Podcasts about organizational transformation

In this Quick Hit, we tackle 2 aspects of our business - Organizational Development + Coaching - and explore why they are most powerful when organizations leverage them TOGETHER. Getting the right structure to serve the business paired with the right people in each of the seats - and then, ongoing attention and coaching for each person - is the key to a highly functioning team. Dive deeper in the full episode here

Discover why most organisations focus too heavily on efficiency while missing the deeper architecture required for true enterprise excellence. In this thought-provoking episode, Gary Stewart shares lessons from Toyota Group companies on systems thinking, effectiveness innovation, and why operational excellence starts with developing people and systems — not just processes.Summary KeywordsEnterprise Excellence, Systems Thinking, Toyota Production System, Operational Excellence, Innovation, Effectiveness Innovation, Efficiency Innovation, Lean, Productivity, Human Systems, Technical Systems, Russell Ackoff, Deming, Continuous Improvement, Leadership, Organizational Transformation, Manufacturing, Economic Complexity, Business Architecture, Absolute Benchmarks Episode Summary:Gary Stewart joins Brad Jeavons on the Enterprise Excellence Podcast to challenge conventional thinking around innovation, Lean, and operational excellence.Drawing on decades inside Toyota Group companies including Denso and Aisin, Gary explains why most organizations focus too heavily on efficiency while neglecting the deeper systems architecture required for long-term effectiveness, productivity, and innovation.The episode explores:The “Perfect Line” concept Human systems vs technical systems Effectiveness innovation vs efficiency innovation Systems thinking and Russell Ackoff Why productivity and innovation decline when organisations focus only on efficiency How Toyota Group companies build sustainable enterprise excellence This is a thought-provoking conversation for leaders interested in continuous improvement, systems thinking, operational excellence, and long-term organisational transformation. Episode Links:Youtube: https://youtu.be/6CRhQXgGQhw Enterprise Excellence Group: https://enterpriseexcellencegroup.com.au/enterprise-excellence-podcast/Contacts Connect with Brad on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradjeavons/. Call him on 0402 448 445 or email him at bjeavons@iqi.com.au. If you'd like to connect with Mr Gary Stewart, please reach out to us. Suggested Next Steps for ListenersRequest Gary Stewart's worksheet from us through contact us on our website, or email.Study Russell Ackoff and Deming Assess whether your organisation focuses too heavily on efficiency over effectiveness Explore how architecture and systems design influence operational performance Evaluate whether your organisation uses absolute or relative benchmarks Reflect on where your organisation sits on the “ascending vs descending spiral” To learn more about what we do, visit https://enterpriseexcellencegroup.com.au/Thanks for your time, and thanks for helping to create a better future.

Summary Join Mitch Beinhaker as he interviews John Munsell about the transformative impact of AI on business, education, and society. Discover practical frameworks, emerging risks, and how organizations can harness AI responsibly and effectively. Keywords AI, AI governance, prompt engineering, AI in business, AI ethics, AI tools, AI strategy, future of work, AI education Key topics -AI mastery levels and organizational impact -AI governance and security challenges -Prompt engineering and skill development -Future of education with AI and personalized learning -Risks of rogue AI agents and security threats Titles The 7 Levels of AI Mastery for Business Success How AI is Reshaping Education and Workforce Development Sound bites "We teach principles, not just tools." "AI can make decisions on its own." "The world is in a science fiction age." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI's Impact 01:32 John's Entrepreneurial Journey 04:44 The Evolution of AI Tools 06:33 Teaching AI and Developing Frameworks 07:55 Scaling AI in Organizations 10:19 Transitioning from Agency to AI Consulting 12:20 The Challenges of Delegation 15:26 Creating a Scalable AI Process 17:54 AI Governance and Mastery Levels 19:44 Exploring OpenClaw and Autonomous Agents 21:06 The Rise of Autonomous Bots 24:53 AI Decision-Making and Its Implications 27:55 The Security Risks of AI Agents 31:33 Governance and Stress Testing in AI 39:05 Teaching AI: Empowering Organizations 45:08 Harnessing AI for Efficiency 49:43 The Rise of Small Businesses in the AI Era 51:05 Navigating Workforce Changes with AI 57:15 The Evolution of Learning in the Age of AI Resources John Munsell's Book: In Grain AI - https://www.amazon.com/In-Grain-AI-John-Munsell/dp/XXXXXX OpenClaw (Claudebot) - https://openclaw.io Whisper Flow - https://whisperflow.com IR Game (AI stress testing) - https://irgame.com Guest links LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/johnmunsell Website - https://johnmunsell.com

How to turn latent motivation into fuel for change.If you want to be a changemaker, you'll have to convince others to join your cause. But according to Dan Heath, persuading your audience isn't about creating new motivation — it's about leveraging the motivation that's already there.“The most important fuel for any change effort is motivation,” says Heath, the number-one New York Times bestselling author of Reset: How to Change What's Not Working. Instead of struggling to persuade people to want what you want, Heath suggests finding where your goals overlap with the things they already desire. "Before you even get to persuasion, if you can just tap and unleash the energy that's already there, you've already catapulted yourself toward success,” he says.In this Rethinks episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Heath and host Matt Abrahams explore how to create more compelling communication using “leverage points,” or as Heath says, “where a little bit of effort yields a disproportionate return.” Whether getting buy-in from one teammate or achieving change across an entire organization, Heath shares practical tips for turning latent motivation into an engine for change.Episode Reference Links:Dan HeathDan's Books: Reset: How to Change What's Not WorkingDan's Podcast: What It's Like To Be Ep.190 Motivation Matters: How to Leverage What People Already WantEp.49 Make Numbers Count: How to Communicate Data Effectively  Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (03:59) - The Power of Storytelling (07:09) - Crafting Powerful Stories (12:08) - Finding Great Stories (15:27) - Leverage Points For Change (18:39) - Wasted Resources & Motivation (23:06) - Latent Desire in Systems (25:15) - The Role of Systems in Communication (29:04) - Communicating Progress (32:26) - Lessons from Hosting a Podcast (34:58) - The Final Three Questions (43:00) - Conclusion  ********Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.This episode is brought to you by Babbel. Think Fast Talk Smart listeners can get started on your language learning journey today- visit Babbel.com/Thinkfast and get up to 55% off your Babbel subscription.Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be. 

In this insightful interview, Virginia Holden shares her expertise on systems change, neuroscience, and how understanding human behaviour can transform organizations. Discover practical strategies to overcome resistance, foster psychological safety, and leverage AI for democratizing knowledge. Gini is the inventor of Bag For Life and is currently part of the exec team delivering AnniQ and consulting with companies all over the world through her own company the f0undry.KeywordsSystems Change, Neuroscience, Human Behavior, Organizational Transformation, Psychological Safety, AI, Decision Making, Change ResistanceKey topicsNeuroscience and behavior changeResistance to organizational changeSystems thinking and cultural shiftsUsing AI to democratize knowledge and decision-makingSound Bites"Change is a cultural shift, not just tool adoption.""Trust and truth are arbitraged within the system.""Your brain is wired to stay in the same place."Gini's choice to add to The Change Show Playlist is "The Only Way Is Up" by Yazz & the Plastic Population.

“Determining accountability, the ability to intervene, the time to intervention, the time to stop, pause, change, alter—there are so many different layers that need to be thought through.” –Joanna Michalska About Dr Joanna Michalska Dr Joanna Michalska is Founder of Ethica Group Ltd., Co-Founder of The Strategic Centre, and an advisor to boards on AI risk, ethics, and governance. She holds a PhD in Strategic Enterprise Risk Management and has twenty years' experience leading enterprise risk, strategy and transformation at J.P. Morgan and HSBC. Webiste: ethicagroup.ai LinkedIn Profile: Dr Joanna Michalska What you will learn How boards and executives can rethink governance and accountability in the age of AI The importance of embedding governance into organizational ecosystems for agile, responsible AI adoption How to map and assign human accountability for both automated and hybrid AI-human decisions The decision architecture needed for scalable oversight, intervention, and escalation pathways Practical examples of effective AI oversight in areas like fraud detection and exception handling Steps for complying with new regulations like the EU AI Act, including inventorying AI systems and risk tiering Why human qualities like emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and honest communication are critical in AI-driven organizations How leaders can foster organizational resilience and help teams adapt by building AI literacy, retraining, and supporting personal growth Episode Resources Transcript Ross Dawson: Joanna, it’s a delight to have you on the show. Joanna Michalska: Well, thank you for having me, Ross. Ross Dawson: So, AI is wonderful, but it also brings us into a whole lot of new territory where we have to be careful in various ways. I’d love to just hear, first of all, the big framing around how boards and executive teams need to be thinking about governance and accountability as AI is incorporated more and more into work and organizations. Joanna Michalska: I think we’re all very excited about the capability that exists today to help us enhance our performance and the way we think about strategic execution for our organizations. It has multidimensional consequences for how we adapt it. What’s very important right now is, as executives and boards think about accelerating their ambitions and growth plans, there needs to be awareness of two components. First, how do we as leaders, as humans, need to adapt to that new environment? There are new conditions, or perhaps existing conditions that really need to be enhanced. They’re very important to exist in order to be able to adapt and to scale. Second, do we actually have the right systems in place to enable that scale? I think it’s important to recognize that, yes, governance has always existed, but the way it existed was more as external supporting scaffolding, rather than being built into an organizational ecosystem. We also need to have the right leadership in place to ensure that decisions are made in the right way and the organization is designed in a much more robust, agile way. These two conditions are critical for not only increasing adoption, but also doing so in a safe and responsible way, especially as we expand our ambitions for the future. It’s exciting, but there’s also a lot of caution and a lot of questions being asked by executives at this time. Ross Dawson: Yes and I guess the more we can address those concerns upfront, the more it enables us to do. I have this idea of minimum viable governance—at least having some governance in place so we don’t go too badly astray. But I always think of governance for transformation as: how do you set governance not as a brake to slow you, but in fact to accelerate you, because you have confidence in how you’re going about it? Joanna Michalska: Absolutely! I think the mindset shift is very important, because governance, to your point, has always been seen as a compliance-driven thing that we must do because regulators require us to, and we need to demonstrate we have these policies and procedures in place and the right people in the right positions. Now, what the new environment is requiring of us—as executives, even board members—is a different set of responsibilities that really cannot be assumed as pre-existing. In this accelerated environment—let’s call it that, rather than just “AI,” because it’s so overused and can mean so many different things—where the automation rate is fast and overtaking everything, governance needs to change. It can’t be an afterthought or something we designed at one point in the past and now just try to fit into what’s happening. It really needs to become a well-designed, living organism. It needs to organically evolve. It needs to have the right people with the right accountability that is well understood. Accountability that was designed in the past needs to be looked at, discussed, and understood by all executives and across the organization, cross-functionally, to really work. Another important thing is to make sure executives have the right level of ownership and responsibility to ensure the conditions exist to enable that system to work. That’s a very difficult thing to do, because now you’re talking about having designed human oversight that doesn’t just become a “human in the loop,” but the right human in the right loop. By “right,” I mean: does this person, or these people, understand exactly what the output of the automated system is? How has this decision been made? Is there the right level of executive oversight when that decision is already made? How confident are we that we can say, with a level of certainty, “I’m comfortable with this, and this is not going to create negative consequences I’m not willing to accept”? That’s not an easy thing to do—to create those conditions of trust and safety. Ross Dawson: Particularly when there are so many decisions and outputs throughout the organization. Let’s go into decision making. I’ve built a little framework around going from humans-only through to AI-only decisions. Hopefully, there are no purely human decisions anymore; at least you can ask an AI, “Am I crazy or not?” even if it’s a human decision. Some decisions are already fully automated, but they still need oversight. You can bring in exceptions, conditional things, humans in the loop for approval, humans in the process, or build an explainability layer. There’s a whole array of different things. For every decision, you need to create the right way to implement it. In an organization with that profusion of different decisions and possible approaches, how can you actually make that happen? Joanna Michalska: Yeah, it’s a great question. Decisions are at the center of everything, and the quality of those decisions—and the whole architecture, how it’s designed for decisions to be made—is really important. It doesn’t stay static; it evolves as the organizational structure evolves. Questions like accountability—what does it look like, and what is the governance around accountability—are critical. Intervention capability is also very important, because with this level of automation, the whole design of how automated decisions are made raises multiple questions. Are these decisions made by old algorithms that are very simple, where the risk is determined by a set of rules? Is there clarity around who actually has the decision intervention rights in the organization, and how does that roll up to an executive layer? Determining accountability, the ability to intervene, the time to intervention, the time to stop, pause, change, alter—there are so many different layers that need to be thought through. The quality of human decision-making, and determining when a human is able to review decisions made by complex systems—whether agentic or whatever structure the organization has—is critical at any level, whether it’s middle management, executive management, or board. There are different layers of how the architecture requires design and measurement. Escalation pathways are another one. People will not naturally escalate if they fear negative consequences, retaliation, or any type of fear created because there isn’t psychological safety or trust within the organization. Even if there is an escalation protocol in place within the decision architecture, how do we know that people will raise the problem? Ross Dawson: The accountability. Of course, only humans are accountable. Ultimately, the board and their executives are accountable. But what you’re suggesting, it sounds like, is that for every decision, there is somebody where you can say, “That person is accountable.” Obviously, it cascades up to who they’re reporting to, but there is human accountability for every decision made, even if it’s a thousand decisions where somebody has oversight and responsibility that those are the right decisions. I want to talk about escalation and how that might happen, but perhaps we can ground this with a couple of examples. What are some examples of decisions made in organizations—hopefully well-designed, or perhaps not so well-designed and haven’t worked out? Joanna Michalska: Yes, I have a couple of good examples where an automated system allows review of multiple false positives, where a human would spend months or weeks looking at exceptions. From an optimization perspective, that’s really valuable. For example, in fraud detection or sanction screening, you can design a process where your algorithm applies rules very quickly with specific risk tiering. You know which decisions need an additional level of checks—let’s say, automated checks. With a confidence of over 90%, your queue for checking and looking at exceptions—what would otherwise have to be done by a human—is not really necessary; it’s done by the algorithm. In terms of decisioning, from a human oversight perspective, you’re really looking at things that are very high risk and require additional human review, or exceptions to the usual flow that break the rule designed for the algorithm to execute. Then, somebody picks it up and looks at it. These are powerful examples where there’s potentially a high human risk of misinterpreting something, but if the algorithm is designed appropriately and has the right governance in place, it can really speed things up and make space for a human who otherwise would be involved in that process to actually develop and do something different. In the example I’m talking about, we’ve focused on retraining people to expand their roles and do something else, rather than just being involved in checking decisions or reviewing boring exceptions that were really false positives. Ross Dawson: What’s another different example? Joanna Michalska: Fraud detection is another really good one where— Ross Dawson: Because one of the things about fraud detection is there is an answer—as in, it is fraud or it isn’t fraud. You can get false positives and false negatives, but that’s kind of reductionist. There’s a whole array of decisions where you can’t necessarily say before the fact whether it’s a good decision or not. It’s interesting to look at these very different types of decisions, not just ones that can be very algorithmic because they’re data-based and there is a true or false. Many decisions don’t fit those parameters. Joanna Michalska: No, that’s very true. Actually, what I’ve seen, especially recently, is that there are a lot of questions being asked by the board or executives when they get to the point where a decision isn’t easy or clear. They look at sets of metrics that do not make a lot of sense, and then the question becomes, “Who can explain to me how this decision was made, that this metric shows me X? Who in the organization can I go to, and how quickly, for them to explain that to me?” In my experience, especially recently, that’s a very difficult and uncomfortable question to ask and answer, because it’s not clear—especially when it comes to things that don’t have a clear accountability pathway, because more than one person is accountable. So the question is, is this a Risk Officer question, or is it a Data Officer, CTO, CSO—who actually is responsible? In these instances, it’s particularly important to have the right accountability that is understood at that level—who is accountable for what part of the process? It’s not easy, because it is quite complex and creates a lot of challenging discussions. Very often, it depends on the organizational maturity and the level of AI adoption. What systems do we have? Do we understand what is an AI system in the first place? That part is not easy, it’s complicated, and it creates quite a lot of challenging discussions. Ross Dawson: Well, it is difficult and complicated and challenging, but that’s not very useful. Let’s map the pathway. Give me a roadmap for an organization: we’re going to assess our decisions, rank them in order of priority or risk or uncertainty, apply AI, and put accountability in place for all of these. This might take us sixteen years, but we’re going to start somewhere else. Joanna Michalska: I think a really good example is a new European EU AI Act, where there is a very clear starting point and clear requirements. For many organizations, that’s step one: what are we actually required by regulators to do? We look at what processes, systems, and outcomes we’ve got. That’s step one. Then, we look at which of our applications are actually what risk, and we tier them. We assign the right executives for the right processes. First, we identify where we are today, then work with our compliance or risk officers to understand where we think we are versus where we are according to the regulation. That regulation—the high-risk identification of those systems—is going live in August this year, so it’s a very pressured point for people to address. Once that’s done, there’s a clear inventory of the current state, a clear inventory of where we need to be, gap identification for which high-risk systems require transformation and to what extent, and then the right people need to be in the right places so the transformation roadmap is defined. There’s accountability for that transformation to occur, but often a lot of external advisors are invited to help. In that case, my work usually starts with an exposure review, where I speak to everyone accountable and get a view of where the organization is, maturity-wise, versus where it needs to be for the implementation deadline. Then, there’s a very clear prioritization roadmap: what’s the impact and consequences for these processes or systems not to comply, and what are the next steps for compliance? Who needs to be in the process? What metrics need to exist? What’s the gap to the right level of maturity to demonstrate that we are compliant and can confidently talk to regulators, our organization, stakeholders, whoever, to demonstrate, “Here’s where we were or thought we were, these are the steps we’re taking, these are the people who are accountable, these are the decisions we’re going to make, and we’re going to demonstrate that we’ve taken them this way.” That’s how we design our journey. All of this sounds very simple, but the initial assessment is always very complicated, because everyone goes through the process and, in what I call a deep dive into documentation and governance structures, very often the outcomes show governance is not mature. It often needs to change—even the level of metrics, the maturity of the metrics thresholds in place is very immature and very legacy. Ultimately, it applies to the old world, but not to the new world. Ross Dawson: Well, every organization needs to evolve, and potentially rapidly. Do you look at strategic decisions, or the role of AI in strategic decisions, or other very complex, high-level decisions? Joanna Michalska: Yes, and it’s interesting to see that there is, what I would call, a cognitive dissonance between where people would like to apply AI for strategic decisions versus the reality. AI is actually used much more for operationalization or speeding up optimization—very performative. How can we quickly improve performance? There’s a lot of discussion about it, and I see that people want to think about it, especially as boards are putting a lot of pressure to improve strategic ambition and create a competitive advantage, which is well beyond just regulatory compliance. But it’s not very mature—let’s just put it that way. It’s much more integrated within improving operational performance — let’s just say that. Ross Dawson: Yeah, well, we might loop back to that. Part of your background is neuroscience, and we’ve been talking a lot about decision making. There’s been a lot of wonderful work over the last seven or eight decades on the role of human cognition in decision making. Tell me about the way you see this understanding of neuroscience being applied to cognition, work, and decision making in a world where we have AI as part of those processes. Joanna Michalska: I think it’s a fascinating area of science, and we as humans, especially in this fast-paced environment, as leaders, really need to evolve our capability of not only managing organizations, but also leading the people side of things. Historically, the human brain and mindset take time to change; it’s not something that changes overnight, and it typically requires a trigger, which is usually not very pleasant for someone to take responsibility or ownership of that change. Now, when you think about the acceleration of decisions and what happens around the organization—because when we think about business, evolving organizations, or being accountable to shareholders, regulators, or society—we can’t just remain the same. That means our mindset and our ability to become more human really matter. Emotional intelligence, relationship-building skills, recognizing the importance of trust, building psychological safety so people can take responsibility at every level of the organization, and having the courage to say, “This is not working, I’ve seen this problem, something doesn’t feel right, I’m going to escalate to the right person because I know who the right person is”—all of that really comes from personal qualities and owning those qualities that just cannot be replaced by machines. There’s a gap between what machines are taking over in terms of processes and things that can be done easily, and, to my earlier example, that almost brings a higher weight and pressure onto us to become better—much more resilient, agile, responsible, and accountable. Those qualities, maybe we weren’t really owning to the same extent in the past because we were focused on performative activities much more. That will be required of us through all the external pressures, but also because we want to achieve better outcomes not just for organizations, but for broader society. That sense of responsibility for an impact that is much deeper and more long-lasting is very important. From a leadership perspective, it’s almost like role modeling becomes even more important for everyone else in the organization, and it creates a higher level of satisfaction, engagement, and level of happiness for everyone. Ross Dawson: So, this is about personal growth in a way—becoming more, as you say, building these human qualities that we need so much in this world. But at the same time, very few people are not experiencing pressure or stress, not least from the pace of change through AI and many other things. There are countervailing forces: we’re being called to be more human, to bring out more of ourselves, but the context is extraordinary challenge. What are specific things that leaders or organizations can do to help people draw out those capabilities? Joanna Michalska: I think there are a couple of things to start with. I would always say awareness is the first step, and leadership awareness of where the gap is and what’s actually required is very important. Integrity and honesty follow right after, because people know what’s happening—or even if they don’t know, they’ll fill in the blanks with probably not very positive things. Once fear starts to creep in, it erodes trust and confidence, and it also takes away from participation. No matter what transformation you’re trying to achieve in your organization, you need your people engaged. Executives need to be honest about what’s happening. I’ve seen a lot of examples where leadership is not honest—they say, “Don’t worry, you’re not going to lose your job, it’s going to be fine,” while everyone knows their job will either be lost or significantly changed. That level of honesty is important: having a uniform communication strategy to communicate honestly to people and say, “Things will change. Things are already changing, but we will take care of you, and this is how it’s going to look.” I’m not saying to lie; you need to be appropriately honest and say, “Yes, there will probably be a reduction in roles, but this is the plan.” How do we communicate honestly to people and make sure they understand that if their job will be eliminated, how will they be supported to develop capabilities and skills to go into another role or do something else somewhere else? That’s a human thing to do—be honest and help people develop that capability. The second part of that plan is to have, whether it’s AI literacy or AI retraining, whatever the organization decides to do to help people develop the skill set they don’t have. Organizationally, but also, as someone said at an event I attended recently, “What used to be a soft skill now really becomes a hard skill,” because that’s at the heart of everything. As more process-driven tasks are taken away by machines, those human skills will become very, very important and already are. Ross Dawson: Yeah, and arguably, that’s one of the possible benefits of AI—it helps us to become more human, or develop our intrinsically and distinctly human capabilities. So, Joanna, where can people go to find out more about your work? Joanna Michalska: They can reach out to me on LinkedIn, And I do have also my website, that’s called ethicagroup.ai, and I’m happy to connect on any topic related to what we’ve just discussed, especially executive authority, how we become more human, and how we can be at the center of what we can actually do within this very fast-moving environment. How do we have as executives and leaders more impact on changing this reality? Because, to your point earlier, if each of us doesn’t take that responsibility, nothing’s really going to change. Ross Dawson: Indeed. Thank you so much for your time and your insights, Joanna. Joanna Michalska: Thank you, Ross. Thank you for having me. The post Joanna Michalska on AI governance, decision architectures, accountability pathways, and neuroscience in organizational transformation (AC Ep36) appeared first on Humans + AI.

In this episode, we tackle 2 aspects of our business - Organizational Development + Coaching - and explore why they are most powerful when organizations leverage them TOGETHER. Getting the right structure to serve the business paired with the right people in each of the seats - and then, ongoing attention and coaching for each person - is the key to a highly functioning team. You'll hear everything from the things most organizations get wrong to real client examples from our work. For more about ForthRight Business by ForthRight People or for 1:1 consultation, check us out at ForthRight-Business.com And as always, if you need Strategic Counsel, don't hesitate to reach out to us at: ForthRight-People.com FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/forthrightpeople.marketingagency INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/forthrightpeople/ LINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/company/forthright-people/ RESOURCES https://www.forthright-people.com/resources VIRTUAL CONSULTANCY https://www.forthright-people.com/shop

In this episode of Leading Through Crisis, host Céline Williams sits down with Ernesto Gómez, founder and CEO of Aspen Mindset1 and author of Regrowth: How Organizations Can Overcome Stalling by Unlocking Their People's Potential. Together, they explore how leaders can navigate today's complex landscape—where crises are no longer occasional events but an ongoing reality. Ernesto shares powerful insights on why organizations stall, how culture can either enable or block change, and why the real driver of performance lies within teams. He introduces the concept of “push vs. pull leadership” and explains how great leaders unlock potential not by applying pressure, but by creating the right conditions for people to thrive. Through real-world examples and practical frameworks, the conversation explores how leaders can rethink their approach to decision-making, innovation, and team development in an era of accelerating change. You'll learn: • Why crisis is becoming the new normal for leaders • The three layers of organizations: products, capabilities, and culture • How team dynamics drive organizational performance • The difference between push leadership vs pull leadership • Four cultural pillars that unlock team performance • Why humility and psychological safety are critical leadership traits • A practical framework for moving from stagnation to regrowth If you're a leader navigating uncertainty, building high-performing teams, or trying to drive change in a rapidly evolving world, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on how leadership must evolve. — Ernesto Gómez is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience, having built and led successful ventures across the food service industry in both the US and Mexico. Transitioning from a dynamic serial entrepreneur to a high-level corporate leader, he served as VP of Human Capital at Grupo Alfa, a major Mexican conglomerate with 83,000 employees, before becoming Chief Human Resources Officer at Sigma Alimentos, a global consumer packaged goods company with 43,000 employees. In these roles, he spearheaded global talent and cultural initiatives, playing a pivotal role in organizational transformation.  Ernesto is the author of Regrowth: How Organizations Can Overcome Stalling by Unlocking Their People's Potential. Ernesto is a lifelong learner.  He studied social communications and has completed executive programs at leading institutions, including Stanford GSB, MIT Sloan School of Management, Wharton Business School, Kellogg School of Management, Chicago Booth, London Business School, and IMD Business School.  He is the founder and CEO of Aspen Mindset1, a consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations and individuals reach peak performance. In 2024, Ernesto was invited as a guest speaker in the "Lead through Ambiguity" course at MIT Sloan School of Management. To learn more about Ernesto's work, head to aspenmindset1.com. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn (Ernesto Gómez Arzapalo) or Instagram (@aspenmindset_1).

In this episode of the CRO Spotlight Podcast, Warren Zenna speaks with Susan Rothwell, Chief Revenue Officer at Simpli.fi. With a rare track record of longevity in the notoriously high-turnover CRO role, Susan unpacks her journey leading revenue organizations across multiple stages of evolution. She details how the CRO position has shifted from a glorified sales leader to a vital driver of operational excellence and corporate strategy.Susan breaks down the mechanics of transforming legacy businesses, sharing actionable steps from her experience transitioning print-heavy models into integrated digital strategies. She emphasizes the importance of data-driven restructuring, specifically highlighting her approach to unifying siloed Go-to-Market teams. By verticalizing sales efforts, she demonstrates how to align complex organizational structures to better serve customers.A core focus of this conversation is the critical alliance between the CEO and the CRO. Susan provides an honest look at her long-standing partnership with Simpli.fi CEO Cali Tran. She explains how initial friction evolved into a highly effective working relationship built on mutual trust, rigorous feedback, and complementary skill sets, offering a blueprint for revenue leaders seeking to establish strong alignment with their C-suite.Finally, the discussion shifts to the integration of artificial intelligence within revenue operations. Susan advocates for leaning into AI to enhance productivity, streamline CRM systems, and eliminate administrative bottlenecks, while maintaining the essential human element in sales. This episode delivers a strategic playbook for current and aspiring CROs looking to drive sustainable growth and navigate complex organizational change.

Björn Lahm shares how he maintains culture and aligns goals with values within a family-owned business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Björn Lahm shares how he maintains culture and alignment of goals and values within a family-owned business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#thePOZcast is proudly brought to you by Fountain - the leading enterprise platform for workforce management. Our platform enables companies to support their frontline workers from job application to departure. Fountain elevates the hiring, management, and retention of frontline workers at scale.To learn more, please visit: https://www.fountain.com/?utm_source=shrm-2024&utm_medium=event&utm_campaign=shrm-2024-podcast-adam-posner.Thanks for listening, and please follow us on Insta @NHPTalent and www.youtube.com/thePOZcastFor all episodes, please check out www.thePOZcast.com  Takeaways- The biggest misconception is that most people are excited about transformation.- A small percentage of the workforce drives the majority of results.- The top 20% of employees contribute to 80% of outcomes.- The top 1% can drive a quarter of the results.- Most employees are tied to their current work methods.- Transformation may not feel significant to the majority.- Business leaders often assume support without engagement.- Engaging employees is crucial for successful transformation.- There is often an under-investment in change management.- Leaders must facilitate change rather than just declare it. 00:00 – Welcome & Jeff's Backstory in HR TransformationAdam kicks off the POZcast and introduces Jeff Williams, president and CFO at Aptia, walking through his career leading massive HR and business transformation efforts at Paychex, ADP, Alight, Aon and more.01:13 – Growing Up With a Self-Made FatherJeff shares his family story: born Canadian, raised American, youngest of eight, and the journey of his dad going from drafting apprentice to CEO at the same company over 33 years—and the lessons embedded in that.02:35 – Early Lessons: Hard Work, Humor & LossJeff reflects on what he learned from his father before losing him at 19: the value of hard work, eating fast at a crowded table, and keeping humor and lightness at the center of life and leadership.03:45 – From Telecom to the People Business (ADP Entry Point)Jeff explains how he moved from technology and telecom into human capital, taking on the role leading ADP's Canadian operations and discovering the power of the HR and benefits space.04:38 – Hiring at a High Bar: Talent, Drive & InstinctsAdam asks how Jeff hired to ADP's level. Jeff lays out his hiring philosophy: ambition beyond natural gifts, complementary skills, people better than him in key areas—and why he trusts his instincts on fit.06:25 – Real Leadership: Hiring People Better Than YouThey dig into succession, “making yourself dispensable,” and the idea that if you can't take a vacation without everything falling apart, that's a failure of leadership, not a badge of honor.07:30 – Pre-Email Days & The Human Side of WorkJeff remembers the 286/386 era and talks about how, before digital tools, people invested more in each other in person—inside and outside of work—and how that shaped deeper relationships.08:43 – Remote Work, COVID, and an Isolated WorkforceThey go deep on the pandemic: the rapid shift home, the early productivity spike, inflation pressures, relocation, and the rise of isolation and mental health issues as remote work took hold.11:10 – Young Workers, Office Longing & Loyalty ShiftsAdam shares what he's seeing with candidates who actually want to be in-office to learn through osmosis. Jeff talks about building the next generation of leaders and how in-person time rebuilds fabric and loyalty.13:32 – Mental Health, Home Setups & Productivity RealityThey unpack the assumption that everyone has an ideal home workspace—calling out caregiving, cramped spaces, kids, and distractions—and how that's quietly driving some people back to the office.14:51 – Why Jeff Bet on Aptia & the Move to BostonJeff explains what drew him to Aptia: the chance to build something differentiated and lasting, formalize his cross-border life, and finally live and work in the same country as his family.17:42 – The Big Vision: Building the Best Benefits Company in AmericaJeff outlines his ambition to build the best (not necessarily biggest) benefits services and administration company—one loved by clients, employees, and partners while supporting the communities they serve.19:04 – Benefits as a Talent Magnet: Total Rewards, Not Just SalaryThey talk about smart candidates, how benefits (health, financial, time off, ancillary) close offers, and why companies need to position total rewards early and clearly in the hiring process.21:13 – Closing the Benefits Understanding GapJeff shares the reality: most employees don't fully understand or appreciate their benefits. He talks about accessibility, education, and surfacing value in ways employees actually grasp.22:33 – Introducing Aptia One: Seamless, AI-Led Benefits ExperienceJeff breaks down Aptia One—how it's designed to create simple, AI-led, consumer-grade experiences for employees, employers, and partners across phone, web, and natural language interfaces.25:14 – How Jeff Is Personally Upskilling in AIJeff shares his approach to AI as a leader: consuming everything he can, learning from experts, applying lessons from previous waves of tech disruption, and staying hyper-relevant to where markets are heading.26:54 – Realistic AI: Simplicity, Accuracy & Avoiding AI-WashingThey discuss using AI to simplify journeys, NOT over-hyping capabilities, and why, in a business where you must be nearly 100% accurate on benefits, you must apply AI carefully and responsibly.28:43 – The Hard Truth About TransformationJeff calls out a big misconception: leaders assume everyone's excited about transformation. He explains why frontline employees often aren't enlisted as deeply as leaders think and why change enablement is under-invested.30:18 – Service, Soul & Corporate PhilanthropyThe conversation shifts to service: Jeff's history with DEI, United Way, and community work, and why doing something for others makes him feel more complete as a human and leader.31:25 – Why People Want Companies With a SoulJeff explains how corporate philanthropy, whether via one flagship cause or hyper-local initiatives, shapes belonging, engagement, and the desire to work for companies that care about more than profit.33:55 – Jeff's Son's Cancer Journey & Life Perspective ShiftsJeff shares the powerful story of his son Kevin's osteosarcoma diagnosis at 13, the grueling treatment, and how that battle reshaped his view on perseverance, priorities, and what really matters.36:26 – Adam's Own Cancer Battle & Shared PerspectiveAdam opens up about his recent Hodgkin's lymphoma remission, the physical and emotional toll, and how surviving cancer reframes life, work, and gratitude for both of them.40:04 – What Keeps Jeff Up at Night: Stewardship & FamilyJeff talks about being a “work in progress,” how life is now about his kids, his wife, and his responsibilities, and the ongoing chase to be a good steward for his family, business, and community.41:48 – Optimism About Humanity & The Future of BenefitsJeff shares a global perspective: wherever he goes, people want similar things for their families and communities. He then lays out the “big three” of benefits—health, wealth, and time off—as core holdings.43:26 – Designing Benefits Like a PortfolioThey dig into tailoring benefits to your population (e.g., menopause benefits, pet insurance, nonprofit-oriented perks), feeding what works, starving what doesn't, and iterating to truly serve your people.44:37 – Redefining Success: Energy for the Journey AheadIn closing, Jeff defines success not by titles or money, but by whether you still wake up excited for what's ahead—at work, at home, on the golf course, and in life overall.46:08 – Wrap-Up & Where to Find Jeff and AptiaAdam closes the episode, sharing where listeners can learn more about Aptia, connect with Jeff on LinkedIn, and reminding everyone to review, subscribe, and keep being good to themselves and better to others.

Rajeev Rajan (CTO @ Atlassian) shares the leadership playbook he used to transform Atlassian's engineering culture, and how that cultural foundation directly powered the build and launch of Rovo (Atlassian's new AI powered app). We cover how they reduced ship time from 120 days to zero, why “developer joy” is the metric that matters, and how to create a community of developer productivity champions to scale DevEx transformation. Rajeev also breaks down his principles for systematizing autonomy and empowerment, including frameworks for giving direct reports more ownership. Plus, a look at the future of Atlassian's “Systems of Work”! ABOUT RAJEEV RAJANRajeev Rajan is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Atlassian. Rajeev joined the company in May 2022 and is responsible for Atlassian Engineering, IT, Security and Trust, and the Engineering Operations teams. His focus areas include the company's continued transformation to Cloud, Developer Platform, and Product lines. Additionally, he is passionate about continuing to develop Atlassian's world-class engineering organization and making it a top choice for aspiring engineering talent worldwide.A long-time resident of Washington state, Rajeev previously acted as the Vice President and Head of Engineering for Facebook and Head of Office for Meta in the Pacific Northwest Region. Prior to Meta, Rajeev spent more than two decades with Microsoft, first joining as an intern in 1994. During his time there, he worked on many products, culminating in Office 365 where he built and led the team responsible for all of the Cloud Infrastructure for Office 365.Rajeev is married with two children and a spunky yellow lab named Rayna. He is very involved in and passionate about a number of efforts that uplift the local community, ranging from the arts to STEM programs. SHOW NOTES:The "Listening Tour": Grounding leadership in reality and identifying friction points (3:52)The Confluence Editor story: Reducing ship time from 120 days to 0 (6:26)Moving beyond productivity: Why "Developer Joy" is the metric that matters (8:45)Creating a community of Developer Productivity Champions and the power of a Productivity Summit (13:44)Elevating productivity to a company-level OKR and measuring qualitative sentiment (17:12)Leadership framework: Deciding when to "manage through people" vs. "manage through process" (19:05)How to give more direct ownership / responsibility to a DRI (23:03)Alignment conversations about prioritizing developer joy & productivity (24:22)Challenges faced during Atlassian's developer joy transformation journey (26:23)How the "Developer Joy" foundation enabled building Rovo in just 6 months (30:02)The "System of Work": Expanding Jira's utility beyond engineering to finance, marketing, and legal (33:22)Rapid Fire Questions (40:48) This episode wouldn't have been possible without the help of our incredible production team:Patrick Gallagher - Producer & Co-HostJerry Li - Co-HostNoah Olberding - Associate Producer, Audio & Video Editor https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-olberding/Dan Overheim - Audio Engineer, Dan's also an avid 3D printer - https://www.bnd3d.com/Ellie Coggins Angus - Copywriter, Check out her other work at https://elliecoggins.com/about/5 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 of the Drop in CEO podcast, host Deb Coviello welcomes Joe Bockerstette, Managing Partner at Business Enterprise Mapping. Joe shares his journey from engineering to consulting, angel investing, and leading transformative workflow improvements for organizations. Together, they discuss the realities of process management, the challenges of change leadership, and practical advice for business leaders seeking sustainable growth and peace of mind. Episode Highlights: [1:00] Joe Barker’s career journey: from engineering to consulting and angel investing [9:00] The realities and risks of angel investing for entrepreneurs and investors [17:00] Mapping business processes: identifying “red clouds” and driving organizational change [24:30] Real-world example: Transforming a marketing firm’s operations and achieving peace of mind Joe Bockerstette is the Managing Partner of Business Enterprise Mapping in Phoenix AZ., a professional services firm delivering transformative workflow improvement. He has more than 30 years’ experience as a CEO, business consultant, and private equity/angel investor. Joe was previously a Consulting Partner with PwC, co-founded a private equity firm, Equity Management Group and was the first Managing Partner of the Main Street Venture Fund, an angel pledge fund in Indiana. Joe holds a BS degree in Engineering from the University of Cincinnati, and an MBA from Xavier University. He has served as a director on a variety of public, private, and non-profit boards and has co-authored three books, Attracting an Angel, How to Get Money from Business Angels and Why Most Entrepreneurs Don't, Time Based Manufacturing and Red Cloud Road, How Strategic Process Management Drives Competitive Advantage. Company Website: www.businessmapping.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-bockerstette-86875a17 For more information about my services or if you just want to connect and have a chat, reach out at: https://dropinceo.com/contact/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Behind The Numbers With Dave Bookbinder, Dave speaks with Jim Stevenson, CEO of Bletchley Group, about how companies can achieve real transformation by aligning strategy, people, processes, and products. Drawing from his leadership experience at The Guardian and in global retail and digital businesses, Jim shares practical insights on breaking down silos, redesigning teams, and putting customer experience at the center of change. You'll discover: Why true transformation starts with intentional, top-down culture change How discovery and learning at every level drive alignment and innovation What an 18-month horizon means for embedding sustainable change Why curiosity is a must-have hiring trait for every team How small operational shifts—like seating strategy and cross-functional collaboration—accelerate decisions And how balanced turnover and succession planning keep organizations adaptable and competitive If you're leading transformation, managing growth, or rethinking how people and strategy connect, this conversation offers a practical roadmap for making change stick. About Our Guets: Splitting his time between Los Angeles and London, Jim Stevenson is the Founder and CEO of Bletchley Group, a renowned International Growth Consultancy with 24 years of expertise in strategy, transformation, and growth.   He established Bletchley Group with a fundamental belief that while technology is powerful, it should always serve a meaningful purpose. Jim's unique value stems from his diverse background, having worked in numerous roles across various companies, enabling him to identify growth opportunities and achieve great results for his clients. He is also: Partner at Spark Collective International, an M&A firm, Chair of Kompas Health, a fast-growing Telehealth business expanding into the USA and Chair of MediMusic, a digital therapeutics startup helping patients with dementia and chronic pain. About the Host: Dave Bookbinder is known as an expert in business valuation and he is the person that business owners and entrepreneurs reach out to when they need to know what their most important assets are worth. Known as a collaborative adviser, Dave has served thousands of client companies of all sizes and industries.  Dave is the author of two #1 best-selling books about the impact of human capital (PEOPLE!) on the valuation of a business enterprise called The NEW ROI: Return On Individuals & The NEW ROI: Going Behind The Numbers.    He's on a mission to change the conversation about how the accounting world recognizes the value of people's contributions to a business enterprise, and to quantify what every CEO on the planet claims: “Our people are this company's most valuable asset.”   Dave's book, A Valuation Toolbox for Business Owners and Their Advisors: Things Every Business Owner Should Know, was recognized as a top new release in Business and Valuation and is designed to provide practical insights and tools to help understand what really drives business value, how to prepare for an exit, and just make better decisions. He's also the host of the highly rated Behind The Numbers With Dave Bookbinder business podcast which is enjoyed in more than 100 countries.  

In this episode of Success Leaves Clues, host Robin Bailey and guest co-host Cory Chadwick sit down with Jessica Pezim, Client Partner at Bedford Consulting Group, to explore how leadership, culture, and human connection shape organizational success. Jessica shares her journey from practicing securities law to leading executive search and leadership advisory at Bedford. With a unique background spanning law, finance, and talent strategy, she brings deep insight into how the right leadership match can transform not just an organization but lives. Together, they discuss what it takes to hire beyond the résumé, build cultures that thrive on belonging, and navigate transformation with empathy and purpose. From AI-driven fear to family business dynamics, this conversation blends strategy with humanity, showing that careers are, at their core, deeply human stories. You'll hear about: From law to leadership: How Jessica pivoted from securities law to executive search and why she never looked back. Family in business: The rewards and realities of working with family in a multigenerational company. Ripple effects in leadership: How one placement can change lives, organizations, and communities. Culture fit vs. skill fit: Why the best person on paper isn't always the right person for the role. Hiring with heart: How Bedford's 93% success rate comes from prioritizing alignment, not just experience. The role of AI in talent strategy: How leaders can navigate technological change with transparency and trust. Mentorship and legacy: Why paying it forward and planting seeds for others defines lasting leadership. We talk about: 00:00 Introduction 03:00 From law to executive search and Jessica's bold career pivot 07:00 Family business dynamics and lessons learned from twin mentors 10:00 The ripple effect of leadership and the power of impact 16:00 Preventing burnout and balancing high performance with humanity 17:00 The competency model and why Bedford's 93% success rate matters 18:00 The best person vs. the right person and the difference that changes everything 20:00 Values, culture fit, and why alignment matters more than perfection 22:00 Diversity of thought and inclusive hiring in times of transformation 26:00 AI, fear, and the future of work 30:00 Legal meets leadership and Jessica's unique approach to talent strategy 34:00 Planting trees for future leaders, mentorship, purpose, and legacy Connect with Jessica LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-pezim-a73b2752/ Website: https://bedfordgroup.com/ Connect with Us LinkedIn: Robin Bailey and Al McDonald Website: Aria Benefits and Life & Legacy Advisory Group

Send us a MessageCEO Ben Davis provides his fifth quarterly update on the happenings of Glencoe Regional Health's Experience Initiative which is targeted at improving access to care and elevating the patient, resident, and employee experiences.Leaders aim to leave a lasting impact on their organizations.Community involvement evolves as healthcare leaders and employees learn new skills as part of the Experience Initiative.Leadership development fosters a culture of accountability.Measuring success involves both objective metrics and subjective feelings.Adaptability is key in facing external challenges in healthcare.Rural healthcare can provide quality care that rivals larger organizations.Collaboration across departments improves overall organizational effectiveness.In this fifth of a series of planned quarterly episodes on Culture Change RX, host Sue engages with Ben Davis, President and CEO of Glencoe Regional Health, to discuss the strategy execution processes within his organization. Ben emphasizes the importance of community impact, leadership development, and overcoming challenges in the healthcare sector. The conversation highlights the significance of employee engagement and the need for adaptability in the face of external challenges. Ben shares insights on measuring success and the future of rural healthcare, advocating for a focus on quality care and community involvement.Missed earlier episodes in this series with CEO Ben Davis?Listen to Part 1Listen to Part 2Listen to Part 3Listen to Part 4Subscribe and stay tuned for more insights from leaders driving meaningful change.Capstone helps rural hospitals be the provider- and employer-of-choice to keep care local and margins strong. Learn more via a complimentary consultation call. Schedule at: CapstoneLeadership.net/Contact-UsHi! I'm Sue Tetzlaff. I'm a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.For decades, I've worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I've learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It's the hardest thing, and it determines everything.When you're ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:1. Listen to the Culture Change RX PodcastEvery week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy. 2. Subscribe to our Email NewsletterGet practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won't find on the podcast.

Alex Sloley: Why Sticky Notes Are Your Visualization Superpower in Retrospectives Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. "Like the smell, the vibe is something you feel. If you're having a successful impact on the organization or on teams as a Scrum Master, you can feel it, you can smell it. It's intangible." - Alex Sloley Alex introduces a compelling concept from Sumantra Ghoshal about "the smell of the workplace"—you can walk into an environment and immediately sense whether it smells like fresh strawberries and cream or a dumpster fire. In Australia, there's a cultural reference from the movie "The Castle" about "the vibe of the thing," and Alex emphasizes that as a successful Scrum Master, you can feel and smell when you're having an impact. While telling executives you're measuring "vibe" might be challenging, Alex shares three concrete ways he's measured success. The key insight is that success isn't always measurable in traditional ways, but successful Scrum Masters develop an intuition for sensing when their work is making a meaningful difference. Self-reflection Question: Can you articulate the "vibe" or "smell" of your current team or organization? What specific indicators tell you whether your Scrum Master work is truly making an impact beyond the metrics? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Sticky Notes for Everything Alex champions any retrospective format that includes sticky notes, calling them a "visualization superpower." With sticky notes, teams can visualize anything—the good, the bad, improvements, options, possibilities, and even metrics. They make information transparent, which is critical for the inspect-and-adapt cycle that forms the heart of Scrum. Alex emphasizes being strategic about visualization: identify a challenge, figure out how to make it visual, and then create experiments around that visualization. Once something becomes visible, magic happens because the team can see patterns they've never noticed before. You can use different sizes, colors, and positions to visualize constraints in the system, including interruptions, unplanned work, blocker clustering, impediments, and flow. This approach works not just in retrospectives but in planning, reviews, and daily scrums. The key principle is that you must have transparency in order to inspect, and you must inspect to adapt. Alex's practical advice: be strategic about what you choose to visualize, involve the team in determining how to make challenges visible, and watch as the transparency naturally leads to insights and improvement ideas. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Company background: "HSO is the second largest Microsoft partner in the globe," Holwagner reports. It focuses on industries including professional services, manufacturing, finance, and the public sector. HSO continues to grow not only with its traditional ERP services but also around cloud and AI services. "The mission here is really to improve our clients' business performance with the results of Microsoft solutions."AI's market impact: "It's definitely a transformation happening faster than anything I've seen before," Holwagner says. While there's already been significant advancements with AI, it's still only the beginning of what has yet to be built out and understood. He breaks down AI across four different roles:At the top level, boards and owners are pushing for areas of efficiency to stay competitive, reimagining the business model using AI.The next level is the CTO or an IT manager; they have efficiency demands, but they're also primarily thinking about how to contain information and data in a security model.The business leaders or department heads are being tasked to think about efficiency using AI but they're mostly busy keeping their engine going. They need tools that show them where to get ROI.The last level is HR, which might be considering where AI is filling in for various jobs.Perspectives for applying AI: HSO looks from a responsibility perspective in three different areas. First, it aims to educate customers on what's possible while also focusing on what's doable. Second is protection, which involves having control over your domain information. The third area is thinking about use cases for specific AI components.Organizational transformation: With the introduction of AI, there's a transformation happening across organizations in a variety of industries. AI has been thought of as a technical element when it needs to be included in functional conversation, especially for consulting businesses, Holwagner notes. Leaders and managers must understand the concepts of weaving in AI to give it value. AI transformation will likely lead to a "healthy reduction in certain areas" in the workforce, but "the transformation of what people are going to do in the organization is going to change." It will be more business logic transformation consulting and fewer hands-on the keyboard-related tasks, Holwagner shares.Summit NA: HSO will be attending Community Summit North America. You can connect with HSO at booth #209. The HSO team will be presenting several sessions throughout the event as well, including:The Latest D365 AI Agents and Features to Automate Your Supply Chain on Monday, October 20thDelivering a Scalable, Secure Data & AI Platform on Monday, October 20th3 Hidden Risks of AI in the Enterprise—and How to Manage Them Responsibly on Tuesday, October 21stSolving Customer Master Data Challenges for a 360° View in Dynamics 365 CE (CRM) and F/SCM (FO) on Wednesday, October 22nd Visit Cloud Wars for more.

AI luminary and former Group CEO of Technology at Accenture, author Paul Daugherty, offers a hard-hitting take on enterprise AI and consumer-grade artificial intelligence on CXOTalk episode 895.He examines what's working, where companies stall with their AI transformation, and what new technology trends leaders should monitor. Peer into the future of AI and see the importance of responsible AI development.

If we want to practise alternatives to hierarchy, what needs to be in place? Perttu has twenty years' experience as an organisational consultant and I've been really enjoying his research papers on Radically Decentralised Organisations. We talk about the four things needed for a Radically Decentralised Organisation to be sustainable, leaderless leadership, group dynamics we need to be aware of, and some interesting case studies in Finland, particularly in the public sector. Resources: Perttu's paper, “Leaderless Leadership in Radically Decentralised Organisations” https://www.researchgate.net/publication/380008457_Leaderless_leadership_in_radically_decentralized_organizations Perttu's website: https://perttusalovaara.com/en/ Related Leadermorphosis podcast episodes: Ep. 37 with Miki Kashtan Ep. 78 with Sofia and Luís from Mindera Ep. 41 with Michael Y. Lee  

Send us a MessageIn this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff discusses the impacts of financial uncertainty on workplace culture, particularly in healthcare organizations. She emphasizes the importance of trust in leadership, employee engagement, and the need for transparency and education to navigate financial challenges. Tetzlaff shares strategies for overcoming these challenges, including the implementation of systems like goal cycles and employee-driven teams, to foster a healthier organizational culture and improve financial outcomes.Financial challenges are often top of mind for employees.Trust in leadership is essential during times of uncertainty, crisis, or challenges.Engaging employees can lead to innovative solutions for financial issues.Transparency about financial situations fosters a healthier culture.Education is crucial for both leaders and employees in finance.A sense of urgency can unite teams during crises.Systems like goal cycles can help organizations overcome financial challenges.Effective communication is key to the betterment of employee morale.When leaders engage employees in helping to overcome challenges, this serves to foster the sense of loyalty and commitment.If you want to go deeper on building trust during tough times, check out these related episodes:Crisis-Proofing Culture Through Trusted LeadershipTrust Builds as We Deliver on Plans and GoalsA Trust Deficit Will Hamper Momentum and Undermine ProgressCapstone helps rural hospitals be the provider- and employer-of-choice to keep care local and margins strong. Learn more via a complimentary consultation call. Schedule at: CapstoneLeadership.net/Contact-UsHi! I'm Sue Tetzlaff. I'm a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.For decades, I've worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I've learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It's the hardest thing, and it determines everything.When you're ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:1. Listen to the Culture Change RX PodcastEvery week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy. 2. Subscribe to our Email NewsletterGet practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won't find on the podcast.

Too often, Lean consultants and improvement practitioners have the skills and tools to create massive transformation but struggle to communicate their value in a way that resonates with executives and decision-makers. In this bonus episode, I sit down with Katie Anderson, internationally recognized leadership and Lean consultant, to talk about why positioning and language matter just as much as technical expertise. Together, we unpack the challenges practitioners face when they rely on jargon and how reframing your message in terms of outcomes, people, and business value opens doors to greater influence. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why Lean practitioners often undersell their impact by focusing on tools instead of transformation How to drop jargon and speak in language executives immediately understand The power of positioning yourself as a strategic partner, not just a process expert Why “respect for people” is not just a Lean principle but a compelling value proposition Practical tips to reframe your message so it connects to both business results and human impact Why This Conversation Matters If you have ever felt frustrated that leaders do not understand what you do, this episode is for you. Katie and I dig into the real reason. It is not that your work lacks value. It is that the way you describe it may not bridge the gap between process improvement and business outcomes. This conversation will help you reimagine how you talk about your expertise so that you are seen not as a support function but as an indispensable partner in driving organizational success. Where To Dive In (00:10) Empowering Lean Consultants Through Positioning(11:59) Developing Lean Culture for Employee Engagement(16:48) Framing Value Transformation for Lean Implementation(22:58) Aligning Consultants for Organizational Transformation(32:57) Creating a Unified Vision for Change(44:29) Articulating Value and Impact in Lean(50:03) Measuring and Communicating Lean Value Next Steps If this conversation with Katie Anderson resonated with you and you're ready to level up your own positioning and influence as a consultant, I've created a free resource just for you. This FREE audio training and workbook, From Playing Small to Playing True, has proven strategies to get you the clarity & confidence you need to go after the consulting or coaching clients, impact & income you're ready for. When you know the value of what you do and convey it with clarity, building a highly profitable, purpose-driven consulting or coaching business isn't just possible, but inevitable! (even in challenging economic times). Sign up here. Check out my other episode where Katie and I dive into the ROI of her positioning and messaging transformation. AND you can see the full case study on Katie's brand positioning transformation here. If you're ready to stop hiding behind jargon and start positioning your expertise in a way that leaders truly understand, let's talk. Book a free discovery call with me and we'll explore how you can elevate your message, expand your influence, and create the impact you're meant to have. Book your Discovery Call and learn more about my services here. If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like: The ROI of Elevating Your Strategic Positioning & Messaging with Katie Anderson (Ep126) How to Use Your Love for Learning to Take Bigger Risks with Katie Anderson (Ep35) Why Lean Is the Best Way to True Employee Engagement with Tom West and Mark Ryan (Ep125) What If We Got Employee Engagement All Wrong with Beverly Crowell (Ep124) Peter Block on Flawless Consulting, Relationship Power & the Common Good (Ep123) About the guest: Katie Anderson is an internationally recognized leadership consultant, professional speaker, and learning enthusiast, who inspires and equips purpose-driven leaders create organizational learning cultures that foster innovation, engagement, and continuous improvement. A skilled change agent, Katie has empowered tens of thousands of global leaders across diverse industries to transform their cultures and accelerate individual and organizational impact. Katie is the author of the bestselling book Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn, which has received multiple international awards, including the Shingo Publication Award, and has been translated into over eight languages. Katie is also the host of the transformational leadership podcast Chain of Learning®. Katie holds a BA with honors from Stanford University and was a Fulbright Scholar in Australia, where she received her Master's degree in public health policy. A global citizen who has lived in seven countries, Katie regularly hosts an immersive Japan Leadership Experience for global leaders looking to deepen their knowledge of people-centered leadership and operational excellence. About the host: Betsy Jordyn is a business mentor, brand messaging strategist, and former Disney consultant who helps purpose-driven consultants and coaches build profitable businesses rooted in their unique strengths. With over 20 years in the industry and a knack for turning big ideas into clear positioning, she's your go-to for strategy that aligns with your calling. Ready to turn your expertise into a business that makes both impact and income? Work with me: https://www.betsyjordyn.com/services

Some conversations are uncomfortable, but avoiding them comes with a cost.You want a more successful career, a more fulfilling relationship, a more meaningful life? What if all that's standing in your way — are the conversations that you're avoiding?“Most things that we want in life are on the other side of a difficult conversation,” says Jenn Wynn, a professor at NYU Stern School of Business and previously the director of education at the Obama Foundation. For nearly 10 years, she has taught a course on difficult conversations that equips people to communicate through discomfort in pursuit of what they want. “Sometimes it's a difficult conversation with a loved one, a colleague, a boss… sometimes it's a difficult conversation with myself,” she says. “Are you going to give up on your biggest dreams because you weren't willing to step out of your comfort zone?”In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Wynn and host Matt Abrahams discuss how to build the “hard but worth-it skills” necessary for difficult communication. Whether it's asking for a raise, setting boundaries, or addressing conflict, Wynn's insights show that the conversations you're avoiding aren't just holding you back — they're keeping you from the life you really want.To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium.Episode Reference Links:Jenn WynnThe H.I. Note: Healing Inspirations from LifeEp.22 Under Pressure: How to Communicate Clearly and Timely During a Crisis  Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (02:27) - Understanding Difficult Conversations (04:44) - Developing Emotional Intelligence (05:44) - Self-Awareness, Pause, Reframe (07:59) - Common Communication Barriers (09:55) - Listening for Understanding (12:32) - Using AI for Communication (14:24) - Creating Psychological Safety (17:00) - The Final Three Questions (23:45) - Conclusion   ********This Episode is brought to you by Strawberry.me. Get $50 off coaching today at Strawberry.me/smartBecome a Faster Smarter Supporter by joining TFTS Premium.

Anamaria Ungureanu: Practical Strategies for Organizational Tool Rollouts Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Anamaria shares her approach to successfully implementing JIRA across an organization by focusing on practical value rather than forcing adoption. Her strategy involved identifying early believers within teams, conducting open discussions to gather feedback, and demonstrating concrete benefits like improved dependency management. Rather than trying to convince resisters, she concentrated on working with willing teams to showcase the tool's value, providing real-time support during implementation, and ensuring team members felt supported throughout the transition. Her method emphasizes being present to answer questions immediately and building momentum through successful early adopters. Self-reflection Question: When leading organizational change, how do you balance addressing resistance with amplifying the voices of those ready to embrace new approaches? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

How do you drive meaningful AI transformation across 150 software engineers without mandates or force? Peter Gostev, Head of AI at Moonpig, reveals the technical strategies and organizational approaches behind scaling AI adoption from 130 to 400+ users while navigating the gap between industry hype and implementation reality. From managing complex integration challenges where 80% of AI projects involve traditional software engineering to implementing three-pillar strategies (tool adoption, automation workflows, experimental features), Peter shares hard-earned insights on building AI capabilities through process re-engineering rather than simple automation. Technical insights for CTOs and engineering leaders: •

Why does Spain appear to be a hotbed for progressive organisations lately? Xavier Costa shares three hypotheses: the implementation of the NER self-management approach in over 100 companies, a rich history of cooperatives, and a culture of innovation in the boundaries of Spain. We also talk about lessons learned from Xavier's experience of transforming companies, both with consultancy Full Circle Team, and investment fund Krisos, which buys and transforms companies. How do you rebalance salaries? How do you support former managers? And what is the ‘healing' and personal transformation journey needed for self-organisation to work? Resources: Full Circle Team website: https://www.fullcircleteam.es/ Krisos website: https://krisos.eu/ A Corporate Rebels blog about Indaero's ‘no managers' experiment My blog from a few years ago about the NER approach My colleague Karin Tenelius' blog where she also interviewed Xavier about the new ways of working movement in Spain Related Leadermorphosis podcast episodes: Ep. 53 Dunia Reverter and Jabi Salcedo talk about the NER / K2K approach Ep. 60 Anna Thomson and David Baksh talk about La Fageda  

Building great products is only half the battle—the other half is building them with marketing success baked in from Day One. Too many product teams operate in isolation, creating features customers don't understand or positioning that marketing can't sell.Heather Inocencio has cracked the code on building product teams that inherently understand marketing needs. With over 30 years of product experience, she's transformed organizations at companies like The RealReal (driving revenues from $100M to $400M leading to a $1.6B IPO) and Haute Look (scaling to 4M members and a $270M Nordstrom acquisition). Now founder of The Product Consult, she helps brands bridge the critical gap between product development and market success through embedded, hands-on product management that levels up entire organizations.Episode Highlights:Heather's journey from MCI Telecommunications to fractional CPO work (01:52)Why product management was misunderstood in the early 90s and the "German to French" translation role (02:30)The shift from enterprise to high-growth startups and common optimization gaps (03:45)How The Product Consult's embedded approach differs from traditional consulting (09:16)The three-part engagement process: assessment, integration, and successful exit (09:16)Identifying the right clients: transformation needs vs. just "butts in seats" (10:30)Building product-marketing integration from acquisition through engagement (19:15)Overcoming sales team resistance and breaking down departmental silos (23:16)The critical role of aligned success metrics across all departments (24:19)Product manager-company fit: matching disposition and communication styles (32:11)The relief factor: making work easier, not harder, through optimization (36:56)One action product leaders can take tomorrow: individual team assessment (36:56)The Product Consult: theproductconsult.com Graphos Product: GraphosProduct.com Buy "I Need That" and get Laurier's daily Need Feed emails: LMandin.com

A significant majority of executives in the United States recognizethe importance of team building in fostering a strong organizational culture.According to Deloitte, 94% of executives and 88% of employees consider adistinctive workplace culture important for business success. This datasuggests broad agreement on the value of team-building activities in promotinga positive and productive work environment.Kelly Meerbott, PCC, CBTI, is a keynote and TEDx speaker,author, podcast host, and leadership consultant. She is the daughter ofprofessional golfer George Burns III, who had 80 top 10 finishes on the PGATour. Kelly has worked with senior executives, C-suite leaders, and more than400 high-ranking officers in the US military. Her coaching approachincorporates trauma-informed practices and PTSD training, focusing onconfidentiality and psychological safety.  “I help executives drive measurable ROI through strategiccoaching, leadership retreats, and culture transformation. My clients scalefaster, retain top talent longer, and see up to 30% improvements inproductivity, profitability, and trust. With 16+ years across tech, VC, and Fortune 500, I turnhigh-stress growth into focused momentum.”Kelly holds coaching certifications in Human &Organizational Transformation, Unconscious Bias, Leadership, cognitive therapy,improv, communications, and is a certified clinical trauma specialist. She isthe author of "From Burnout To Bliss" and earned her undergraduatedegree from the College of the Holy Cross.https://kellymeerbott.com/Follow: @kellymeerbottEmail: kelly@youloudandclear.comLinkedIn: @Kelly(Burns)Meerbott

Andy Biladeau, SHRM's chief transformation officer, sits down with guest host Marjorie Morrison, SHRM's executive in residence for mental health, to explore HR's evolving role in organizational transformation. With change management being one of the top CHRO priorities for 2025, Biladeau shares what meaningful transformation looks like, from building trust with teams to identifying the readiness for change and designing strategic action plans. Tune in for actionable insights, leadership lessons, and practical takeaways HR pros can use to lead change with clarity and confidence.This podcast is approved for .5 PDCs toward SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP recertification. Listen to the complete episode to get your activity ID at the end. ID expires July 1, 2026. Subscribe to Honest HR to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/voegyz ---Explore SHRM's all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

#thePOZcast is proudly brought to you by Fountain - the leading enterprise platform for workforce management. Our platform enables companies to support their frontline workers from job application to departure. Fountain elevates the hiring, management, and retention of frontline workers at scale.To learn more, please visit: https://www.fountain.com/?utm_source=shrm-2024&utm_medium=event&utm_campaign=shrm-2024-podcast-adam-posner.Thanks for listening, and please follow us on Insta @NHPTalent and www.youtube.com/thePOZcastFor all episodes, please check out www.thePOZcast.com Abi Adamson, founder of the Culture Partnership, shares her journey from a working-class background in London to becoming a leading voice in workplace culture and inclusion. Abby discusses her experiences with bias and elitism in hiring practices, the impact of name bias on job opportunities, and the importance of empathy in addressing workplace challenges. She emphasizes the need for organizational change and the role of psychological safety in fostering inclusive environments. Abi shares her experiences with classism and racism in the workplace, detailing her journey from working in corporate environments to starting her own business. She discusses the challenges women of color face in HR dynamics, the importance of psychological safety in organizations, and the need for an authentic company culture. The conversation also highlights positive changes in workplace culture and Abi's aspirations for the future, including her desire to engage in more speaking opportunities and share her insights on culture and inclusion.Takeaways Abby's background shaped her perspective on workplace culture.Experiences of bias can drive individuals to seek change.Name bias significantly affects job opportunities for people of color.Elitism in hiring practices limits diversity in organizations.Challenging the status quo requires strategic navigation.Organizational change often starts with small, incremental steps.Toxic work environments can be identified through early red flags.Empathy and awareness are crucial in addressing biases.Diversity in the workplace enhances creativity and innovation.Personal experiences can fuel professional passion and purpose. Classism can be as damaging as racism in the workplace.Starting a business was a response to negative experiences in corporate settings.Women of color often face unique challenges in HR dynamics.Psychological safety is crucial for employee well-being.Authenticity in company culture is essential for true inclusion.Positive changes in workplace culture are happening, but more is needed.Organizations must be open and honest about their cultural challenges.Diversity and inclusion initiatives should be genuine, not performative.Career advice: The magic is within you, and you are the MVP.If there's no seat at the table, build your own table. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Abby Adamson and Her Work03:08 Abby's Journey into the People Business05:59 Experiences of Bias in the Workplace08:59 The Impact of Name Bias on Job Opportunities11:57 Challenging Elitism in Hiring Practices14:58 Navigating Organizational Change17:48 Experiences in a Toxic Work Environment24:53 Confronting Classism and Racism in the Workplace25:56 The Decision to Start a Business29:57 Experiences with HR and Workplace Dynamics34:04 Creating Psychological Safety in Organizations37:56 The Importance of Authenticity in Company Culture44:00 Positive Changes in Workplace Culture49:02 Future Aspirations and Career Advice    

BONUS: Never Stop Experimenting—Building a Culture of Continuous Discovery with Stavros Stavru In this BONUS episode, we dive deep into the world of continuous experimentation with Stavros Stavru, Ph.D. in Organizational Transformations and founder of EdTech ventures AhaPlay and The Caringers. Stavros shares insights from his latest book "Never Stop Experimenting" and reveals how teams can maintain their discovery mindset while balancing the pressures of delivery. The Exploration-Exploitation Dilemma "What would we choose? What we know, and try to exploit? Or go for something new, and better than we currently have?" Stavros introduces us to one of the fundamental challenges facing modern teams: the tension between exploration and exploitation. He explains how teams often start with an exploration mindset, focused on solving real problems through discovery. However, over time, there's a natural shift from discovery to delivery, and teams forget the importance of continued exploration. The title "Never Stop Experimenting" serves as an anchor for teams to remember the value of maintaining their experimental approach even when delivery pressures mount. Born from a Decade of Practice "All the techniques that I describe in the book were born during 10 years of practice." The book isn't theoretical - it's grounded in real-world application. Stavros shares how every technique and framework in "Never Stop Experimenting" emerged from his extensive hands-on experience working with teams over a decade. This practical foundation ensures that readers get battle-tested approaches rather than untested concepts. Software Development as Incremental Experiments "Experimentation requires a creative process." Stavros addresses a common challenge: while teams understand the benefits of experimentation and want to experiment, they often face management resistance that ultimately demotivates the team. He emphasizes that viewing software development as a series of incremental experiments isn't just beneficial - it's absolutely necessary for teams to remain innovative and responsive to changing needs. The Fatware Matrix: Putting Products on a Diet "The challenge: how do you convince the business that you need to spend some time removing features?" One of the book's standout concepts is "The Fatware Matrix," which helps Product Managers recognize when their product is becoming bloated. Stavros introduces a practical tool combining the Kano framework with maintenance cost analysis to illustrate the true cost and impact of maintaining old features. This approach helped one team successfully remove features from their software, with stakeholders later commenting, "Now this is more transparent for us." The key is managing feature creep and software bloat before they become overwhelming. The NSE Ratio: Optimizing Experimentation Rhythm "It's when we try something new that we learn what works. We need to change something on a regular basis." The NSE (Never Stop Experimenting) Ratio measures how long teams wait before introducing new approaches or experimenting with their processes. Stavros explains how teams should define their NSE ratio as part of their team agreements, establishing a regular cadence for trying new things. This systematic approach ensures that learning and adaptation become embedded in the team's rhythm rather than happening sporadically. Building a Safe-to-Fail Culture "Speak of your own failures. When we show our failures as leaders, we show the team that they can run their own experiments." Creating a truly safe-to-fail environment requires leaders to model vulnerability and transparency about their own mistakes. Stavros emphasizes that leaders must give the example by sharing their failures openly, which gives permission for the rest of the organization to take risks and learn from their own experiments. This leadership modeling is crucial for establishing psychological safety around experimentation. About Stavros Stavru Stavros is a Ph.D. in Organizational Transformations and a leading voice in Agile coaching, leadership, and soft skills. Founder of EdTech ventures AhaPlay and The Caringers, he has delivered over 800 trainings and authored Never Stop Experimenting, a powerful toolkit for continuous improvement across teams and organizations. You can connect with Stavros Stavru on LinkedIn, and check his book site at Neverstopexperimenting.com.

Stuart Tipples: Beyond Hierarchy—Influencing Agile Adoption Through Setting the Example and Community Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Stuart explores the challenging aspect of leading change as a Scrum Master without hierarchical authority. He shares his experience as a chapter lead where he built a community of practice and recruited new Scrum Masters to become change agents. The breakthrough came when he convinced director-level leaders to run their own quarterly retrospectives, creating a powerful example for teams throughout the organization. Stuart emphasizes that change spreads organically - when you change your team, it becomes contagious. His approach involved showing up daily as a change agent, understanding the difference between sponsors and change agents, and initially facilitating leadership retrospectives to demonstrate proper technique. Self-reflection Question: How can you leverage community building and lead by example to create lasting organizational change without relying on formal authority? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Joel Bancroft-Connors: The 90-Day Rule—Building Trust Before Disrupting the Status Quo Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Joel shares his first experience as a CSM at a traditional hard drive manufacturing company, where he learned the art of patient change management. Tasked with bridging the gap between a rigid mothership company and their agile startup division, Joel discovered the power of focusing on principles rather than processes. For six months, he concentrated on creating transparency and shifting focus from status reporting to "getting to done" without ever mentioning Scrum or Agile.  His approach followed what he calls the 90-day rule: "In the first 90 days - do no harm, but then have a plan to do something." By listening first and building trust, Joel helped the team deliver a product in just three months. He emphasizes the importance of making people feel valued and using "future perfect thinking" to envision desired outcomes before introducing change. In this episode we refer to Luke Hohmann's Innovation Games, the website and resource Manager-Tools.com, and Daniel Pink's book Drive. Self-reflection Question: Are you rushing to implement changes, or are you taking time to build trust and understand the current state before introducing new practices? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

In the latest installment of Coaches Corner, guest coach JL Heather, who holds over two decades of experience as an organizational transformation coach sits down with Danielle for a discussion on the topic of innovation and creativity. Guest's Website: About Centered: Leadership & Transformation Experts Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.   

Unlock your organization's full potential by discovering who the real drivers of success are. Veteran leadership consultant Dr. Luis Luarca sits down with Jason Rigby on The Self Aware Leader Podcast to reveal a truth many leaders miss: the power lies within your employees. Drawing from 25 years of experience, Dr. Luarca explains how shifting from control to empowerment leads to radical improvements in processes, innovation, and employee engagement. Hear compelling stories and gain practical strategies for leading with self-awareness, avoiding ego traps, and leveraging the invaluable insights of your team. If you want to build a resilient, innovative, and high-performing organization, this conversation on employee empowerment and humble leadership is a must-listen. Subscribe and listen to the full episode today! Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Learn more in Dr. Luis Luarca's book, "Do Employees Really Like Working Here?": https://www.amazon.com/Employees-Really-Like-Working-Here/dp/1678746614/ Visit Dr. Luis Luarca's official website: https://luisluarcaphd.com/ Connect with Dr. Luis Luarca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-luarca-phd-0133022b/ Keywords: Employee Empowerment, Leadership, Organizational Transformation, Self-Aware Leader, Leadership Psychology, Business Growth, Humble Leadership, Workplace Culture, Leadership Skills, Dr. Luis Luarca, Management Tips.

Simina Fodor: Building Bridges—How Cross-Department Champions Drive Agile Adoption Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Simina shares her experience leading an enterprise Agile transformation from her position in Project Management. Rather than pushing for immediate, wholesale change, she started small - seeking out interested colleagues, sharing case studies from other companies, and gradually building internal support. This patient approach took years before the organization officially embraced Agile and Scrum, but created a strong foundation of champions across departments. When business needs finally demanded faster releases and better responsiveness to change, Simina had already established a community of practice ready to support the transition. She began with a single pilot team implementing just daily standups, which then expanded into a full Agile program that ultimately facilitated her transition from Project Manager to Scrum Master. Self-reflection Question: How might building informal networks and starting with small changes create a more sustainable foundation for organizational transformation than top-down mandates? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and John Morgan discuss:Business growth and scaling strategiesImportance of partnerships and accountabilityTechnological innovation in professional servicesEntrepreneurial mindset and vision Key Takeaways:Successful businesses balance proactive growth (“catching fish”) with strong operations (“cooking fish”) for sustained efficiency.Clear, data-driven systems with dashboards and accountability can transform culture and boost individual and team performance.AI adoption should be cautious, tested, and iterative, with room for learning from early-stage mistakes.Long-term resilience requires financial reserves, backup strategies, and readiness for unpredictable “Black Swan” events. "What 'Only the Paranoid Survive' means is: be aware. Do [not just walk] down the street with blinders on and not see it coming, because it can come from anywhere. A problem can come from anywhere, and so you just have to be prepared." —  John Morgan Unlock the secrets of the industry's top rainmakers with Be That Lawyer: 101 Top Rainmakers' Secrets to Growing a Successful Law Practice. Grab your ultimate guide to building a thriving law firm now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F78HXJHT Thank you to our Sponsors!Rankings.io: https://rankings.io/Ready to grow your law practice without selling or chasing? Book your free 30-minute strategy session now—let's make this your breakout year: https://fretzin.com/ Episode References: The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Swan-Improbable-Robustness-Fragility/dp/081297381X About John Morgan: John Morgan moved to Central Florida as a teen and was forever changed when his brother Tim was paralyzed while working at Disney and mistreated by both the company and legal system, inspiring him to fight for the powerless and seek justice against big corporations. He earned his law degree from the University of Florida in 1983 and, with his wife Ultima, founded Morgan & Morgan in 1988; over 34 years, it became the nation's largest injury law firm, recovering over $13 billion for 300,000+ clients. John authored two books — You Can't Teach Hungry and You Can't Teach Vision — reflecting the principles behind his success, and he's also a political advocate and philanthropist supporting marijuana reform, minimum wage increases, and aid for abuse survivors and the hungry. Connect with John Morgan:  Website: https://www.forthepeople.com/Email: jmorgan@forthepeople.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmorganesq/Twitter: https://x.com/johnmorganesqFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/JohnMorganESQ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Chris Sims: Middle Management, The Forgotten Layer in Agile Transformations Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Chris Sims recounts his experience with a rapidly growing startup that decided to adopt Scrum to address slowing delivery. When a VP championed the initiative, Chris provided training that generated excitement at the team level. However, they overlooked a critical component: the middle management layer. As teams embraced Scrum, they found themselves caught between multiple sources of direction—their direct managers, project managers, and newly established Product Owners with backlogs. This created confusion as middle managers, who weren't included in the transformation discussions, continued operating in their traditional ways. The result was teams appearing busy yet delivering slowly. Chris emphasizes the importance of considering how management roles evolve during agile transformations, deliberately redefining job descriptions, and helping managers find ways to bring value in the new structure rather than undermining it unintentionally. Self-reflection Question: In your organization's agile transformation, how are you addressing the needs and concerns of middle managers whose roles might be significantly impacted? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

BONUS: Maria Chec Explores the Divide Between Agile Leaders and Practitioners In this BONUS episode, we explore Agile leadership with Maria Chec, author and host of Agile State of Mind. Maria shares insights from her analysis of Miro's Agile Survey, revealing a concerning disconnect between how Agile leaders and practitioners experience agile methodologies. We explore the roots of this divide, discuss practical approaches to bridging the gap, and consider the implications of recent industry developments like the PMI-Agile Alliance merger. Maria offers valuable perspectives on creating truly collaborative environments where frameworks serve the teams, not the other way around. The Disconnect Between Leaders and Practitioners "Practitioners feel pressured to comply with agile practices when they don't seem to add value." Maria highlights a stark divide revealed in Miro's survey of 1,200 agile practitioners and leaders. When asked if agile is living up to its original values, leaders and practitioners gave drastically different responses. For example, 69% of practitioners felt processes and tools overshadow individuals in their organizations, while only 43% of leaders shared this view. Similarly, 58% of practitioners believed documentation was prioritized over delivering final products, compared to just 39% of leaders. These disparities point to a fundamental disconnect in how agile is experienced at different organizational levels, with practitioners often feeling frameworks are imposed rather than collaboratively implemented. When Frameworks Become the Problem "The framework is too rigid... The framework is too complex... We have to change too much to use the framework." The issue isn't with agile frameworks themselves but how they're applied, Maria argues. Leaders often implement frameworks like SAFe without sufficient practitioner input or adaptation to organizational context. This creates an anti-pattern of "magical thinking" where companies believe they can install off-the-shelf solutions that worked elsewhere without considering their unique circumstances. The practitioners, who must live with these frameworks daily, experience frustration when rigid implementations fail to address their actual needs. Conway's Law comes into play here – the structure imposed by leadership often doesn't align with how teams naturally need to collaborate based on the systems they're building. The Role of Psychological Safety "Can I really admit that something the leadership made me do is not working for me? Will I be the only one admitting it?" This disconnect reveals deeper issues around psychological safety and trust within organizations. Many practitioners fear speaking up about framework problems, especially when they've just endured yet another organizational transformation. Maria emphasizes that without psychological safety, feedback loops break down, preventing the continuous improvement that's central to agile philosophy. Leaders must create environments where teams feel safe to provide honest feedback about what's working and what isn't, without fear of being singled out or dismissed. Without this safety, frameworks become rigid implementations rather than adaptable approaches that evolve with team needs. Reconnecting Through Gemba Walks "Be there where the value is created and know what's going on." To bridge the gap between leadership vision and practitioner reality, Maria strongly recommends Gemba walks – a concept from Lean and Toyota where leaders go to where value is created. This practice helps leaders understand the actual work being done and build relationships with team members. Maria references Project Aristotle at Google, which found that trust and psychological safety are fundamental to team success. She also notes the importance of leaders articulating a meaningful mission to inspire teams, sharing her experience at a taxi-hailing app where the CEO's vision of reducing urban parking needs made her feel she was "building something for the future." Leaders should regularly spend time where the actual work happens Teams need to understand how their work contributes to a larger purpose Open communication channels must be genuine, not just symbolic In this segment, we refer to Management 3.0 and Managing For Happiness by Jurgen Appelo.  The PMI-Agile Alliance Merger and the Future of Agile "Have we really found better ways? Why are Agile Alliance and PMI merging?" The recent merger between the Project Management Institute and Agile Alliance represents a surprising development in the industry. Maria takes an optimistic view, wondering if this indicates PMI recognizing that agile is truly the way forward. She acknowledges the perception that "Agile is dead" discussions highlight a crisis in the movement, but suggests the merger might be an opportunity to influence project management with agile values. She emphasizes how AI is creating massive changes that require experimentation and adaptation – precisely what agile approaches enable. This industry shift offers agile practitioners the chance to shape how traditional and agile methodologies might complement each other in the future. The merger could be seen as closing a circle or as an opportunity for cross-pollination "Agile is dead" discussions reflect growing pains rather than true failure Rapid technological changes with AI require more experimentation, not less Breaking Down Silos with "Glue Roles" "What are the 'glue roles' that you need in your organization?" Maria introduces her concept of "glue roles" – positions that help break down silos and foster collaboration regardless of what they're called. Whether they're RTEs (Release Train Engineers), Agile Coaches, or Technical Project Managers, these roles can transform organizational effectiveness when focused on enabling teams rather than enforcing processes. She observes that nature constantly changes, yet we expect our companies to remain static. This mindset prevents the adaptation necessary for true agility. Instead, organizations need individuals who can facilitate communication, remove barriers, and help teams collaborate effectively across boundaries. Focus on the function of collaboration rather than rigid role definitions Adapt roles to organizational needs rather than forcing organizational change to fit frameworks Use these roles to foster psychological safety and open communication Learning Through Experimentation "We need to experiment." Looking toward the future, Maria emphasizes the importance of experimentation in the face of rapid technological change, particularly with AI. She notes that while tech professionals are often thought to be early adopters, AI tools like ChatGPT are being embraced across all industries. The accelerating pace of change means we can no longer plan years ahead with certainty – what we use today may be obsolete in two years. This reality makes agile approaches even more relevant, as they embrace change rather than fight it. She encourages agile practitioners to openly discuss how they use these new tools, adapting their practices rather than clinging to outdated methods. The accelerating pace of change makes long-term planning increasingly difficult AI is already transforming work across all industries, not just tech Agile principles of adaptation and experimentation are more relevant than ever About Maria Chec Maria Chec is a seasoned Agile leader, ProKanban Trainer, and creator of Agile State of Mind. With over a decade of experience, she specializes in transforming teams through SAFe, OKRs, and process optimization, achieving remarkable productivity gains. Maria's mission is empowering teams to thrive through collaboration and adaptability. You can link with Maria Chec on LinkedIn and subscribe to Maria Chec's Substack.

In this episode, Carlos Gonzalez de Villaumbrosia interviews Vrushali Paunikar, Chief Product Officer at Carta—the company revolutionizing how private companies manage equity and capital. Originally starting as a cap table management solution, Carta now manages over $150 billion in assets and positions itself as the "Network ERP for Private Capital," supporting over 50,000 companies from early-stage startups to pre-IPO giants.As CPO at Carta, Vrushali has been instrumental in driving the company's evolution from a single-product focus to a comprehensive platform serving various stakeholders in the private capital ecosystem. Her unique background, including experience at Rocket Lawyer and an interesting hobby as an amateur florist, brings a fresh perspective to product leadership in fintech.In this episode, we'll explore Carta's transformation from a cap table management tool to a comprehensive platform for private capital, diving into organizational structure changes, international expansion strategies, and innovative approaches to product development.What you'll learn:How Carta expanded from cap table management to fund administration by deeply understanding customer needsStrategies for restructuring product teams from a business unit model to a modular approachInsights into different approaches for international expansion (organic vs. acquisition)The role of micromanagement as a temporary coaching tool in product developmentHow to balance platform ambitions with focused executionContent:(00:00) Introduction and Personal Background(05:00) Carta's Evolution Story(15:00) Organizational Transformation(25:00) International Expansion Strategy(35:00) Leadership Philosophy & Management Style(45:00) Product Strategy & Market PositioningKey Takeaways

ABOUT RUKMINI REDDYRukmini Reddy is the Senior Vice President of Engineering, responsible for managing product and platform delivery, infrastructure, and data science. Reddy joins PagerDuty from Slack where she guided the vision, strategy, and execution of a comprehensive re-architecture, transforming the messaging software into an automation platform that empowered users to streamline their work.Additionally, Rukmini spent over a decade in senior executive roles at various enterprise companies, where she built a strong track record in driving engineering and product strategy during periods of hyper-growth and product transformation across SaaS, B2B, and B2C business models.Rukmini has a master of science degree in computer engineering from the University of Arkansas and earned a bachelor's degree from Osmania University in computer science and engineering.SHOW NOTES:How the role of engineering leadership has evolved from 2021 to 2025 (2:35)The rising importance of financial acumen & enduring importance of resilience in engineering leadership (5:28)Key questions to ground and align your team with mission, vision, customer impact, and position to win the market (7:04)What it means to become the leader your business needs (9:31)“Hugging the elephant” and overcoming fear & uncertainty in 2021 vs. today (12:26)Five questions to help you lead your team through transitions and change (16:03)How to incorporate this framework to drive org change with empathy (18:10)How to address questions about job security and future roles within an organization (20:21)Strategies to guide your team through unspoken fears & unknowns (23:47)Rukmini's advice to create high-trust, high-impact sources of support through fear, uncertainty, and doubt for the first time (25:19)Navigating org change from first principles (27:21)How to move from the “informed pessimism” dip to “curious optimism” as a team & org (30:00)Using evangelism & experimentation to tackle common adoption fears (34:07)Examples of enablement & skill development / delivery (37:32)The role of enforcement in the adoption transformation curve (39:07)Rapid fire questions (42:33)LINKS AND RESOURCESGood Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters -Richard P. Rumelt clarifies the muddled thinking underlying too many strategies and provides a clear way to create and implement a powerful action-oriented strategy for the real world.This episode wouldn't have been possible without the help of our incredible production team:Patrick Gallagher - Producer & Co-HostJerry Li - Co-HostNoah Olberding - Associate Producer, Audio & Video Editor https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-olberding/Dan Overheim - Audio Engineer, Dan's also an avid 3D printer - https://www.bnd3d.com/Ellie Coggins Angus - Copywriter, Check out her other work at https://elliecoggins.com/about/

Dean Carignan and JoAnn Garbin, authors of The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft, delve into the strategies and practices that have driven Microsoft's most groundbreaking innovations over the past 50 years. From the Xbox revolution to the rise of Bing in AI, Dean and JoAnn share behind-the-scenes stories and insights into the company's approach to innovation. We discuss the risks of fast-following, how not to “get Googled,” the value of biomimicry and infinite innovation loops, the evolution from know-it-alls to learn-it-alls, how to transform a weaponized org chart to open-sourced, extreme collaborator. We talk about how entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs must be storytellers, boundary crossers (“habitual line-steppers”) and salespeople that always build coalitions. We also talk about creating a culture of trust where you can and must “Say It Ugly” to pretty it up later, together.

Karen Suarez: When a Scrum Master Needs to Hire a Manager, An Organizational Design Story Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Karen shares her experience as the first Scrum Master in a company where development, QA, product, and deployment were all separate departments, resulting in a cycle time exceeding six weeks. She strategically approached transformation by first identifying interested individuals in other departments who were already collaborating with the development team. Karen formalized the Product Owner role by cultivating a relationship with someone from the product department who showed interest in working closely with the team. She created regular collaboration routines between QA and development, and gradually involved the deployment team by inviting them to demos and having developers learn deployment skills. When faced with trust issues between deployment and development teams, Karen recognized the need for leadership support and built a case for hiring a manager who could help bridge these departments, acknowledging that some organizational challenges require sponsorship beyond the Scrum Master role. Self-reflection Question: In your organization, what departmental silos might be increasing cycle time, and who could be your allies in breaking down these barriers? About Karen Suarez  Karen is a dedicated Scrum Master with a long experience driving agile transformations and fostering high-performing teams. She is passionate about continuous learning, and excels in aligning agile practices with organizational innovation. You can link with Karen Suarez on LinkedIn.

Global Agile Summit Preview: Transforming Conflict into Opportunity, Leadership Lessons for Agile Teams with Eagan Rackley In this BONUS Global Agile Summit preview episode, we sit down with Eagan Rackley, the track host for the developer track at the Global Agile Summit. With over 24 years of experience spanning game development, enterprise architecture, graphics, and highly parallel programming, Eagan shares his journey from viewing leadership as control to seeing leadership as a collaborative space for problem-solving. We explore how to transform conflict into opportunity, align cross-functional teams, and lead effectively both with and without formal authority. The Moment That Changed Everything "The obstacle is the path." When Eagan's small experimentation-focused team merged with marketing, tensions flared and conflict erupted. Both sides believed "they don't get it" and adopted a defensive "protect the castle" mentality. The situation devolved into heated exchanges until an agile coach offered a perspective-shifting insight: they were all on the same team.  This moment fundamentally reshaped Eagan's view of leadership. He realized that effective leadership isn't about knowing all the answers or controlling people—it's about creating space for collaboration and helping people solve problems together. The best leaders don't fix everything themselves; they empower their teams to find solutions collectively. Empowering Teams Through Permission and Alignment "It's about getting people to feel that they have permission to do what needs to be done." When teams feel something is happening to them, they often disengage and resist. Eagan explains that people feel powerless primarily when incentives are misaligned. The key to gaining buy-in is shifting the narrative from "this is happening to me" to "we can do this together."  Leaders should focus on removing tension and finding ways to incorporate seemingly contradictory goals. By giving people permission to take action and aligning their incentives, leaders can transform resistance into engagement and ownership. Turning Conflict into Alignment "We need to accept that we have different perspectives and different ways to see success." Cross-functional teams naturally experience tension due to differing priorities and success metrics. Eagan shares how his team transformed their marketing conflict by asking questions that made both sides feel heard and understood. They established a shared way of working that respected everyone's needs. He recommends three powerful questions to align teams: "Why do we exist as a team, and why does it matter?" - This helps everyone see the whole picture and builds shared purpose. "What is our desired outcome, and when have we achieved it?" - This focuses on outcomes rather than tasks and encourages thinking from different disciplinary perspectives. By acknowledging different perspectives and naming conflicts openly, teams can move from resentment to motivation and investment in shared goals. Conflict as a Tool for Transformation "Conflict is information. Conflict is data." Eagan's relationship with conflict transformed when he began seeing it as valuable information rather than something to avoid. Conflict provides clarity between people and highlights areas needing attention. He shares how, after years in leadership, he intentionally stepped back into an individual contributor role to learn a new industry. This experience reinforced his belief in the power of approaching conflict with the mindset that "we're on the same team, we can solve this together." This perspective shift embodies what makes Agile so powerful—moving from focusing on products to prioritizing people. In this segment, we refer to the book Shift: From Product to People, by Michael Dougherty, and Pete Oliver-Krueger, who've been guests on the podcast before. And we also refer to the Ratatouille Principle, which reminds us that great ideas can come from anywhere! Leading Without Authority "You lead with trust, not knowledge." When Eagan returned to an engineering role in a new industry, he experienced the challenge of having no built-in credibility or authority. This taught him valuable lessons about bottom-up leadership. He discovered that effective influence comes from building trust first, not from demonstrating knowledge.  He recommends validating people's frustrations, listening authentically, and sometimes allowing people to learn through their own experiences. This approach recognizes that leadership isn't confined to formal roles—we're all leaders in different contexts. Resources for Your Leadership Journey Eagan recommends several resources for those wanting to deepen their leadership skills: "Management 3.0" by Jurgen Appelo "Agile Retrospectives" by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen The "Change by Attraction" podcast The Value of the Global Agile Summit The Global Agile Summit offers a unique environment where transformative "aha!" moments happen. It's not just about learning new techniques but about fundamentally changing how we think about work, leadership, and collaboration. Eagan believes these perspective shifts are what make the summit so valuable. About Eagan Rackley Eagan Rackley is the track host for the developer track at the Global Agile Summit and a seasoned software engineer and Agile leader with 24+ years of experience spanning game development, enterprise architecture, graphics, and highly parallel programming. A passionate problem-solver, he excels in building collaborative teams, driving innovation, and turning conflict into opportunity. He thrives on creating software that empowers people and transforms ideas into impact. You can link with Eagan Rackley on LinkedIn.

How to turn latent motivation into fuel for change.If you want to be a changemaker, you'll have to convince others to join your cause. But according to Dan Heath, persuading your audience isn't about creating new motivation — it's about leveraging the motivation that's already there.“The most important fuel for any change effort is motivation,” says Heath, the number-one New York Times bestselling author of Reset: How to Change What's Not Working. Instead of struggling to persuade people to want what you want, Heath suggests finding where your goals overlap with the things they already desire. "Before you even get to persuasion, if you can just tap and unleash the energy that's already there, you've already catapulted yourself toward success,” he says.In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Heath and host Matt Abrahams explore how to create more compelling communication using “leverage points,” or as Heath says, “where a little bit of effort yields a disproportionate return.” Whether getting buy-in from one teammate or achieving change across an entire organization, Heath shares practical tips for turning latent motivation into an engine for change.Get more done with Grammarly. Download Grammarly for free at grammarly.com/podcast.Episode Reference Links:Dan HeathDan's Book: Reset: How to Change What's Not Working Ep.164 Rethinks: Using "Pre-suasion" to Influence OthersEp.49 Make Numbers Count: How to Communicate Data Effectively  Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (02:08) - The Power of Storytelling (05:18) - Leverage Points for Change (08:41) - Wasted Resources & Motivation (11:54) - Latent Desire in Systems (14:02) - Communicating Progress (17:39) - The Final Three Questions (24:22) - Conclusion  ********Become a Faster Smarter Supporter by joining TFTS Premium. 

Azeem Azhar's mission is to help leaders stay ahead of the curve at a time when technology, especially AI, is evolving at an exponential rate. He founded the Exponential View newsletter, which offers insights and advice to an eager audience of 116,000+ people who want to get ahead in a rapidly changing world. He joined us to discuss the potential for AI to help business leaders navigate uncertainty and describe some of the ways that AI agents and deep research will fundamentally change the way we work.  WorkLab Subscribe to the WorkLab newsletter 

AI is evolving at a mind-bending pace, reshaping every aspect of business. How can leaders filter out the noise to stay focused on transforming their organizations? How can they leverage the limitless potential of AI, agents, and deep research? How can they harness the latest technology to access untapped value, turbocharge their decision making, and maintain their organization's competitive edge? In the new season of the WorkLab podcast from Microsoft, we'll be exploring all of those questions and more. WorkLab Subscribe to the WorkLab newsletter Microsoft Podcasts – Stay connected, informed, and entertained with original podcasts from Microsoft

Chrissy Fleming: From Tasks to Outcomes, An Agile Cultural Transformation Story Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Chrissy shares her experience transforming a sales-led organization from task orientation to outcome focus. By partnering with the head of tech and implementing OKRs, they created meaningful conversations about team goals and progress. Through initiatives like Demo Days and the creation of team "houses," they successfully shifted the organizational culture while ensuring teams felt ownership of their future. Self-reflection Question: How can you create meaningful opportunities for your teams to shape their own identity and future? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Antti Horelli: Balancing Delivery Pressure with Agile Transformation Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Antti shares his experience leading an agile transformation across three siloed organizations: development, QA/testing, and support. The transformation involved establishing cross-functional teams and implementing visual management through a comprehensive planning wall. Despite initial progress with joint planning days and rolling wave planning, the pressure to deliver led to reverting to traditional project management approaches. This story highlights the challenge of maintaining agile principles while under delivery pressure and the importance of focusing on reliable delivery rather than agile for agile's sake. Self-reflection Question: How do you balance the need for immediate results with long-term agile transformation goals? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]