Podcasts about Management consulting

Dr Clare Richardson‑Barlow speaks to Dr Jiachen Shi about China's approach to just transition. Drawing on Jiachen's research, they discuss China's state‑led, “orderly transition” model, where renewable capacity is built before phasing down coal, and explore how national planning frameworks shape climate and energy policy. The episode also examines the integrative role of workers and trade unions within this transition system, as well as the achievements and challenges of ensuring a fair transition across regions and sectors. This project is funded by the Hans Böckler Foundation – Just Transition: Aktivitäten im internationalen Vergleich 2021-582-2. Visit the project webpage. This podcast episode was recorded remotely in March 2026. If you would like to get in touch regarding this podcast, please contact research.lubs@leeds.ac.uk. A transcript of this episode is available. About the speakers: Dr Clare Richardson-Barlow is a Lecturer in the Global Politics of China in the School of Politics and International Studies. She is also co-chair of the University of Leeds' Just Transition Taskforce and Co-Director of International in the School of Politics and International Studies at the University of Leeds. Her research focuses on industrial decarbonisation and just transitions and China's role in these processes. Dr Jiachen Shi is a Lecturer in Management Consulting and HRM at Leeds University Business School and a member of the Centre for Employment Relations, Innovation and Change (CERIC). Her research focuses on the role of the state in shaping economic and labour transitions, examining how climate and energy transition policies and labour institutions interact within national planning frameworks to shape China's approach to a just transition.

Dr Jiachen Shi speaks to Dr Clare Richardson‑Barlow about Malaysia's evolving approach to a just energy transition. In this episode, they discuss how Malaysia frames its energy transition through economic growth and the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), and examine why labour voices - particularly trade unions - remain limited in shaping policy. The conversation highlights emerging opportunities, key institutional challenges, and what more inclusive worker participation would require as Malaysia moves toward a low‑carbon future. This project is funded by the Hans Böckler Foundation – Just Transition: Aktivitäten im internationalen Vergleich 2021-582-2. Visit the project webpage. This podcast episode was recorded remotely in March 2026. If you would like to get in touch regarding this podcast, please contact research.lubs@leeds.ac.uk. A transcript of this episode is available. About the speakers: Dr Jiachen Shi is a Lecturer in Management Consulting and HRM at Leeds University Business School and a member of the Centre for Employment Relations, Innovation and Change (CERIC). Her research focuses on the role of the Chinese state in shaping economic and labour transitions, examining how climate and energy transition policies and labour institutions interact within national planning frameworks to shape China's approach to a just transition. Dr Clare Richardson-Barlow is a Lecturer in the Global Politics of China in the School of Politics and International Studies. She is also co-chair of the University of Leeds' Just Transition Taskforce and Co-Director of International in the School of Politics and International Studies at the University of Leeds. Her research focuses on industrial decarbonisation and just transitions and China's role in these processes.

Aspiring NBA stars make a classic mistake when trying to watch, analyze and replicate the reasons why someone like Michael Jordan was so successful. In this podcast I explain why aspiring management consultants and those in industry make the very same mistake when watching, analyzing and replicating the reasons why McKinsey and BCG are so successful. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Communication and image in a case interview is governed by both what you say and how you say. It is true that how you say something tends to carry more weight. However, in some case, certain phrases should definitely be avoided because they cause much damage it is very hard to recover from them. We discuss them in this podcast.   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we speak about candidates making sexist comments in interviews. Due to culture, tradition and even good intentions, candidates make sexist remarks. Sometimes, a very innocent remark may come across as sexist. This podcast examines some the incidences we have encountered which have hurt candidates in cases. It is wise to think about your own inadvertent sexist behavior. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Show Notes: Andrew Persh, co-founder of Oria, an AI-based tool for creating PowerPoint slides demonstrates Oria. Andrew provides a brief history of his experience at McKinsey and the challenges he faced with existing AI tools for creating slides. He explains the idea behind Oria: to create complex slides that do not look like they were generated by AI. Oria Demonstration Andrew demonstrates Oria as an extension for PowerPoint, focusing on the text-to-slide feature.  Converting text into design suggestions He explains the process of converting text into multiple design suggestions for slides. Andrew highlights that each design option is custom-built and fits within the user's existing PowerPoint template. Complex slides with data He shows how Oria can handle complex slides with data and create visually compelling designs. Data heavy slides 3D visualizations Andrew discusses the ability of Oria to handle data-heavy slides and create 3D visualizations.   Framework with icons He demonstrates how Oria can convert text descriptions into detailed slides with icons and text. Improve design Andrew explains the "improve design" feature, which allows users to specify detailed instructions for slide design. He shows how Oria can format slides and add visual elements based on user instructions. Andrew explains the ability of Oria to handle long content and extract key points for slides. He demonstrates how Oria can create a roadmap slide from a detailed text description. Roadmap slide He explains the process of using Oria with large amounts of text and how it can synthesize the content into a slide. Oria can build slides from normal human language meaning users do not need to know how to use prompts. Andrew shows how Oria can handle non-standard elements like chevrons and create fully editable slides. Screenshots to Slides Function Andrew demonstrates how Oria can handle screenshots and convert them into editable PowerPoint elements. He explains the limitations of other AI tools in handling charts and how Oria excels in this area. Sketch to slide feature Andrew introduces the "sketch to slide" feature, which converts handwritten notes into editable slides. He shows how Oria can switch between different templates for different clients and maintain consistency in slide design. Subscription Plans Andrew discusses the installation process of Oria and the availability of a free trial. Andrew explains the different subscription plans: $20 per month for basic use and $60 per month for heavy users. He mentions the option to purchase additional tokens for more complex slides. Promo code: UMBREX - 20% for 12 months.  Timestamps: 03:20: Demo of Oria's Text-to-Slide Feature  06:30: Advanced Features of Oria  11:07: Handling Long Content and Complex Slides  15:29: Additional Use Cases and Features  21:41: Subscription and Pricing Details  Links:  https://www.oria.one/ https://marketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/product/office/WA200009750?tab=Overview This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-645-andrew-persh-founder-of-oria-an-ai-powerpoint-plug-in-for-management-consulting/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com. *AI generated timestamps and show notes.  

Going into interviews, aspiring consultants will be relying an a huge number of people for help: peers, classmates, consulting alumni, consultants, career counselors, etc. For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we speak about simple suggestions on how to seek and use help without hurting your relationships in the long-term. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we speak about a way for candidates to ask information in a case interview. A steep hurdle for many candidates is knowing how and when to ask for information / advice from an interviewer. To help our candidates, we developed the barter system / concept to fix this problem using a very simple technique. As explained in the podcast, the concept requires the candidate to first offer the interviewer their thoughts/ideas before asking for anything more. This ensures the candidate does not fall into the trap of asking for information without offering anything in return. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we speak about resume cliches across firms. Editing out cliches from Deloitte and Accenture resumes tends to take up the majority of time when we work with candidates from these firms, and the other accounting firms like PWC, E&Y and KPMG. Typically, when we start the editing sessions, it is very difficult for the client to see how vague and misleading their resume really is. This podcast explains this concept and can be used to edit your own resume. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Hier die fünfte Episode der SID-Spezialreihe gemeinsam mit dem House of Energy und m3 Management Consulting.Ausgangspunkt dieser Folge ist ein konkreter Vorfall: der Ausfall zentraler Strominfrastruktur in Berlin infolge eines gezielten Angriffs. Der Fall zeigt, wie verwundbar selbst hochentwickelte Stromsysteme sein können und wo die Grenzen klassischer Resilienzansätze liegen.Im Gespräch mit Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Birkner und Dr. Christof Spangenberg geht es um die grundlegende Frage: Wie muss ein Stromsystem aufgebaut sein, damit es auch unter gezielten Störungen handlungsfähig bleibt?Dabei wird deutlich: Vollständige Sicherheit ist keine realistische Zielgröße. Stromnetze sind offen, komplex und in der Fläche verteilt. Angriffe lassen sich nicht vollständig verhindern. Der Fokus verschiebt sich deshalb von der Vermeidung hin zur Begrenzung von Schäden.Ein zentraler Punkt ist die Unterscheidung zwischen struktureller und operativer Resilienz. Während strukturelle Maßnahmen darauf abzielen, große Schadensrisiken im Netzdesign zu reduzieren, geht es operativ um die Fähigkeit, im Störungsfall schnell zu reagieren und Versorgung zumindest teilweise aufrechtzuerhalten.Hier kommt ein zweiter Gedanke ins Spiel: die Rolle dezentraler Infrastruktur. Photovoltaik, Batteriespeicher und Elektrofahrzeuge entstehen derzeit im großen Maßstab. Im Normalbetrieb sind sie Teil der Energiewende. Im Krisenfall könnten sie zur Rückfallebene werden, vorausgesetzt, sie lassen sich koordinieren und nutzen.Damit verschiebt sich die Diskussion. Weniger Fokus auf immer mehr klassische Absicherung, mehr Aufmerksamkeit für neue Systemlogiken. Technisch ist vieles bereits möglich. Die eigentlichen Herausforderungen liegen in Steuerung, Regulierung und der Frage, unter welchen Bedingungen auf dezentrale Ressourcen zugegriffen werden kann.Die Folge macht deutlich: Resilienz ist kein Zustand, sondern ein Abwägungsprozess. Zwischen Kosten, Sicherheit und Komplexität. Und sie entsteht nicht durch eine einzelne Maßnahme, sondern durch das Zusammenspiel von Netzstruktur, dezentralen Ressourcen und neuen Steuerungsmodellen.Du möchtest auch Teil des SIDpodcast oder eines anderen Formats des Super Impact Day sein? Dann nutze das Feedback-Formular oder schreibe uns an hi@sid.earth Vielen Dank, dass Du uns hörst

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we speak about learning cases through listening and watching. When learning cases, it is far more effective to watch a person on Skype or in person. The problem with merely practicing over the phone or another verbal format is that you cannot observe crucial mannerisms or allow your practice partner to observe you. The only time practicing verbally makes sense is when you have a very experienced person working with you and they can infer things about your performance based on their experience. We advice most clients to practice in person should the opportunity present itself. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we explain why neatness and writing style is so important. It is really surprising how little care candidates take in writing in an appealing way, considering that is all the interviewer can see for the 30-45 minute case. Neat writing will not get you an offer, but it can be an annoying distraction both to you and the interviewer. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

The Mesa Chamber Healthcare Committee proudly presents a series of informative podcasts advocating for the importance and support of mental health, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. This episode welcomes Jeff Bayer of Bayer Media Group and Denise Biben of Biben Management Consulting for an engaging discussion.  Learn more about Bayer Media Group: http://bayermediagroup.com Learn more about Biben Management Consulting: https://bibenmanagementconsulting.com/ Mesa Chamber Healthcare Committee: https://www.mesachamber.org/healthcare-committee/ The Mesa Chamber of Commerce Inside Business Podcast is a production of the Mesa Chamber of Commerce. Inquiries regarding the MCIBP can be made via email to info@mesachamber.org. The Podcast interviews members and individuals/organizations on topics of interest to Mesa Chamber members. Learn more at mesachamber.org. ©2026 Mesa Chamber of Commerce  

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we talk about important case interview elements to consider. Analyzing customers, competitors and the market: 3 areas which must always be considered in cases, even when it is not clear why. In essence, all businesses exist to serve customers. A business cannot exist without customers and to understand demand you must understand customers. The ability to meet demand is impacted by competitors/substitutes and market barriers like legislation, inflation etc. Therefore, these three areas must be analyzed in cases where demand may be an issue. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we talk about brainstorming with definitions. Brainstorming is very difficult and a crucial skill to have when solving cases, especially with McKinsey where the interviewer will constantly ask you to probe and brainstorm different areas of the case. This podcast examines the initial parts of the brainstorming structure. Since brainstorming happens in such a rapid-fire format and appears unstructured, the speed at which it is done creates the illusion it lacks structures. Yet, it does have structure, but is merely done very quickly in the candidate's mind. This podcast will teach candidates how to generate a structure/definition that can be used to guide the development of options or paths in the brainstorm. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

In this episode of Your Business Greatness, host Simone Sloan welcomes Courtney De Ronde, CEO of Forge Financial and Management Consulting, to discuss her evolution from CPA and auditor to scaling consultant and coach.Drawing on 20 years as a CPA and 15 years in business leadership, Courtney shares how she developed the Simple Scale-Up System by reverse-engineering her firm's success across financial visibility, leadership development, and operational efficiency. The episode explores the critical mindset shifts required for founders to transition into leaders, emphasizing the importance of business intelligence across four core areas: finance, leadership, productivity, and people. Simone Sloan and Courtney discuss how intentional culture-building through values alignment prevents scaling pitfalls and how leaders must "time travel,” preparing themselves for future growth while managing present operations. The conversation underscores that successful scaling requires moving from gut-driven decisions to data-informed leadership while maintaining psychological safety and delegating authority.Key TakeawaysThe transition from founder to leader requires intentional mindset shifts and recognition that startup success strategies do not scale; new frameworks and delegation are essentialBusiness intelligence, systematic data collection across finance, leadership, productivity, and people, must replace gut instinct as the foundation for scaling decisionsOperationalize core values through explicit translation into behaviours, policies, and recognition systems; proximity to leadership cannot preserve culture as organizations growLeaders must develop faster than their organizations to bridge the gap between current operations and future vision while maintaining psychological safety and trust Control and perfectionism are common blind spots that cap organizational potential; delegation and diverse perspectives improve decision- making and prevent leader burnout

Hier die vierte Episode der SID-Spezialreihe gemeinsam mit dem House of Energy und m3 Management Consulting. Europa verliert industrielle Substanz. Nicht durch einen großen Bruch, sondern schrittweise. Weniger Neuinvestitionen, mehr Verlagerung, ein wachsender Abstand im globalen Wettbewerb. Das ist keine These, sondern eine Entwicklung, die sich in vielen Branchen beobachten lässt. Diese Folge des SIDpodcasts entstand im Kontext der jüngsten Tagung des Europäischen Rates. Das Gespräch wurde parallel dazu geführt und greift genau die Themen auf, die dort verhandelt wurden. Im Zentrum steht eine Frage, die derzeit viele energiepolitische Debatten prägt: Kann Europa klimaneutral werden und gleichzeitig ein wettbewerbsfähiger Industriestandort bleiben?Prof. Dr. Angelika Niebler bringt die politische Perspektive ein. Sie beschreibt die Zielsetzung der Klimaneutralität und die Notwendigkeit, bestehende Regelwerke anzupassen. Ihre Position folgt dabei einer klaren Linie: Klimaschutz bleibt gesetzt, muss aber stärker mit Wettbewerbsfähigkeit und wirtschaftlicher Realität verbunden werden.Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Birkner verschiebt den Blick auf die Umsetzung. Er beschreibt die strukturellen Probleme des Systems. Erneuerbare Erzeugung wurde schneller ausgebaut als Netze und Speicher. Die Folge sind steigende Systemkosten und wachsende Komplexität. Gleichzeitig ist ein regulatorisches Geflecht entstanden, das Investitionen verlangsamt und die Steuerbarkeit des Systems erschwert.Hinzu kommt der internationale Vergleich. Während Europa stark über CO2-Preise und Regulierung steuert, setzen andere Regionen stärker auf direkte Förderung und günstigere Energie. Für viele Unternehmen wird der Standortvergleich damit zur zentralen Entscheidungsgröße.Das Spannungsfeld dieser Diskussion ist kein ideologisches. Es ist ein Umsetzungsproblem. Planungssicherheit fehlt. Infrastruktur wächst nicht im gleichen Tempo wie die politischen Ziele. Instrumente wie Emissionshandel und CO2-Grenzausgleich stehen gleichzeitig unter Anpassungsdruck.Die Diskussion macht deutlich: Der eigentliche Konflikt verläuft nicht zwischen Klimaschutz und Industrie. Er liegt zwischen Anspruch, Tempo und Umsetzbarkeit. Du möchtest auch Teil des SIDpodcast oder eines anderen Formats des Super Impact Day sein? Dann nutze das Feedback-Formular oder schreibe uns an hi@sid.earth Vielen Dank, dass Du uns hörst

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we talk about the importance of you, the candidate, never ever giving the interviewer the benefit of the doubt, why this is vital, how to do this in a case and the improvement it will immediately deliver. The main value of adopting this mindset is that you tend to explain everything to the interviewer because you assume he is not aware of all the answers. If you enter an interview, assuming the interview is "perfect", you will tend to make assumptions which hurt your chances and damage your image.   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Reading graphs is a perennial problem for many candidates. Yet, the problem is not the interpretation of the graphical data itself. Rather, it is knowing what to do with that data once you have interpreted it. This podcast introduces a simple 4-step process we introduced for a Yale doctoral client, Felix, and a technique called the One-Sentence-Test which we again developed for the same client. The improvement in her answers warrants sharing this technique. You can see Felix's Improvement in Season One of The Consulting Offer.   Here are some free gifts for you:   Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Far too many candidates demonstrate poor knowledge of consulting by insisting that they want to work for McKinsey strategy and not operations or BTO. This is a flawed strategy which will only hurt their chances in the short, medium and long-term. This podcast explains why and how to compensate for this misunderstanding.   Here are some free gifts for you:   Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

You have been brainwashed by every single forum and case book to assume that McKinsey wants a framework and set of hypotheses, that you have stopped listening as carefully to the interviewer and simply providing hypotheses even when the interview is not asking for them!   Here are some free gifts for you:   Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we discuss consulting firm's training. Too often clients ask the wrong questions when it comes to assessing training at consulting firms: do smaller offices have poorer training, should I attend training as soon as I join, does BCG have better training than Bain etc. When considering training you need to both consider formal and informal training. As we show, formal training is very useful, but not at all for the hard/technical skills it purports to impart on attendees. Informal training, also known as training on an engagement, is most effective when consultants can practice under diverse conditions. In other words, the more you travel and work with foreign teams, the better will be your training. Some firms encourage more global staffing and others far less. That counts. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we discuss the economic impact of poor business judgement. The economic impact of poor business judgement, is a topic we managed every day as partners. Each time an associate made a poor "common sense" decision we needed to explain both the potential reputation and economic damage done to the firm. The former is well-known, but the latter is less known but just as important. In thinking through why consulting firms look for business judgement, it helps to consider the economic impact to clients and the firm. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

What does it really take to lead at the highest level without losing yourself in the process? In this episode of The Greatness Machine, host Darius Mirshahzadeh sits down with former CEO and global business leader Dr. Klaus Kleinfeld to unpack the realities of leadership at scale. Klaus shares his journey from a challenging upbringing in Germany to leading global powerhouses like Siemens AG and Alcoa. He reflects on the lessons learned from navigating complex organizations, driving transformation, and aligning teams across tens of thousands of employees. Beyond strategy and operations, the conversation dives into the inner game of leadership. Klaus explains why managing energy, not time, is the key to sustained performance, and how purpose, resilience, and emotional control shape long term success. From handling uncertainty and making high stakes decisions to avoiding burnout and building alignment, this episode offers practical wisdom for anyone looking to grow as a leader and thrive in both business and life. In this episode, Darius and Klaus will discuss: (00:00) Introduction to Dr. Klaus Kleinfeld (04:12) Transitioning to Management Consulting (06:33) Navigating Corporate Structures and Leadership (08:59) Aligning Values and Incentives in Organizations (14:29) Addressing Politics in Corporate Environments (17:43) Leadership Challenges in a Complex World (21:13) Optimism in Overcoming Challenges (22:04) The Inner Game vs. Outer Game (23:26) Managing Energy for Leadership (27:14) Purpose as a Driving Force (29:09) Balancing Short-Term and Long-Term Goals (35:50) The Role of Self-Trust and Spirituality (37:36) Target Audience for 'Leading to Thrive' (41:36) Current Projects and Passions (43:03) Overcoming Barriers to Greatness Dr. Klaus Kleinfeld is a global business leader, investor, and entrepreneur, and the founder and CEO of K2Elevation, where he focuses on building technology and biotech ventures. He previously served as Chairman and CEO of Alcoa and Arconic, and spent 20 years at Siemens AG, ultimately becoming its CEO. Beyond his executive roles, Kleinfeld has advised multiple U.S. presidents and global leaders, and serves on several boards including KONUX, Brainlab, GreyOrange, and Fero Labs. He is also affiliated with organizations such as the Brookings Institution and the Council on Foreign Relations. He is the author of “Leading to Thrive: Mastering Strategies for Sustainable Success in Business and Life,” and currently lives in New York. Connect with Klaus: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/klauskleinfeld/  Book: https://www.leading-to-thrive.com/  Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine  Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Write a review for The Greatness Machine using this link: https://ratethispodcast.com/spreadinggreatness.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic, building of our technique to develop hypotheses, this podcast explains a clever way to generate creative hypotheses. In essence, the podcast will be useful to candidates who have already seen how we brainstorm and generate hypotheses, since this podcast expands on that thinking. The core of this idea is that if more than one structure can be brainstormed for a case, each of those structures can be used to develop a new type of hypothesis. This is a very, very simple technique as well.   Here are some free gifts for you:   Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we share a networking success story with a McKinsey senior partner. We always ask our clients, especially those from weaker schools, to network with the most senior partners of consulting firms. This is a podcast about a PhD client, from a weaker school and no existing consulting relationships, who painfully followed this advice over several months to network with a member of McKinsey's worldwide leadership and obtain interviews for his office of choice. It is not easy, but can be done. It works. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we look at how to make estimations when calculating smaller values or working with enclosed spaces like restaurants, the importance of sensitivity analyses and a new limitation of demand-driven cases. This is a very important technique which can significantly improve accuracy and efficiency in case math.   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we discuss bonus versus salary resume. Bonus versus salary resume is a very simple test we do on resumes. This podcast explains the test. We basically look at whether or not a bullet point explains an action which earned you a salary or would have resulted in a bonus. The latter is vital and the former should be purged from your salary. McKinsey looks for things on your resume which earned you your resume. It is important to understand that merely doing your job is not an achievement in itself. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

As conflict in the Middle East roils global energy markets and raises fresh concerns about supply shocks, a historic disruption is forcing leaders to confront just how fragile the system remains. In this episode of Teneo Insights, Kevin Kajiwara is joined by Dan Gabaldon, Teneo Vice Chair of Management Consulting and Head of Energy, and Emily Stromquist, Teneo Managing Director, to unpack the geopolitical and economic implications of the war with Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz—triggering the largest oil supply disruption in history. Together, they explore how this crisis fits into the broader, already complex energy transition shaped by geopolitics, policy, climate and market forces and what to watch as industry leaders convene for CERAWeek.

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we discuss key differences in Bain FIT questions.   In looking through our database of over 240 former clients and speaking to Bain partners we know, we see two unique ways a Bain fit interview differs from a McKinsey PEI. The first relates to way in which you interact with the interviewer as you deliver your response, and the second relates to a very specific attribute that Bain seeks in your fit responses. Both differ substantially from a McKinsey or BCG interview. In fact, EVERY single client we placed at Bain strongly displayed these two characteristics. It is uncanny how close a correlation exists.   Here are some free gifts for you:   Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

What if the real foundation of entrepreneurship is less about making money and more about mastering your mindset around it? In this episode of The Angel Next Door Podcast, host Marcia Dawood explores how our early experiences and psychological beliefs about money shape our financial behaviors—and ultimately, our freedom to create and build. Guest Shang Saavedra, who reached retirement savings goals by age 31, shares her journey from a frugal upbringing as the child of immigrants to graduating from Harvard, thriving in management consulting, and building the Save My Cents community. She's passionate about helping others use psychology and practical strategies to rewrite their financial stories, break the cycle of fear, and pave the way for meaningful wealth. This episode is essential listening for entrepreneurs and anyone needing a mindset reset around finances. With actionable advice on automating savings, understanding investment options, and handling financial setbacks, Shang Saavedra proves that changing how you think about money can transform your life—and your business.   To get the latest from Shang Saavedra, you can follow her below! https://www.linkedin.com/in/shangsaavedra/ https://savemycents.com/ https://www.instagram.com/savemycents/?hl=en Wealth Is a Mindset: Change Your Mind, Change Your Money   Sign up for Marcia's newsletter to receive tips and the latest on Angel Investing! Website: www.marciadawood.com Do Good While Doing Well Learn more about the documentary Show Her the Money: www.showherthemoneymovie.com And don't forget to follow us wherever you are! Apple Podcasts: https://pod.link/1586445642.apple Spotify: https://pod.link/1586445642.spotify LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/angel-next-door-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theangelnextdoorpodcast/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/theangelnextdoorpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marciadawood

Good day ladies and gentlemen, this is IRC news, and I am Joy Stephen, an authorized Canadian Immigration practitioner bringing out this Canada Work Permit application data specific to LMIA work permits or employer driven work permits or LMIA exempt work permits for multiple years based on your country of Citizenship. I am coming to you from the Polinsys studios in Cambridge, OntarioNewfoundland and Labrador issued work permits between 2015 and 2024 for Professional occupations in business management consulting under the former 4 digit NOC code 1122, currently referred to as NOC 11201.A senior Immigration counsel may use this data to strategize an SAPR program for clients. More details about SAPR can be found at https://ircnews.ca/sapr. Details including DATA table can be seen at https://polinsys.co/dIf you have an interest in gaining assistance with Work Permits based on your country of Citizenship, or should you require guidance post-selection, we extend a warm invitation to connect with us via https://myar.me/c. We strongly recommend attending our complimentary Zoom resource meetings conducted every Thursday. We kindly request you to carefully review the available resources. Subsequently, should any queries arise, our team of Canadian Authorized Representatives is readily available to address your concerns during the weekly AR's Q&A session held on Fridays. You can find the details for both these meetings at https://myar.me/zoom. Our dedicated team is committed to providing you with professional assistance in navigating the immigration process. Additionally, IRCNews offers valuable insights on selecting a qualified representative to advocate on your behalf with the Canadian Federal or Provincial governments, accessible at https://ircnews.ca/consultant.Support the show

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we speak about our practice styles. Over the course of the case interview training program, it becomes very important for us to change our coaching style. First, candidates become used to solving cases in just this one style and we need to ensure they can adapt to any style. Second, candidates become adept at reading the "tell" in the coach/mentor so they know when they, the candidate, is making a mistake etc. By changing our coaching style and introducing mentors, we can easily avoid this problem and ensure candidates are becoming stronger at cases versus merely stronger at doing cases with the one coach. Ensure you are also practicing with partners who have different styles. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

This general podcast describes some of the common misconceptions applicants and even practicing McKinsey/BCG consultants have about their own firms. It will be useful to anyone who wants to understand some of the broad themes and misunderstandings about the profession.   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we discuss why you should bring energy to the interview.   Lots of candidates leave it to the interviewer to determine the energy levels, tone and mood of the call. That is a bad idea. In our experience, the best candidates always bring a light mood to interviews. Seriousness can hurt you as it is confused for anxiousness. Delegating the mood to the interview is bad idea since it means the energy of the case will be largely out of your control. Moreover, unless you practice controlling the energy, it is unlikely you will have this skill to deploy in the case interview itself.   Here are some free gifts for you:   Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Many candidates forget to sanity-check their calculations in a case. That is a bad idea. Without a sanity-check there is no way to meaningfully assess the accuracy of your answer. More important, how you perform the sanity check is the key. All sanity-checks must involve the reduction of the answer to a number that you can intuitively compare to your own experiences. Unless you do this, you can never defend your answer.   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

What if witnessing 10 deaths in 23 years changed your view on life? In this episode, Kyle Skalisky shares how he helps teams build cultures of trust, respect, and accountability through his company Wyld Sky Aerospace and Management Consulting. After 23 years as a fighter pilot (F-15, F-16 aggressor, and F-18 in operational flight tests) and 15 years in the aerospace industry doing flight tests, Kyle recently stepped down as president and CEO of Check Six Aero Solutions to focus on giving back. His book "A Skyless Traveled: A Maverick Life of Leadership, Resilience, and the Pursuit of Purpose" shares lessons learned from the cockpit about building exceptional teams. Kyle believes good teams need three things: character (how people treat those who can do nothing for them), competence (people who can get the job done and are willing to learn), and commitment to the mission. He also wrote the book for his six and four-year-old sons, wanting to leave something showing what their father did for 50 years before they were born. Kyle reveals three relationships that shaped him: meeting President Ronald Reagan at his Air Force Academy graduation in 1984, whose speech about being solution-oriented rather than a naysayer set the tone for his career; his parents who married at 16, had six kids by 29, and just celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary teaching him dedication and never giving up on people; and his best friend Malibu, a talented pilot who died at 30 when he hit the ground during a Red Flag exercise. Witnessing 10-11 deaths in 23 years of flying changed Kyle's perspective—he stopped worrying about what people thought and started pursuing what brought joy, realizing that if no one will remember it in five years, it's just not that important.   [00:04:20] From CEO to Giving Back Recently stepped down as president and CEO of Check Six Aero Solutions Now runs Wyld Sky Aerospace and Management Consulting Wrote book "A Skyless Traveled: A Maverick Life of Leadership, Resilience, and the Pursuit of Purpose" Serves wonderful wife Dr. Kyra Carpenter and two boys Wilder (6) and Colt (4) [00:06:00] Why Write the Book Experience is great but people never get opportunity to pass it on to next generation All people's stories are wonderful, wishes more could tell them Wants to lift up next generation that will follow Wrote book for his 6 and 4-year-old boys as older father [00:06:40] Leaving a Legacy Doesn't know how long he gets to be with boys growing up Wanted to leave something showing 50 years before they were born Show what their father did and what he believed in Pass message down to true legacy: children and family [00:07:20] Growing Up in Wenatchee, Washington Parents married at 16, had six children by 29 Didn't have much but knew wanted to do something bigger Didn't fly on airplane until 17 years old, senior in high school First flight was to Air Force Academy physical at Whidbey Island [00:08:00] The First Flight That Changed Everything Had state playoff baseball game that afternoon across state Local orchardist Jim Wade flew him in Cessna 172 Flying over Cascade Mountains, seeing Mount Rainier was transformative Changed into uniform in car, was third batter, hit three-run homer off future major leaguer [00:09:00] Air Force Academy and Finding His Passion Second time flying was leaving for US Air Force Academy (only way to get to college) Got exposed to things small town guy never traveled beyond family station wagon Found passion for flying airplanes at young age Stumbled into it with no idea it would be 23 years as fighter pilot [00:10:00] Fighter Pilot Career Flew F-15 operationally around the world for 23 years Was F-16 aggressor (adversary/bad guy that trains combat pilots) Did exchange tour with US Navy, flew F-18 in operational flight tests Retired after 23 years, went to Raytheon [00:10:40] Entrepreneurial Years Owned Great Harvest Bread company franchise (had a bakery) Co-owner of pro indoor football league team in Spokane Taught him when it's your own money, think more about spending it Helped when managing other people's money at Raytheon and Mitsubishi [00:13:20] Proudest Moment: The Team That Didn't Need Me At Raytheon, experimental R&D test airplane transitioning from single customer Customer said they don't want exclusive use anymore, won't pay for it Five year task to redefine mission, vision, create new organization After five years: "This team doesn't need me anymore, they can do this without me" [00:14:40] From One Program to 15 Had to go out and advertise capability to other Raytheon programs Restructured team to support multiple test projects instead of just one Asset went from supporting one program to 15-16 programs Worth billions of dollars in sales to Raytheon [00:15:40] Mitsubishi: Six Months of Success Mitsubishi trying to certify new regional jet, program having problems Took over program management and flight test team Program for previous 5 years never met schedule or been on budget Within first month, for next 6 months straight met schedule and under budget [00:17:00] Refocusing the Team Just through refocusing team, aligning tasks to priorities Giving people clear idea of what they did and why important to mission Aligned the focus and became best flight test team in business Better than Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier, Embraer or any large OEMs [00:19:00] Character, Competence, and Commitment Good teams have people full of character (how they treat those who can do nothing for them) Team needs competence (people who can get job done, willing to learn and improve) Third C is commitment to what they're doing Finding right people with all three is when you will succeed [00:21:20] Meeting President Ronald Reagan Air Force Academy graduation 1984, Reagan handed him diploma Speech that day embodied how Kyle wanted to live his life Not enough to be naysayer pointing out everything wrong Have to be person who can bring forward solutions [00:22:40] Reagan's Impact Shaped views about what was valuable throughout life Optimistic but understood reality, charismatic but not fake Had guiding principles but willing to change Genuinely liked people (important for any leader) [00:24:00] His Parents' Influence Parents are who really had impact on who he became Never made it feel like they gave up something for kids Felt true blessing was getting to have kids in their lives Father was athlete of year, worked morning job, bartended at night while in college [00:25:40] 72 Years Together Parents both 88 years old, just had 72nd wedding anniversary Even when times are hard, don't give up on people, work through it Father didn't become major league player but channeled into coaching Oldest brother became professional baseball player with Philadelphia Phillies [00:27:00] Learning to Live in the Moment Finding joy means learning to live in the moment Let go of past but learn lessons, don't let it define you Don't be so focused on future that you forget what's in front of you Take opportunities that may take you on detour in life [00:28:20] Losing Malibu Best friend Jim "Malibu" Reynolds was academy graduate, talented flyer Designed and built own aerobatic airplane, flew in air shows Made mistake on range in Red Flag exercise, hit ground and died at 30 Changed Kyle at 30 years old, realized it can all end very quickly [00:29:40] 10 Deaths in 23 Years Saw at least 10-11 deaths in 23 years of flying Changed how he looked at things and approached them Before worried about everything, how people thought of him Now: if no one will remember in 5 years, it's just not that important [00:33:00] The Squadron Bar Ritual Friday nights not just about drinking, it's a ritual Chance to bond with people going through similar experience Way to relax, find friendship and bonding in non-retribution way Learned more in one-on-one conversations than formal meetings   KEY QUOTES "I wrote a book because I have those six and four-year-old boys. I am an older father and I don't know how long I get to be with those boys growing up. I wanted to leave something to show for those 50 years before they were born, what their father did and what I believed in." - Kyle Skalisky "Good teams have people full of character. You can't define that on a resume. It's how people treat those who can do nothing for them. But you also have to have competence. Then the third C is commitment." - Kyle Skalisky CONNECT WITH KYLE SKALISKY 

Networking with a partner is counter-intuitive. It is much easier to network with a McKinsey / BCG partner for at least four reasons. First, partners always return emails. Second, partners are generally willing to take a call just to explore your profile. Third, partners are less hung up on things like degrees etc. since they look deeper at a profile. Fourth, partners are accessible with easy to find details. That said, the trick to networking with partners is to treat them as a peer. As soon as you place them on a pedestal, you will kill your networking chances.   Here are some free gifts for you:   Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we discuss how to gain more experience. Many candidates are declined with the suggestion to gain more work experience. Unfortunately, candidates take this feedback at face value. This podcast explains what this feedback means and suggests a vital shortcut to fix this problem. Hint, it does not require work experience at all.   Here are some free gifts for you:   Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

In this podcast we have listed some of the most common and most significant networking mistakes made by candidates. Since many of these have been made by clients, we have had an opportunity to discuss the mistakes, their motivations, the fall out and their response. Therefore, we can provide a comprehensive discussion on the implications of these mistakes. In general, no matter how badly a McKinsey partner networking call may go, you have little to fear.    Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Being a young business analyst or associate on the receiving end of blunt and harsh feedback from a partner is a very jarring experience. However, it is also somewhat of a compliment. I never understand this very, very important point until my mentor, a senior partner, pointed this out to me when the managing partner gave me a very time about an initiative I was running. In hindsight, this was one of the most profound lessons I had in my consulting career, and the managing partner became a huge ally when I was up for partnership.   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Storytelling is a very powerful technique to ensure someone remembers you after an interview. In fact, even when we screen people at Firmsconsulting today, we use this technique I applied as a partner. The rule is simple: if I can remember your key messages from the interview the next day, I would make you an offer. That, of course, assumes you had passed all the other hurdles well enough. One way to be remembered is to be your answers around compelling stories using the New York Times rule of facts, facts and facts with a beginning and end.   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Communication and image in a case interview is governed by both what you say and how you say. It is true that how you say something tends to carry more weight. However, in some case, certain phrases should definitely be avoided because they cause much damage it is very hard to recover from them. We discuss them in this podcast.   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

https://youtu.be/5rB45BEXQLU Edward Francis, executive coach, IBM alumnus, and doctorate holder in Management Consulting, is driven by four lifelong commitments—family, faith, the city of Atlanta, and experiential learning. That fourth commitment fuels his mission: helping leaders bridge the gap between theoretical competency and real-world performance through outcome-based, measurable coaching. We explore Edward's distinctive EMF Coaching Framework, which integrates authenticity, mindfulness, equanimity, and neuroplasticity to help leaders develop soft skills for next-level leadership. Edward explains why authenticity protects your future self, how mindfulness deepens connection and listening, why fulfillment (equanimity) must replace “I don't know,” and how managing the brain—rather than letting it run the show—creates space for vision and innovation. Edward also shares how he teaches passion for the future, why it can be acquired through practice, and how he measures intangible soft-skill growth with precision. For leaders seeking transformation, Edward describes what “serious coaching for serious clients” truly looks like. — 4 Ways to Expand Your Vision with Edward Francis Good day, dear listeners. Steve Preda here, the Founder of the Summit OS Group, and the host of this podcast. And my guest today is Edward Francis, a seasoned coach who provides soft skills for next-level leading with an outcome-based and measured approach. He’s an IBM alumni and holds a doctorate in Management Consulting, so he knows a lot. Edward, welcome to the show.  Thank you, Steve. Glad I could be here.  Yeah. Great to have you. I always ask our guests because I think it’s very important that we have a mission, a purpose in life. Because if we lean into it, then we are going to get a lot better results. So what is your personal ‘Why’, and what are you doing to manifest it? Good question, Steve. I like that. Well, my personal ‘Why’ are my commitments, and I have four of them. Oh. And those commitments are me, they make me who I am. The fourth commitment is why we are here today talking, but I’ll take a minute and touch on the first three because I think they’re worth touching on briefly. The first commitment, and not necessarily in order, is family. I’m a father, uncle, godfather, caretaker for a dog and cat — family. My second commitment of the four is faith. And obviously, I could talk a lot about that, but I won’t. But that is a big commitment that makes me who I am. The third commitment is actually to the city of Atlanta, because that’s where I am and where I have served throughout the years several boards of directors — the large ones that we all know about, some for profit, some not for profit, and some of the smaller ones that we haven’t heard about. I'm at that stage now where I end up doing on boards and doing things that nobody else wants to do, but I think it's very important.Share on X And so typically I’m raising money for this or helping to promote that, or the kinds of things that are very important. But they’re not the big boards, but I’ve served on all of them throughout the years. Done a lot with the arts community, the leadership community, the city government, some politics, but primarily community activism. But the fourth commitment, which makes me who I am and why I’m here, is to experiential learning. And that is that gap between competency and how it plays out in the real world—the bridge. Not just understanding the competency of business or the competency of consulting, but how does it really play out in the real world? I have a passion for that. And that bridge can be coaching, leadership development, mentoring, and so it is experiential learning.Share on X When I was with IBM, people would inherently come to me, especially young people. I think it’s this white hair, Steve, I don’t know. They’d come to me and we’d be talking about this and that. And I began to enjoy those sessions, but found that they really were important for the person coming as well as me, because I learned a lot as well. And then when I went on to study my doctorate and my MBA, I studied experiential learning, where I began to do research on soft skills. So what are soft skills? Earning trust. Can you teach someone how to earn trust? I prove that you can. Passion for the future. Can you teach passion for the future? Can that learn? Is that an acquired skill? Is that an acquired competency? Yes, it is. So experiential learning, I have a passion that comes into my coaching, which is why I coach at a business school, at a major university. And I have clients, private clients as well. Those are my ‘Whys’. And because that’s who I am. I am those commitments.  Yeah, that’s fascinating. So let’s talk about some of the things that you do, because I find it very interesting. But I’d like to start with the framework that you developed, which is a unique coaching framework. I’ve not seen anything like that before, and I think you call it the EMF coaching framework after your name. And it involves authenticity, mindfulness, equanimity, and neuroplasticity. Can you explain what this is, how you discovered it, why it’s important, and how do you apply it? Well, my research brought it to the forefront, but my clients have really discovered it for me. When I work with a client, I take them where they are. Typically, it’s someone with a set of outcomes that they’d like to achieve, or outcomes that they want to develop. Sometimes we don’t know outcomes change, and I also have the ability to measure their outcomes, which is fairly unique. I mean, I give them measurements. People say they want measurements, but I can do them and do them well. But the framework is a way of communicating blocks that we build on, and blocks for active listening on my part.  So what is the authenticity? How do you use authenticity in coaching?  To make sure that you are aware of it, to help you measure your authenticity, to make you value your authenticity, to get you to focus on it as an important element of what you want to do and who you are, so that at the end of your career, or when you’re changing careers because you have one behind you, you can look back on it and feel good about it. And you’re not some sad old guy or sad old lady who wishing you had paid attention to your authenticity. Because what happens when you have that sadness, you end up impacting the people that love you the most. Your wife, your children, grandchildren. So you want to protect this period of time by making sure you pay attention to authenticity. And so we spend a good bit of time working on it, identifying, but more than anything else, letting you know how important it is. And of course, authenticity, I mean, we grow, we bend, we assimilate the cultures, but there’s still an authenticity that you want to measure, promote, and understand. I attempt to drive home that meaning, but more than anything else, I listen to what's important to you about authenticity, it's about listening.Share on X I have more questions than I have answers, but I do have some good questions. And where does authenticity fit, and how do you rate your authenticity, and what does authenticity matter to you are important questions.  Okay. So there’s a lot there. We won’t be able to completely unpack authenticity. Maybe that’s what you do with your client so we don’t have to do it on this call. But let’s switch to the next one, which is mindfulness. So is it about meditation? What does it mean?  Well, mindfulness is all over the place, right? We hear it all the time. It’s almost cache. I mean, it’s all over the place. But in coaching and in my building blocks, we want to examine the benefit to you as my client in achieving your outcomes. The benefit of just understanding and listening rather than making an impression.Share on X You want to listen rather than try to impress. Your listening skills, finding out where someone is before you engage with them. The idea of being mindful of the moment of where are they.  So being present with the person?  Not only present, but giving a lead to listening. What does that mean?  It’s hard to hear them if you are talking. And this type of mindfulness, you want to make sure that you are being more listening than you are trying to impress or engage from your perspective. That type of mindfulness in that moment and in each moment. So we spend a good bit of time understanding that level of engagement, and if that engagement is even authentic to you, but the benefits of that. Can you give an example?  Sure. You go to someone and you want them to help you with something, not necessarily small talk, but find out where they are at that moment, where they are mentally, where they are socially, how’s their day? It’s more than small talk before you engage because you’ll find that them even hearing you, if you show that you care about where they are, their level of listening can be increased. So an example is finding out where the person is before you engage with them.  Okay. So let’s switch gears and let’s talk about equanimity, because that’s something I don’t hear people talk about. Mindfulness is a common topic—maybe not your brand of it—but what's equanimity, and how do you use it in coaching? Sure. Equanimity means a lot of things, but when we talk about coaching in the framework, we’re really talking about fulfillment. Equanimity can mean how you handle stress or how you handle disturbances.Share on X But equanimity in coaching can mean fulfillment, your pursuit of a fulfillment what is it that you really, really, really want? And are you clear on distinguishing that from that tools to get there? The classic one is money, Steve. We all know people with lots of money, and there’s a question even in their mind, if they are really fulfilled. So, an equanimity is understanding fulfillment and that pursuit of fulfillment, and it can change.Share on X When you get to our age, “I don't know” is not a good answer. What fulfills you? You say, “I don't know.” I'd say, Steve, you're too old to be saying “I don't know.” You need an answer. You can change it as often as you want, but the problem with “I don't know” is that it breeds “I don't know.” And if you’re saying “I don't know” at age 30, my fear is you'll be saying “I don't know” at age 45. So being able to pick a horse and ride it, have the flexibility to change whenever you want is critical. Plus, just think about it: let's say you want help. I remember plenty of times people would come to me wanting help, and if they had a target, it was much easier for me to help them if they had a target. They say, I want this, it’s going to be available. Then this is the decision-maker. Can you help me with this venture capital team to see if I can get it swayed my way? They got a target. But if you come to me and say, Edward, help me figure out what I want to be when I grow up, that’s a whole other discussion. It’s very difficult to help you. So when you have a target, when you have an answer, other than, I don’t know, we have a direction to move in. So “I don’t know” is not good for most people. Yeah. And you can honestly not know, but you going to pick something. Because when you pick something, even if you’re going the wrong way, you may see what’s the right way. But you never would see that right way if you hadn’t taken that first step, even in the wrong direction. Give the information and then you can iterate from there. Yeah, I agree. And I love it. So let’s go onto neuroplasticity, which was also a very interesting concept that you talked about.  Sure. How do you use neuroplasticity in coaching?  Sure. Well, neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to create additional neurons, but in coaching it's also the suggestion and the consideration that you move outside of your brain — that you don't let your brain run you, you run the brain. That brain will get you in trouble if you are just running around following it. First of all, the brain’s number one job is to protect the body. That’s the number one job for the brain. So therefore, it often has a negative bias. The brain will think that things are worse than they are. That’s part of the way it protects you. You think a lion is going to jump out of the bushes and devour you when it's just a little puppy dog who's coming up to you. So if you keep going, most of the time you’ll see it’s not quite as bad as you thought it was — most of the time. So following the brain, you have to step outside of your brain and manage your brain. The front part of the brain, the prefrontal cortex, is in charge of visioning and innovation. But the funny thing about the prefrontal cortex is that it wants to be filled. It doesn’t want empty space. So wherever you are, it’s going to fill itself with something. And you going to say to your brain, no, we are not doing that. I’m not going to let you get filled up. I’m going to keep room so that I can vision. Visioning and innovation takes time and it takes room, and the brain wants to stock in as much as it can to stay filledShare on X but you going to tell that brain, no, I’m going to sit here. I’m going to eat this ice cream and think about it. And so then that leads into what’s really a coaching dynamic is the art of delegation. In order to clear out that prefrontal cortex, you going to use resources, delegation, so that when that brain is filling up, you have a way of, as we used to say at IBM, getting those monkeys off your back. You create some free space. There was a time when professors, way back in the day, had their sabbaticals. Well, that was well-meaning. That was well-meaning — having that time for visioning. Well, as we have blueprints for business, as we have goals, as we look for moving forward, it requires vision, but vision takes time.Share on X It’s just not going to drop in your lap. Your brain won’t let you do it. Now, we both know people who carry the world on their shoulders, and yet they still get a lot of things done. And it can happen, but it’s just not the best way to do it.  Yeah. And maybe they are giving themselves time. They go on a fishing trip, or a golf trip, or travel. And the best ideas come when you’re not in the office, right?  But I’m talking about more granular than that. Not just vacations or climbing a mountain, I’m talking about just sitting still and breathing. I’m talking about family time, a meal, book, listening to some good music, a walk in the woods, things that help your mind empty out those monkeys, so that you can have space to take the time for the visioning and innovation that’s critical for moving forward. A lot of times you get to where you are by keeping that mind full. You’re always having fires to put out, and that’s fine. We’re experts at putting out fires. But at some point, to take that business to that next level — that soft skill for next-level leadership — you're going to have to manage your brain to create space so that you have time for vision and innovation.Share on X  Yeah. I love that. And I often notice that I’m driving my car and I think, okay, I’m going to switch on the audio book or podcast. I say, no, I won’t do that. I just want to sit here and just daydream over the wheel and just let my mind go different places.  And actually I love that time, and I like the long drives, and I don't take in information. And I guess that’s what’s happening. I didn’t call it that, but I am emptying out my brain and giving it space.  Well, you have to manage that brain because it will get you in trouble if you just let it run the show. I mean, really, it’ll take you to some odd places. You have to say to your brain, “No. That's not what we are doing. That's not the plan.”  Okay. That’s awesome. So your coaching framework is authenticity — being aware and living an authentic life so that you can look back on it with satisfaction. Mindfulness — being present, listening, giving space for other people. Equanimity, which is fulfillment and having that feeling of fulfillment, of living with purpose. That's why I ask you about the purpose as well, so I totally relate to this. And neuroplasticity, I love that concept. I think few people talk about it, especially this way. It’s very powerful. So before we wrap up, I like to ask you about what you mentioned at the top of the conversation about teaching people passion for the future, I’m fascinated by this idea. I thought passion was more of an internally developed thing. Maybe there’s also talent for passion. Maybe it’s part of nurture, but how can you actually teach it, I’m very curious about that.  Sure. Passion for the future. That’s when you want to be passionate about capabilities and opportunities for impacting your clients, impacting the world, and you deeply believe in the quality and breadth of personal, exceptional capability. And the key with passion for the future, when you really are doing it well, then you are energizing others about unique opportunities, and you are conveying passion for the future with them. I have an exercise—several exercises—that we go through and talk about.  So, Edward, just a quick question. So does that mean that you are passionate about the potential of your own and the other people around you? So your passion is derived not from what the politics is doing, or geopolitics, and I don’t know, AI, and that stuff, but is it about the humanistic potential that you see is there and can be manifested?  Actually, Steve, it is outcomes-driven. So it is outcomes-driven, but what I see—and when it works well, you see it—it spreads. It's not that you start out saying, I want to have passion for this client, I want to have passion for this business, or passion for this opportunity. But once you grasp it—the wins or the losses, the yeses, the no's, or the maybes—you take them all. And you are still passionate about winning. You create sense of pride, you’re seeking opportunities, you confront behavior that’s contrary to the values and to reputation. So we teach this and it can be fun, but I’ve also seen tears come from it as well. It can be a tearful experience, but it’s part of what we do, and we do it well. And it’s not cookie-cutter. I take my client where they are. So this is not just some rope that I’m going to take you through. We really have to see this as an outcome that's going to benefit you and an outcome that's desired, and an outcome that you're willing to invest in.Share on X Because look, a lot of people make it, and they are not passionate about the future. So it’s a lot of work.  So you can turn a sheep into a wolf?  Yes. If there is a real support in doing it. If there is personal support in doing it, or corporate support in doing it, or if it’s passionate support in doing it, yes, we can do it. There is a price, but it can be done. A personal price. A mental price, yes.  But doesn’t the mentee or the  coachee have to be willing to pay that price, or can they get the passion without paying any price? Personally, the company will pay, but can they do it?  Sure. Well, first of all, the person needs to be coachable. And it needs to be an objective, or it needs to be an outcome that you see now, or an outcome that you developed over your period of time in working with me. So we can start out that way or it can come, but yes, you have to see that it’s worth it because it does take work. But once you get it, I see it spread, and you in fact are passionate about the future, and you weren’t there in the first place. You might’ve been pessimistic, actually.  That is amazing. I mean, if you can do that, then you can really empower other people that maybe would must be able to empower themselves or be empowered by the usual patterns and approaches.  And we measure it. I have a measurement. I can measure your progress or lack thereof. And let’s be clear, every story is not a success story. But I can measure your progress or lack thereof, and we can agree on a matrix and see how you’re tracking towards that matrix for passion for the future.  So how do I measure my passion, or how do you measure my passion?  I’ll get you to give me an analysis, and I have some questions. And I’ll get you to give me an analysis of those questions, and then I’ll ask you those same questions another way. And then we’ll do training, and then we’ll come back to that and then we’ll do an analysis of where you were and where you are now that we are at the next phase. So that’s one way we can do, we can measure it to see your progress or lack of progress. Now, I also have a role play that we can do. So there's several things we can do. There's role play, there's reading, but primarily it's me listening.Share on X It’s active listening on my part. I don’t have the answers, but I have the questions. Well, the questions are more important than the answers. Because a lot of answers can pertain to one question. That is very fascinating. So if people would like to be coached by you — and I saw on your LinkedIn page that you offer serious coaching for serious clients, so it’s not like dabblers please don’t bother applying kind of thing. So what does it look like?  Serious coaching looks like a commitment of time and resources from someone who's coachable. It starts when you contact me to schedule a chemistry session. That’s typically can be as short as 15 minutes, most of them are an hour. So it starts with a chemistry session. Then once we get out of the chemistry session, it starts when you pay me, that’s when it starts.  Okay. So if those listeners that are taking in this episode, they’d like to explore whether they have the right chemistry for you to coach them, or whether they are considered serious enough for coaching, where should they go and how can they find you? There are two places you can find me. Of course, you can find me on LinkedIn: Edward Francis. I think it’s Edward Francis, DBA (Doctor of Business Administration). So Edward Francis. Or you can go to my webpage, www.edwardmackfrancis.com.  Awesome. So if you’re listening to this and you want a serious coach with serious coaching, and specifically want to be a more authentic person can be more present for others and feel more fulfilled, and have a bigger brain capacity through neuroplasticity, leveraging neuroplasticity, or you want to be more passionate about the future, then do reach out to Edward Francis. You will not be disappointed. And if you have a company and you want to grow it, then reach out to me at the Summit OS Group. So, Edward, thank you for coming, and for those of you out there, thank you for listening. And stay tuned because we have exciting entrepreneurs and thought leaders joining every week. Important Links: Edward's LinkedIn Edward's website

https://youtu.be/5rB45BEXQLU Edward Francis, executive coach, IBM alumnus, and doctorate holder in Management Consulting, is driven by four lifelong commitments—family, faith, the city of Atlanta, and experiential learning. That fourth commitment fuels his mission: helping leaders bridge the gap between theoretical competency and real-world performance through outcome-based, measurable coaching. We explore Edward's distinctive EMF Coaching Framework, which integrates authenticity, mindfulness, equanimity, and neuroplasticity to help leaders develop soft skills for next-level leadership. Edward explains why authenticity protects your future self, how mindfulness deepens connection and listening, why fulfillment (equanimity) must replace “I don't know,” and how managing the brain—rather than letting it run the show—creates space for vision and innovation. Edward also shares how he teaches passion for the future, why it can be acquired through practice, and how he measures intangible soft-skill growth with precision. For leaders seeking transformation, Edward describes what “serious coaching for serious clients” truly looks like. — Important Links: Edward's LinkedIn Edward's website

Networking calls/coffee chats are tricky. You should not be following the advice found for general recruitment. We insist our clients network with partners so most of the advice we provide is for networking with McKinsey and BCG partners. The reality is that partners are best equipped, and most influential, to assess a unique profile and make a judgement call on the spot. The danger is that if you do not impress the partner, you are very unlikely to go anywhere with further networking. The more atypical your profile, though, the greater the need to network with a partner, and the benefits far outweigh the risks.   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we discuss speed. Far too many candidates focus on being faster. That is another myth.   Speed is an outcome of having good technique. So if you are slow, deconstruct your technique, analyze weaknesses and develop a new way to solve arithmetic. That is key. Unless your technique improves aka "your process to solve math," you will never improve. We explain how in this podcast. Moreover, if an interviewer or practice partner indicates you are slow, think carefully if your technique can be improved, versus merely trying to speak faster. Note, there are many different techniques to solve arithmetic problems so do not search for the "best" technique. Find one that works for you.   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we dtalk about case length and details.    When we ask candidates for more details in their resume, fit responses and cover letter, they always write longer sentences. There is an important difference between "more details" and "greater length". Most candidates are accustomed to spending just a few minutes on a thought and then writing up long and poorly structured sentences. When we ask for more details, we require more facts in the case interview or fit answer and this, crucially, usually means denser and shorter answers.   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we speak about career rotation vs. progression.   Candidates always want to show improvement on their resumes in the months leading up to their applications. For those working in industry or rival consulting firms, showing leadership and career development is crucial. This podcast explains that career rotation, a lateral move at the same pay grade, is rarely a good idea unless it takes you to a part of the business where you can show leadership in solving a major problem. Career progression, a promotion to a new pay grade, always looks good on a resume because it demonstrates you are mastering your functional domain. It is better to stay in a role and achieve results than rotating for a better title.   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we speak about the three core technical concepts around cases.   We always teach clients estimation technique first, followed by brainstorming technique and finally full case technique. There is a simple reason for this, which is explained in this podcast. Estimations tend to be, but not always, a brainstorm with very few or just one branch. A brainstorm is therefore an estimation equation with multiple branches. A full case structure is a very large brainstorm with mini-brainstorms at each new branch. We want candidates to see this evolution so they can understand how crucial brainstorming is to the entire case interview approach.   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo