Podcasts about organizational

Episode 3 Polymathic Perspective Podcast | Dov Baron When Systems Lose Coherence Before They Collapse What if the world isn't collapsing, but losing coherence, and our leaders are mistaking relief for evolution? Episode Description  What happens before systems collapse? Not chaos. Not moral failure. Not even bad leadership. They lose coherence. . In the first episode of The Polymathic Perspective Podcast, Dov Baron introduces the lens that will define this show: coherence as the invisible regulator beneath power, identity, culture, economics, and leadership. . Starting with a moment at Davos in January 2026, when Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney named what many felt but couldn't articulate, the fading of the rules-based order, Dov examines why the world exhaled. Not in agreement, but in relief. . This episode is not about politics. It's about emotional regulation at scale. Dov shows how systems under stress do not seek truth or transformation. They seek stabilization. And why that instinct, while human, quietly prevents real succession. . Through a polymathic lens, this episode connects: Nervous systems Identity formation Organizational behavior Capitalism Global geopolitics Not as metaphors, but as the same pattern playing out at different scales. . You'll hear why Mark Carney and Donald Trump, despite appearing oppositional, are responding to the same collapse of coherence, one through reassurance, the other through rupture. Different styles. Same function. . And why neither approach, on its own, produces evolution. . This is not a call to sides. It's a call to perception. In This Episode, You'll Explore • Why systems lose coherence long before they collapse • Why anxiety seeks regulation, not truth • How relief can feel like leadership without being transformation • The difference between stabilization and succession • Why capitalism is opportunistic, not moral, and why that matters • How inclusion, sustainability, and ethics only move when they become legible to markets • Why nostalgia is not a strategy, at any scale • What "identity-level succession" actually means, in plain language • How individuals repeat the same pattern as nations when they outgrow old rules • Why polymathic thinkers see patterns others experience as noise

In this episode Victoria continues the exploration of leadership through the lens of the High Potential Trait Indicator (HPTI), building on the foundation laid in Part One.The conversation focuses on three critical leadership traits: Risk Approach, Ambiguity Acceptance, and Competitiveness — how they show up in individuals, teams, and organizations, and what happens when these strengths are overplayed. Through real-world examples, candid self-reflection, and DISC personality parallels, Victoria and Heather unpack how leaders navigate uncertainty, make decisions, manage conflict, and balance ambition with collaboration.The episode also introduces the concept of leadership derailers — the ways our greatest strengths can turn into liabilities when taken too far. By walking through common derailment patterns like perfectionism, aloofness, excessive caution, and passive resistance, listeners are invited into a practical and compassionate discussion about self-awareness and growth.This episode reinforces that leadership isn't about perfection or titles — it's about learning how to adapt, evolve, and lead effectively in everyday moments, both professionally and personally.Episode Timestamps00:00 – Facilitating opposing viewpoints: why more than one thing can be true00:00:32 – Welcome to Discovering You: Where Personality Meets Possibility00:01:00 – Mood check-in and DISC color conversation00:02:15 – Personal context and emotional awareness in leadership00:03:00 – DISC explained through a football analogy00:03:30 – Recap of HPTI and leadership traits from Part One00:04:00 – Trait #4: Risk Approach explained00:04:30 – High vs. low risk approach and DISC connections00:05:00 – Why risk approach matters in leadership00:05:30 – When high risk becomes a liability00:06:00 – How risk approach shows up in teams and groups00:07:00 – Personal reflections on risk tolerance and decision-making00:08:30 – Trait #5: Ambiguity Acceptance defined00:09:00 – Organizational culture and ambiguity tolerance00:09:30 – Leadership performance under uncertainty00:10:00 – The dangers of excessive ambiguity acceptance00:10:45 – Real-world facilitation examples and collaboration00:12:00 – Overplaying strengths and adaptability in business00:13:30 – Trait #6: Competitiveness explained00:14:15 – Healthy vs. unhealthy competitiveness in leadership00:15:00 – Individual and team dynamics around competition00:16:00 – Competing with others vs. competing with yourself00:18:45 – When competitiveness influences participation and motivation00:19:00 – Leadership derailment: when strengths become risks00:19:30 – Overview of the 10 common leadership derailers00:21:00 – Self-reflection: identifying personal derailment patterns00:22:30 – Perfectionism, excessive caution, and leadership awareness00:23:00 – Growth, coaching, and leadership beyond titles00:24:00 – Closing thoughts and how to learn moreIf you're interested in learning more about team building, coaching, strategic hiring and onboarding, let's connect!discoverwhatworks@gmail.com

a16z general partner David Haber spoke with Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon and a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz on the current macro environment, enterprise AI adoption, and crypto and AI policy. Solomon describes what he calls the "sweetest spot" he's seen in 40 years and explains Goldman's "One GS 3.0" initiative to reimagine core processes with AI. Horowitz discusses why "leads aren't what they once were" in AI and how a16z grew from a startup VC to capturing 18% of all US venture capital. Resources: Follow David Solomon on X: https://twitter.com/DavidSolomonFollow Ben Horowitz on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitzFollow David Haber on X: https://twitter.com/dhaber Timestamps: 00:00 — Introduction02:09 — Goldman's Evolution from Partnership to Public Company08:54 — How a16z Went from Top Tier to 18% of All US Venture Capital15:33 — "As Sweet a Spot" as Solomon Has Seen in 40 Years19:00 — M&A Outlook: "Whatever the Question Is, the Answer Is Maybe"21:33 — Why Leads Aren't What They Once Were in AI23:03 — Crypto Policy: The Genius Act and Clarity Act25:24 — AI Policy: "Don't Regulate Math"28:03 — One GS 3.0: Reimagining Processes with AI32:54 — Will AI Agents Change Investing?34:00 — Favorite DJ Stay Updated:If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends!Find a16z on X: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zListen to the a16z Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYXListen to the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see http://a16z.com/disclosures. Stay Updated:Find a16z on XFind a16z on LinkedInListen to the a16z Show on SpotifyListen to the a16z Show on Apple PodcastsFollow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Janette Roush, the SVP of Innovation and Chief AI Officer at Brand USA, shares how her team moved past AI hype to real, working applications across the organization. She explains what agentic AI looks like in practice, how organizations shift from individual experimentation to true organizational upskilling, and why trust and verified data are becoming mission-critical as travelers rely more on AI for planning. You'll hear concrete examples from RFP evaluation, internal workflows, and campaign launches, along with a clear argument for why destination organizations must reposition themselves as trusted sources of truth. This episode is for hospitality and travel leaders who need practical direction on how AI is already reshaping discovery, decision-making, and organizational strategy.Listen to our previous conversation: America's Chief AI Officer for Travel Shares AdviceResources we mentioned:Janette's websiteClaude Code LovableBrand USA's America the Beautiful campaign siteHow I AI PodcastEveryMarketing Against the Grain A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free. Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together. If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve! Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

My co-host Ken Suzan and I are welcoming you to episode 171 of our podcast IP Fridays! Today's interview guest is the president of the German Patent and Trademark Office Eva Schewior! But before we jump into this very interesting interview, I have news for you: The US Supreme Court has taken up an important patent law case concerning so-called “skinny labels” for generic drugs. Specifically, the highest US court is reviewing a case in which Amarin accuses generic drug manufacturer Hikma of inciting doctors to use the cholesterol drug Vascepa in violation of patents by providing a limited package insert. In two landmark decisions, the UPC Court of Appeal clarified the criteria for inventive step and essentially confirmed the EPO’s typical “problem-solution” approach (Amgen v Sanofi and Meril v Edwards). However, experts are not entirely sure whether the Court of Appeal’s decisions, particularly those relating to the determination of the closest prior art, deviate from EPO practice. As a result of Brexit, mutual recognition of trademark use between the EU and the UK will cease to apply from January 1, 2026. Use of a trademark only in the UK will then no longer count as use of an EU trademark for the purpose of maintaining rights – and conversely, EU use will no longer count for British trademarks. Bayer is attacking several mRNA vaccine manufacturers in the US (Pfizer, BioNTech, Moderna, and J&J separately). The core allegation: patent infringements relating to old (Monsanto) patents on mRNA stabilization; Bayer is seeking damages, not sales bans. DISCO Pharmaceuticals from Cologne signs an exclusive license agreement with Amgen (potentially up to USD 618 million plus royalties) for novel cancer therapies targeting surface structures. Relevant from an IP perspective: license scope, milestones, data/know-how allocation. And now let's jump into the interview with Eva Schewior! The German IP System in Transition: Key Insights from DPMA President Eva Schewior In an in-depth conversation on the IP Fridays podcast, Eva Schewior, President of the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA), outlined how Germany's IP system is responding to rising demand, technological change, and a fundamentally altered European patent landscape. The interview offers valuable insights for innovators, companies, and IP professionals navigating patent, trademark, and design protection in Europe. Sustained Demand and Procedural Efficiency Despite the introduction of the Unitary Patent system, national German IP rights continue to see strong and growing demand. According to Schewior, application numbers at the DPMA have been increasing for years, which she views as a strong vote of confidence in the quality and reliability of German IP rights. At the same time, this success creates pressure on examination capacity. The average duration of patent proceedings at the DPMA is currently around three years and two months from filing to grant, provided applicants request examination early and avoid extensions. Internationally, this timeframe remains competitive. Nevertheless, shortening procedures remains a strategic priority. Search requests alone have risen by almost 50% over the past decade, yet the DPMA still delivers search reports on time in around 90% of cases. To better reflect applicant needs, the DPMA distinguishes between two main user groups: applicants seeking a rapid grant, often as a basis for international filings, and applicants primarily interested in a fast, high-quality initial assessment through search or first examination. Future procedural adjustments are being considered to better serve both groups. The Role of Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence already plays a practical role at the DPMA, particularly in patent search, classification, and the translation of Asian patent literature. Schewior emphasized that the office is closely monitoring rapid developments in AI to assess where these tools can further improve efficiency. However, she made clear that AI will remain a supporting technology. In public administration, and especially in IP examination, final decisions must always be taken and reviewed by humans. AI is seen as a way to relieve examiners of routine tasks so they can focus on substantive examination and quality. Maintaining and Monitoring Examination Quality Quality assurance is a central pillar of the DPMA's work. Schewior reported consistently positive feedback from users, but stressed that maintaining quality is a continuous task. The office applies systematic double checks for grants and refusals and uses internal quality management tools to randomly review searches and first office actions during ongoing proceedings. External feedback is equally important. The DPMA's User Advisory Board, which includes patent attorneys, startups, and patent information centers, plays a key role in identifying issues and suggesting improvements. Several of its recommendations have already been implemented. Trademark Filings and Bad-Faith Applications The trademark side of the DPMA has experienced particularly strong growth. In 2025, the office received around 95,000 trademark applications, an increase of approximately 18% compared to the previous year. Much of this growth came from abroad, especially from China. While new trademark types such as sound marks, multimedia marks, and holograms have so far seen only moderate uptake, word marks and figurative marks remain dominant. A growing challenge, however, is the rise in bad-faith trademark filings. The DPMA has responded by intensively training examiners to identify and handle such cases. Procedural reforms following EU trademark law modernization have also shifted competencies. Applicants can now choose whether to bring revocation and invalidity actions before the courts or directly before the DPMA. While courts may act faster, proceedings before the DPMA involve significantly lower financial risk, as each party generally bears its own costs. Accelerated Examination as a Practical Tool Despite rising filing numbers, the DPMA aims to avoid significant delays in trademark proceedings. Organizational restructuring within the trademark department is intended to balance workloads across teams. Schewior highlighted the option of accelerated trademark examination, available for a relatively modest additional fee. In practice, this can lead to registration within a matter of weeks, without affecting priority, since the filing date remains decisive. New Protection for Geographical Indications A major recent development is the extension of EU-wide protection for geographical indications to craft and industrial products. Since late 2025, the DPMA acts as the national authority for German applications in this area. The first application has already been filed, notably for a traditional German product. Under the new system, applications undergo a national examination phase at the DPMA before being forwarded to the EUIPO for final decision. Products eligible for protection must originate from a specific region and derive their quality or reputation from that origin, with at least one production step taking place there. The EU estimates that around 40 German products may qualify. Outreach, SMEs, and Education Schewior underlined the DPMA's statutory duty to inform the public about IP rights, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized enterprises. The office has significantly expanded its presence on platforms such as LinkedIn and YouTube, offering accessible and practical IP content. Studies show that fewer than 10% of European SMEs use IP rights, despite evidence that IP-owning companies generate higher revenues. To address this gap, the DPMA is expanding outreach formats, strengthening cooperation with educational institutions, and publishing new empirical studies, including a forthcoming analysis of patenting behavior among innovative German startups conducted with WIPO. Strategic Challenges Ahead Looking forward, Schewior identified several key challenges: insufficient awareness of IP protection among SMEs and startups, a tendency in some sectors to rely solely on trade secrets, and the growing problem of product and trademark piracy linked to organized crime. From an institutional perspective, the DPMA must remain attractive and competitive in a European system offering multiple routes to protection. This requires legally robust decisions, efficient procedures, qualified staff, and continuous investment in IT and training. Careers at the DPMA Finally, Schewior highlighted recruitment as a strategic priority. The DPMA recently hired around 50 new patent examiners and continues to seek experts in fields such as electrical engineering, e-mobility, IT, and aerospace, as well as IT specialists, lawyers, and staff in many other functions. She emphasized the DPMA's role as Europe's largest national patent office and a globally significant, stable, and family-friendly employer at the forefront of technological development. German and European Patents as Complementary Options In her closing remarks, Schewior addressed the post-UPC patent landscape. Rather than competing, German and European patent systems complement each other. For many SMEs, a German patent alone may be sufficient, particularly where Germany is the core market. At the same time, the possibility of holding both a European patent and a national German patent offers strategic resilience, as national protection can survive even if a European patent is revoked. Her key message was clear: the range of options has never been broader, but making informed strategic choices is more important than ever. If you would like, I can also adapt this article for a specialist legal audience, condense it for a magazine format, or rework it as a thought-leadership piece for LinkedIn or your website. Rolf Claessen: Today's interview guest is Eva Schewior. If you don't know her yet, she is the President of the German Patent and Trademark Office. Thank you very much for being here. Eva Schewior: I'm very happy that you're having me today. Thank you, Mr. Claessen. Rolf Claessen: Shortening the length of procedures has been a stated goal since you took office. What is the current situation, and which measures are in place to achieve this goal? Eva Schewior: First of all, I'm very glad that German IP rights are in high demand. Even though applicants in Europe have multiple options today to obtain protection for their innovations, we have seen increasing application numbers for years at my office, even after the introduction of the Unitary Patent system. I see this as very positive feedback for our work. It is clear, however, that the high number of applications leads to a constantly increasing workload. At the same time, we want to remain attractive for our applicants. This means we must offer not only high-quality IP rights but also reasonable durations of proceedings. Ensuring this remains a central and permanent objective of our strategy. The average duration of proceedings from filing to grant is currently about three years and two months, provided that applicants file an examination request within the first four months after application and do not request extensions of time limits. In other cases, the average duration of proceedings is admittedly longer. With these three years and two months, we do not have to shy away from international comparison. Nonetheless, we strive to get better. In the last few years, we were able to improve the number of concluded proceedings or to keep them at a high level. In some areas, we were even able to shorten durations of proceedings a bit, though not yet to the extent that we would have wished for. Our efforts are often overtaken by the increasing demand for our services. Just to give you an example, in the last ten to fifteen years, search requests increased by nearly fifty percent. Despite this, we managed to deliver search reports in ninety percent of all cases in time, so that customers have enough time left to take a decision on a subsequent application. I have to admit that we are not equally successful with the first official communication containing the first results of our examination. Here, our applicants need a bit more patience due to longer durations of proceedings. But I think I do not have to explain to your expert audience that longer processing times depend on various reasons, which are in no way solely to be found on our side as an examination office. To further reduce the length of proceedings, we need targeted measures. To identify them, we have analyzed the needs of our applicants. It has been shown that there are two main interests in patent procedures. About three quarters of our applicants have a very strong interest in obtaining a patent. They mainly expect us to make fast decisions on their applications. Here we find applicants who want to have their invention protected within Germany but often also wish for subsequent protection outside Germany. The remaining quarter consists of applicants that are solely interested in a fast and high-quality first assessment of the application by means of a search or a first official examination. We observe that these applicants use our services before they subsequently apply outside Germany. This latter group has little interest in continuing the procedure before my office here in Germany. We are currently considering how we can act in the best interest of both groups. What I can certainly say is that we will continue to address this topic. And of course, in general, it can be said that if we want to shorten the duration of proceedings, we need motivated and highly skilled patent examiners. Therefore, we are currently recruiting many young colleagues for our offices in Munich and Jena, and we want to make our procedures more efficient by using new technical options, thus taking workload from patent examiners and enabling them to concentrate on their core tasks and on speedy examination. Rolf Claessen: Thank you very much. I also feel that the German Patent and Trademark Office has become quite popular, especially with the start of the UPC. Some applicants seem to find that it is a very clever option to also file national patents in Germany. Eva Schewior: I think you're perfectly right, and I think we will come to this point later. Rolf Claessen: In 2023, you mentioned artificial intelligence as an important tool for supporting patent examiners. What has happened regarding AI since then? Eva Schewior: Of course, we are already successfully using AI at our office. For instance, in the field of patent search, we use AI-based tools that make our examiners' work easier. We also use AI quite successfully for classification and for the translation of Asian patent literature into English. In the meantime, we have seen a rapid development of AI in the market. I think it is strategically imperative to get an overview and to make realistic assessments of what AI is capable of doing to make our procedures more efficient. Therefore, we are observing the market to find out where AI can perform tasks so that we enable examiners to concentrate on their core business. There are many ideas right now in our office where artificial intelligence can help us tackle challenges, for instance demographic change, which certainly also affects our office, and maintaining our quality standards. We will strategically promote new tools in this field to cope with these challenges. But this much is also clear: humans will always stay in our focus. Especially in public administration, I consider it a fundamental principle that in the end, decisions must be taken and reviewed by humans. AI may help us reach our goals in a more efficient way, but it can never replace patent or trademark examiners. Rolf Claessen: You have made quality improvements in patent examination a priority and have already implemented a number of measures. How would you describe the current situation? Eva Schewior: I often receive positive feedback from different sides that our users are very satisfied with the quality of our examination, and I'm very glad about that. But maintaining this quality standard is a permanent task, and we must not become careless here. For years, for instance, we have established double checks for all grants and rejections. In addition, we have introduced a quality management tool that enables us, even during the examination process, to randomly check the quality of first office communications and searches. This helps us detect critical trends and take appropriate countermeasures at a very early stage. What is also very important when it comes to patent quality is to actively ask our customers for their feedback. We do this in different ways. Just to give you an example, we have a User Advisory Board, which is a panel of external experts implemented a couple of years ago. Discussing questions of quality is regularly on the agenda of this board. We carefully listen to criticism, ideas, and suggestions, and we have already implemented some of them for the benefit of the office and our users. Rolf Claessen: The German Patent and Trademark Office, as the largest patent and trademark office in Europe, records very high numbers of trademark applications. What are you currently especially concerned with in the trademark area? Eva Schewior: In 2025, we saw around ninety-five thousand trademark applications. This is an increase of eighteen percent compared to the previous year, and I have to say that this took us by surprise. Especially applications from outside Germany, and above all from China, have risen significantly. It is of course challenging to cope with such a sudden increase on an organizational level. Another challenge is dealing with trademark applications filed in bad faith, which we are currently seeing more and more of. We have thoroughly trained our trademark examiners on how to identify and handle such applications. As regards the new types of trademarks, the rush has been moderate so far. Sound marks, multimedia marks, or holograms are apparently not yet common solutions for the majority of applicants. The key focus remains on word marks and combined word and figurative marks. Nevertheless, I believe that the new trademark types are a meaningful supplement and may play a greater role as digitization advances. The most significant changes, however, concern procedures. Applicants can now choose whether to file revocation or invalidity actions with the courts or with our office. While courts may proceed somewhat faster, the financial risk is higher. Before the DPMA, each party generally bears its own costs, apart from exceptional cases. Rolf Claessen: How does this dynamic filing development impact the duration of trademark proceedings? Eva Schewior: This is indeed a major organizational challenge. For a long time, our trademark department managed to keep durations of proceedings very short, especially with regard to registration. Despite the recent increases in applications, especially in 2025, we hope to avoid a significant extension of processing times. We have restructured the organization of the trademark department to distribute applications more equally among teams. Applicants should also be aware that it is possible to request accelerated examination for a relatively moderate fee of two hundred euros. This often leads to registration within a very short time. The filing date, of course, always determines priority. Rolf Claessen: Since December 2025, the EU grants protection not only for agricultural products but also for craft and industrial products through geographical indications. Has your office already received applications? Eva Schewior: Yes, we have received our first application, and interestingly it concerns garden gnomes. Protected geographical indications are an important topic because they help maintain traditional know-how in regions and secure local jobs. The DPMA is the competent authority for Germany. Applications go through a national examination phase at our office before being forwarded to the EUIPO, which takes the final decision on EU-wide registration. Eligible products must originate from a specific region and derive their quality, reputation, or characteristics from that origin, with at least one production step taking place there. Rolf Claessen: The DPMA has expanded its outreach activities, including social media. What else is planned? Eva Schewior: Raising awareness of IP rights, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises, is part of our statutory duty. We currently use LinkedIn and YouTube to communicate IP topics in an understandable and engaging way. We also plan dedicated LinkedIn channels, for example for SMEs. Studies show that fewer than ten percent of European SMEs use IP rights, even though those that do earn significantly more on average. In 2026, we will further expand outreach activities, cooperate more closely with universities and educational institutions, and publish new studies, including one on the patenting behavior of innovative German start-ups conducted together with WIPO. Rolf Claessen: Where do you see the biggest future challenges in IP? Eva Schewior: Germany depends on innovation, but awareness of IP protection is still insufficient, particularly among SMEs and start-ups. Some companies deliberately avoid IP rights and rely on trade secrets, which I consider risky. Another growing concern is the increase in product and trademark piracy, often linked to organized crime. For our office, remaining attractive and competitive is crucial. Applicants have many options in Europe, so we need fast procedures, legally robust decisions, qualified staff, and modern IT systems. Rolf Claessen: The DPMA is currently recruiting. Which areas are you focusing on? Eva Schewior: Our focus is on patent examination and IT. We recently hired fifty new patent examiners and are particularly looking for experts in fields such as electrical engineering, e-mobility, IT, and aerospace. We are Europe's largest national patent office and offer meaningful, secure jobs with fair compensation and strong development opportunities. Rolf Claessen: Is there a final message you would like to share with our listeners? Eva Schewior: The Unitary Patent system has created many new options. German and European patent systems do not compete; they complement each other. For many SMEs, a German patent may already be sufficient, especially where Germany is the core market. Holding both European and national patents can also be a strategic advantage. My key message is: be aware of the options, stay informed, and choose your IP strategy deliberately. Rolf Claessen: Thank you very much for being on IP Fridays. Eva Schewior: Thank you for having me. It was a pleasure.

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, hosts Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Snyder sit down with Jeffrey Bernstein to explore how finance leaders can better communicate financial insights and influence decision-making across an organization. The conversation focuses on the gap between technical financial knowledge and the ability to clearly explain what the numbers actually mean to non-finance stakeholders.Jeffrey is a Senior Managing Director and Head of Capital Markets Advisory at Riveron, a leading advisor to the Office of the CFO and Private Equity. Early in his career, Jeff was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, where he helped execute IPOs in the technology sector for over a decade. Afterward, he spent more than 15 years as a portfolio manager investing in disruptive public and private companies. For the last eight years, Jeff has served as a trusted strategic advisor to pre-IPO companies, guiding them toward successful public exits.Expect to Learn:Why finance professionals play a crucial role in the IPO processHow to prepare a company financially for a successful public listingThe importance of building financial trust with public investorsHow to evaluate the readiness of your financial systems and team for the IPO processHere are a few relevant quotes from the episode:“The biggest change from private to public is transitioning from over-promising to under-promising and over-delivering.”- Jeff Bernstein“Financial integrity isn't just about the numbers; it's about being transparent, avoiding gimmicks, and sticking to metrics that have real meaning.”- Jeff BernsteinJeff shares valuable insights on the complexities of going public, managing quarterly earnings, and maintaining investor trust. He also discusses how FP&A teams can help steer the company through financial reporting, forecasting, and strategic decision-making post-IPO.Follow Jeffrey:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-bernstein-498a23158/Company - https://www.linkedin.com/company/riveron/Website - https://riveron.com/Follow Glenn:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenntsnyder/Earn Your CPE Credit For CPE credit please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, and answer a few questions and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.In Today's Episode[01:42] – Meet Jeff Bernstein[04:58] – Transitioning to Public Company[08:36] – The Role of FP&A in IPO[12:44] – Investor Trust and Forecasting[17:10] – Financial Integrity[21:58] – Preparing for the IPO Process[26:35] – Stress-Testing Forecasts[30:42] – Earning Investor Trust[34:18] – Organizational...

How do you maintain momentum after the record-setting success of a $600 million campaign? Learn the critical role of organizational readiness and strategic ambition in this master class on philanthropic leadership. Douglas Nelson sits down with Anne-Marie Newton, President & CEO of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Foundation, who openly shares her experience navigating the transition from Chief Development Officer to CEO. She discusses how to successfully lead a team through the crucial “retool and refuel” phase that follows a major campaign, the importance of consistent, authentic donor stewardship, and how the Foundation partners with the hospital to drive system-wide advancements in mental health—the defining public health challenge of our time.

AI adoption within organizations is increasingly polarized, with Gallup data cited showing that while 77% of technology professionals use AI at work, overall workplace adoption rose only marginally from 45% to 46% in late 2025. This stagnation is attributed not to employee reluctance, but to aggressive uptake by leadership without corresponding redesign of roles and workflows at lower organizational levels. In the UK, research presented notes an 8% net job loss tied to AI alongside a 11.5% productivity increase, with younger workers expressing heightened concern over future employment security.Supporting analysis emphasizes that AI utilized only in decision-making circles can compress organizations, trading resilience for short-term efficiency. Dave Sobel cautions that celebrating productivity gains without acknowledging operational fragility introduces organizational brittleness, as headcount reductions outpace tangible capability improvements across all layers. The discussion underscores the risk in pitching AI as a leadership tool without regard for its broader impact.Additional topics include the risks of encryption practices—specifically Microsoft's BitLocker—and the limits of user control over recovery keys when stored in the cloud. Dave Sobel highlights governance failures when MSPs assume encryption equates to privacy without explicit decisions regarding key custody and authority, noting that silent trade-offs can expose organizations to privacy vulnerabilities. Furthermore, coverage of CISA's absence from RSA conference outlines how diminished federal engagement increases liability and ambiguity for MSPs tasked with interpreting security policy. New video authentication features from Ring are examined as evidence of a broader shift where provenance and chain of custody outweigh convenience, directly affecting the evidentiary value of managed data.The overarching implication for MSPs and IT providers is clear: risk, authority, and liability are being systematically reallocated within the supply chain and between vendors, government, and service providers. Operational preparedness now depends on explicit documentation, governance choices, and advance recognition of liability transfer. Failing to adapt—by leaving deployment decisions, key management, and evidentiary workflows unexamined—may result in organizational fragility, legal exposure, and loss of client trust. Four things to know today 00:00 Stalled AI Adoption and UK Job Losses Show Productivity Gains Are Not Broadly Shared04:06 BitLocker Encryption Allows Microsoft Access to Recovery Keys Stored in the Cloud06:21 CISA Breaks From Past Practice, Declines RSA Conference Appearance08:36 Ring Uses Cryptographic Seals to Verify Video Authenticity as Evidence Trust Becomes a Governance Issue This is the Business of Tech.    Supported by:  https://scalepad.com/dave/

Are you drowning in "urgent" tasks while your big goals sit on the back burner? Stop firefighting and start diagnosing your leadership bottlenecks with this 2x2 grid.In this episode, Dr. Mira Brancu addresses the "Black Hole Reactivity Vortex"—a common trap where high-performing leaders feel busy but fail to be strategic. Most leaders jump straight to solutions, but Dr. Brancu argues that we often solve the right problem at the wrong level. By applying a diagnostic framework used in complex medical fields, she introduces a 2x2 grid to identify the Vertical Systems Level (Individual, Team, Organizational, Societal) and the Horizontal Responsibility Level (Me, Team, Someone else, Organization). Through real-world case studies, you'll learn why "personality conflicts" are often system failures and how to use triage protocols to reclaim your time.Continue exploring this topic by taking our free strategic leadership resiliency assessment here: https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment And make sure to subscribe to this channel so you don't miss any future learning opportunities to strengthen your “hard skills muscles”!!IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksAdd this podcast to your feed: www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/

Moving Away From ComplexityLeaders Make It Better "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." – John 15:2 (ESV) What is the purpose of pruning… that less… produces more As organizations, ministries, leaders grow, so does complexity. However, complexity is not a necessity. Great leaders make things better—not by adding more, but by doing less, better. As I write this, SpaceX launched its first rocket of the year early this morning. Last year set a record for the number of launches, and this year is already on track to surpass it. SpaceX has pioneered lower-cost rockets that not only launch but return safely to Earth—a concept that was considered impossible just a few years ago. But a team of the best engineers on the planet, paired with a visionary leader willing to attempt the unthinkable, proved the doubters wrong. I recently saw Elon Musk post a picture showing the evolution of their Raptor rocket engines. These engines are ultimately designed to carry humanity to Mars. But to me, the true marvel lies in how each version has been refined. Raptor 1 looked like a tangled mess of wires, tubes, and complexity. It worked, but it was difficult to build, maintain, and reproduce. Raptor 2 was a major step forward—cleaner, more streamlined, and a genuine engineering breakthrough. Yet, the team didn't stop there. Raptor 3, the latest version, is elegant in its simplicity. It's powerful, efficient, and ruthlessly refined— the result of hundreds of intentional decisions to remove what didn't belong and simplify what remained. Elon Musk's team didn't arrive here by accident. They followed a radical but effective design philosophy. "Every requirement is dumb until proven otherwise. Delete it. Simplify. Optimize. Accelerate. Only then do you automate." This isn't just how you build rockets; it's a masterclass in leading toward simplicity. When I arrived at Grace eight years ago, we found over 50 separate ministries operating under the banner of the church. Most were siloed, competing with one another for resources and attention. We made the intentional decision to move from 50 things to four. It was a deliberate shift away from complexity. It's a timeless problem. As organizations grow, complexity inevitably creeps in. Often, it's not bad things, it's good things that no longer serve the mission. Sacred cows. Outdated processes. Organizational comfort zones. If we don't intentionally prune them, we'll never move with the power and speed the Spirit desires. Remember the words of Jesus: "Every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." – John 15:2 What Space X Can Teach Leaders 1. Question Everything "Every requirement is dumb until proven otherwise." As leaders, it's our responsibility to question every process, system, and program we engage with. We should consistently ask, "Does this serve the mission?"—until we can either validate it or eliminate it. Why do we hold this meeting? How many of these programs are truly necessary? Can one person do this instead of two? Can this leader handle more responsibility? Why does it take three classes and three months to move someone toward membership? How hard is it to onboard new leaders? Why are we using more than one communication platform? Just because something worked in a past move of God doesn't mean it belongs in the next. 2. Delete, Delete, Delete You can't simplify clutter. Before you simplify, you must eliminate. Craig Groeschel challenges his leaders to keep a "stop doing list" alongside their "to-do list." It's logical—you can't add something new until you remove something old. This year, we made the decision to eliminate our Midweek Fire service to make room for the mission. We asked: Why do we need two weekly services focused on awakening—especially when Sunday is already our strongest and most effective service for that purpose? By removing the Wednesday service, we created space and opportunity for more Grace Groups to meet on campus. That shift better aligns with our vision to train and send. What weekly or monthly meeting can be eliminated or consolidated? What process or system could lose a step or two? What volunteer or leader could be repositioned or reallocated? I promise, you can do more than you think, with less than you think you need. Eliminate what no longer helps people discover life in all its fullness. 3. Clarify What Remains Once something is stripped down to its essential parts, you must then clarify it. Every program, system, activity needs a clear and identifiable win. Every leader needs a clear and simple expectation. Clarity is essential for both mission and movement. What is the win for our Sunday service? What's the expectation for Next Steps? What's the goal of your weekly connection points? What's the purpose of your one-on-one meetings? "Write the vision; make it plain… so that he may run who reads it." (Habakkuk 2:2) Clarity empowers people to run with vision. 4. Accelerate Timeframes What is your big, bold goal for this year? What if you accelerated your timeframe? Instead of going for it slowly over the year, what if you hit it hard for 90 days? Chances are you will not make it… but what if you do? Or how much further will you be along the journey because you accelerated? When you move swiftly and quickly, it might be messy, but it could also be more missional! Remember, the Acts church moved fast because they trusted the Spirit and empowered people. So can we. 5. Automate Last I love automation. This is where systems and programs operate without your constant intervention. However The temptation is to automate first. However if you automate while there is still clutter you will only create confusion. This is why automation is the last step. Today there is a wealth of tools and resources that can steam-line processes, automate tasks and communications. Before you lock them in… make sure that the process has been perfected. Leaders Make It Better This is one of Grace World's 5 Core Leadership Behaviors: Leaders Make It Better. It means we leave things better than we found them. We don't settle for "this is how we've always done it." We treat "it is what it is" like a curse word. We question everything. We eliminate what's unnecessary. We clarify constantly. We move at the speed of the Spirit. And we multiply what matters. As leaders, we take initiative to clear obstacles. We don't wait for someone else to do it. Questions 1. What is one area in your ministry you can simplify this week to make it better? 2. What is a system, step, or sacred cow that needs to be challenged? 3. Where have you settled for the status quo instead of stewarding revival? "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life… so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." – 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 Follow Up Questions What is on thing you will STOP doing in the next 30 days? What is one thing you need to SIMIPLIFY in your life immediately? What is one BIG BOLD goal you can SPEED up?

Dive into the thrilling kickoff of the John Harbaugh era on He's a Giant, as hosts Monte and Sal unpack the New York Giants' game-changing hire of the ex-Ravens coach, delving into the tense contract saga, Harbaugh's sweeping authority over operations, and seismic shifts like axing exec Kevin Abrams. They laud Chris Mara's crucial involvement in the deal, break down Harbaugh's CEO mindset, demanding practices, and in-game tactics, and scout top coordinator prospects including Todd Monken for offense and defensive standouts Jim Leonhard, Daronte Jones, and Anthony Weaver. Packed with schematic breakdowns, roster evaluations, and Harbaugh's draft patterns from Baltimore, this episode buzzes with hope for the Giants' revival into a powerhouse.00:02:25 Assessment of contract holdups and organizational control00:07:18 Beyond Schoen: Family involvement in decisions00:10:03 Chris Mara's heroic role in the hiring process00:13:30 What Harbaugh brings: Organizational change and coaching style00:21:04 Breaking news: Kevin Abrams fired00:25:09 Game-day management pros and cons00:32:40 Offensive coordinator preview: Todd Monken00:45:30 Jim Leonhard breakdown00:51:18 Daronte Jones breakdown01:02:43 Anthony Weaver breakdown01:05:24 Personnel fits for defensive schemes01:15:03 College football national title shoutout01:17:52 Closing and subscribe reminderPlease Like and Subscribe!Follow Us:@HesAGiantPod@montecri5to@queens_guy

*Content Warning: institutional betrayal, sexual violence, stalking, on-campus violence, intimate partner violence, gender-based violence, stalking, rape, and sexual assault.Free + Confidential Resources + Safety Tips: somethingwaswrong.com/resources   Follow Dr. Nicole Bedera: Website: https://www.nicolebedera.com/  Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/nbedera.bsky.social  Book: On The Wrong Side - How Universities Protect Perpetrators and Betray Survivors of Sexual Violence: https://www.nicolebedera.com/about-1  SWW Sticker Shop!: https://brokencyclemedia.com/sticker-shop SWW S25 Theme Song & Artwork: The S25 cover art is by the Amazing Sara Stewart instagram.com/okaynotgreat/ The S25 theme song is a cover of Glad Rag's U Think U from their album Wonder Under, performed by the incredible Abayomi instagram.com/Abayomithesinger. The S25 theme song cover was produced by Janice “JP” Pacheco instagram.com/jtooswavy/ at The Grill Studios in Emeryville, CA instagram.com/thegrillstudios/ Follow Something Was Wrong: Website: somethingwaswrong.com  IG: instagram.com/somethingwaswrongpodcast TikTok: tiktok.com/@somethingwaswrongpodcast  Follow Tiffany Reese: Website: tiffanyreese.me  IG: instagram.com/lookieboo Sources:Bedera, N. (2021). Beyond Trigger Warnings: A Survivor-Centered Approach to Teaching on Sexual Violence and Avoiding Institutional Betrayal. Teaching Sociology, 49(3), 267-277. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092055X211022471  Bedera, Nicole (2022). "The illusion of choice: Organizational dependency and the neutralization of university sexual assault complaints." Law & Policy 44(3): 208-229. https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/items/4ded7343-efe3-499f-a61a-3a1bf03258e3Bedera, Nicole. 2024. “I Can Protect His Future, but She Can't Be Helped: Himpathy and Hysteria in Administrator Rationalizations of Institutional Betrayal.” The Journal of Higher Education 95 (1): 30–53. doi:10.1080/00221546.2023.2195771. Bedera, Nicole et al. “"I Could Never Tell My Parents": Barriers to Queer Women's College Sexual Assault Disclosure to Family Members.” Violence against women vol. 29,5 (2023): 800-816. doi:10.1177/10778012221101920 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35938472/ Bedera, Nicole Krystine. On the Wrong Side: How Universities Protect Perpetrators and Betray Survivors of Sexual Violence. University of California Press, 2024. https://www.nicolebedera.com/about-1 Cipriano, A. E., Holland, K. J., Bedera, N., Eagan, S. R., & Diede, A. S. (2022). Severe and pervasive? Consequences of sexual harassment for graduate students and their Title IX report outcomes. Feminist Criminology, 17(3), 343–367. https://doi.org/10.1177/15570851211062579 Grassi, Margherita, and Eleonora Volta. “Controlling the Narrative: The Epistemology of Himpathy in Sexual a...” Phenomenology and Mind, Rosenberg & Sellier, 1 Dec. 2024, journals.openedition.org/phenomenology/4128

Recent data shows that more than half of all nonprofit leaders in the US are women. Unfortunately, we also know that many nonprofit leaders are on the brink of burnout.This calls into question what we are doing to support these female leaders and prompts us to consider how we can give them the support they truly need.In this episode, I'm joined by Marisa Ciesluk, a women's  leadership development facilitator and coach, to help us figure out how to do that at a time when women's leadership development is under scrutiny. You'll learn practical strategies at the organizational and individual levels to make a difference.▶️ How Most Nonprofits Approach Women's Leadership Development (and What You Should Do Instead) with Marisa Ciesluk ▶️ Key Points:0:00:00 From burnout to women's leadership coaching0:09:33 Beyond skills: do the inner work, build capacity0:18:35 How nonprofits are supporting female leaders0:20:42 Organizational shifts to better support women0:24:59 Ways nonprofit L&D pros can help women0:29:19 A conversation that must continue to happenResources from this episode:Check out the book Marisa recommends: Playing Big by Tara Mohr.Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collectiveWas this episode helpful? If you're listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review!

Any effective implementation of leadership begins with believing in a set of grounded and guided principles, and you are committed to unwaveringly adopting them to cultivate the culture you desire.  According to The Barna Group, an evangelical Christian polling firm based in Ventura, California, Values Driven: Among Christian faith CEOs and Organizational leaders, 34% list religious faith as one of the top personal values influencing their leadership, often placing it alongside values like integrity and service.  Active Integration: While a large majority identify as religious, only about half (51%) of these "Faith-Forward" leaders report that their faith actively motivates their decision-making, while 25% say it is not a factor at all.  Dr. Michael Wright is a Christian leadership expert, executive coach, and speaker who helps leaders align faith, purpose, and strategy to create lasting impact. With decades of experience in organizational leadership, ministry development, and executive coaching, Michael equips pastors, nonprofit leaders, and professionals to lead with clarity, integrity, and effectiveness. Michael's work focuses on developing purpose-driven leaders, building healthy leadership systems, and helping organizations thrive while staying rooted in biblical values. For more information: https://www.drmwright.com/   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anthony reacts to the big changes in the New York Giants' organization. John Harbaugh has begun a massive organizational purge, parting ways with long-time executive Kevin Abrams after 27 years and moving legendary trainer Ronnie Barnes into a new role to make way for a new head trainer from the Ravens. That + coaching staff changes and much more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome back to Snafu with Robin P. Zander. In this episode, I'm doing something a little different: I step into the guest seat for a conversation with one of my good friends, Andrew Bartlow, recorded for the People Leader Accelerator podcast alongside Jessica Yuen. We dive into storytelling, identity, and leadership — exploring how personal experiences shape professional influence. The conversation begins with a reflection on family and culture, from the Moroccan textiles behind me, made by my mother, to the influence of my father's environmental consulting work. These threads of personal history frame my lifelong fascination with storytelling, persuasion, and coalition-building. Andrew and Jessica guide the discussion through how storytelling intersects with professional growth. We cover how early experiences — like watching Lawrence of Arabia at a birthday sleepover — sparked curiosity about adventure, influence, and human connection, and how these interests evolved into a career focused on organizational storytelling and leadership. We explore practical frameworks, including my four-part story model (Setup → Change → Turning → Resolution) and the power of "twists" to create momentum and memorability. The episode also touches on authentic messaging, the role of vulnerability in leadership, and why practicing storytelling in everyday life—outside high-stakes moments—builds confidence and executive presence over time. Listeners will hear lessons from a lifetime of diverse experiences: running a café in the Mission District, collaborating with BJ Fogg on behavioral change, building Zander Media, and applying storytelling to align teams and organizations. We also discuss how authenticity and personal perspective remain a competitive advantage in an age of AI-generated content. If you're curious about how storytelling, practice, and presence intersect with leadership, persuasion, and influence, this episode is for you. And for more insights on human connection, organizational alignment, and the future of work, check out Snafu, my weekly newsletter on sales, persuasion, and storytelling here, and Responsive Conference, where we explore leadership, work, and organizational design here. Start (0:00) Storytelling & Identity Robin introduces Moroccan textiles behind him Made by his mother, longtime practicing artist Connects to Moroccan fiancée → double meaning of personal and cultural Reflection on family influence Father: environmental consulting firm Mother: artist Robin sees himself between their careers Early Fascination with Storytelling Childhood obsession with Morocco and Lawrence of Arabia Watched 4-hour movie at age 6–7 Fascinated by adventure, camels, storytelling, persuasion Early exposure shaped appreciation for coalition-building and influence Identity & Names Jess shares preference for "Jess" → casual familiarity Robin shares professional identity as "Xander" Highlights fluidity between personal and professional selves Childhood Experiences & Social Context Watching Lawrence of Arabia at birthday sleepover Friends uninterested → early social friction Andrew parallels with daughters and screen preferences Childhood experiences influence perception and engagement Professional Background & Storytelling Application Robin's long involvement with PeopleTech and People Leader Accelerator Created PLA website, branding, documented events Mixed pursuits: dance, media, café entrepreneurship Demonstrates applying skills across domains Collaboration with BJ Fogg → behavioral change expertise Storytelling as Connection and Alignment Robin: Storytelling pulls from personal domains and makes it relevant to others Purpose: foster connection → move together in same direction Executive relevance: coalition building, generating momentum, making the case for alignment Andrew: HR focus on connection, relationships, alignment, clarity Helps organizations move faster, "grease the wheels" for collaboration Robin's Credibility and Experience in Storytelling Key principle: practice storytelling more than listening Full-time entrepreneur for 15 years First business at age 5: selling pumpkins Organized neighborhood kids in scarecrow costumes to help sell Earned $500 → early lessons in coalition building and persuasion Gymnastics and acrobatics: love of movement → performance, discipline Café entrepreneurship: Robin's Cafe in Mission District, SF Started with 3 weeks' notice to feed conference attendees Housed within a dance studio → intersection of dance and behavioral change First experience managing full-time employees Learned the importance of storytelling for community building and growth Realized post-sale missed opportunity: storytelling could have amplified success Transition to Professional Storytelling (Zander Media) Lessons from cafe → focus on storytelling, messaging, content creation Founded Zander Media (2018) Distributed small team, specializes in narrative strategy and video production Works with venture-backed companies and HR teams to tell stories internally and externally Provides reps and depth in organizational storytelling Why Storytelling Matters for Organizations Connects people, fosters alignment Enables faster movement toward shared goals Storytelling as a "powerful form of connection" What Makes a Good Story Robin: frameworks exist, but ultimately humans want: Education, entertainment, attention Sustained attention (avoid drift to TikTok, distractions) Framework examples: Hero's Journey (Joseph Campbell) → 17 steps Dan Harmon's 8-part structure → simplified version of Hero's Journey Robin's preferred model: 4-part story structure (details/examples forthcoming) The Power of the Twist, and Organizational Storytelling Robin's Four-Part Story Model Core idea: stories work best when they follow a simple arc Setup → Change → Turning (twist/reveal) → Resolution Goal: not rigid frameworks, but momentum, surprise, payoff The "Turning" (Twist) as the Sticky Moment Pixar example via Steve Jobs and the iPod Nano Setup: Apple's dominance, market context, long build-up Choice point: Option A: just reveal the product Option B (chosen): pause + curiosity Turning: the "tiny jeans pocket" question Reveal: iPod Nano pulled from the pocket Effect: entertainment, disruption, memorability Key insight: The twist creates pause, delight, and attention This moment often determines whether a story is remembered Why Flat Stories Fail Example (uninspiring): "I ran a cafe → wanted more marketing → now I run Xander Media" Improved arc with turning: Ran a cafe → wanted to do more marketing → sold it on Craigslist → built Xander Media Lesson: A reveal or risk creates narrative energy The Four Parts in Practice Setup The world as it is (Bilbo in the Shire) Change Something disrupts the norm (Gandalf arrives) Turning Twist, reveal, or surprise (the One Ring) Resolution Payoff and return (Bilbo back to the Shire) How to Use This as a Leader Don't force stories into frameworks Look at stories you already tell Identify where a disruption, surprise, or reveal could live Coalition-building lens Stories should move people into shared momentum Excitement → flow → aligned action Storytelling Mediums for HR & Organizations Employer brand ≠ separate from company brand Should be co-owned by HR and marketing Brand clarity attracts the right people, repels the wrong ones Strong brands are defined by: Who they are Who they are not Who they're for and not for HR vs Marketing: The Nuance Collaboration works only if: HR leads on audience and truth Marketing supports execution, not control Risk: Marketing optimizes for customers, not employees HR understands attraction, retention, culture fit Storytelling at the Individual Level No one is "naturally" good or bad at storytelling It's reps, not talent Practical advice: Know your ~15 core stories (career, company, turning points) Practice pauses like a comedian Notice when people lean in Opinionated Messaging = Effective Messaging Internal storytelling should: Be clear and opinionated Repel as much as it attracts Avoid: Corporate vanilla Saying a lot without saying anything Truth + Aspirational Truth Marketing and storytelling are a mix of: What is actually true What the organization is becoming Being "30% more honest" builds trust Including flaws and tradeoffs Example: budget brands, Southwest, Apple's office-first culture Why This Works Opinions create personality Personality creates stickiness Stickiness creates memory, alignment, and momentum Authenticity as the last real advantage We're flooded with AI-generated content (video, writing, everything) Humans are extremely good at sensing what feels fake Inauthenticity is easier to spot than ever One of the few remaining advantages: Be true to the real story of the person or organization Not polished truth — actual truth What makes content feel "AI-ish" AI can generate volume fast Books, posts, stories in minutes What it can't replicate: Personal specificity Why a story matters to you What an experience felt like from the inside Lived moments Running a café Growing into leadership What lasts: Personal story lesson learned relevance to this reader relevance to this relationship What content will win long-term Vulnerability Not oversharing, but real experience Personal perspective Why this matters to me Relevance Why it should matter to you Outcome Entertainment Insight Shared direction The risk of vulnerability (it can backfire) Being personal doesn't guarantee buy-in Example: inspirational talk → employee openly disagrees Emotional deflation Self-doubt Early leadership lesson: You can do your best People will still push back Leadership at higher levels gets harder, not easier Bigger teams → higher stakes Better pay Benefits Real expectations First "real" leadership pain points: Bad hires Mismatched expectations Disgruntled exits Realization: Conflict isn't failure It's a sign you've leveled up "Mountains beyond mountains" Every new level comes with new challenges Entrepreneurship Executive leadership Organizational scale Reframe setbacks: Not proof you're failing Proof you're progressing Authenticity at the executive table Especially hard for HR leaders Often younger Often earlier in career Often underrepresented Anxiety is normal The table doesn't feel welcoming Strategy: Name it "This is new for me" "I'm still finding my voice" Own it Ask for feedback Speak anyway Authenticity ≠ no consequences Being honest can carry risk Not every organization wants change Hard truth: You can't change people who don't want to change Sometimes the right move is leaving Guiding advice: Find people who already want what you offer Help them move faster Vulnerability as a competitive advantage Almost any perceived weakness can be reframed New Nervous Different When named clearly: It builds trust It creates permission It signals confidence Getting better at storytelling (practical) It's not talent — it's reps Shyness → confidence through practice Start small Don't test stories when stakes are highest Practice specifics Your core stories Your pitch Energy matters Enthusiasm is underrated Tempo matters Pauses Slowing down Letting moments land Executive presence is built Incrementally Intentionally Practice, Progress, and Learning That Actually Sticks Measure growth against yourself, not "the best" The real comparison isn't to others It's who you were yesterday MrBeast idea: If you're not a little uncomfortable looking at your past work You're probably not improving fast enough Important distinction: Discomfort ≠ shame Shame isn't a useful motivator Progress shows up in hindsight Looking back at past work "I'd write that differently now" Not embarrassment — evidence of growth Example: Weekly newsletter Over time, clearer thinking Better writing Stronger perspective Executive presence is a practice, not a trait Storytelling Selling Persuasion Presence Core question: Are you deliberately practicing? Or just repeating the same behaviors? Practice doesn't have to happen at work Low-stakes environments count Family Friends Everyday conversations Example: Practicing a new language with a dog Safe Repetitive No pressure Life skills = leadership skills One of the hardest lessons: Stop trying to get people to do what they don't want to do Daily practice ground: Family dynamics Respecting boundaries Accepting reality These skills transfer directly to work Influence Communication Leadership Why practice outside of high-stakes moments When pressure is high You default to habits Practicing in everyday life: Builds muscle memory Makes high-stakes moments feel familiar How to learn (without overengineering it) Follow curiosity Pick a thread A name A book An idea Pull on it See where it leads Let it branch Learning isn't linear It's exploratory Learning through unexpected sources Example: Reading a biography Leads to understanding an era Context creates insight The subject matters less than: Genuine interest Sustained attention Career acceleration (simple, not flashy) Always keep learning Find what pulls you in Go deeper Press the gas Where to find Robin Ongoing work lives in: Snafu (weekly newsletter on sales, persuasion, and storytelling) https://joinsnafu.com  Responsive Conference (future of work, leadership, and org design) https://responsiveconference.com   

January is calling and it wants your clutter gone. In this episode of I AM HOME, the team tackles the post-holiday mess with help from NFM furniture pros Angela Rodriguez and Kelsey Nosal. From storage beds that calm your bedroom to entryway setups that stop the daily pile-up, we're breaking down how furniture can organize your life for good. If your home feels chaotic and your junk drawer is judging you, this reset is for you. Resources: nfm.com/podcast

In this episode of Grounded and Aligned™, Karen addresses a pattern that consistently undermines senior leaders taking on new roles: delaying decisions in the name of certainty.When you step into expanded scope with incomplete information, hesitation carries real organizational consequences. Drawing on client work and direct experience, she examines why waiting for clarity rarely produces better outcomes and how early decisions affect authority, momentum, and cognitive load.If you are operating with accountability from day one and feel the pressure to “get it right,” this conversation reframes what effective judgment actually looks like at senior levels.Karen looks atHow delayed decisions create vacuums that others will fill, often in ways misaligned with your intent or prioritiesWhy hesitation signals uncertainty rather than thoughtfulness, and how that signal slows organizations more than imperfect decisions doThe cumulative emotional and cognitive load created by unresolved decisions, particularly in hiring, budgeting, and investment contextsThe role of early decisions in establishing credibility and authority within the first months of a new roleHow decision speed reduces over-coordination and excessive alignment cycles that drain senior capacityAt senior levels, the cost of indecision compounds quickly. Early decisions are less about being right and more about setting direction, preserving energy, and reinforcing judgment under uncertainty. Momentum, authority, and self-trust are built through action, not prolonged analysis.Next steps

I go on a full-fledged rant about the state of the New Jersey Devils, featuring Kyle Manifold of FlamesCast.   Check out the Devils State of Mind Podcast for the latest in New Jersey Devils News Fanatics Store: https://www.fanaticscreators.com/mypage/devilsstateofmind Podcast Merch: https://armoriso-design.square.site/shop/devils-state-of-mind-podcast-merch/RCM6EREEV4BXTJBQQZJOTDJX?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=asc 20% Off Devils Merch at Brick City Hockey: https://brickcityhockeyapparel.com/ Twitter: DevilsState Instagram: DevilsStateOfMind TikTok: Neil.Villapiano Facebook: Devils State of Mind Podcast BlueSky: ‪thenvpshow.bsky.social‬ New Jersey Devils Podcast - Part of The Hockey Podcast Network #NewJerseyDevils #NJDevils #Devils Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Premise For decades, the standard leadership playbook has been built upon an ironclad, yet increasingly fragile, triad: vision, strategy, and execution. While these pillars are foundational, they are no longer sufficient to navigate the complexities of the modern knowledge economy. A significant, transformative chapter is missing from the manual—one that addresses the human engine of performance. We have been conditioned to believe that leadership is exclusively "serious work" and that joy is a frivolous activity, which is at best emerges as after work activities and at worst considered a liability to be checked at the door.   This cultural perception has architected a structural deficit in our organizations. Leaders and their teams find themselves "drudging to work," trapped in a cycle of professional survival rather than creative thrive-states. This has led to a significant percentage of of employees having checked out at work and just going through the motions.   We treat fun as a distraction, something reserved for after-hours or relegated to the periphery of "real" work. This is one of the most damaging assumptions in modern business. It creates a false dichotomy that suggests one must choose between delivering results and experiencing joy. As an Executive Leadership coach, I contend that this dichotomy is not only false but strategically dangerous. Treating play as a distraction rather than a performance engine directly degrades a team's capacity for innovation.  In an era where the primary differentiator is the quality of thought, the traditional leadership playbook is suffering from a cognitive bottleneck. To remain competitive, we must dismantle this outdated view and recognize that play is a competitive necessity, a high-performance engine designed to galvanize teams and produce superior outcomes. The High-Performance Definition of Play To leverage play as a strategic asset, we must first strip away the superficiality that often surrounds the concept in corporate circles.  Strategic play is not found in the aesthetics of Silicon Valley—it is not about installing ping-pong tables, stocking breakrooms with board games, or the hollow performance of "mandated fun" events that often feel more like an obligation than an escape. These are mere pastimes; they do not drive performance. Instead, we must adopt an operational definition: play as an intentional, high-performance psychological and physiological state.  It is about architecting an environment where teams can achieve a state of "flow" while tackling their most rigorous and demanding objectives. In this state, the traditional friction of work evaporates and teams end up doing a lot more work with a lot less stress.  This lack of stress, despite the immense workload proves that play is not the absence of work; it is the absence of the psychological friction that usually accompanies work. When work is operationalized as play, the team doesn't just work harder; they work with a clarity and resilience that "serious" drudgery can never replicate. Six Elements of Play To move from theory to tactical application, we must look at the structural components of play. Organizational researcher Scott Eberle identified six core elements that define a playful mindset.  When leaders intentionally weave these elements into the cultural fabric of their teams, they transform the very nature of the work being produced. 1. Anticipation: The Catalyst for Engagement Anticipation is the palpable excitement that arises from looking forward to a challenge. In a professional context, this is the antidote to "initiative fatigue." Just as an athlete anticipates the opening whistle, a high-performing team thrives when the challenge ahead is framed not as a burden, but as an opportunity for discovery. Anticipation acts as the mental "hook." In modern business environments, specifically those utilizing Agile methodologies, anticipation transforms a "backlog" from a list of chores into a series of upcoming hurdles to be cleared. It primes the team to be mentally "in the game" before the first line of code is written or the first slide is designed. 2. Surprise: Disrupting Cognitive Entrenchment Surprise involves the novelty and unexpected discoveries encountered during a project. Significant challenges naturally produce new insights, both positive and negative. Surprise is the primary catalyst for innovation. In a "serious" environment, the unexpected is often viewed as a risk to be mitigated. In a playful environment, surprise is welcomed as a means to break routine thinking and force the brain to make new, non-linear connections. It disrupts "cognitive entrenchment"—the tendency for experts to rely on outdated mental models—and opens the door for genuine breakthroughs. 3. Pleasure: Sustaining the Performance Loop Pleasure is the intrinsic satisfaction derived from the activity itself. When the reward is the work, the team is in the process of achieving a sustainable loop of high performance. In many organizations, motivation is extrinsic—driven by bonuses, titles, or fear. Pleasure, however, provides a more durable fuel. It ensures that high-quality output is driven by internal satisfaction, which significantly reduces the attrition and burnout associated with high-pressure environments. 4. Understanding: The Currency of Progress Understanding is the "aha!" moment—the specific point in time when a complex problem is seen from a fresh perspective and the mental gears finally click into place. In the knowledge economy, these moments of insight are our most valuable currency. By fostering a playful environment, leaders lower the "cognitive load" and reduce the pressure that often blocks insight. This makes these "clicks" of understanding more frequent and more profound. 5. Strength: Architecting Mastery Strength is the feeling of competence and mastery that follows the process of overcoming a challenge. It is the psychological "high" of knowing one is capable, skilled, and efficacious. Mastery builds the confidence necessary for calculated risk-taking. When a team feels "strong" in their capabilities, they are more likely to push boundaries and explore unconventional solutions. This sense of mastery is the foundation of a "growth mindset" within the organization. 6. Poise: The Buffer Against Crisis Poise is the sense of grace, composure, and confidence that comes from operating at one's peak performance. It is the hallmark of a leader who is fully present. Poise is the ultimate defense against the "amygdala hijack"—the stress response that shuts down higher-order thinking during a crisis. A team operating with poise can remain calm and effective under extreme pressure, ensuring that they bring their "A-game" to high-stakes situations without being paralyzed by the fear of failure. The Chemical Formula for Peak Performance These six elements are not a buffet from which to choose from. They function as a unified chemical formula. When orchestrated correctly, they prime the brain for engagement and move the team toward a state of "effortless mastery or FLOW".  The formula functions through specific pairings that build a narrative of performance: Anticipation and Surprise (The Priming Phase): These two elements work in tandem to prime the brain for engagement. Anticipation focuses the attention, while surprise keeps the brain plastic and receptive to new information. This combination prevents the stagnation that occurs when work becomes predictable and monotonous. Pleasure (The Fuel Phase): Pleasure provides the intrinsic motivation necessary to sustain high effort over the long term. It is the cooling system for the high-performance engine, allowing for "immense hard work" without the friction of stress. Understanding and Strength (The Immersion Phase): These elements build the confidence required for deep immersion. When a team feels they understand the problem space and possess the strength to navigate it, they can commit fully to the task. This eliminates the "imposter syndrome" and hesitation that often slow down innovation. Poise (The Flow Phase): Poise is the result—the effortless mastery that defines a "flow state." It is the pinnacle of performance where the individual or team operates at maximum potential, moving through complex tasks with a sense of grace and composure. In an economy where the primary differentiator is the "quality of thought," the ability to architect an environment for consistent flow is the single greatest lever a leader possesses. If the brain is stressed, it is physiologically incapable of producing high-quality thinking. By using this chemical formula, you are literally optimizing the neurochemistry of your organization. Quantifying the ROI of Play or Joy The integration of play is not a "soft" initiative; it is a cold, calculated investment in Cultural Resilience.  For the strategist, the ROI of play or joy is measurable, when looked through three distinct lens: Personal Impact: The Executive Shield For the individual leader, the benefits of a playful mindset are immediate. It enhances the ability to solve complex, "wicked" problems by unlocking new creative connections that are inaccessible in a state of drudgery.  More importantly, it acts as a critical defense against burnout. By reducing work-related stress, play builds individual resilience, ensuring that the leader's productivity remains top-notch even during periods of extreme volatility and work under high pressure situations.  Team Impact: The Trust Foundation When play is integrated into a team, the impact is transformative. It allows for a level of bonding that traditional "team-building" exercises, which often feel artificial, cannot match.  Play strengthens communication and forges a powerful sense of togetherness through shared challenges and shared insights.  It builds a foundation of psychological safety where team members feel comfortable being vulnerable and taking risks. As the principle states: "Teams that play together stay together." Organizational Impact: The Strategic Asset At scale, this approach defines the entire organization. A culture where joy is expected is a culture worth belonging to.  This manifests as higher employee engagement, a free flow of creative ideation, and a measurable increase in overall productivity. It turns the organization into a "fulfilling place to work," a powerful differentiator in the war for talent.  When play is a core component of the culture, the organization becomes more agile, more innovative, and more capable of enduring market shifts. The Leader's Mandate - Be a Role Model The evidence is no longer anecdotal; it is a proven strategy for high performance. Therefore, the responsibility for integrating play falls directly on the shoulders of leadership.  It is time to dismantle the false dichotomy between results and joy and acknowledge that play is a non-negotiable component of delivering high-quality work. However, this cannot be mandated through policy. You cannot "order" a team to be in flow.  Instead, leaders must model the behavior. This is the Leader's Mandate: you must demonstrate through your own actions that fun is not only "okay" but is expected. What does this look like in practice? It means: Tactical Transparency: Openly celebrating a "Surprise" or an "Understanding" moment during a high-stakes meeting. Auditing Drudgery: Regularly asking, "Which parts of our current process have become mere drudgery, and how can we re-inject Anticipation or Surprise into them?" Celebrating Process, Not Just Outcome: Acknowledging the brilliance and the growth of the team even when a project doesn't reach the market or is seen as unsuccessful.  Projecting Poise: Demonstrating composure and a "playful" curiosity during a crisis, rather than signaling panic. When a leader brings their "A-game" with poise and visible enjoyment, they create the psychological safety necessary for their teams to do the same.  They signal that the work is important enough to be enjoyed. Conclusion The legacy a leader builds is ultimately defined by the environment they create. We are moving past the era of professional drudgery and into an era where the most successful organizations will be those that have operationalized joy through integrating the elements of play.  Exceptional results and genuine joy are not mutually exclusive—they are one and the same. By intentionally fostering a playful mindset and engineering an environment for flow, you do more than just build a successful organization - you create a space where teams can do their best work while actually thriving in the process.  You move from being a manager of tasks to being an architect of fulfillment. And when you integrate your AI agents into the flow of things by calling on them in each element of play and sharing their perspective, in addition to the team, you are now becoming a leader who understands how to leverage the strengths of both human and AI agents who are now part of your team. As you look at your own leadership style and the culture you are currently cultivating, ask yourself the most fundamental question of all: "Are we having fun working together?" https://youtu.be/FF7NIt0PFw8  

Anthony reacts to the massive news that John Harbaugh has finally signed his contract to become the next head coach of the New York Giants. This isn't just a coaching hire; it's a total organizational overhaul. We're breaking down what it means for the future of Joe Schoen and Jaxson Dart. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Patrick McKenzie (patio11) sits down with Intercom co-founder Des Traynor to examine customer support through the lens of Conway's Law, Goodhart's Law, and several decades of accumulated organizational scar tissue. They discuss how AI agents are democratizing white-glove service, why modern LLMs have retrained user expectations around “chatbots” very quickly, and the surprisingly liberating effect of talking to something that will never judge you for missing a loan payment.–Full transcript available here: www.complexsystemspodcast.com/des-traynor/–Sponsor: MongoDB Tired of database limitations and architectures that break when you scale? MongoDB is the database built for developers, by developers: ACID compliant, Enterprise-ready, and fluent in AI. Start building faster at mongodb.com/build–Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(00:29) Intercom and its evolution(00:51) Challenges in customer service systems(02:54) Scaling customer support in startups(04:53) Organizational inefficiencies and customer experience(06:53) Metrics and their impact on customer support(12:40) Human capital issues in customer support(15:53) AI's role in customer support(17:01) Future of customer support roles(20:09) Sponsor: MongoDB(20:53) Future of customer support roles (continued)(26:19) AI and customer interaction(26:55) The myth of artisanal customer support(27:45) Fin Guidance: Evolution and user behavior(29:10) Fin's impact on customer support efficiency(33:30) Expanding Fin's capabilities beyond support(42:50) AI in government and other sectors(49:20) The future of AI connectivity and integration

In this Omni Talk Retail episode, recorded live from NRF 2026 at the Vusion booth, Martin Bailie, Senior Advisor at Vusion, joins Anne Mezzenga and Chris Walton to explain why the execution gap has become the biggest risk facing retailers in 2026. As retailers invest heavily in AI, data platforms, and digital transformation, many are discovering that strategy alone does not drive results. Martin breaks down why execution at store level, not vision decks or pilot programs, determines whether technology delivers real P & L impact. From disconnected systems and poor data quality to organizational silos and change management challenges, this conversation examines why retailers struggle to move from ideas to outcomes. Key Topics Covered: • Why the execution gap is now retail's biggest competitive risk • The difference between strategy, pilots, and scalable execution • How disconnected store systems undermine AI and analytics investments • Why data quality and real time visibility matter more than new tools • The role of connected store platforms in driving consistent execution • Organizational barriers that prevent technology from delivering value • How retailers can align store operations, IT, and leadership priorities • Turning technology investments into measurable P & L results • What retailers must do in 2026 to avoid permanent execution debt Stop by the Vusion booth #4921 to say hello! #NRF2026 #RetailExecution #ConnectedStores #RetailTechnology #RetailAI #StoreOperations #Vusion #RetailLeadership #OmniTalk

In this episode, Dave revisits the second half of his timeless 15 Commandments for Organizational Peak Performance—giving leaders a clear lens to diagnose where they are, what's holding them back, and how to raise the bar immediately.

Has organizational change redefined your job role? If it hasn't yet, it will at some point. Whether acknowledged or ignored, every organizational change at a company impacts you. This is broader than just layoffs and more employees under a single manager. What are the organizational changes we might see, and what can we do to stand out and stay the course? This week in episode 355 we're joined by guest Ryan Conley. Listen closely as we uncover different patterns of organizational change and provide practical tips to take action when those changes happen. Ryan helps us understand the corporate lifecycle and how to reframe this concept to understand where we are in the career lifecycle. You'll hear from Ryan's personal experience why the most resilient (and successful) technologists can identify and fill the gaps left after an organizational change whether that means working for a new boss, joining a different team, or changing job roles. Original Recording Date: 11-13-2025 Topics – Framing Our Focus on Organizational Change, Observations and Patterns, Defining the Career Lifecycle, When Colleagues Leave the Company, Layoff Resources, Working for a New Boss, Becoming Part of a Different Team, Shifting Job Roles or Job Level Changes, Parting Thoughts 2:58 – Framing Our Focus on Organizational Change Ryan Conley is a global field principal with 11p years of technical pre-sales experience. Before this, Ryan accumulated 13 years of systems administration in industries like education, finance, and consulting. In a recent episode of our show, guest Milin Desai compared organizations to living, breathing organisms that change. Nick posits that we don't always think changes at our company will or can affect us as employees, but they do. Ryan references Aswath Damodaran's writings about organizational change through the frame of a corporate lifecycle. We can relate by considering where our company might be in that lifecycle. As we experience the impacts of organizational change, Ryan encourages us to consider where we are in our career lifecycle. 4:19 – Observations and Patterns We see organizational change in different ways. What are some of the things Ryan has seen that he would classify as organizational changes? Let's take a step back, past the current headlines, and look at the wider industry. Companies are growing inorganically (through mergers and acquisitions) or organically through investments in R&D (research and development), for example. Ryan has worked with companies that grew by acquiring 2 new companies each year to give an example. When you're on the IT side of the acquiring company, there is a lot involved in the process like integrating e-mail systems, networks, and CRM systems. This process also involves getting 2 teams to work together. If one team needs to move from Office 365 to Gmail, it can be a big adjustment to employees' daily workflow. The acquiring and acquired companies may have the same or very different cultures. In some cases, a company will want to acquire others with similar cultures, while some may not be concerned about the culture and choose to focus on the intellectual property (products or services, knowledge of how to build or manufacture something, etc.) of the company to be acquired. Nick says the experience for people on the side of the acquiring company and that of the company getting acquired can be quite different. Nick worked in IT for a manufacturing company for about 9 years, and over the course of his time there saw the company acquire several other companies. Nick usually had to go assess technology systems of companies that were going to be acquired and figure out how to integrate the systems in a way that would best service the user base. From what Nick has seen, some employees from the acquired company were integrated into the acquiring company, while others were eventually no longer with the company. Anxiety levels about an acquisition may be different depending on whether you work for the acquiring company or the acquired company. “The people are just as much of the intellectual property of the company as, in many cases, the actual assets themselves. And in some cases, that culture just isn't a fit.” – Ryan Conley Ryan shares the example of someone he knew who left after another company acquired their employer because the culture was not a fit. Losing a key leader or a key subject matter expert after an acquisition could create a retention problem because others may want to follow them or start looking elsewhere. "So how do you protect the culture internally? How do you integrate a different culture in? But also, how do you kind of protect the long-term viability of the team as individuals, first and foremost, but then also the organization long-term? Depending on the intellectual property the acquiring company is after, we don't usually know the level of due diligence completed to understand the key resources or subject matter experts who must be retained for longer-term success. Ryan encourages to imagine being the CTO or VP of Research and Development at a specific company that is suddenly acquired. People in these roles drive the direction of the technology investment for their company today as well as years to come. After being acquired, these people might be asked to work in lower levels of leadership with different titles, which could result in “title shock” and require some humility to accept. This scenario is a leadership change that happens as a result of an acquisition, but we might see leadership changes outside of acquisitions. Some leadership positions get created because of a specific need, others are eliminated for specific reasons, and some get shifted down or changed. Each of these changes has a downstream impact on individual contributors. Ryan talks about the positive impacts of leadership changes and gives the example of when a former manager was promoted to senior manager and allowed that person to hire a manager underneath him. There isn't always internal mobility, but leadership changes could create these opportunities for individuals. Nick talks about the potential impact of a change in our direct boss / manager. If a boss who was difficult to work for leaves the company, getting a different boss could make a huge positive impact on our daily work lives. Similarly, we might have a great boss leave the company or take a different role, requiring that we learn to work for someone else who may operate very differently. Ryan tells us he has worked for some amazing leaders and says a leader is not the same as a manager. Ryan cites an example of getting promoted into a role that allowed him to have more strategic conversations about the focus of a team with his boss. We can choose to mentor members of our team so that when opportunities arise from structural change, they are equipped to seize those opportunities. Change can be viewed as an opportunity. A company's overall priorities may have changed. Shifting priorities may require a company to operate very differently than it has in the past, which can cause changes to people, processes, and technology. Nick references a conversation with Milin Desai on constrained planning from Episode 351. Milin encourages regularly asking the question “is this still how we want to operate?” The way a company or team operated in the past may not be the best way to do it in the future. Changes to operations may or may not create opportunities for our career. Ryan loves this mindset of reassessing, which could apply to the company, a team, a business unit, the technology decision, etc. “I love the mindset of ‘what was best, why did we do it, and why was it best then?' And then the follow up question is ‘is that still best today?' And it's ok if the answer is no because that leads to the next question – ‘how should we be doing it today…and why?'” – Ryan Conley, commenting on Milin Desai's concept of constrained planning Ryan talks about companies reassessing their core focus. We've seen some companies divest out of a particular space, for example. Nick says this reassessment could result in a decision to pursue an emerging market which could lead to the creation of a new business unit and new jobs / opportunities for people. It could also go in the other direction where the company decides to shut down an entire business unit. 15:30 – Defining the Career Lifecycle Going back to the analogy Ryan shared about corporate lifecycle, we can reframe this and look at the career lifecycle. “Where are you at in your individual career journey? Where are you at in that lifecycle?” – Ryan Conley People close to retirement may be laser focused on doing well in their current role and hesitant to make a change. Others earlier in the career may want to do more, go deeper, or be more open to making a change. Ryan recounts speaking to a peer who is working on a master's degree in AI. “With challenge comes opportunity, so do you want to try something new? And it's ok if the answer's no. But if there is an opportunity to try something new and you're willing to invest in yourself and in your company, I think that's worth considering.” – Ryan Conley We've talked to a number of former guests who got in on a technology wave at just the right time, which led to new opportunities and an entirely new career trajectory. Becoming aware of and developing expertise in emerging technologies can lead to new opportunities within your company (i.e. being able to influence the use of that technology within your company). “I think as technologists, whether you're a business leader over technology, whether you're day in / day out in technology as an individual contributor…emerging technology brings new challenges, just with a learning curve…. There's hard skills that have to be learned. You get beyond the education it's then also sharing with the peers around you…. So, what was best yesterday? Is it still best today? And tomorrow, we'll ask the question again.” – Ryan Conley Ryan says this goes back to our analogy. Should we be doing certain things manually now, or is it better to rely on tools that can help automate the process? If we go back for a second to Ryan's previous mention of integrating the technology stack for different companies, being part of the integration process might enable someone to learn an entire new technology stack. We might have to assess what is best between Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, for example, and develop the transition plan to move from one to the other and perhaps even capture the business case for using both within a company. To Ryan, this is an example of seeing a problem or gap and working to fill it. “If you want to be just a long-standing contributor to the team and your individual organization, I think it's worth calling out…those who stick around longer and get promoted faster are the ones who see a gap and they plug it.” – Ryan Conley Ryan shares a personal story about a co-worker who attended a Microsoft conference on their own dime. This person worked over a weekend to setup a solution that saved the team significant time doing desktop imaging. But then, Ryan's colleague took it a step further and trained the team on how to use it. Nick highlights the fact that we should remember to document our accomplishments to keep track of how we've changed as a result. We can use this information when searching for new opportunities or even in conversations with our leader. 20:34 – When Colleagues Leave the Company Another form of organizational change we've seen is outsourcing specific business functions. Daniel Paluszek spoke about companies outsourcing functions outside of their core business in Episode 338. If IT is outside the core business, a company might decide to outsource it. It doesn't mean that's the right decision, but it could be a possibility. Companies may outsource other functions like HR and payroll as well to give other examples. If IT was internal and it gets outsourced, that is an organizational change and will affect some people. Similarly, insourcing a function which was previously outsourced will have an impact. Ryan has learned in the last few years that some people are more adaptable to change than others. “And it's not just looking at the silver lining. It's recognizing the change. Maybe there's a why, and maybe there isn't a why. Or maybe the why hasn't been clearly articulated to you. Being able to understand, what does this mean to me…. As an organization do I still believe in them? Do I still believe in the technology as a technologist? Do I still enjoy the people I work with? Those are all questions that come up, but ultimately you have to decide…is this change I want to roll with? Is this change I don't want to roll with?” – Ryan Conley To illustrate, Ryan gives the example of a peer who left an organization after seeing a change they didn't like in order to shift the focus of their role from technology operations to more of a site reliability engineering focus. While this type of change that results in a talented individual leaving an organization can be difficult for teammates to accept and for a manager to backfill, these types of changes that are beneficial to someone's career should be celebrated. When we assess whether the changes made at a company are those we can accept and roll with, we can first make sure we understand what we are to focus on as individuals operating within the organization. We have an opportunity to relay that to other members of our team for the benefit of the overall team culture and to build up those who do not adapt to change well. Understanding organizational changes and what they mean for individuals may take repetition. While Ryan understands that he responds well to change, he remains empathetic to those folks to need to hear the message a few times to fully understand. Nick says we can learn from the circumstances surrounding someone leaving the company. For those we know, what interested them about taking a role at another company? Perhaps they took a role you've never thought about for yourself that could be something you pursue in the future. If a member of your team leaves the company, sometimes their role gets backfilled, and other times it may not. If the role is backfilled, you get to learn from a new team member. If not, the responsibilities of the departing team member will likely be divided among other team members. Though it would result in extra work, you could ask to take on the responsibility that would both increase your skill set and make you more valuable to the company. When Ryan worked for a hedge fund, the senior vice president left the company. This person was managing the company's backups. Ryan had experience in this area from a previous role at a consulting firm and volunteered to do it. Shortly after taking on this responsibility for backups, he found that restoring backups from tape and needing to order new servers posed a huge risk to the company in a disaster scenario (i.e. would take weeks to restore everything). Ryan was able to write up a business plan to address the business continuity risk and got it approved by the COO. “Being able to see a gap and fill it is the central theme, and that came from change.” – Ryan Conley Ryan says if you're willing to do a little more work, it is worth the effort to see a gap and work to fill it. 27:34 – Layoff Resources We acknowledged some of the byproducts of organizational change like layoffs and flatter organizations in the beginning of our discussion. We are not sidestepping the fact that layoffs happen, but that is not the primary focus of our discussion today. Here are a few things that may help if you find yourself being impacted by a layoff: First, know that you are not alone in experiencing this. “When a layoff hits, it's important to remember…it's extremely rare that that's going to be personal. Once it's firmly accepted, look for the opportunity in a forced career change. It's there.” – thought shared with us by Megan Wills Check out our Layoff Resources Page to find some of the most impactful conversations on the topic of layoffs on our show to date. We also have our Career Uncertainty Action Guide with a checklist of the 5 pillars of career resilience as well as reusable AI prompts to help you think through topics like navigating a recent layoff, financial planning, or managing your mindset and being overwhelmed. 28:43 – Working for a New Boss Let's move on to section 2 of our discussion. If you're still at a company after an organization change has happened, we want to talk through some of the ways you can take control, take action, and succeed. We want to share a thought from former guest Daniel Lemire as we begin this discussion: “Companies are the most complicated machine man has ever built. We build great machines to accomplish as set of goals, objectives, or outputs. The better you can understand the value the company delivers…the faster you can understand where you fit in that equation. If you don't understand where you contribute to that value, there's work to be done. That work may be on you, may be on your skills, or perhaps it's your understanding of where you fit into that equation.” – Daniel Lemire Let's say that you're impacted by an organizational change and will be working for a new boss. What can we control, and how to we make a positive impact? Ryan says we can be an asset to the team and support larger business goals by first giving some thought to who the new boss is as a person. Try to get to know them on a personal level. Ryan wants to get to know a new boss and be able to ask them difficult questions. Similarly, he wants a boss to be able to ask him difficult questions. Meeting a new boss face-to-face is ideal if that is possible, but this can be more difficult to arrange if your boss lives a large distance from you. Make sure you understand the larger organization's mission statement. As individual contributors, we may lose sight of this over time. “If that is important to the team and the culture, I think it's worth making sure you're aligned with that. I think it's worth understanding your direct manager's alignment toward that and then having that kind of fuel the discussions…. What are you expecting of me? Here are my expectations of you as my manager. Where do you see change in the next 6, 12, 18 months?” – Ryan Conley, on using mission to drive conversations with your manager A manager may not have all the answers to your questions. They could also be inheriting a new team. Ryan encourages us to ask how we can help our manager to develop the working relationship further. This is something he learned from a previous boss who would close every 1-1 with “is there anything else I can do to help?” Nick says a manager may be able to contextualize the organization's mission statement for the team and its members better than we can do for ourselves. For example, the mission and focus of the team may have changed from what it once was. A new manager should (and likely will) set the tone. Nick would classify Ryan's suggestions above as seeking to learn and understand how your new manager operates. Back in Episode 84 guest Brad Pinkston talked about the importance of wanting to know how his manager likes to communicate and be communicated with. This is about understanding your manager's communication preferences and can in some ways help set expectations. A manager may be brief when responding to text messages, for example, because they are in a lot of meetings. But if they tell you this ahead of time, it removes some assumptions about any hidden meanings in the response. Ryan gives the example of an executive who used to respond with Y for yes and N for no to e-mails when answering questions. We can also do research on a new boss in advance. We can look on LinkedIn to understand the person's background and work history. We can speak to other people inside the company to see what they know about the person. Ideally, get a perspective from someone who has worked for the manager in the past because a former direct report might be able to share some of the context about communication preferences and other lessons learned from working with that specific manager. We can also try to be mindful of how the manager's position may have changed due to organizational flattening. They may have moved from managing managers to having 15 direct reports who are individual contributors, for example. “Their time might be stretched thinner, and they're just trying to navigate this new leadership organizational change with you.” – Ryan Conley The manager may or may not have wanted the situation they are currently in. How is your boss measured by their boss, and how can you help them hit those metrics? You may not want to ask this in the first 1-1, but you should ask. Ryan suggests asking your boss what success looks like in their role. You can also ask what success for the team looks like in a year and what it will take to get there. Based on the answer, it might mean less 1-1s but more in depth each time, more independence than you want, or even more responsibility than you wanted or expected. Ultimately, by asking these questions, you're trying to help the team be more successful. We want our manager to understand that we are a competent member of the team. Understanding what success looks like allows us to communicate with our manager in a way that demonstrates we are doing a good job. Some of the time in our 1-1s with a manager will be spent communicating the things we have completed or on which we are actively working. We need to demonstrate our ability to meet deadlines, for example. Daniel Lemire shared this book recommendation with us – The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter. It's a great resource for new leaders but also excellent for individual contributors. Ryan tells us to keep track of our wins over the course of any given year (something that was taught to him) so we have it ready for performance reviews. He encourages keeping a journal that we start in January. Keep track not only of what you did but the outcomes your work delivered and the success metrics. For example, if you gave a presentation, note the number of people present. The company culture may have some impact on the language you need to use to word your accomplishments (i.e. using “I” statements). “I didn't want to be the only person who could do it. I'd rather learn it and then enable 5 other people to do it. And then those 5 people go do it, and that is a much bigger outcome.” – Ryan Conley, on the outcome of efforts at work and being a force multiplier Have a journal of the things you do at work that you update consistently. This could be screenshots, a written description, etc. “What are the metrics that you should be tracking? Mentally think about that because…when you have your annual review, you're going to miss something. You're going to miss a detail. You're going to miss an entire line item versus if you started in January and you just get into the practice of ‘I did this.' And then when you're having your first annual review with this brand-new manager, it's far easier to have a more successful conversation.” – Ryan Conley, on the importance of documenting our work in a journal somewhere Ryan reminds us it is ok to use generative AI tools to check our work. Use multiple different tools to get suggestions on how you might want to phrase the outcomes you delivered and the metrics you tracked. Nick says we should document our accomplishments as Ryan mentioned, but we should make sure we keep a copy of them so that we do not need to rewrite them from nothing in the event we are impacted by a layoff. If the journal containing all of your accomplishments is sitting in the corporate OneDrive or cloud storage, you will lose access to it when you leave the company. Be sure you have a disaster recovery plan for your accomplishments! The new boss is probably going to have team calls of some kind. While what you experience may vary from this, in Nick's experience the first time a manager hosts a call with their team they will share some career background, how they operate, and give team members some idea of what to expect. This kickoff team call usually happens before 1-1s begin. Listen really carefully when this first team call happens. Write down some questions you can ask the boss in that first 1-1 conversation. The manager will have to lead that first 1-1 conversation a little bit, but coming into it prepared with questions will be far easier than trying to think of questions in the moment. A simple follow up question Ryan suggests is how the manager wants to handle time off. Is there a shared team calendar, a formal process, carte blanche, specific blackout dates to be aware of, etc.? We can handle the simple things about how this new manager operates and what their values are early on in our working relationship. Ryan tells us he learned far too late to ask how managers handle promotion / raise / career growth conversations. One of Ryan's past managers scheduled a quarterly checkpoint to specifically talk about career growth items. Ryan was in charge of making the agenda in advance, and his manager would come prepared to talk about each agenda item. It's ok to ask for these regular career discussions. If your manager has a large team, these may be less frequent than otherwise. Ask the manager about the best way for both you and them to come into these discussions prepared. Nick likes the idea of an individual owning the agenda for these conversations. Nick tells us about a manager who sent out 1-1s to team members and provided a menu of options for the types of things that could be discussed during the 1-1 time in the body of the meeting invitation. It helps give people ideas for things to discuss but also lets them know the overall intention of the 1-1s. For the very busy manager, we could ask to use a specific 1-1 to talk about career-related items rather than in a separate meeting (if needed). Nick mentions a recent episode of Unicorns in the Breakroom Podcast in which Amy Lewis talks about using a shared document for 1-1s to hold an employee accountable for bringing agenda items and to document what transpired in previous conversations. Along the lines of trying to be helpful to a new manager, ask how they want to handle team calls when on vacation. Will team calls be cancelled when the manager is on vacation, or are they looking for team member volunteers to host these calls? This may be an opportunity to step up and do more if you want that, especially if you want to gain some leadership experience. Ryan tells us at one point he was a team lead, and part of his responsibility was leading team calls in his manager's absence. This involved leading the call, taking notes, and taking action on follow up items from the meeting. We should bring up time sensitive items to the boss quickly, especially if something needs attention. Communicate things that have a financial impact to the company (a subscription renewal, drop dead due date to exit a datacenter facility, point at which access to something will be lost, etc.). Do not assume your manager knows if you are unsure! Ryan recounts a story from earlier in his career when a CFO wanted a specific number of users added to the Exchange server. There were several cascading impacts of completing this task that went well beyond the scope of licensing and involved procuring more hardware. Ryan took the time to explain the implications. “This is a simple ask. You want the answer to be yes, but I'm going to give you more context…. There is a deadline. I want to make sure we hit it as a team, but there are some implications to your ask. I want to make sure you're fully aware.” – Ryan Conley, on giving more context to leadership Share what you have in flight and the priorities of those items. The new manager may want you to change the priority level on some things. 45:21 – Becoming Part of a Different Team You could end up working on a completely different team of peers as a result of organizational change. You might work on the same team as people you already know but might not. You may or may not work for the same boss. Ryan and Nick have experienced very large reorganization events and ended up in different divisions than they were previously. Ryan had a change of manager, change of a peer he worked closely with, and joined a new team of individuals reporting up to the same boss all at once. “A little bit of the tough lesson is you go into a bigger pond…. I think it's ok to take a moment and pause. For me, I had to kind of reassess and kind of figure out…what are these changes? What are the new best ways to operate within this new division so to speak? …within my team, no one on my prior team was on my team, so it was like this whole new world.” – Ryan Conley After this change, Ryan saw an opportunity to go deeper into technology and chose to take a different role. Ryan worked for a new (to Ryan at least) leader who was very supportive of his career goals. This leader helped Ryan through the change of roles. “If you do good work, even through change…if you're identifying gaps, you're filling it, you're stepping up where the team needs you to step up, you're aligning with the business direction to stay focused…I think there can still be good outcomes even if in the interim period you're not 100% happy.” – Ryan Conley If you don't know anyone on your new team, you have an entire set of people from which you can now learn. Does your job function change as a result of joining this new team? Make sure you understand your role and its delineation from other roles. Maybe you serve larger customers or work on different kinds of projects. Maybe you support the technology needs of a specific business unit rather than what we might deem as working in corporate IT. Maybe you focus on storage and high-level architecture rather than only virtualization. It could be a chance to learn and go deeper in new areas. Did the focus of the overall team change (which can trickle down and impact your job function)? Maybe you're part of a technology team that primarily manages the outsourced pieces of the technology stack for your company. So instead of working with just employees of your company you now work with consulting firms and external vendors. Ryan says we can still be intentional about relationships and he illustrates the necessary intentionality with the story behind his pursuit of a new role. Ryan was intentional about his desire to join a new team after the reorganization, but it didn't work out on the timeline he wanted. He remained patient and in constant, transparent communication with a specific leader who would eventually advocate for him with the hiring manager. Just doing our job can be difficult when we're in a challenging situation like a manager we do not get along with, trying to evolve with a top-level strategy change, etc. This can involve internal politics. Stay the course. Ryan tells us about a lesson he learned when interviewing for a new role he wanted. “Maybe be a little bit more vocal. Pat yourself on the back in a concise way. Again…go back to your journal, know your metrics, and stick by them.” – Ryan Conley, on interviewing and humility Nick says the intentionality behind building relationships applies to your relationship with your boss (a new boss or your current boss that has not changed). This also applies to new teammates! What are the strengths in the people you see around you? Who volunteers to help? Who asks questions when others will not? Ryan shares a story about 2 peers who on the surface seemed to disagree a lot but ended up making each other better (and smarter) by often taking opposing sides on a topic. When one of them left the company, the other person missed getting that perspective and intellectual challenge. Ryan suggests we pay attention to the personalities of team members and the kinds of questions they ask. If a specific teammate tends to do all the talking in meetings, find ways to enable others to speak up who have valuable perspectives but may be quieter. This at its heart is about upleveling others. We can do that when we join a new team, but we can also do this for former teammates by keeping in touch with them over time. This could apply to former teammates who still work at the same company as well as those who have left the company. Ryan tells us a story about when he first made the transition from working in IT operations to getting hired at a technology vendor in a very different role. “It's very different being face-to-face as a consultant, face-to-face as a vendor. And I had a buddy. He started going back 11 years almost to the day here. We were each other's lifeline…. He would have a bad day, and he would call me. Most of the time I was just there to listen…. And then the next week it was my turn, and I would call him…. So having a buddy in these change situations I think is a great piece of advice.” – Ryan Conley It can be easy to fall out of touch with people we no longer interact with on a daily or weekly basis. This takes some effort. We've met people who try to setup a 1-1 with someone in their professional network once every 1-2 weeks. Ryan has a tremendous amount of empathy for others who have recently had a child, for example. We can buddy up with specific professional or life experience and take the opportunity to learn from them. Ryan refers to building an “alumni network” of people you want to remain close with over time. While this helps build our own set of professional connections, we can do this by mentoring others as well (a chance to give back, which is usually much less of a time commitment than we think). Ryan has mentored a number of new college graduates and managed to keep up with their progress over time. Listen to the way he describes the career progression of his mentees and the long-term relationships it produced. We might be mentoring others (on our own team or beyond). This could act as relatable experience for a future role as a team lead or people manager, but highlighting this experience to your manager is something you should do in those career conversations. In those 1-1s with your manager you are asking how you are doing but also how you can do better. Sometimes that means doing more of something you have done in the past. Ryan reminds us that the journal is a tracking mechanism for specific actions and their impact. Whether it's mentoring or helping the manager with hiring or candidate evaluation, be sure to track it! There might be a gap in expertise on your team that you can fill (either because you have a specific skill or because you learned a new skill to fill that gap). When joining a new team, do some observing and stay humble before you declare there is a gap and that you are the one to fill it. Ryan says we can raise gaps with our manager. For example, maybe there is only one person on the team who knows how to do something. Could you pair with that person and cover them while they are on vacation? “I think it goes back to recognizing that you cannot learn it all and then revaluating…what do I need to learn? So, there's certain functions that you have to know how to do, and that's where your manager's going to help you set those expectations…. We're in technology, so as a technologist, what do you want to learn? What do you want to do more of? And that could be a gap that you see, and you have that conversation….” – Ryan Conley If there is not an opportunity at work to learn what you want to learn (i.e. your manager might not support you doing more of specific work, etc.), you can learn it on your own time and then re-evaluate longer term what you want to do. 59:46 – Shifting Job Roles or Job Level Changes We talked about this a little bit earlier. Maybe you stay an individual contributor, move into leadership, or change leadership levels entirely within an organization. Ryan talks about the new expectations when you change your daily role. There are expectations we put on ourselves and those expectations put on us by our leaders. There are both opportunities and challenges. Ryan shares that he has been approached in the past to lead a team, but when this has happened, he took the time to think through what he wanted (his career ladder, his motivations, and his desired focus). “Leading people is not something that I want to currently focus on. I know what I'm motivated by. I'm a technologist at heart. I want to keep learning, and I personally like the technology that I'm focused on right now. And it's not that leadership would necessarily remove technology entirely…. It's just it would be a different focus area. And I think in your career journey it's worth just kind of keeping tabs on where you're at in your career (the ladder of change that we keep mentioning, that lifecycle)…. Do you want to go up the ladder as part of your lifecycle and get into a management role? I think mentorship can be very fulfilling. I think leading people can be very fulfilling. But in my case, I've decided I still want to stay an individual contributor. There's still aspirations that I have there….It's ok to say no is really what I'm getting at…. Really think about the job that you're in at the company that you're in. What are the opportunities within? What motivates you? And stay true to that.” – Ryan Conley Ryan has said no to being a people leader as well as to technical marketing roles. He had a desire to get through the principal program. He encourages listeners to think about whether they would be happy in 1-2 years if they took a new role before making the final decision. Nick mentions the above is excellent when you have the choice to take a new role. But what if it's forced on you as the result of an organizational change? We can recognize where we are in the career lifecycle even if an organizational change places us in a new role that was not our choice. Make sure you understand what the new role is, and think about how you can align it with where you are in the career lifecycle (including the goals you have and the things you want). Nick had a manager who encouraged his team to align their overall life purpose to the current job role or assignment. In doing this, it will be easier to prevent intertwining your identity with your job or your company. We may have to put out heads down and just do the work for a while. But maybe there is an opportunity to align with the things you want and the type of work you want to do which is not immediately obvious. In this job market, if you are employed, be thankful and do a great job. Ryan hopes listeners can think back to an unexpected change that happened which led to new opportunities later. “Pause, recollect, align your focus with your new manager, align your focus with either the changing mission statement or the current mission statement…. What is fulfilling you personally (your own internal values)? If they are being conflicted, I think there's a greater answer to some of your challenges, but they're not being conflicted how can you be your best self in a company without the company being all of yourself? …The cultural identity of the workplace and the home can sometimes be a little too close, a little to intertwined…. Maybe you're just way too emotionally invested in your day job and it's just a good moment to reset…. What is your value system? Why? And then how can you be your best self in your workplace? And I think far too often we want to have our dream job…. ‘A dream job is still a job. There are going to be days when it is just a really difficult day because it's a really difficult job. It's still your dream job, but every job is going to have a difficult day.'” – Ryan Conley Every job will be impacted by some kind of organizational change multiple times throughout your career. 1:06:18 – Parting Thoughts Ryan closes with a funny anecdote about a person who worked on the same team as him that he never had the chance to meet in person. In this case, the person invested more in their former team than meeting members of their new team. Maybe a good interview question for those seeking new roles could be something about organizational changes and how often they are happening at the company. Ryan encourages us to lead with empathy in this job market and consider how we can help others in our network who may be seeking new roles. Ryan likes to share job alerts on LinkedIn and mentions it has been great to see the formation of alumni groups. “Share your rolodex. Help people connect the dots. And lead with empathy.” – Ryan Conley To follow up on this conversation with Ryan, contact him on LinkedIn. Mentioned in the Outro A special thanks to former guest Daniel Lemire and listener Megan Wills for sharing thoughts on organizational change that we were able to include in this episode! Ryan told us we can lead with empathy when helping others looking for work in this job market, but Nick thinks it's empathy at work when we're asking a new boss or team member how we can help. If you want to bring more empathy to the workplace, check out Episode 278 – Uncovering Empathy: The Greatest Skill of an Inclusive Leader with Marni Coffey (1/3) in which guest Marni Coffey tells us about empathy as her greatest skill. It's full of excellent examples. If you're looking for other guest experiences with organizational change, here are some recommended episodes: Episode 210 – A Collection of Ambiguous Experiments with Shailvi Wakhlu (1/2) – Shailvi talks about a forced change of role that was actually an opportunity in disguise Episode 168 – Hired and Acquired with Mike Wood (1/2) – Mike Wood's company was acquired, and the amount of travel went up soon after to increase his stress. Episode 169 – A Thoughtful Personal Sabbatical with Mike Wood (2/2) – Mike Wood shares another acquisition story that this time ended with him taking a sabbatical. Episode 84 -Management Interviews and Transitions with Brad Pinkston – Brad Pinkston shares what he likes to do when working for a new boss. Contact the Hosts The hosts of Nerd Journey are John White and Nick Korte. E-mail: nerdjourneypodcast@gmail.com DM us on Twitter/X @NerdJourney Connect with John on LinkedIn or DM him on Twitter/X @vJourneyman Connect with Nick on LinkedIn or DM him on Twitter/X @NetworkNerd_ Leave a Comment on Your Favorite Episode on YouTube If you've been impacted by a layoff or need advice, check out our Layoff Resources Page. If uncertainty is getting to you, check out or Career Uncertainty Action Guide with a checklist of actions to take control during uncertain periods and AI prompts to help you think through topics like navigating a recent layoff, financial planning, or managing your mindset and being overwhelmed.

Become the Most Organized & Productive Woman in 2026 | IT Girl Glow Up Academy Series Part 2/6In this episode of Get Up and Glow, learn how to become the hottest, healthiest, happiest version of yourself by mastering organization and productivity. This step-by-step guide will help you identify root causes of disorganization, create effective systems and routines, and prioritize meaningful tasks to help you get your life together and STAY together for all of 2026.

One of the most common things professionals say about managing is that they have a personal 'style.' But does that make sense? Is it reasonable to expect that with all the systems organizations employ, they should leave out how to manage others?

The repeat didn't happen.https://sportspyder.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/news?pid=4349

Justin Greis is a top cybersecurity thought leader and the CEO of acceligence. In this episode, he joins host Paul John Spaulding to discuss cybersecurity and organizational resilience, including challenges we face today, modern trends, and more. • For more on cybersecurity, visit us at https://cybersecurityventures.com

What if the secret to solving your organization’s toughest problems was thinking like a 10-year-old? Discover how childlike creativity and fun can reframe complex business challenges, spark innovation, and drive real results. Topics Covered: Childlike thinking for organizational problem-solvingPlayful penalties to boost accountabilityStorytelling and translating complex issues for kidsChange management through unbiased perspectivesDementia care and deepfake technology solutionsMechanisms for creativity: no rules, have fun, do good, no shameDesigning inclusive, impactful brainstorming sessionsBridging playfulness and business gravitasApplying kid-inspired thinking to AI and executive decisionsKeeping curiosity and creative practice alive in organizations Connect with Bas Warmerdam:ConsultingKids.comLinkedIn Episode Chapters00:00:05 – Welcome & Intro to the Tech Humanist Show00:00:17 – “Playful Penalties” concept and team accountability00:00:41 – Bas Warmerdam's work with Consulting Kids00:01:50 – Approach and methodology using children as junior consultants00:03:38 – Reframing collaboration problems through childlike solutions00:04:24 – Implementing playful penalties and organizational impact00:06:02 – The “Thinking Like a Child for Professionals” process00:08:27 – Bringing executives into the classroom and change management benefits00:09:23 – Storytelling for complex issue translation00:12:14 – Mechanisms for leaders to use childlike thinking in their teams00:15:09 – Four key thinking mechanisms from kids00:15:50 – Example: Dementia care and “no rules” thinking00:18:28 – How professionals can integrate fun and purpose00:19:55 – Embracing “no shame” in creative business solutions00:20:41 – Creating inclusion for quiet and underrepresented voices00:22:03 – Reintegration: Bringing creative ideas into business practice00:24:21 – Childlike thinking for AI-related decisions00:26:55 – Using kid-driven creativity to challenge AI authority00:28:40 – Sustaining childlike thinking post-consulting00:30:41 – Keeping curiosity sharp and connecting at home00:32:19 – How to connect with Bas Warmerdam and Consulting Kids00:32:55 – Closing remarks and credits

Being a movie buff in Seattle feels a little… unsettled right now. That’s because there’s been a lot of changes at SIFF, the Seattle International Film Festival, which has been the vanguard when it comes to all things movies. The organization announced Monday, it was undergoing an organizational restructuring, including some layoffs. This follows a somewhat tumultuous year for SIFF. For more, we're joined by... GUESTS: Chase Hutchinson, critic and freelance reporter, who often covers SIFF for the Seattle Times RELATED LINK: SIFF announces more layoffs, organizational restructuring | The Seattle Times Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is your company attracting the right people—or just filling seats and hoping for the best? In this episode of the Build A Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer is joined by Dr. Myra Corrello, small business growth strategist and brand clarity expert, for a powerful conversation about the connection between marketing, leadership, and culture. Together, they explore how clarity attracts the right customers and the right employees, why storytelling is the currency of connection, and how leaders can align vision, hiring, engagement, and change management around a clear value promise.This episode is packed with practical insights for leaders, HR professionals, and business owners who want to build cultures where people feel connected, energized, and committed.Vibrant Highlights:00:05:41 - How grading past clients reveals the traits and behaviors leaders should screen for when hiring employees.00:10:38 - Why leaders must be ruthless about hiring the right people—and the powerful story of using unexpected voices in the interview process.00:15:31 - How storytelling and simple case studies help employees understand the vision, their role in it, and why their work matters.00:23:57 - Why stories outperform policies when it comes to engagement, expectations, and culture reinforcement.00:34:42 - How leaders should communicate change by prioritizing stakeholders, sharing the rationale early, and creating internal ambassadors.Connect with Dr. Myra:Website: https://myracorrello.com/Email: Myra@GrowWithMyra.comSubstack: https://myramallory.substack.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/myracorrello/FB: https://www.facebook.com/MyraCorrelloSmallBizSpeakerFor a FREE copy of "10 Stories Every Leader Needs To Tell" email nicole@vibrantculture.comAlso mentioned in this episode:The One Minute Manager by K Blanchard & S Johnson: https://a.co/d/cZUMEFwListen at www.vibrantculture.com/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts!Book Nicole to help your organization ignite clarity, accountability, and energy through her SHINE™ Coaching Methodology.Visit vibrantculture.comEmail: nicole@vibrantculture.comWatch Nicole's TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/SMbxA90bfXE

In this episode, Dave revisits the first half of his timeless 15 Commandments for Organizational Peak Performance—giving leaders a clear lens to diagnose where they are, what's holding them back, and how to raise the bar immediately.

In this episode of Even Better, Sinikka Waugh is joined by Aaron Matthews for a conversation about freeing your team from organizational drag and unlocking their full potential. Drawing from his expertise in organizational design and technology strategy, Aaron shares five practical ways to reduce friction and create space for creativity; without falling into the trap of over-relying on AI. Together, they explore the risks and rewards of AI adoption, why starting with human workflows matters, and how to build systems that amplify human strengths rather than replace them. Along the way, you'll hear insights on viewing organizations as living, learning organisms, designing adaptive systems, and creating environments where people thrive. If you've ever wondered how to balance automation with human ingenuity, this episode offers actionable strategies to help your team work smarter and lead with purpose. -- Aaron Matthews is a Fractional Executive at Altus CXO specializing in Operations & Technology, with over 21 years of experience helping organizations transform chaos into clarity. He believes in the infinite potential of every human being and focuses on implementing AI and automation in ways that amplify human capability rather than replace it. Aaron helps leadership teams navigate the intersection of technology and human potential to create lasting organizational impact. Contact Information Email: amatt76@gmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-matthews/ Company: Altus CXO (https://altuscxo.com/team/aaron-matthews/ )  

Tom Ackerman talks with Chaim Bloom about the Cardinals' current trade posture and offseason timing, clarifying that no moves are imminent despite ongoing conversations. Bloom breaks down the return from the Wilson Contreras trade, including injury updates on Hunter Dobbins as he works back from a knee injury and aims for a full spring training, along with the upside of young pitching prospects Aida and Fajardo. The discussion also covers first base options led by Alec Burleson, development plans for Blaze Jordan, lineup flexibility with Iván Herrera, potential outfield additions, and Bloom's broader vision for modernizing the organization while balancing short-term patience with long-term growth.

The best conversations about the Miami Dolphins this week from The Joe Rose Show, Tobin & Leroy, and Hochman, Crowder & Solana.

The best conversations about the Miami Dolphins this week from The Joe Rose Show, Tobin & Leroy, and Hochman, Crowder & Solana.

The best conversations about the Miami Dolphins this week from The Joe Rose Show, Tobin & Leroy, and Hochman, Crowder & Solana.

BONUS: Breaking Through The Organizational Immune System - Why Software-Native Organizations Are Still Rare With Vasco Duarte In this BONUS episode, we explore the organizational barriers that prevent companies from becoming truly software-native. Despite having proof that agile, iterative approaches work at scale—from Spotify to Amazon to Etsy—most organizations still struggle to adopt these practices. We reveal the root cause behind this resistance and expose four critical barriers that form what we call "The Organizational Immune System." This isn't about resistance to change; it's about embedded structures, incentives, and mental models that actively reject beneficial transformation. The Root Cause: Project Management as an Incompatible Mindset "Project management as a mental model is fundamentally incompatible with software development. And will continue to be, because 'project management' as an art needs to support industries that are not software-native." The fundamental problem isn't about tools or practices—it's about how we think about work itself. Project management operates on assumptions that simply don't hold true for software development. It assumes you can know the scope upfront, plan everything in advance, and execute according to that plan. But software is fundamentally different. A significant portion of the work only becomes visible once you start building. You discover that the "simple" feature requires refactoring three other systems. You learn that users actually need something different than what they asked for. This isn't poor planning—it's the nature of software. Project management treats discovery as failure ("we missed requirements"), while software-native thinking treats discovery as progress ("we learned something critical"). As Vasco points out in his NoEstimates work, what project management calls "scope creep" should really be labeled "value discovery" in software—because we're discovering more value to add. Discovery vs. Execution: Why Software Needs Different Success Metrics "Software hypotheses need to be tested in hours or days, not weeks, and certainly not months. You can't wait until the end of a 12-month project to find out your core assumption was wrong." The timing mismatch between project management and software development creates fundamental problems. Project management optimizes for plan execution with feedback loops that are months or years long, with clear distinctions between teams doing requirements, design, building, and testing. But software needs to probe and validate assumptions in hours or days. Questions like "Will users actually use this feature?" or "Does this architecture handle the load?" can't wait for the end of a 12-month project. When we finally discover our core assumption was wrong, we need to fully replan—not just "change the plan." Software-native organizations optimize for learning speed, while project management optimizes for plan adherence. These are opposing and mutually exclusive definitions of success. The Language Gap: Why Software Needs Its Own Vocabulary "When you force software into project management language, you lose the ability to manage what actually matters. You end up tracking task completion while missing that you're building the wrong thing." The vocabulary we use shapes how we think about problems and solutions. Project management talks about tasks, milestones, percent complete, resource allocation, and critical path. Software needs to talk about user value, technical debt, architectural runway, learning velocity, deployment frequency, and lead time. These aren't just different words—they represent fundamentally different ways of thinking about work. When organizations force software teams to speak in project management terms, they lose the ability to discuss and manage what actually creates value in software development. The Scholarship Crisis: An Industry-Wide Knowledge Gap "Agile software development represents the first worldwide trend in scholarship around software delivery. But most organizational investment still goes into project management scholarship and training." There's extensive scholarship in IT, but almost none about delivery processes until recently. The agile movement represents the first major wave of people studying what actually works for building software, rather than adapting thinking from manufacturing or construction. Yet most organizational investment continues to flow into project management certifications like PMI and Prince2, and traditional MBA programs—all teaching an approach with fundamental problems when applied to software. This creates an industry-wide challenge: when CFOs, executives, and business partners all think in project management terms, they literally cannot understand why software needs to work differently. The mental model mismatch isn't just a team problem—it's affecting everyone in the organization and the broader industry. Budget Cycles: The Project Funding Trap "You commit to a scope at the start, when you know the least about what you need to build. The budget runs out exactly when you're starting to understand what users actually need." Project thinking drives project funding: organizations approve a fixed budget (say $2M over 9 months) to deliver specific features. This seems rational and gives finance predictability, but it's completely misaligned with how software creates value. Teams commit to scope when they know the least about what needs building. The budget expires just when they're starting to understand what users actually need. When the "project" ends, the team disbands, taking all their accumulated knowledge with them. Next year, the cycle starts over with a new project, new team, and zero retained context. Meanwhile, the software itself needs continuous evolution, but the funding structure treats it as a series of temporary initiatives with hard stops. The Alternative: Incremental Funding and Real-Time Signals "Instead of approving $2M for 9 months, approve smaller increments—maybe $200K for 6 weeks. Then decide whether to continue based on what you've learned." Software-native organizations fund teams working on products, not projects. This means incremental funding decisions based on learning rather than upfront commitments. Instead of detailed estimates that pretend to predict the future, they use lightweight signals from the NoEstimates approach to detect problems early: Are we delivering value regularly? Are we learning? Are users responding positively? These signals provide more useful information than any Gantt chart. Portfolio managers shift from being "task police" asking "are you on schedule?" to investment curators asking "are we seeing the value we expected? Should we invest more, pivot, or stop?" This mirrors how venture capital works—and software is inherently more like VC than construction. Amazon exemplifies this approach, giving teams continuous funding as long as they're delivering value and learning, with no arbitrary end date to the investment. The Business/IT Separation: A Structural Disaster "'The business' doesn't understand software—and often doesn't want to. They think in terms of features and deadlines, not capabilities and evolution." Project thinking reinforces organizational separation: "the business" defines requirements, "IT" implements them, and project managers coordinate the handoff. This seems logical with clear specialization and defined responsibilities. But it creates a disaster. The business writes requirements documents without understanding what's technically possible or what users actually need. IT receives them, estimates, and builds—but the requirements are usually wrong. By the time IT delivers, the business need has changed, or the software works but doesn't solve the real problem. Sometimes worst of all, it works exactly as specified but nobody wants it. This isn't a communication problem—it's a structural problem created by project thinking. Product Thinking: Starting with Behavior Change "Instead of 'build a new reporting dashboard,' the goal is 'reduce time finance team spends preparing monthly reports from 40 hours to 4 hours.'" Software-native organizations eliminate the business/IT separation by creating product teams focused on outcomes. Using approaches like Impact Mapping, they start with behavior change instead of features. The goal becomes a measurable change in business behavior or performance, not a list of requirements. Teams measure business outcomes, not task completion—tracking whether finance actually spends less time on reports. If the first version doesn't achieve that outcome, they iterate. The "requirement" isn't sacred; the outcome is. "Business" and "IT" collaborate on goals rather than handing off requirements. They're on the same team, working toward the same measurable outcome with no walls to throw things over. Spotify's squad model popularized this approach, with each squad including product managers, designers, and engineers all focused on the same part of the product, all owning the outcome together. Risk Management Theater: The Appearance of Control "Here's the real risk in software: delivering software that nobody wants, and having to maintain it forever." Project thinking creates elaborate risk management processes—steering committees, gate reviews, sign-offs, extensive documentation, and governance frameworks. These create the appearance of managing risk and make everyone feel professional and in control. But paradoxically, the very practices meant to manage risk end up increasing the risk of catastrophic failure. This mirrors Chesterton's Fence paradox. The real risk in software isn't about following the plan—it's delivering software nobody wants and having to maintain it forever. Every line of code becomes a maintenance burden. If it's not delivering value, you're paying the cost forever or paying additional cost to remove it later. Traditional risk management theater doesn't protect against this at all. Gates and approvals just slow you down without validating whether users will actually use what you're building or whether the software creates business value. Agile as Risk Management: Fast Learning Loops "Software-native organizations don't see 'governance' and 'agility' as a tradeoff. Agility IS governance. Fast learning loops ARE how you manage risk." Software-native organizations recognize that agile and product thinking ARE risk management. The fastest way to reduce risk is delivering quickly—getting software in front of real users in production with real data solving real problems, not in demos or staging environments. Teams validate expected value by measuring whether software achieves intended outcomes. Did finance really reduce their reporting time? Did users actually engage with the feature? When something isn't working, teams change it quickly. When it is working, they double down. Either way, they're managing risk through rapid learning. Eric Ries's Lean Startup methodology isn't just for startups—it's fundamentally a software-native management practice. Build-Measure-Learn isn't a nice-to-have; it's how you avoid the catastrophic risk of building the wrong thing. The Risk Management Contrast: Theater vs. Reality "Which approach actually manages risk? The second one validates assumptions quickly and cheaply. The first one maximizes your exposure to building the wrong thing." The contrast between approaches is stark. Risk management theater involves six months of requirements gathering and design, multiple approval gates that claim to prevent risk but actually accumulate it, comprehensive test plans, and a big-bang launch after 12 months. Teams then discover users don't want it—and now they're maintaining unwanted software forever. The agile risk management approach takes two weeks to build a minimal viable feature, ships to a subset of users, measures actual behavior, learns it's not quite right, iterates in another two weeks, validates value before scaling, and only maintains software that's proven valuable. The second approach validates assumptions quickly and cheaply. The first maximizes exposure to building the wrong thing. The Immune System in Action: How Barriers Reinforce Each Other "When you try to 'implement agile' without addressing these structural barriers, the organization's immune system rejects it. Teams might adopt standups and sprints, but nothing fundamental changes." These barriers work together as an immune system defending the status quo. It starts with the project management mindset—the fundamental belief that software is like construction, that we can plan it all upfront, that "done" is a meaningful state. That mindset creates funding models that allocate budgets to temporary projects instead of continuous products, organizational structures that separate "business" from "IT" and treat software as a cost center, and risk management theater that optimizes for appearing in control rather than actually learning. Each barrier reinforces the others. The funding model makes it hard to keep stable product teams. The business/IT separation makes it hard to validate value quickly. The risk theater slows down learning loops. The whole system resists change—even beneficial change—because each part depends on the others. This is why so many "agile transformations" fail: they treat the symptoms (team practices) without addressing the disease (organizational structures built on project thinking). Breaking Free: Seeing the System Clearly "Once you see the system clearly, you can transform it. You now know the root cause, how it manifests, and what the alternatives look like." Understanding these barriers is empowering. It's not that people are stupid or resistant to change—organizations have structural barriers built on a fundamental mental model mismatch. But once you see the system clearly, transformation becomes possible. You now understand the root cause (project management mindset), how it manifests in your organization (funding models, business/IT separation, risk theater), and what the alternatives look like through real examples from companies successfully operating as software-native organizations. The path forward requires addressing the disease, not just the symptoms—transforming the fundamental structures and mental models that shape how your organization approaches software. Recommended Further Reading Vasco's article on 5 examples of software disasters that show we are in the middle of another software crisis NoEstimates movement: Vasco Duarte's work and book Impact Mapping: Gojko Adzic's framework Lean Startup: Eric Ries, "The Lean Startup" Outcome-based funding model Spotify squad model: Henrik Kniberg's materials Chesterton's fence paradox About Vasco Duarte Vasco Duarte is a thought leader in the Agile space, co-founder of Agile Finland, and host of the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast, which has over 10 million downloads. Author of NoEstimates: How To Measure Project Progress Without Estimating, Vasco is a sought-after speaker and consultant helping organizations embrace Agile practices to achieve business success. You can link with Vasco Duarte on LinkedIn.

In this episode, Peter gives various exciting updates on the organization and the future. We also further our series on need, speaking to the place of belonging with a reading of an essay on formation and discipleship.

How should Christian faith shape work in an era of pluralism, fear, and systemic inequality? Sociologist Elaine Howard Ecklund (Rice University) is presenting new insights for faith at work through data, theology, and lived experience. "People love to talk about individual ethics … but what was really hard for them to think about was, what would it mean to make our workplace better as a whole?" In this episode, Ecklund joins Mark Labberton to reflect on moving from individual morality toward systemic responsibility, dignity, and other-centred Christian witness at work. Together they discuss faith and work, the gender and race gaps created by systemic injustice, fear and power, religious diversity, rest and human limits, gender and racial marginalization, and the cost of a credible Christian witness. Episode Highlights "People love to talk about individual ethics." "What would it mean to make our workplace better as a whole?" "People are much more apt to take us seriously if we first take them seriously." "Suppression of faith in particular is not the answer." "God is God and I am not." About Elaine Howard Ecklund Elaine Howard Ecklund is professor of sociology at Rice University and director of the Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance. She is a leading sociologist of religion, science, and work whose research examines how faith operates in professional and institutional life. Ecklund has led large-scale empirical studies on religion in workplaces and scientific communities, supported by the National Science Foundation, Templeton Foundation, and Lilly Endowment. She is the author or co-author of several influential books, including Working for Better, Why Science and Faith Need Each Other, and Science vs. Religion. Her work informs academic, ecclesial, and public conversations about pluralism, justice, and moral formation in modern society. Learn more and follow at https://www.elaineecklund.com and https://twitter.com/elaineecklund Helpful Links And Resources Working for Better (IVP): https://www.ivpress.com/working-for-better Why Science and Faith Need Each Other (IVP): https://www.ivpress.com/why-science-and-faith-need-each-other Elaine Howard Ecklund website: https://www.elaineecklund.com Rice University Boniuk Institute: https://boniuk.rice.edu Conversing with Mark Labberton: https://comment.org/conversing Show Notes Sociological study of religion, work, and group behavior Christian faith taken seriously at personal and academic levels Ecklund's former research focus on science as a workplace environment Expanding faith-at-work research beyond scientific communities Compartmentalized Christian faith and the fear of offending colleagues Friendship and collaboration emerging from leadership retreats Large-scale data-driven study on religion in changing workplaces Religious pluralism at work and changing workplace demographics Writing for Christian audiences shaped by empirical research From individual ethics toward systemic responsibility at work "People love to talk about individual ethics." Systemic injustice blind spots Moral shorthand focused on time sheets and office supplies Organizational leadership and culture change Difficulty imagining organizational or structural workplace change Fear of retaliation when confronting unjust systems Responsibility for workplace realities Power underestimated by those holding leadership positions Costly examples of speaking up against workplace injustice Christian fear of marginalization in pluralistic environments Suppression of religious expression as common workplace response Suppression versus accommodation: "Suppression of faith in particular is not the answer." Religious diversity as unavoidable reality of modern work Other-centered faith rooted in dignity of every person Imago Dei shaping engagement across religious difference "People are much more apt to take us seriously if we first take them seriously." Racialized religious minorities: the double marginalization of racial minorities of faith Gender inequity and underexamined workplace power dynamics Faith-based employee groups Fear masquerading as anger in cultural and religious conflict Workplaces as rare spaces for meaningful civic encounter Justice beyond activism Rest as theological foundation for justice and leadership Limits, Sabbath, and resisting productivity as ultimate value "God is God and I am not." Human limits in leadership Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary. #FaithAndWork #ElaineHowardEcklund #ChristianEthics #WorkplaceJustice #ReligiousPluralism #RestAndFaith

If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 You're doing the work, fighting for your team, but your ideas stall in meetings and people with less context somehow have more influence than you. It can feel like the only way to win is to become the political operator you hate. In this episode, Ben breaks down the simple, three-part system for influence—the Influence Trifecta—so you can drive change for your team and career without selling your soul. Organizational influence is not just about who's right or what's logical; it's about understanding the social fabric of your organization. What You'll Learn in This Episode: What influence without authority looks like Why trust is so important to your long-term success Why being "right but not helpful" stalls careers What to watch for so you don't become the "political animal" You're always playing politics. If you choose not to play, you cap your influence and allow others to set the direction. Learn how to deliberately build influence for the benefit of your game, your team, and your own advancement in an ethical way. Connect with us:

The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry: From Weekend Soldiers to Tank Veterans — James Holland — Hollandintroduces the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, a British "National Guard"-equivalent cavalry regiment that underwent radical organizational transformation during World War II, transitioning from horse-mounted cavalry operations to mechanized armored tank warfare. Holland highlights officer Stanley Christopherson as exemplifying the regiment's evolution from weekend military enthusiasts into battle-hardened combat veterans through intensive operational experience in North Africa. Holland documents that the regiment systematically acquired vital all-arms combat coordination expertise, integrating tank, infantry, and artillery operations during the North African campaign, establishing tactical proficiency essential for the D-Day invasion and subsequent continental operations.

Have you ever thought of your professional life as a series of highways and backroads, and wondered how to navigate? On this show, Sam Passey, Associate Dean of Library Services at Colorado Mountain College, shares his model for navigating organizational stoplights and roundabouts to better avoid congestion and ensure smooth progress.

The talent market has shifted in ways that make hiring harder for early-stage teams. In this episode, Melissa Kwan and Lloyed Lobo talk about why salaries jumped, why interviews often look better than the work that follows, and how these gaps slow companies down.They share what they've learned from hiring mistakes, how expectations changed after the unicorn wave, and what founders should pay attention to when building teams that can actually deliver.TIMESTAMPS:00:56 The current state of the talent market02:24 Gaps between interviews and actual performance07:22 Compensation expectations vs. capabilities21:23 Organizational impact of early mis-hires34:24 Building a team that delivers consistently45:03 Hiring for trajectory, not tenureLloyed Lobo:- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lloyedlobo- Instagram: https://instagram.com/lloyedlobo

Send us a textDr. Joel Rothaizer is a psychologist, executive coach, organizational consultant and leadership development specialist. He's Board Certified in Organizational & Business Consulting Psychology, and a Master Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation. His book on leadership, called Clear Impact, has been strongly endorsed by Ken Wilber. The head of Integral Zen calls it the most integral book on leadership he's ever read.A  Few Quotes From This Episode“Helping leaders see the logical next step is the easy part. Helping them see why they do not take it is the art.”“Whatever you are biased toward, you lose the value of it when you over-privilege it.”“Everything goes better as a polarity. There is not a single value you can come up with that is not better understood as a polarity.”“People will integrate a tool at the level of complexity they live at.”“A polarity map is inherently developmentally energizing. It temporarily helps people think at a higher level than they would on their own.”Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeBook: Clear Impact by Dr. Joel RothaizerArticle: Guaranteed to Optimize Your Leadership Effectiveness in Minutes a Day by Dr. Joel RothaizerArticle: The Wake I Leave by Dr. Joel Rothaizer Article: Co-Responsibility: The Essential Foundation for Effective Performance Collaboration by Dr. Joel RothaizerArticle: Organizational Leader: Do You Really “Think Systems”?Book: Cloudless Mind: Conversations on Buddhahood by Dan BrownAbout The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. About  Scott J. AllenWebsiteWeekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for LeadersMy Approach to HostingThe views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspec ♻️ Please share with others and follow/subscribe to the podcast!⭐️ Please leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn for more on leadership, communication, and tech.

Jacob Andra, CEO of Talbot West, joins to discuss the urgent imperative for companies to move beyond siloed, ad hoc growth and embrace an integrated, tech-forward future. What you will learn in this episode: Why "total organizational intelligence" is a survival imperative for the modern enterprise How orchestrating your data across the organization is a huge unlock for immediate revenue opportunities The most common and foundational AI use case: standardized knowledge management powered by large language models How to build a clear, defensible AI roadmap to avoid "AI washing" and drive real, long-term impact Beyond large language models: Using advanced machine learning for complex optimization  Find past conversations at workiva.com/podcast/the-pre-read. Subscribe to catch all our upcoming episodes. #Leadership #FinancePodcast #AITransformation #OrganizationalIntelligence 

The Raiders fall to 2-10 and Raider Nation has officially had enough. Scott Gulbransen & Moe Moton go nuclear on the dysfunction, Pete Carroll's hot seat, and why this franchise is lost until they pick ONE voice at the top. 00:00 – Cold open: 10 straight division losses 02:23 – The ONE positive: Brock Bowers finally used in the red zone 04:35 – Caleb Rogers > the vets? PFF says YES (and Pete still won't start him) 06:00 – O-line still trash, DJ Glaze truthers in shambles 09:20 – Greedy Vance promoted, Darnay Holmes finally benched 11:20 – Has the locker room quit? (Spoiler: not yet… but it's coming) 14:50 – Former Raiders thriving elsewhere = ultimate indictment 46:00 – Caller: “We need a Silkwood shower for this entire org” 52:00 – Who's really in charge? Tom Brady? Spytek? Mark Davis? Nobody knows 59:20 – Madden therapy: How to fix the Raiders in one offseason Pete Carroll is officially on the hot seat. Like & subscribe for weekly Raiders rants!

Our loyal listeners call in from all over the globe to vent their frustration with the continued dysfunction of the Las Vegas Raiders organization. From the coaching to staff to owner Mark Davis, Raider Nation just wants to know who's in charge! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

PREVIEW — David Daoud — Hezbollah leadership recovery and new leader analysis. Following the loss of key leaders who possessed decades of organizational experience and doctrine, Hezbollah faces significant structural challenges. The group, described as a large, well-armed organization, is currently "laying low." The current leader, Naim Kassem, characterized as quiet and bookish, appears well-suited for this moment, as Hezbollah requires a low profile and must avoid appearing weakened.