Economist Nick Stadtmiller of Emirates NBD joins us to break down what that could actually mean for the UAE economy. Plus, the closure of the Strait means moving companies haven’t been moving as much. We find out what they’ve been doing instead with the CEO of Easytruck. And the UK just closed a £3.7 billion trade deal with the GCC, the first G7 country to do so. Deyana Cherneva, Regional Head of Global Trade Solutions at HSBC Bank Middle East, on what the agreement actually unlocks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Healthcare isn't short on strategy right now—it's short on people, access, and experienced leadership where it matters most. In Texas alone, more rural hospitals have closed than in any other state over the past decade, leaving entire communities with limited access to care. At the same time, many health systems are realizing they haven't built strong pipelines for the next generation of leaders—making the transfer of real-world experience more critical than ever.So what happens when seasoned executives step away from operational leadership and into academia—and can that shift help solve healthcare's talent and access challenges?The latest episode of I Don't Care focuses on what happens when decades of healthcare leadership experience meets the classroom. Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Dr. Michael Wiggins, Assistant Professor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, to explore his transition from hospital CEO to educator. The conversation spans leadership development, rural health innovation, academic medicine, and the evolving role of technology in care delivery.What you'll learn…Why healthcare leaders need both practical experience and academic grounding to handle modern system complexity.How rural health challenges are reshaping leadership priorities, from access and infrastructure to community-centered care models.What emerging forces—AI, industry consolidation, and financial pressure—mean for the future of healthcare delivery and how leaders must adapt.Dr. Michael Wiggins, DBA, FACHE, is a seasoned healthcare executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience across academic medical centers, pediatric health systems, and community-based care. He has served as President and CEO of nationally recognized children's hospitals, where he led strategic planning, operational excellence, physician partnerships, and philanthropy initiatives to improve care delivery and community health outcomes. Now an Assistant Professor at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, he focuses on developing future healthcare leaders, advancing research, and guiding organizations on strategy, leadership alignment, and performance improvement.

Taking a break from the CRO interviews and going back to the 'roots' of the podcast, Dan is publishing his appearance on a customer podcast to talk about selling higher and closing CXOs! Studio interviews will return in 2 weeks. Audio only.

Episode Description “What happens when leaders stop chasing results…and start pursuing peace of mind?” In this powerful episode of the Find Your Leadership Confidence Podcast, host Vicki Noethling welcomes Deborah Coviello, known as The Drop in CEO™, to discuss how leaders can regain clarity, confidence, and calm in the midst of chaos. Deb shares her remarkable journey from corporate leadership to becoming a trusted advisor helping C-Suite executives “lower the temperature” and elevate conversations with empathy, patience, and courage. Drawing from her books, The CEO’s Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track and The NEW CEO Playbook: Stop Chasing Results and Start Pursuing Peace of Mind, Deb explains why so many organizations quietly suffer from corporate destabilization, leadership burnout, feedback failures, and the hidden inability to truly coach employees. Throughout the conversation, Deb reveals why not everyone is designed to be a high performer, the importance of corporate courage, and how leaders can recognize when it's time to ask for help. She also shares three simple yet transformational words that can dramatically improve feedback conversations and leadership outcomes. If you are a business owner, executive, entrepreneur, or emerging leader navigating uncertainty, pressure, or organizational change, this episode will inspire you to lead with greater calm, clarity, and confidence. Some questions explored in this episode include: • What inspired Deb to write The CEO's Compass? • Why is corporate destabilization the silent killer of organizations? • Why do many executives struggle to coach employees effectively? • What does corporate courage truly look like? • How can leaders create healthier feedback conversations? • Why should leaders pursue peace of mind instead of constantly chasing results? This conversation is filled with wisdom, practical leadership insights, and empowering strategies to help leaders get back on track and lead with purpose. The first chapter of Deborah's book shows how much she understands the listener when they’re at a crossroad and knows they need to do something differently. https://dropinceo.com/gift/ Subscribe to Our PodcastConnect With Our Guest Website: https://dropinceo.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IlluminationPartnersLLC/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahacoviello/ X: https://x.com/dropinceo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dropinceo YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/@dropinceo The post Deborah Coviello on The CEO's Compass: Your Guide to Get back on Track first appeared on The Find Your Leadership Confidence Podcast with Victoria Noethling.

It is a place where Directors to C-Suite members can meet and mingle four times a year and collaborate on so much. The organization was founded by our return guest Marni Hockenberg nearly two years ago and it has become a major success. ExeConnect Iowa is the only social and networking community created exclusively for Director to C-level executives. Who is invited, when do they meet and how you might get involved. All asked and answered. Thanks for listening! The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.  

This week on Money & Wealth with John O’Bryant, John sits down with Kristy Fercho — Senior Executive Vice President at Wells Fargo and the first Black woman ever to serve on the bank’s operating committee. From growing up in Compton to leading billion-dollar businesses and helping shape financial inclusion at one of the world’s largest banks, Kristy shares the mindset, discipline, and authenticity that fueled her rise. This powerful conversation dives into: Navigating corporate America as the “double only” Why relationships matter more than resumes Building generational wealth through homeownership The danger of compromising your values for success How Black and Brown professionals can access real capital and opportunity Lessons on leadership, confidence, faith, and legacy John and Kristy also unpack the importance of financial literacy, mentorship, and creating pathways for future generations through initiatives like Operation HOPE and financial inclusion programs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Audrey Scheck's 20-person firm is a well-oiled machine—complete with a carefully structured leadership team and a top-down approach that sets the tone for every employee. Elsewhere in the episode, she shares her growth mindset as she expanded her team, how a bandwidth tracker helps the firm determine whether it's time to take on new business, and the questions that help clients step outside their comfort zone. This episode was sponsored by Dallas Market Center and Kohler. LINKSHema Persad Kaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

Cultivating appreciation for the people, places, moments and learnings around us is a practice. In a world where it's often easier to be pulled into negativity bias, cultivating appreciation as a leader and culture are critical. For Full shownotes visit: https://www.jasonvbarger.com/podcast/cultivating-appreciation/ Jason explores the power of cognitive training and strategic focus, revealing how elite teams can overcome the psychological traps of negativity bias by actively cultivating appreciation. Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: In a hyper-connected world frequently dominated by algorithmic outrage and "rage bait," why is it so easy for workplace environments to slip into deep-seated cynicism? In this episode of The Thermostat, Jason V Barger targets the evolutionary mechanics of the "negativity bias"—the well-documented psychological truth that insults, criticisms, and setbacks stick in our memories far more than compliments and positive milestones. Jason shifts the leadership conversation away from toxic positivity and superficial, rose-colored glasses. Instead, he presents appreciation as a rigorous, performance-driven practice of strategic "attentiveness." Drawing on behavioral psychology, literature, and fast-paced executive encounters, Jason provides a distinct five-part framework for leaders to train their vision. By discovering how to steer organizational focus intentionally, executives can combat the default hyper-critical baseline and fundamentally alter the engagement trajectory of their corporate culture. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, operations directors, and culture transformation leaders, this episode provides a hands-on tactical guide to turning recognition from a soft sentiment into an actionable asset for leadership in teams. Episode Notes & Timestamps: [00:00] Intro: Jason frames the trajectory shift that occurs when leaders step back to cultivate an intentional mindset of appreciation. [00:03] The Negativity Bias: An in-depth look at the psychology behind why human brains naturally retain negative events and criticisms far more intensely than equivalent positive ones. [00:05] Sidelined by the "Criticulous": Shifting the team dynamic away from pointing out flaws as a detached critic toward actively owning solution-oriented actions. [00:08] Defining Positive Leadership: Why elite culture shaping requires naming harsh operational realities while concurrently choosing optimism for the future. [00:09] The Surfing Metaphor: Examining Mary Oliver's concept of "attentiveness" and why an entire organization's path follows exactly where its leaders look. [00:11] Practice 1: Stop, Listen, Look: A real-world example of slowing the body and brain down during a fast-moving morning to notice situational dynamics and calibrate the personal thermostat. [00:14] Practice 2: Catch Ordinary Gratitude: Shifting team attention to intentionally notice and validate beneath-the-surface or routine contributors who keep the business running. [00:16] Practice 3: Share It Out Loud: The critical step of explicitly articulating specific recognition to teammates rather than letting gratitude stay bottled up in your head. [00:17] Practice 4: Carry It With You: How to deliberately carry positive energetic momentum across individual high-stress meetings, stabilizing your presence as a leader. [00:18] Practice 5: Reframe with Learning: Stripping operational bottlenecks, setbacks, or delays of emotional judgment by evaluating what they invite you to think about differently. [00:20] Intentional Alignment: Why high-performing organizations treat culture as a non-negotiable strategy and weave appreciation directly into their operational air. [00:22] Questions to Ponder: Leaving leaders with specific inquiries to track, measure, and transform appreciation habits within their own professional ecosystems. Key Takeaways for Leaders: Strategic Attentiveness: Counteract the default negativity bias by actively training your team's focus to see, replicate, and expand high-performing behaviors. Articulated Recognition: Turn passive validation into an active cultural asset by explicitly sharing specific feedback out loud across your organization. Reframed Obstacles: Build psychological safety and resilience by training managers to approach disruptions through a lens of systemic learning rather than pure frustration. Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/cultivating-appreciation/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your 2026 Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason

Marcus East has spent his career inside some of the world's most recognized organizations, including Apple, Google, IBM, National Geographic, and Marks & Spencer. In this episode of Partnering Leadership, he joins Mahan Tavakoli to discuss the ideas behind his book, Working with Dinosaurs: How to Lead Technological Evolution from the C-Suite. The conversation goes far beyond technology. It gets to the heart of why successful organizations often struggle to adapt even when smart leaders can clearly see change coming.Marcus shares lessons from leading large-scale transformations across both technology-native companies and legacy institutions. Drawing on experiences ranging from National Geographic's digital reinvention to the resistance he encountered at Marks & Spencer, he explains why organizational inertia is rarely caused by a lack of intelligence or strategy. More often, the barriers come from success itself. The systems, incentives, habits, and leadership behaviors that once created growth can quietly become the very things preventing change.The discussion also challenges much of the current AI hype. Marcus argues that AI will not magically fix broken organizations. In fact, organizations with weak data foundations, fragmented operating models, and outdated leadership structures may find their problems exposed even faster. The conversation explores why some companies accelerate through disruption while others become trapped defending processes, structures, and metrics that no longer fit the future they are entering.Mahan and Marcus also explore the human side of transformation. They discuss why executives often resist the very changes they publicly support, how “legacy thinking” shapes decision making, and why many transformation efforts fail between the CEO's vision and frontline execution. Marcus offers a candid look at what distinguishes organizations that adapt successfully, including the operating models, collaboration patterns, and leadership mindsets he observed inside companies like Apple and Google.For CEOs and senior executives facing pressure to modernize while still delivering results today, this episode offers practical insight into the realities of organizational change, leadership alignment, and technological evolution. It is a thoughtful conversation about how leaders can avoid becoming trapped by the systems and successes of the past while preparing their organizations for what comes next.Actionable Takeaways:• You'll learn why some of the biggest barriers to transformation come from leaders who were highly successful under the previous model.• Hear why Marcus believes many AI investments will fail and what separates organizations that will actually benefit from AI adoption.• You'll hear the striking contrast between how National Geographic approached innovation versus the resistance Marcus encountered at Marks & Spencer.• Learn why many organizations struggle not because the CEO lacks vision, but because execution breaks down deep inside the organization.• Hear how legacy systems become emotional and political issues, not just technology problems.• You'll discover why leaders cannot take everyone along on a transformation journey and what it means to build a “coalition of the willing.”• Learn the difference between organizations obsessed with process and those obsessed with customer outcomes.• Hear why companies like Apple and Google organize engineers, designers, marketers, and business leaders differently from most traditional organizations.• You'll learn why many leadership teams measure activConnect with Mahan Tavakoli:Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

Bozoma Saint John is a trailblazing C-Suite marketing executive, cultural disruptor and current star of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Jennie talks to Boz LIVE at her I CHOOSE ME EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT about how she chooses to redefine connection with authenticity and emotional storytelling.Follow @IChooseMewithJennieGarth on Instagram and TikTokFollow @JennieGarth on Instagram, TikTok, and FacebookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.