Podcast appearances and mentions of thomas a stewart

Thomas A. Stewart is a thought leader on intellectual capital and customer experience who has become renowned worldwide for his expertise. Over the last 50 years, he has led the Harvard Business Review, served as CMO of Booz & Company, and published several best-selling business books. He recently was chief knowledge officer for AchieveNEXT, leading research and benchmarking for emerging and mid-market enterprises. Before AchieveNEXT, Tom was executive director for the National Center for the Middle Market. When Robert Buday worked at CSC Index (1987-1997), he pitched a story on a concept unknown to Tom at the time: business re-engineering. Tom joins Robert today, 31 years later, to discuss his illustrious career.

Gretchen Goffe is the Founder and CEO of DTLiveLAB, which helps companies drive revenue and improve the customer experience using a human-centered approach to innovation. DTLiveLAB works with clients spanning all industries and sizes, from small agencies to Fortune 100 giants such as Nationwide, Ohio State University, Smithfield, and more.  As the CEO, Goffe bridges the gap between executives and employees, helping them innovate and develop a customer experience roadmap. She personally manages client relationships and is continuously developing new frameworks and teaching methods. DTLiveLAB offers a “learn-by-doing” approach that includes engagement rewards, live interviews, real-world examples, and coached sprints that always keep the customer top-of-mind. In this episode: When it comes to innovation, there are two ways most companies look at it: like a machine and like a garden. With an innovation machine, companies are responsible for the design, construction, and management. With a garden, companies sow the seeds and let the magic happen. But, according to design thinking strategist Gretchen Goffe, there's one major component that both approaches need: a human-centered approach.  Goffe has helped notable organizations like Nationwide, The Ohio State University, and Smithfield cultivate innovation opportunities through a customer-centric lens. By adopting the customer's perspective throughout the entire buying journey, an innovator can look for opportunities not just in the product or service itself, but at many other places where there are pain points, unmet needs, or simply ways to do things better.  How can you inspire your team to generate these innovative ideas? One of the most powerful tools to understand the customer journey is empathy — walking in the customer's shoes. But according to Goffe, 90% of employees never get to talk to a customer. In order to foster more empathy in the workplace, Goffe ensures that each member of her team engages with a customer down their internal supply chain. The results? An innovative team with a customer mindset. Goffe talks about this and more as she joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart is joined by Gretchen Goffe, Founder and CEO of DTLiveLAB, to talk about cultivating innovation through a human-centric lens. Goffe explains the steps a company should take to fill growth gaps, where to find opportunities for innovation, and how to empower employees to understand the customer perspective.

Justin Spizman is an award-winning and best-selling author, ghostwriter, editor, and proposal writer. Since beginning his writing career in law school, Spizman has worked on numerous nonfiction books and successful book proposals. He now works with people from all different backgrounds, upbringings, and expertise (including celebrities, athletes, and entertainers) to author and consult on their books. Working closely with some of the most successful people in their respective industries, Spizman has gained strong insight and understanding into the most efficient and effective ways to create a marketable story. He collaborates with clients to not only write books, but also strengthen brands, build legacies, and create enormous opportunities. In this episode: Pat Summitt, the former Head Coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team, once said, “Most people get excited about the games, but I get excited about practice because that's my classroom.” This wisdom doesn't only apply to athletic coaches. Whether on the court or in an office, leaders have to be students of the game. This is just one takeaway from award-winning author Justin Spizman's study of the chemistry and capability of coaching, which he describes in his book, Coach: The Greatest Teachers in Sports and Their Lessons for Us All. In his book, Spizman interviews 168 renowned leaders in sports, including famous coaches like Pat Summitt, Bill Belichick, and Aimee Boorman, and also dozens of unknowns who lead high school teams or stand at the side of individuals and teams in minor sports, to discover their strategies for developing top-performing players and teams. Although every coach has a unique approach, Spizman breaks down their action plans into four main coaching styles: the strategists, the team builders, the technicians, and the closers. When you understand your coaching style, you can better play to your strengths, hire for your weaknesses, build an impressive team, and help individual players reach their full potential. However, these four categories aren't the only keys to success. No matter if you're in business or sports, all coaches need fortitude, dedication, and an insatiable desire to learn and improve. Spizman talks about this and more as he joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart talks with best-selling author and consultant, Justin Spizman, about lessons on leadership from some of the best coaches in the sports industry. Spizman shares how this wisdom applies to the business world, guides listeners through the four coaching styles, and explains why it's crucial for leaders to be a student of their craft.

Marc Effron is the President of The Talent Strategy Group, a company that helps the world's leading organizations increase the quality and depth of their talent. As President, Effron leads the firm's global consulting, education, and publishing businesses. He also co-founded The Talent Management Institute, created TalentQ magazine, and co-authored the Harvard Business Publishing best-seller One Page Talent Management.  Before founding The Talent Strategy Group, Effron was the VP of Talent Management at Avon Products and led the Global Leadership Consulting practice for Aon Hewitt. He received his BA from the University of Washington and his MBA from Yale School of Management. In this episode: The tight labor market has forced leaders to scramble to rethink and redevelop the ways they compete for top talent and ensure that they're growing a strong team. In many companies, there's a kind of panic — a feeling of being caught unprepared, a sense that they lack a talent strategy, and that talent tools that once served them well aren‘t working. According to Marc Effron, a leading thinker and practitioner in the talent field, these challenges are nothing new. Over the past decade, exit rates have been on a steady, uninterrupted climb. The difference nowadays is that these talent issues are more noticeable — and solving them more expensive. If you want better talent faster, Effron says, a “production mindset” is what's going to get you there. You need to build a talent machine. Companies can raise the level of talent management if they look at talent acquisition and retention as if they were a production line. To develop a strong team, you must get clear on what you're trying to build, who you want in the company, the raw materials you need (that is, what people you need to fill pivotal roles), and the ways in which you assemble it (that is, your hiring processes, training and development, and retention tools). Effron talks about this and more as he joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart is joined by Marc Effron, President of The Talent Strategy Group, to talk about building a talent machine to solve hiring and retention challenges. Effron breaks down the critical components of a successful talent strategy, why you should invest in your top employees, and how to de-risk your talent production process.

Grant Packard is the Associate Professor of Marketing at York University's Schulich School of Business. He studies the consumption and production of language, and his expertise lies in data-intensive marketing strategies in retail, media, cultural products, financial services, and consumer packaged goods. Professor Packard's original research appears in outlets such as the Journal of Marketing Research, Marketing Science, Psychological Science, MIT Sloan Management Review, and others. He also currently serves as an Associate Editor at the Journal of Consumer Psychology and as an Editorial Board Member at the Journal of Consumer Research and the Journal of Marketing. Professor Packard received his PhD from the University of Michigan, his MBA from McGill University, and his BS from the University of Colorado Boulder. He was selected as an MSI Young Scholar by the Marketing Science Institute and received the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. In this episode: A few simple changes in words you and your people use when talking to customers can profoundly affect customers' feelings about your company, their loyalty and satisfaction, and their likelihood to buy. Advanced linguistic studies show that many of the scripts given to customer service people — and many of the ideas companies have about what makes for effective communication — are in fact wrong. How so? Professor Grant Packard talks about this and more as he joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. Professor Packard has spent a decade researching the microeconomics of language, reviewing and analyzing transcripts of calls and online interactions, to uncover how we speak and how others receive and process what we say. What he has learned overturns a lot of conventional wisdom about how to engage with customers. Often, he finds, frontline employees are carefully schooled to speak as company representatives and mask their individual identities. That, it turns out, is a mistake.  In their customer service scripts, employees are often taught to use “we” instead of the first person, signaling that they're no more than a cog in the wheel of the company. But this tactic won't get you very far with the customer. According to Professor Packard's findings, customers prefer warm, personal, engaging conversations with employees — while at the same time, they want to know that the person they're talking to has the skills and authority to solve their problems. That combination of empathy and expertise is what customers want. When you focus on the individual and give employees a playbook — not a script — you're creating a better experience for all parties involved (and boosting ROI for your business)! In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart talks with Schulich School of Business Professor, Grant Packard, about the power of language and how it can make or break your business. From warm and confident speech to the ins and outs of customer service scripts, Professor Packard breaks down his research findings, discusses the ways in which communication goes wrong in business, and shares strategies to improve connections between employees and consumers.

Paul Leinwand is the Global Managing Director of Strategy&, PwC's strategy consulting group, where he advises clients on the topics of strategy, growth, and capability building. Leinwand is also an Adjunct Professor of Management and Strategy at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. He has co-authored three books as well as several articles in the Harvard Business Review and strategy+business. Mahadeva Matt Mani is a Partner at PwC's Strategy&. As a global leader of their transformation platform, he works with companies and leaders across industries to achieve improvements in business performance and organization cost and effectiveness. Mani has over 25 years of industry and consulting experience, and he's co-authored one book and many articles published in the Harvard Business Review and strategy+business. In this episode: Digital transformation isn't just about the latest and greatest technology — it's also about leadership. But how is digital changing the work and role of a leader? What do leaders need to succeed in the digital age? Paul Leinwand and Mahadeva Matt Mani talk about this and more as they join Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. With the rise of digital, many leaders are worried about keeping up with the newest tool or strategy. But, Leinwand and Mani say there's a more important question that leaders need to address: how are you going to lead your organization through these changes? These two strategy experts have thoroughly researched the effects of digital transformation on leaders in a multi-year, in-depth study of leadership, digitization, and transformation at a dozen companies, ranging from Honeywell to Adobe, Microsoft to Komatsu. In their book, Beyond Digital: How Great Leaders Transform Their Organizations and Shape the Future, they detail how these and other enterprises have navigated this shift and the key steps leaders should follow to find success digitally. Instead of focusing on processes and tools, Leinwand and Mani say that companies must begin by reimagining their place in the world, starting from there to rethink strategy, talent, and the products and services they sell. As the digital world evolves, so do the expectations of a leader. How do you uniquely contribute to customers and stakeholders? What value can you bring to your ecosystem of networks to create a win-win for everyone? The foundations of success in the digital age are laid in a values-based circle of trust between you, your team, and your customers. Focusing on this will help you and your organization stay relevant — regardless of the digital disruption around you. In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart sits down with Paul Leinwand and Mahadeva Matt Mani, Global Managing Director and Partner of Strategy&, respectively. Together, they discuss how leadership is changing in this new digital age. Leinwand and Mani lay out the steps leaders should take to navigate current changes, the skillsets leaders need to succeed digitally, and how to gain privileged insights from a value-based customer relationship.

Julian Birkinshaw is a Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the London Business School. He has been on the faculty for 23 years, where he is also the Academic Director of the Insitute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital. Birkinshaw is a Fellow of the British Academy, the Academy of Social Sciences, and the Academy of International Business. Birkinshaw is a recognized expert in innovation, entrepreneurship, and renewal in large corporations. He has written 15 books, including Fast/Forward and Becoming a Better Boss. He's also published over 90 articles in journals such as the Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review, and the Strategic Management Journal. In this episode: As the demand for digital intensifies, companies are feeling pressure to quickly digitize every facet of their strategy. This begs the question: is the “transform or die” mentality the key to success? When it comes to digital transformation, how do you separate strategic need from hype and salesmanship? Professor Julian Birkinshaw, an expert in innovation, strategy, and entrepreneurship, is looking beyond the headlines and using data to drive insight and answer the question: “How digital do you really need to be?”  Although digital disruption is a phenomenon that everyone is talking about, Birkinshaw says that much of the change is concentrated in the technology, media, telecom, and retail industries. Analyzing data from Fortune 500 companies between the mid-90s, when the Internet first started to become a business phenomenon, and present day, Birkinshaw found that only 17 out of 500 companies are less than 25 years old. The other 483 have been in existence since 1995 — or much earlier. What exactly does that mean for your company in the era of digital?  Although the transformative mindset is top-of-mind with a focus on digital revolutionaries such as Amazon, Google, and Apple, there aren't as many fully digital companies as you'd think. Your company doesn't have to completely transform itself in the digital world, but you should learn to adapt to the demand.  Birkinshaw suggests that incumbents take a look at their industry and decide which strategy is best to adapt — whether that's waiting out the disruption, fighting back, consolidating, or reinventing yourself. Above all, Birkinshaw advises the following: “We must not lose sight of our identity and our core [values], and we should not allow ourselves to be taken away from what it is that's always made us successful.” Birkinshaw talks about this and more as he joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart is joined by Julian Birkinshaw, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the London Business School, to talk about the truths of digitization. Birkinshaw breaks down the hype around digital disruption, shares stories of success and failure within digital transformation initiatives, and discusses the strategies established brands can use to become more agile in this fast-changing world.

Jade Huang is the Co-founder and CEO of StyleSage, an AI-powered data analytics platform designed for the fashion, beauty, and home industries. An ex-fashion designer-turned-technologist, Huang has over 10 years of award-winning experience in digital strategy, design, and technology.  Huang is a frequent industry speaker, having presented in more than six countries over the span of her career. She studied fashion design at Parsons School of Design and holds a bachelor's degree in international trade from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Huang also has an MPA in international economics from Columbia University and an MBA from INSEAD, where she was awarded the L'Oreal Scholarship for Creativity and Entrepreneurship Spirit. In this episode: In the era of digital transformation, information is power. And with increasing online accessibility, consumers now have more information at their fingertips than ever before — often more than retailers themselves. So how do brands keep up with this ultra-savvy, digitally native generation of customers? Award-winning technologist and former fashion designer Jade Huang talks about this and more as she joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. Huang has worked with world-class retailers including ASOS, Zalando, and Neiman Marcus, empowering them with real-time data so they can make more informed, market-driven, and profitable decisions. Her company, StyleSage, has been recognized by CNBC, Vogue, and more for its AI-powered, fast-track solutions for retailer success. Using image recognition and machine learning tools, StyleSage's platform helps brands analyze the complex details behind a product, understand consumer purchase drivers, and stay up to date on the shifting trends of the fashion industry–even learning when and in what locations competitors put specific items on sale, for example.  With an extensive background in technology, Huang understands that digital is here to stay. When e-commerce first emerged, it was a very small part of retail, taking up between 1% and 5% of sales. Now, that number has jumped between 15% and 20% for hybrid businesses (and often much higher for digitally native brands). E-commerce initiatives and up-to-date market research are a must if you want to compete with the big-name brands. With StyleSage, companies that don't have the scale and reach of larger retailers can still analyze local and global consumer trends to revolutionize their digital strategies–and big companies can track the behavior of rivals that might otherwise have flown beneath their radar.  In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart sits down with Jade Huang, Co-founder and CEO of StyleSage, to talk about transforming the retail industry through AI-powered data analytics. Huang shares how her company is helping retailers make data-driven decisions, the lessons she learned on self-care and building out processes, and why technology enablement is vital to the success of current retail brands.

Michael Araten is the President and CEO of Sterling Drive Ventures, a family holding company that manufactures plastic injection molding products for B2B and B2C markets, medical devices, food and pharma packaging, toys, and more. Araten also holds executive positions at The Rodon Group (Sterling Drive Ventures' manufacturing division), SillDry Industries, LLC, and StartEngine — the largest equity crowdfunding platform in the US. Araten has played a key role in his community as a board member for various organizations, including the Almo Corporation, the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, and KABOOM! He's also on the Board of Trustees for the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation. In this episode: Just as talent became a budding topic during the pandemic, supply chain issues similarly weighed heavy on people's minds — and businesses. In this episode of The Leading Edge, you'll hear how one company has managed its suppliers and distributors through all the twists and turns of the last two years — and what you can learn from its success. When the pandemic first hit, a report by the National Center for the Middle Market indicated that the #1 area where executives felt least effective — and least able to control — was the supply chain. Michael Araten, who runs a third-generation family manufacturing company, felt the same. With pressure to uphold a business that's been around since the late ‘50s, Araten knew he had to become flexible in order to survive. Within two weeks, Araten had a plan for change: he carved out space to meet the needs of the public, created molds for COVID-19 testing swabs, and changed 30% of his product. Now, as “normal” continues to be an elusive word, he has managed to avoid the supply-chain hassles from which so many other companies have suffered, and brought significant manufacturing capabilities back onshore from overseas. How did he do it?  By staying positive, kind, and curious, Araten was able to build optionality into his business and make a lasting impact on the manufacturing industry. On top of this, Araten says his major shift wouldn't have been possible without key long-term relationships and a strong focus on the future. Araten talks about this and more as he joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart is joined by Michael Araten, President and CEO of Sterling Drive Ventures, to discuss how Araten's family-owned business transformed itself during the pandemic. Together, they talk about the steps Araten took to keep his company afloat, the trends and challenges of reshoring manufacturing, and why catastrophes are a reason to double-down on your business values, not cut them back.

Rob Cross is the Founder and Chief Research Scientist at Connected Commons, a consortium of over 100 leading organizations accelerating network research and practice. Cross is also the Edward A. Madden Professor of Global Leadership at Babson College and Co-author of the November-December cover story of the Harvard Business Review, titled “How to Succeed Quickly in a New Role.” As a networking expert, Cross has worked with over 300 organizations, reaching thousands of leaders from the front line to the C-suite. He has identified ways to cultivate vibrant, effective networks at all levels of an organization and any career stage. Through writing, speaking, consulting, and course creation, Cross' network strategies are transforming the way people lead, work, and live in a hyper-connected world. In this episode: Succeeding in a new role today does not look the same as it did 10 or 20 years ago. Conventional wisdom says that transitioning to a new position is about making a big difference fast. But studies of the most successful transitions show that the key to long-term accomplishment is to focus on developing your network, especially the internal network of peers, superiors, and subordinates — the team that gets work done in today's cross-functional, interconnected, collaborative workplaces. So what steps can you take to flourish in the current professional climate? Networking expert Rob Cross talks about this and more as he joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises.  Whether you've been promoted, transferred to a new department or division, or been brought in from outside, the network is the key. Cross has practical strategies to help you reach success. For more than 20 years, Cross has studied the underlying networks of effective organizations and the collaborative practices of high performers. He's found that the value of your network is critical if you want to thrive in a new role. As the digital world develops, Cross says that “...the way we work is more interdependent in these networks.” The rise of remote work has made networking even more important, as leaders and other key employees spend more time on calls, in Zoom meetings, and using digital communication tools such as Slack. It's less important to be an individual star, and more important to be part of a constellation. So what does this mean for you? When you're starting a new position, don't try to sell or prove yourself. Instead, build relationships and trust within the organization for long-term success. The value of your network extends beyond your career transitions. Even with the right skills and experience, neglecting to nurture your existing network can lead to underperformance, a high churn rate, and slowed productivity down the road. In a recent article he co-authored for the Harvard Business Review, Cross references a Gartner statistic indicating that “49% of people promoted within their own companies are underperforming up to 18 months after those moves.” To combat this underperformance, you have to shift and adapt your network strategies. When moving up the ranks at your current company, it's still important to create mutual wins among your network, be proactive in shaping your role, and engage with your team at all levels. After all, it's the people in your network that will help you grow, scale, and prosper.  In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart sits down with Rob Cross, Founder and Chief Research Scientist at Connected Commons, to discuss current strategies for success in a new role. Cross talks about the steps you should take within the first 90 days of a new position, tips for navigating the pressure of a new role, and the principles that will maximize your network's value.

Jeff Green is the Co-founder and Principal of PROXUS, a talent and HR professional services firm that helps organizations align their people with their business strategy so they can reach their full potential. In his current role, Green is responsible for driving long-term growth and profitability through strategic planning, business development, sales, and marketing. He also provides guidance to business leaders and HR executives, as well as coaching for PROXUS' team of HR practitioners. Green has over 24 years of experience in HR management. Before founding PROXUS, he was the Owner and President of Granatt HR and the Founder and President of Competitive Edge Group LLC. Green has received the Business Leadership Award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Philadelphia Chapter and a Minority Business Leader Award from the Philadelphia Business Journal. In this episode: The pandemic brought about an abundance of challenges, including the Great Resignation. This intense movement, which is still sweeping across the US, is impacting the growth of midsize companies in various industries. So what can organizations do to combat this issue, attract top talent, and retain strong employees? With an extensive history as an HR executive, Jeff Green reminds organizations that “your ability to scale up and grow is tied directly to your ability to find and retain the people that you need to support that growth.” Mid-market companies, in particular, are seeing tremendous opportunities in the marketplace — but they don't have the staff to expand and take their businesses to the next level. That's why Green founded his firm, PROXUS: to help companies align their people strategy with their business strategy and hire employees that will help their organizations thrive. Green recently co-authored an article for the Harvard Business Review on the best ways to attract and retain talent right now. His strategies? First, recognize that the war for talent is fought on two fronts — keeping talent and finding it. The better you do at the former, the easier the latter becomes. To help with retention, invest in opportunities for employee education and development, maintain a great culture and work environment, and strengthen talent management. If you want to attract the right individuals to your company, an employee-centered approach, stronger employer branding, and, above all, a more intentional, strategic approach will make a big difference.  Green talks about this and more as he joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart is joined by Jeff Green, the Co-founder and Principal of PROXUS, to talk about his top strategies for resolving current recruitment and retention issues. Green shares the mistakes many companies make in their hiring approach — and how to avoid them. He also details the importance of implementing a solid HR infrastructure, empowering leaders with the necessary management skills, and cultivating a great workplace culture.

Ruby Newell-Legner is a consultant, speaker, trainer, and fan engagement expert. She is the Founder of 7 Star Service, where she helps sports, leisure, and entertainment venues create amazing fan experiences. Newell-Legner's goal is to guide leaders in creating the ultimate guest experience and positive, engaging workplace cultures. Since 1996, she has used her expertise to transform over 60 professional sports teams and more than 90 stadiums. Newell-Legner is also a popular workshop presenter and speaker for annual conferences and has presented more than 2,500 programs in 23 countries. She is currently a workshop host with the National Speakers Association (NSA) and the Founder of the Sports Celebrity Speaker Workshop, where she helps current and retired professional athletes enhance their speaking skills and get connected with the NSA. In this episode: What goes into creating an exceptional customer experience? How does a positive work environment lead to a loyal fan base? Fan engagement expert Ruby Newell-Legner talks about this and more as she joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. Newell-Legner has consulted with and designed customized training programs for 66 professional sports teams and hundreds of facilities. With over two decades of expertise in the guest service and fan experience realm, she knows what it takes to revitalize a venue's customer engagement plan. So where do companies go wrong? As she says, a fan's happiness should not be dependent upon a team's win or loss — the bells and whistles are, in fact, necessary elements for creating a memorable event. Oftentimes, executives and frontline employees fail to recognize that “they're not just delivering a ballgame, they're delivering an experience.” With Newell-Legner's tried-and-true approach, businesses can convert customers into loyal fans by inspiring and educating their employees, focusing on their leadership teams, and transforming the culture of their organizations. According to Newell-Legner, the guest experience doesn't begin when fans walk into the venue — it begins with a strong communication plan between executives and employees. When employees are engaged from the moment they join the team, empowered with information, and treated well by the leadership team, they are better equipped to build customer relationships and create raving fans. In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart sits down with Ruby Newell-Legner, the Founder of 7 Star Service, to peel back the layers of a great guest experience. Together, they talk about enhancing customer loyalty and retention through an exceptional experience, the importance of strong communication across teams, and how companies can address engagement opportunities to transform their culture.

Sylvia Ann Hewlett is a world-renowned author, economist, and entrepreneur. She is the Founder and CEO of Hewlett Consulting Partners, a boutique consultancy focused on helping organizations leverage talents and bridge the divides of culture, gender, and generation. Dr. Hewlett is also the Founder and Chair Emeritus of the Center for Talent Innovation (formerly Center for Work-Life Policy), a non-profit leader in diversity and talent management that promotes diversity, equality, and inclusion. She is an advocate for the sponsorship of highly qualified women, people of color, and LGBTQ employees attempting to gain traction in their careers. As a celebrated speaker, Dr. Hewlett has spoken at MWC Barcelona (formerly the Mobile World Congress), the “Women at the Top” conference, and the White House. She is the most published author in the Harvard Business Review with 17 articles and has written 16 books, including When the Bough Breaks, Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor, and #MeToo in the Corporate World. In this episode: What can be done in the workplace for people of color and women? How has the pandemic affected the ways and means by which women progress in their careers? To discover the key to navigating this new world of work, Thomas A. Stewart joins Sylvia Ann Hewlett — whose pioneering work on the importance of sponsorship and the effects of “on-ramps and off-ramps” on women's careers has impacted a new generation of women and work. Dr. Hewlett has long been an expert on the ways in which women's careers are interrupted or stymied. She is a Cambridge-educated economist and expert on gender in the workplace who has worked with leading organizations including Cisco, Goldman Sachs, Cartier, and the State Department. Throughout her career, Dr. Hewlett has focused on promoting progress for professionals despite their gender, age, sexual orientation, race, and culture in the office and beyond — and now she's focused her attention on the ways the pandemic has disrupted the female workforce. Over the past year and a half, women, especially women of color, have left their places of work to take on the role of primary caregiver. Dr. Hewlett has studied the data: when a highly qualified woman steps off the career ladder to care for her family, she decreases her compensation by 18% upon her return to work. Further, Dr. Hewlett explains that only 90% of women who leave the workforce eventually return. How can women come back to work in their respective fields without a decrease in status or compensation? Dr. Hewlett believes that the answer can be found in sponsorship: when a higher-level executive invests their political capital in a protegee's advancement. As she says, women can cultivate a more inclusive culture that promotes their advancement when advocating for one another. However, the value of a more flexible workplace comes at a cost, and remote and hybrid work structures have made sponsorship harder. As they continue to juggle home and work roles, women must take active steps to find and shape the sponsoring relationships so important to their career progression. In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart talks with Sylvia Ann Hewlett, world-renowned author, economist, entrepreneur, and Founder and CEO of Hewlett Consulting Partners, to discuss the disadvantages women experience in the workplace and how to overcome them. Dr. Hewlett talks about the displacement of women's roles in the workforce due to the pandemic, how to bring value to your business, and why sponsorship and advocacy are essential for building your career in the current climate.

Douglas Longenecker is the CMO, CEO, and Chief Collaboration Officer at //NKST, a growth acceleration firm. He is an entrepreneur and leader who specializes in fostering environments of listening, curiosity, and innovation to help businesses and brands evolve. Longenecker is passionate about creating an atmosphere of open possibilities and forging human connections to drive real results. Tara Baumgarten is the Head of Public Relations at //NKST. She has experience providing creative senior counsel to corporations, professional service firms, consultants, authors, and more. As a PR and marketing strategist, Baumgarten specializes in thought leadership, executive visibility, messaging, and customer experience. Patricia O'Connell is the President of Aerten Consulting, a content strategy firm that helps companies define their stories and refine their cultures. She is the co-author of Woo, Wow, and Win: Service Design, Strategy, and the Art of Customer Delight, alongside Thomas A. Stewart. O'Connell is also the host of This is Capitalism: CEO Stories, a podcast where she discusses entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation in the free market. In this episode: Customer have more power than ever--which means companies must do more than ever to understand and meet their expectations and to forge relationships that last. To get the latest insights, Thomas A. Stewart invited Douglas Longenecker, Patricia O'Connell, and Tara Baumgarten to join him on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. The customer experience encapsulates everything a consumer sees, feels, and touches — and it's up to companies to design a winning experience strategy across all tiers of their organization--not just in branding, not just in sales or service, but in every place and at every moment where company and customer interact. That's where Longenecker, O'Connell, and Baumgarten come in. With expertise in marketing innovations and relationship-building, they are helping companies meet this new demand for a tailored, defined, and satisfying experience. How? For Longenecker, O'Connell, and Baumgarten, it begins with the employee. Empowering and equipping your employees with the right capabilities, knowledge, and incentives can help them understand what customers expect and equip them to meet those expectations. When you deliver on your brand promises from bottom up and top down, you can create a company that lives and breathes success. In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart talks with Douglas Longenecker, the CMO, CEO, and CCO at //NKST, Tara Baumgarten, the Head of Public Relations at //NKST, and Patricia O'Connell, the President of Aerten Consulting, to discuss how to develop customer experiences in a consumer-controlled world. Together, they talk about executing a winning brand strategy, organizing expectations within your company, and exploring new ideas and processes to revolutionize your marketing.

Martin Reeves is the Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group's San Francisco office. With over 30 years of experience in consulting, Reeves specializes in business strategy management and idea origination and development. He is also the Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, BCG's think tank and laboratory. Reeves is the co-author of multiple books, including Your Strategy Needs a Strategy and his most recent release, The Imagination Machine. He has a triple first-class MA in natural sciences from Cambridge University and an MBA from Cranfield School of Management. In this episode: How does an enterprise turn innovation from a one-time thing into a sustained part of its business model and culture? Most businesses begin with a creative spark; a few manage to be innovative over years or decades. But only a handful have managed to keep sparking for decades. One of those is the Boston Consulting Group. Long admired as the most innovative of the great strategy consultants, BCG has kept new ideas coming for more than half a century.  How? To find out, Tom Stewart sat down with Martin Reeves, a senior partner of BCG who runs the firm's Henderson Institute, the internal think tank named for founder Bruce Henderson. A leading strategist and thinker about strategy — Reeves's books include The Imagination Machine and Your Strategy Needs a Strategy — Reeves talks about how probing anomalies and analogies can uncover new ideas, the importance of cognitive and intellectual diversity, and how a company can truly encourage the kind of maverick thinking that is necessary for a sustained culture of new ideas. Reeves also identifies five innovation killers, guaranteed to smother creativity in its crib, and offers his list of five companies that have developed what he calls “complexity pruning mechanisms” — organizational policies that help cut back the vines that can choke innovation as companies get big. Along the way, Reeves takes us on a virtual tour of BCG's “Napkin Gallery,” an online collection of the actual first visualizations of great business ideas — some of them, yes, actually drawn on napkins. Martin Reeves talks about this and more as he joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart sits down with the Managing Director and Senior Partner at BCG, Martin Reeves, to talk about nurturing innovation and creativity in business. Together, they discuss the importance of cognitive and intellectual diversity in the workplace, how to develop new and valuable business ideas, and the BCG approach to problem-solving. Stay tuned.

Nancy Dixon is an author, consultant, researcher, and expert in the field of knowledge transfer. Dixon launched her career in organizational learning as a researcher and professor at the University of Texas before moving to George Washington University. She has spent the last 15 years as a consultant helping NASA and other organizations build effective knowledge transfer processes.  Dixon's drive to use dialogue as an agent for change led her to write eight books, most notably Common Knowledge: How Companies Thrive by Sharing What They Know. She has published more than 80 articles about transferring knowledge across organizations and currently runs a blog on the subject. In this episode: How do you encourage people to share information? In the wake of the pandemic, when collaboration among groups is more crucial than ever, is there a way to overcome the barriers to communication? Hybrid and remote workplaces are changing the ways knowledge is shared — and it's up to leaders to find new ways to enhance connection and problem-solving within teams. One of the world's leading experts on how knowledge is shared, Nancy Dixon knows the importance of facilitating effective communication in and between teams. With an evolving workplace, leaders are left questioning how to connect strategy with what employees know and do — at a time when “normal channels” — imperfect though they were — no longer work as they did. How do you create an environment of trust, belonging, and dialogue — while also maintaining your organization's underlying values, principles, and priorities? Nancy Dixon talks about this and more as she joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart has a conversation with Nancy Dixon, an expert on knowledge transfer and communication, about generating collaboration and productivity at work — in all the new forms it is taking. Together, they discuss the importance of dialogue for problem-solving, how to reduce stress within teams, and why relationship-building is more essential than ever.

Eric Herrenkohl is the Managing Director of Executive Coaching and Executive Career Services for AchieveNEXT, a management consulting firm for emerging and mid-market enterprises. He is also the best-selling author of the book, How To Hire A-Players, the creator of the A-Player Executive and Leadership Leverage coaching systems, and works with executives to improve financial results. Milton Corsey is the Director of Human Capital Solutions at AchieveNEXT. Throughout his career, he's also been a Professor Emeritus at Rowan College of South Jersey. Corsey has worked to transform the growth of some of the most recognizable Fortune 500 companies.  In this episode: What makes some leaders so much more effective than others? How can changes in leaders/ behavior release more power and energy from their teams? Eric Herrenkohl and Milton Corsey talk about this and more as they join Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises.  Understanding leverage is the key to success for leaders, say Herrenkohl and Corsey, experts in leadership and growth development. When leaders don't give their teams room to operate and act, both become less effective. Think about a lever, Herrenkohl and Corsey say: If the lever's too short--if you stand too close to the fulcrum--its power to work diminishes.  Making leverage possible isn't easy and, for many detail- and performance-oriented people, standing back doesn't come naturally. It requires training and continual support. Herrenkohl's work focuses on coaching senior executives, and Corsey's, is about building leadership competencies throughout an organization: They both find that understanding the principles of leadership leverage is the necessary first step toward strengthening individuals, teams, and ultimately enterprises. A great leader builds a program and utilizes practices that transform the likelihood of success. By acquiring a pattern of continual improvement and growth, the enterprise and its employees will benefit.  In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart is joined by Eric Herrenkohl, Managing Director of Executive Coaching and Executive Career Services at AchieveNEXT, and Milton Corsey, Director of Human Capital Solutions for AchieveNEXT, to discuss the importance of leverage in leadership. Together, they discuss cultivating a growth mindset, intentionally building leadership architecture, and key elements that strengthen a leader. Stay tuned.

Rob Sher is the Founder and CEO of Mastering Midsized, a company that partners with leading middle-market companies to maximize growth. Prior to founding Mastering Midsized, Sher was the Co-founder and CEO of Bentley Publishing Group for over 20 years. He has experience as a consultant, lecturer, and board member for various companies.  Sher is also the author of multiple books, including the just-released Driving Midsized Growth and Mighty Midsized Companies. He earned his MBA from Saint Mary's College of California. In this episode: Talent — finding people, keeping people, and helping people give their best — is the #1 challenge businesses face. And for mid-sized companies, fighting the “war for talent” is particularly hard. In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart talks to Rob Sher about how middle-market enterprises can transform recruiting processes, develop a high-quality talent pool, and drive long-term growth.  According to Rob Sher, an expert on middle-market companies, there are three drivers for successful growth: recruiting valuable candidates, developing talent, and leading teams — but most company leaders don't open up these processes to see how to do them better. By creating a persuasive recruiting process that highlights your employer brand, you can effectively acquire new talent and remain involved in future employment searches. Successful midsized businesses must place value in current and potential employees to facilitate next-level brand growth. As Sher says, this is the secret to becoming an industry leader.    In this episode, Rob Sher, the Founder and CEO of Mastering Midsized, shares his expert strategies for driving leadership growth in midsized companies. Sher shares the results of new research about how to develop an engaging recruitment process, hire valuable talent, and build an employer brand. Discover this and more as Sher joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises.

Jeff Sonnenfeld is the Senior Associate Dean for Leadership Studies at the Yale School of Management, where he also serves as the Lester Crown Professor in the Practice of Management. Sonnenfeld is also the Founder of the Chief Executive Leadership Institute (CELI), a nonprofit educational and research institute focused on corporate governance and executive leadership. In addition to this, Sonnenfeld is the author of eight books on leadership — most notably, The Hero's Farewell: What Happens When CEOs Retire. His research has been published in 100 scholarly articles and he frequently contributes to CNBC and Fortune. In this episode: What can CEOs do to avoid corporate atrophy? Why is it so vital for today's leaders to participate in critical discussions? Jeff Sonnenfeld talks about this and more as he joins Tom on The Leading Edge — a place where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. According to Sonnenfeld, corporate leadership works best when a network of executives is working toward greater social impact and business development. With decades of experience with corporate governance and CEO leadership, Sonnenfeld knows the challenges leaders face when pushing the limits in their businesses. As he says, the best CEOs succeed by seeking feedback from their peers and adopting a forward-thinking mindset. In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart is joined by Jeff Sonnenfeld, the Senior Associate Dean for Leadership Studies at the Yale School of Management, to discuss leadership in the corporate ecosystem. Together they talk about the engine of innovation for executives, the generational gap in governance, and the importance of placing value in people and communities for a sustainable future.

Russell Klein is the CEO of the American Marketing Association, the force and voice of marketing. He is a master of digital marketing campaigns, and his pioneering thinking has changed the very definition of what a brand is and what marketing does. Over the years, Klein has led teams for Dr. Pepper, Gatorade, 7-Eleven, Burger King, and Arby's. The teams he has led have won innumerable awards for their work, and more than four dozen people he trained have gone on to become CMOs in their own right.  In this episode... Is it possible to create a seamless omnichannel brand presence? What are the best strategies for building a brand and ushering in the next era of digital marketing? According to Russell Klein, there can be harmony between physical and digital channels — and this unity can produce the perfect orchestration for a brand and--more than that--a customer experience. Great brands do not emerge overnight; Russ Klein's experience has taught him that building a brand takes a tremendous amount of time, energy, and intention. What's more, a brand is more than a logo, more than marketing  — more, even, than positioning: a brand is an environment meant to immerse the customer in a unique experience. When done well, this complex — but essential — process of brand building starts with trust and results in brand loyalty and explosive growth. Klein talks about this and more as he joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises.  In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart sits down with Russell Klein, the CEO of the American Marketing Association and a legendary marketer in his own right, to talk about the perfect equation for brand building. Together, they discuss the continual evolution of content marketing, how storytelling crafts a customer's experience, and the power behind consumer rituals and brand loyalty. Stay tuned to learn all of this and more — and subscribe to never miss another episode.

Professor Larry Inks is an award-winning Clinical Associate Professor in the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University. As a professor, he teaches at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as within the college's executive education programs.  In addition to teaching, Professor Inks also offers management consulting to external organizations. He has many years of experience working in leadership positions for several prominent companies, including Cardinal Health, AlliedSignal, and PepsiCo. Professor Inks specializes in the application of human resource initiatives and holds a doctorate in industrial and organizational psychology.  In this episode: How do you put the workplace back together again after the stresses, strains, and experiments of the COVID-19 pandemic? Is it in your company's best interest to continue with a remote workforce, or are you better off with a return to the office? What can you do to optimize your strategic decisions in the midst of such uncertainty? Professor Larry Inks talks about this and more as he joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. Professor Inks proposes that there isn't a simple solution for every business — but there are ways to make smart decisions about how your company should proceed. Instead of rushing forward blindly to accomplish what you can do, he instead suggests taking your time to figure out what you should do. There's no hurry, but if you're looking for a competitive advantage, you'll need the courage to follow through on whatever you discover is best.  Professor Larry Inks joins Thomas A. Stewart on this episode of The Leading Edge to discuss the best strategies for approaching the return-to-work dilemma. Listen in as Professor Inks reveals how to gain a competitive advantage by taking your time to fully examine your company's needs from both a short-term and long-term perspective before making your next move. Plus, Professor Inks explores what some of the studies have to say about the advantages and disadvantages of a remote workforce. Stay tuned for more!

Kenneth H. Marks is the Founder and Managing Partner of High Rock Partners, a boutique firm providing M&A and strategic advisory services to middle-market companies. Prior to founding High Rock Partners, he served as the President of JPS Communications, Inc. Kenneth also founded and grew the engineering and electronic manufacturing company Kenmar Business Groups, Inc., to $22 million in revenue while serving as the President and CEO during the ‘80s and ‘90s. Kenneth is the co-author of many books, including Middle Market M&A: Handbook for Investment Banking and Business Consulting; The Handbook of Financing Growth: Strategies, Capital Structure, and M&A Transactions; and Value Levers: Increase the Value of Your Business From 3x to 7x. Kenneth is a Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor, has a background in electrical engineering, and holds an MBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In this episode... The pandemic disrupted the business-as-usual model in many sectors, including mergers and acquisitions. As business leaders are emerging from lockdown, so is the market. If M&A is part of your strategy — as a path to growth or as an exit — how should you adjust your thinking as the economy emerges from the pandemic? Kenneth H. Marks talks about this and more as he joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. According to Kenneth H. Marks, a certified M&A Advisor and co-author of Middle Market M&A, we're in a potentially hot deal environment where there's a great deal of capital looking for places to invest as well as some pent-up demand to sell. Nevertheless, the market is still uncertain; valuations are unclear, and trends are hard to read. In this kind of environment, Kenneth says, companies need to understand their personal and corporate objectives — which might not be identical — and be ruthlessly honest about their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. In this type of climate, personal and company clarity are more valuable than ever, as personal objectives and company objectives can sometimes diverge. Stay tuned!

Jim Collins is a best-selling author, advisor, teacher, researcher, and expert in the field of business. Over three decades ago, when he was studying at Stanford Business School, Jim wanted to know what makes great companies tick. When he couldn't find a satisfying answer, he set out to do the research himself. Those early discoveries would launch the beginning of a life-long exploration into uncovering the mysteries of success.  Jim's unrelenting curiosity has led to a considerable number of transformative findings and inspired the business world to adopt a new lexicon and embrace the novel concepts that emerged from his work. His books, including Good to Great, Built to Last, and, most recently, BE 2.0 (Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0), an upgraded version of an enduring classic, are often thought of as required reading for leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone searching for answers in business. In 2017, Forbes named Jim as one of the “100 Greatest Living Business Minds.” In This Episode... How can you turn your business into an enduring enterprise? When is the best time to delegate, and where should you take a hands-on approach? Is it possible to transform yourself into the right person to lead your company to the next level? Jim Collins joins Thomas A. Stewart on The Leading Edge — a place where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders look to find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. Jim Collins, the author of Good to Great and other best-selling books, began his career studying leaders in young and emerging enterprises — a theme he returns to in his newest book. Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0 is a return to research he began as a young professor with his mentor Bill Lazier, in which they learned that great leadership is not just an art — it is a science whose principles can be studied and learned. Great leaders don't actually possess innate talents that are elusive to the rest of us. Jim's research has uncovered learnable techniques and proven strategies to improve your likelihood of success. If you want to turn your organization into something exceptional, don't rely on luck — transform yourself into the leader it needs to get there.  In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart sits down with best-selling author Jim Collins to talk about what it takes to create and lead a great company. Together, they discuss why decisions about people are the most important calls leaders make, what exceptional leadership actually requires, and how self-renewal is a crucial element of success.

Robert “Bob” Nicholas is the Director of Sales for Amerisure Insurance, where he has faithfully worked for more than 18 years. In this role, Bob leads the Field Marketing & Underwriting sales processes for Amerisure, creates new business top line goals, executes agency business planning, and much more. He started at the company as a Service Carrier Operations Supervisor in 2002, and has since worked up to his current role as Director of Sales.  Some of Bob's past positions include Youth Minister for the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and Lay Director for the Cursillo Movement of the Diocese of Memphis.  In this episode… Do you want to become a more empathetic leader? Are you ready to model a different kind of leadership — one that selflessly enables employees to succeed?  When it comes to empowerment, more people talk a good game than play one — but not Bob Nicholas. Bob goes far beyond lip service and embodies real service: the kind that disrupts the status quo and inspires employees. "My personal passion,” he explains, “is to help people go home in better shape than when they came to work that day.” According to Bob, this profound process of employee empowerment all starts by asking “How can I help?” and treating your employees with the dignity they deserve. So, what is it really like to empower a team day-to-day, and how can you become a more employee-focused leader? Step out onto the leading edge to find out.  In this episode of The Leading Edge, Thomas A. Stewart interviews Bob Nicholas, the Director of Sales at Amerisure Insurance, to discuss how radical — and practical — empowerment can be, and what it takes to be an empowering boss. Listen in as Bob reveals how Amerisure chooses its agents, how it translates passion into customer value, and how it empowers and improves the lives of its employees. This is The Leading Edge — a podcast where new ideas are cultivated and leaders find their edge to succeed. Subscribe to never miss another episode!

Author of Playing the Palace Interview starts at 26:46 and ends at 51:31 Note: I will be discussing my Paul Rudnick interview Monday May 31, 2021 at 1 pm EDT on Clubhouse. Whether you are a current member of Clubhouse or want to join in order to participate in the discussion, click here. I've also created a club named The Reading Edge. Use this link to join! Links Matter, a social reading app currently in private beta on iOS “The Institutional Yes” by Julia Kirby and Thomas A. Stewart at Harvard Business Review - October, 2007 (An revealing interview with Jeff Bezos) “Amazon's future beyond Jeff Bezos” at The Economist - May 22, 2021 “D.C. attorney general brings antitrust lawsuit against Amazon” by Cat Zakrzewski and Rachel Lerman at The Washington Post - May 25, 2021 Amazon and MGM press release - May 26, 2021 “Ereader screens are about to get a big upgrade” by Sharmista Sarkar at Techradar - May 25, 2021 “Amazon looking at opening pharmacy stores in U.S.” at Reuters - May 26, 2021 Next Week's Guest Lisa Unger, author of House of Crows, a four-part Amazon Original Stories series released on May 27, 2021 If you'd like brief daily updates on technology, books, marriage, and puppies, you can follow along with my Morning Journal flash briefing. From your Echo device, just say, “Alexa, enable Morning Journal.” Then each morning say, “Alexa, what's my flash briefing?” I post a five-minute audio journal each day except Sunday, usually by 8:00 am Eastern Time.  The Kindle Chronicles is now available at Audible Podcasts. The only thing missing are ratings! If you have time, please consider leaving one in order to help others learn about the show.  Right-click here and then click "Save Link As..." to download the audio to your computer, phone, or MP3 player.

Thomas A. Stewart is the host of The Leading Edge, where he speaks with business leaders and thinkers about what it means to live and work on the leading edge — where new ideas emerge and are sharpened, and where leaders find the edge that brings success for themselves, their teams, and their enterprises. In this first episode, Dr. Jeremy Weisz of Rise25 talks to Tom about ideas and actions that have shaped his career, his work in the fields of intellectual capital and customer experience, and his management philosophy. Tom is the Chief Knowledge Officer at AchieveNEXT, a learning and development ecosystem that combines peer learning networks with talent performance solutions. He formerly served as the Editor in Chief of Harvard Business Review, a member of the Board of Editors of Fortune, and the Executive Director of the National Center for the Middle Market. He is the author of Intellectual Capital and The Wealth of Knowledge, and (co-authored with Patricia O'Connell) Woo, Wow, and Win. In this episode… Are you looking for a tried-and-true business philosophy? Do you want concrete strategies that will help you be a better entrepreneur, manager, or employee?  Thomas A. Stewart, a successful business writer and managing director, has a unique perspective on business: When broken down to its basic components, business is simply the combination of theory and practice. Theory without practice leads to ineffective sales and useless daydreaming. Practice without theory results in stagnant business with no advancement. However, when merged together, theory and practice lead companies into the future with new and exciting ideas that actually work. This perspective has carried Tom through decades of success — and today, he's here to share his hard-won wisdom with listeners everywhere. In this introductory episode, Tom sits down with Dr. Jeremy Weisz, Co-founder of Rise25, to talk about what it means to work on the leading edge — a place where new ideas are cultivated and sharpened, and where leaders find their edge to succeed. Listen in as Tom recalls working at Fortune and Harvard Business Review, identifies the impacts he's made on the world of business, and analyzes how his distinct style of management has grown over the years. Stay tuned!

Episode 25 Leadosophy ponders the title of “Leadership Expert.” Who gets to claim this title? Again, no universal definition of leadership exists, so how can someone become an expert in leadership? Leadosophy believes that leadership is a slippery topic: easy yet difficult, concrete yet abstract, understood yet misunderstood. We can scour the Internet and see claims, books, and speeches by leadership experts, but how does leadership expertise apply in the practical world and the theoretical world. If Jill states that she is an expert in leadership, what is Jill actually telling me, and what value can Jill add to the leadership non-expert? How will I judge Jill’s claiming of the expert title? What are the criteria used to judge her claim? Would you know a leadership expert if you saw one? Do you seek the title of leadership expert? What will it take to reach mastery of leadership competence? Would you bestow the title of leadership expert upon any successful CEO? Would you bestow the title of leadership expert upon any professor of leadership studies? Finally, this episode explores an article written by Thomas A. Stewart and titled, “The Four Types of Leadership Expertise.” You can find the link below. https://hbr.org/2008/02/the-four-types-of-leadership-e Season One: Foundations of Leadosophy Leadosophy is the fusion of leadership and philosophy. We use philosophical thought to deepen our understanding of leadership, together.

Privately held companies in the middle market ($10M - $1B in revenue) account for 1/3 of the US GDP as well as 44.5 million jobs. Unlike the stock market, we can’t just jump online and see how well they are doing. Today we’re diving into mountains of data on the middle market with former Managing Director of Harvard Business Review and Editor of Fortune. What You Will Learn In Today's Podcast Interview Why the top private companies cluster into 3 typologies: investors, innovators, and efficiency experts. The 7 key factors that contribute to the growth (and are under the owner and management’s control) How to focus on enterprise value instead of just annual profitability How privately held companies in the middle market are dealing with uncertainty How COVID has impacted the likelihood of different types of transitions for middle market companies Why the middle market consistently outperforms the S&P 500 The 5 “COVID cushions” to manage uncertainty Why the middle market is where businesses become companies How an entrepreneur transitions to the CEO role by thinking beyond the lifespan of an individual or company Podast Summary: Quarter after quarter privately held middle market companies post higher rates of growth and employment than the public or lower markets. In general, it is hard to understand how middle market companies operate since a majority are privately owned—today Tom Stewart explains how these businesses are doing things differently to grow faster than their larger and smaller peers. Tom is the Executive Director of the National Center for the Middle Market. He was also the Editor and Managing Director of Harvard Business Review for six years and participated in the World Economic Forum twelve timesthroughout his career. Tom and the National Center for the Middle Market are dedicated to researching and understanding the middle market economy. This organization, housed in the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University, is the only research group that focuses on mid-sized companies. They have surveyed 1,000 midsize companies each quarter for the past ten years, giving them the necessary data to fill in the information gap on the middle third of the private sector. Here is a link the research on the DNA of the Middle Market As usual, a group of top tier middle market companies is responsible for a large percentage of this growth. By understanding what contributes to the growth of these companies and what they do differently to consistently outperform their peers, the Center identified 3 types of companies and 7 pillars of growth that are fundamental to their success. About the Guest: Thomas A. Stewart is the Executive Director of the National Center for the Middle Market, the leading source for knowledge, leadership and research on mid-sized companies, based at the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University. Stewart is an influential thought leader on global management issues and ideas: an internationally recognized editor and publisher, authority on intellectual capital and knowledge management, and a best-selling author. Before joining the National Center for the Middle Market, Stewart served as Chief Marketing and Knowledge Officer for international consulting firm Booz & Company (now called Strategy&), overseei

Larry Inks, Clinical Associate Professor in Management and Human Resources at The Ohio State University joins Thomas A. Stewart to discuss how the future of the workplace changes and stays the same as the pandemic continues and companies weigh the return to the physical office space. 

The National Center for the Middle Market's Thomas A. Stewart welcomes ApartmentData.com's Rudy Mui and John Severance to share how they've used the power of data and digital transformation have changed their industry and bring in new efficiencies and opportunities. 

As this is being recorded, on the 11th of April, 2020, what good news we see and hear is almost entirely in the context of people making extraordinarily good things happen in the face of what, for most Americans living today, is the worst crisis we’ve ever faced. So, especially now, it’s good to be reminded of how, at its core, the U.S. economy, in its essential design around the free and voluntary exchange of goods and services — including research, technology, and good ideas — is the perfect and proper vehicle for leading us out of this. And so, it’s extremely valuable to have new research to not only show how the coronavirus is affecting business but also to show how business people already are looking toward the day when this is all behind us.The National Center for the Middle Market at Ohio State University conducts a quarterly survey to establish a benchmark. It’s worth taking a look back at the surveys it conducted in the summer and fall of 2019.Listen to Ray Hoffman’s conversation with Tom Stewart, Executive Director of the National Center for the Middle Market. Key Takeaways: [1:39] Ray Hoffman asks Tom Stewart about business optimism in late 2019. Every quarter, the National Center for the Middle Market surveys 1,000 companies with revenues between $10 million and $1 billion. In the third quarter, they saw a sudden drop in confidence and projected sales after a long expansion. [2:18] In the fourth quarter, those numbers came back up but the trendline showed slowing rates of growth. Projected rates of growth were dropping from a pretty high level. [3:00] Tom contrasts the projected confidence number of 90% in the first quarter of 2017 and 83% in the fourth quarter of 2019. The projected confidence plunged to 60% in the first quarter of 2020 with the pandemic. Growth rates drifted down from before the pandemic and within the pandemic. More companies reduced their workforce. [4:20] Tom shares his experience as the pandemic started showing up. He saw that planes went from full to empty in March. The National Center for the Middle Market commissioned a “pulse” survey of 260 mid-sized companies from March 23 to 25. [5:43] These were private companies, not directly impacted by the stock market. That group of companies had said in December that they expected to grow at 5.8% in the coming 12 months. On March 23, 78% of them said growth will decline in the coming 12 months and 64% said employment will shrink, instead of growing. [6:36] Twenty-five percent of the 260 companies surveyed said they believe the impact of the virus will be catastrophic for their business. Eighty-one percent said there would be an impact on payroll. Eighty-four percent expected an impact on revenue and operations. [7:02] Ray comments that the S&P 400 Mid-cap Index fell 40% from February 19 to March 23, and the S&P 500 Large-cap Index was down 34% in the same period. Tom discusses the risks to private companies and public companies. How much access to capital they have, in the short run, plays a role. [8:15] Tom mentions survival rates from the 2007–2009 financial crisis. Small business takes the biggest hit. The survival rate for middle-market companies is comparable to that of large companies. They have pretty strong resilience. In the crisis, surviving private middle-market companies added jobs, looking forward. [9:35] One of the questions on this pulse-check survey was “How quickly do you think you’ll be able to get back to business at full capacity?” Thirteen percent said, immediately. Twenty-six percent said, within a month. Eighty percent said they would be up and running at full capacity within six months. The measure of full capacity varies. [10:40] The National Center for the Middle market will ask these same questions in June. Tom will see whether more companies express confidence in their resilience, or whether more people say it will take a little longer than expected. Companies were asked in March how big the impact will be. Some companies said it would be positive! [11:07] Zoom’s stock has zoomed in the first quarter of this year. [11:57] The companies’ biggest negative impacts were on operations, revenue, payroll, employment, supply chain, and working capital, in that order. The companies’ biggest struggles were supply chain, cash and working capital, customer experience, and operations, in that order. The supply chain is out of the companies’ direct control. [13:44] Only 9% reported any new problems with information technology. The great technology available allows us to look optimistically at this entire situation. Before the internet, our ability to communicate was so much less than it is today. The IT industry is taking the strain of capacity pretty well in this pandemic crisis. [14:42] Of the 260 companies surveyed, their sales expectations collapsed 46% between December and March; demand for their goods and services went down 25%. The owners’ perception of the business climate went down 9%. Companies can’t sell, but demand is still there. When business comes back, there will be residual demand. [16:23] Some of these data are available on their website at MiddleMarketCenter.org. The following observations on business transformations are not: Significantly fewer companies are considering making a transformative acquisition, bringing in a major investor, merging with another company, or selling the business. [17:21] About 35% say they are more likely to have a senior leadership transition, which is a higher percentage than normal. Twenty percent said they were less likely to restructure. Forty-four percent said they were more likely to restructure, with remote work, fewer employees, fewer lines of business, more digitalization, or a new start. [18:45] Tom has heard since the survey that many organizations are planning new ways to navigate financially, from SBA loans to subsidies and how to work with the CARES Act. Companies are starting to get some advice on how to move on. [20:30] Sixty percent of the companies surveyed expressed any level of confidence for their future. It’s a relatively low number, but Tom had feared it would be worse. Confidence numbers were like that in 2013. Sixty-nine percent of the middle-market had some level of confidence in their local economy. [21:06] There is an underlying belief that the U.S. economy is flexible and that investment and performance go to places where there is an opportunity for return. Secondly, built into the rich and diverse U.S. economy are a lot of intermediaries and advisors. [21:38] A study at Harvard Business School looked at obstacles to growth in emerging markets. They found that your ability to get access to intermediaries and business services, such as third-party logistics (3PL), determines your rate of growth. The absence of intermediaries slows down growth. [22:56] You can take it from Tom Stewart: When at last we’re ready, there will be reason for optimism and plenty of it. This is capitalism.   Mentioned in This Episode: Stephens.com Thomas A. Stewart on LinkedIn Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University MiddleMarketCenter.org SBA Loans CARES Act Harvard Business School

When firms have big-company problems without the big-time budgets, where do they go to get support? The National Center for the Middle Market's Thomas A. Stewart and Doug Farren welcome Jack Lavin, President and CEO of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce to hear how his organization works to help mid-sized companies in the region.

In what's become an annual tradition at NCMM, Dan North, Euler Hermes' chief economist for North America, joins Thomas A. Stewart and Doug Farren to talk about what middle market executives can expect in the year to come.

Data analytics is a hot issue for businesses today. Ohio State data expert Ralph Greco joins NCMM executive director Thomas A. Stewart to discuss how middle market companies can join in and keep up with the growing importance of data analytics. 

Growth Institute co-founder and CEO Daniel Marcos joins Thomas A. Stewart to share his insights on scaling companies and how that differs from simply "growing." Learn how you can achieve scaling successes in this episode of The Market that Moves America.  

Tom Stewart is Executive Director for the National Center for the Middle Market, which is part of the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University. It’s the leading source of information and research on the companies whose output accounts for one-third of the private sector in the U.S., the middle third of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. These are firms that have grown out of being small businesses but with their revenues running between $10 million and $1 billion a year, they’re still a long way from being in the Fortune 500. And no one shines a brighter light on the middle market companies than the National Center’s Tom Stewart, “Mr. In-Between.”   Key Takeaways: [:20] Ray Hoffman introduces Tom Stewart. [1:15] Tom Stewart defines the middle market as companies with annual sales between $10 million and $1 billion. These range from the largest of small businesses to companies that start to resemble the Fortune 500. There are some interesting transitions along the way as companies grow. [2:21] The National Center for the Middle Market considers these companies in three different revenue groups: Between $10 and $50 million, between $50 and $100 million, and between $100 million and $1 billion. [2:41] Somewhere around $50 million in revenue, companies begin to need to create functions. They can no longer make do with the accountant at the accounting firm that they use; they need a Chief Financial Officer. They need a person to be in charge of HR. [3:16] At a little over $100 million in revenue, the functions get deeper with more expertise in HR beyond a couple of generalists doing payroll and job descriptions. The same goes for finance and other functions. Along the way, you are likely to get more P&Ls. You get functionalization and divisionalization. [4:06] They may begin to think about international expansion and what that means in terms of the skills and capabilities they will need to enter those markets. [4:20] Since the center started in 2011, they started with these three logical revenue differentiations. Over time, it has become evident that the differentiations roughly correspond to major inflection points in a business. [5:04] Within the group of roughly 200,000 middle market companies, only about 15% are public. 85% of middle-market companies are private. About a third of the 85% are family businesses; about a third have private equity investment; about a third are “other,” which may be sole proprietorships, partnerships, or closely-held corporations. [5:55] 65% of family business owners expect to pass the business to their children; only about 30% pass the business to their children. The next generation is down to about 12%. Family businesses often cease to be family businesses. They may get sold. [6:34] The median age of middle market companies is 31 years. There are transitions that occur as they grow and age. [7:03] During the financial crisis, middle market companies were much more likely to survive than small businesses. The vast majority of middle market businesses that survived actually added jobs while big companies were cutting. [7:30] 60% of net new job growth in the U.S. is in middle market companies. They are the forgotten middle child of job creation. It’s a mostly untold story of capitalist success because they are not found making moves in the stock market. [9:01] Most businesses die within six years of their founding. [9:30] Every three months, the center sends out a survey to middle-market companies in all industries, in all parts of the country. They get 1,000 responses. The questions are about top-line and bottom line, revenue growth, employment growth, investment plans, investment results, and biggest challenges. The center has eight years of data. [10:11] The center recently took data from five years (20,000 company surveys) and did a factor analysis and a Bayesian statistical analysis. They were able to identify the key factors that drive growth for these companies. They created a cluster analysis for types of growth coming from various factors. [10:54] The center created ‘portraits’ of the styles of growth of these successful middle market companies, based on the decisions the companies make or the paths they follow. [11:20] The beginning of the National Center for the Middle Market came from GE Capital coming out of the financial crisis with a lot of interest in the middle market. As there are only 500 Fortune 500 customers, many financial services companies wish to work with the potentially lucrative middle market. [11:44] GE Capital approached a number of business schools, including Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University to do a study of the middle market. Fisher replied, “We see you, and raise you. Anybody can do a study, but why don’t we actually create a research center so that there’s an ongoing stream of studies?” [12:08] GE sold off most of its Capital division, starting about four years ago. Now the center is sponsored by Cisco Systems, GrantThornton, and Chubb Insurance. The center works with outside organizations like Brookings. [12:27] Middle market companies have ‘big-company’ problems and ‘small-company’ resources. Finding the ‘stuff’ that really helps them address their challenges is one of the most important contributions the center makes. [12:48] Tom Stewart talks of his background working with large companies. When he moved to the National Center for the Middle Market, he discovered an extraordinary universe with some of the most interesting companies with interesting challenges. Middle market companies generally outperform S&P 500 companies by up to 2%. [15:00] Some companies move up in the middle market. Tom calls them the ‘graduating classes.’ [15:14] Tom Stewart and Ralph Greco reported on a study about if companies are keeping up with digitalization or falling behind. Getting up-to-speed is time-consuming. Tom shares the percentages of digital spending, past and predicted. There are four types of companies: strategic, advanced, defensive, and deniers. Strategic is best. [17:51] In the 4th Quarter of 2018, 71% of middle market companies were planning to invest, with a large percentage of investments going toward IT. Cybersecurity is the biggest technology priority for many of them. Companies that prioritize cybersecurity for customer data grow faster than those that do not. [20:08] People are now distinguishing between three things: digitization from legacy data on paper, digitalization of the whole business process, and digital transformation in which you think of the whole business as being digital, first. More companies are moving from one level to the next, connecting the dots to arrive at digital transformation. [21:48] As executive teams age, they sometimes may also be more interested in harvesting than in planting. That’s when private equity investors start coming in to grow them. [22:46] Middle market companies that are using technology as a cornerstone grew at an average 10% rate in 2018. The ‘laggards’ who haven’t connected the dots grew only at a 6% rate. As the years pass, growth rates and the advantages of the technology will compound for the forward companies. Tom gives examples of high-tech companies. [24:14] Tom reflects that before he started with the center he was unaware of the landscape of middle market companies that opened before him. He says policymakers don’t understand and are not being told the stories of middle market companies. [25:15] 47% of mid-size companies report that the lack of talent is restraining their growth. Google doesn’t have a shortage of job applicants. Everybody knows about Google. There are some extraordinary opportunities in mid-market companies and that story needs to be told so the talent can find the opportunities in these companies. [25:38] Varidesk furniture, every sports team, craft brewers, and more are all found in the middle market sector. [26:29] Tom looks forward to more interactions between companies to use tools, create knowledge, and share knowledge. The center can provide academic rigor but also an opportunity for people to share and talk. Tom wants to see more talking about the data while continuing to create a body of knowledge about middle market companies. [28:01] Tom wants to apply this body of knowledge to help these companies perform even better. Tom’s third hope is for more connections with policymakers, on one hand, and the global community of middle market companies, on the other hand. [28:57] The core work of prosperity in communities and cities is helping the companies that are already there to grow. Part of that is identifying the middle market companies. Public investment is needed there to help everybody living in those communities. [29:28] This is Capitalism, with “Mr. In-Between,” Tom Stewart.   Mentioned in This Episode: Stephens.com Thomas A. Stewart Fisher College of Business at the Ohio State University Fortune 500 Bayesian Analysis Cluster Analysis GE Capital Cisco Systems GrantThornton Chubb Insurance Brookings Booz & Company (now Strategy&) Harvard Business Review Fortune S&P 500 How Digital Are You? A conversation with Thomas A. Stewart and Ralph Greco, on YouTube 5G GPS Lyft Uber US Small Business Administration (SBA) K Street Varidesk Germany's Mittelstand This Is Capitalism

Rhythm Systems Business Growth Consultant and Culture Expert Cathy McCullough joins Thomas A. Stewart to talk about the need for leaders to balance culture with strategy, and giving employees the freedom to make decisions and grow. Listen in for four key areas leaders need to focus on for growth and success.  

Tom Stewart is the Executive Director of the National Center of the Middle Market. He joins me today to talk about the silent majority of middle market companies in the economy. Tom and his team research a segment of business that little is known about. Through this research, the Mid Market Center has found critical data that all business owners should know about their company. Tom and I discuss the 7 factors of growth, the 3 types of entrepreneurs, and the 9 value points that all businesses need to consider when they are assessing their company. Tom explains the methods that lead to this information and how business owners can benefit from the data collected. We also dive into a study Tom was recently involved in regarding M&A (Mergers & Acquisitions) and the information gleaned from it. If you are a middle-market company or you have hopes to be one someday this episode will offer a roadmap for your business growth. Tune in to hear how you can use this data to take your business to the next level! What you will learn: What is the National Center of the Middle Market? Who is the “middle market?” Tom’s background in business. Why middle market companies are important to the economy. The 3 purposes of the Mid Market Center: Education, Research, and Outreach. How innovation happens in business and what does the middle market have to do with it. The importance of having this knowledge about your company for investors. The cluster analysis and surveys conducted by the Mid Market Center. The 7 Factors of Growth. The 3 Groups of Leader Types. The 2 factors that are uncontrollable by management. A recent M&A study and the findings. The 9 value points of fitness for a company. Tom’s final thoughts. Takeaway: Take advantage of all the resources GEXP Collaborative and the National Center of the Middle Market have to offer. This data is a playbook for business growth. Pay attention to the 7 growth factors, which type of entrepreneur you are, and look at all 9 of the value points mentioned today. This information is important for a healthy growth strategy. Links and Resources: GEXP Collaborative Tom Stewart on LinkedIn The National Center of the Middle Market About Tom: Thomas A. Stewart is the Executive Director of the National Center for the Middle Market, the leading source for knowledge, leadership, and research on mid-sized companies, based at the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University. Stewart is an influential thought leader on global management issues and ideas: an internationally recognized editor and publisher, an authority on intellectual capital and knowledge management, and a best-selling author. Before joining the National Center for the Middle Market, Stewart served as Chief Marketing and Knowledge Officer for international consulting firm Booz & Company (now called Strategy&), overseeing the firm’s intellectual agenda, major research projects, and strategy + business magazine. Prior to that, he was for six years the Editor and Managing Director of Harvard Business Review, leading it to multiple finalist nominations for a National Magazine Award. He earlier served as the editorial director of Business 2.0 magazine and as a member of the Board of Editors of Fortune magazine. His new book, Woo, Wow, and Win: Service Design, Strategy, and the Art of Customer Delight (co-authored with Patricia O’Connell), was published by Harper Business in November 2016. He is also the author of Intellectual

What's it take to disrupt the commoditized world of shipping and logistics? Brad Hollister talks with NCMM's Thomas A. Stewart to get to the bottom of how SwanLeap has become the fastest growing company in America.

Thomas A. Stewart and Catapult Growth Partners' CEO Doug Johnson talk professional services, what it takes to build a brand and what's important when attracting and retaining customers. Tip: Start with knowing what you're good at. 

Take an off-the-record journey with our most recent guests, Tom Stewart and Patricia O’Connell, to hear about what they would tell their five-year-old selves, interesting characters they’ve met and the worst job he/she/they ever had. Are there other fun questions you’d like us to ask our guests? Email mindsworthmeeting@sternstrategy.com.

In episode two, we continue our conversation with service design experts and co-authors of “Woo, Wow and Win: Service Design, Strategy and the Art of Customer Delight,” Tom Stewart and Patricia O’Connell. This time we go deeper into the service design topic to explore how businesses can leverage social media as part of their service design strategy, and opportunities for service design in government agencies. Tom Stewart and Patricia O’Connell are available for paid speaking engagements including keynote addresses, speeches, panels, conference talks, and advisory/consulting services through the exclusive representation of Stern Speakers, a division of Stern Strategy Group®.

In episode one of this two-part series, service design experts and co-authors of “Woo, Wow and Win: Service Design, Strategy and the Art of Customer Delight,” Tom Stewart and Patricia O’Connell talk to Minds Worth Meeting about the science of service design and the importance of designing your company around service. Tom Stewart and Patricia O’Connell are available for paid speaking engagements including keynote addresses, speeches, panels, conference talks, and advisory/consulting services through the exclusive representation of Stern Speakers, a division of Stern Strategy Group®.

Thomas A. Stewart is the Executive Director of the National Center for the Middle Market, the leading source for knowledge, leadership, and research about mid-sized companies, at The Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business. Tom is an influential thought leader on management issues and ideas and an authority on intellectual capital and knowledge management. Before joining the National Center for the Middle Market, Tom served as Chief Marketing and Knowledge Officer for international consulting firm Booz & Company (now called Strategy&). Prior to that, he was for six years the Editor and Managing Director of Harvard Business Review, and earlier served as a member of the Board of Editors of Fortune magazine. He is the author of two other books, Intellectual Capital: The New Wealth of Organizations and The Wealth of Knowledge: Intellectual Capital and the Twenty-first Century Organization. He has published articles in Harvard Business Review, strategy + business, Fortune, Business 2.0, Financial Times, and elsewhere. Patricia O'Connell is president of Aerten Consulting, a New York City–based firm that works with companies to devise content strategies and develop thought leadership for top management. Her interest in service design expresses a lifelong pursuit of the idea that “there's got to be a better way.” She is the writer, with author Neil Smith, of the New York Times bestseller How Excellent Companies Avoid Dumb Things: Breaking the Eight Hidden Barriers that Plague Even the Best Businesses. Patricia is a twelve-year veteran of BloombergBusinessweek.com, where she served as news editor and subsequently as the management editor. A graduate of Boston College, Patricia has worked with such organizations as the Project Management Institute, the Association of Management Consulting Firms, Strategy&, Boston Consulting Group, Hay Group, Stephens Inc., Savannah College of Art and Design, and T. Rowe Price. Tom and Patricia's new book is Woo, Wow, and Win: Service Design, Strategy, and the Art of Customer Delight. Info at WooWowWin.com

Band-aid strategies for pleasing customers isn’t enough to differentiate your business—it needs to be designed for service from the ground up. In today's interview with Patricia O’Connell we discover the importance of service design in businesses that compete today. Patricia shares her journey of discovery in the field of service design and the inspiration behind Woo, Wow, and Win, a guide to service design, strategy, and the art of customer delight. Patricia currently serves as the President of Aerten Consulting, in New York City.   Key Takeaways: [1:03] As a journalist transitioning from print to web, Patricia found service design thinking a necessity. [4:30] The big idea behind Woo, Wow, and Win. [7:12] The importance of co-creation. [9:40] The 5 Principles of service design. ● The customer is always right, provided they are the right customer for you. ● Don’t surprise and delight your customers, just delight them. ● Heroics should not be required for good service. ● Anywhere you play, you have to play well. ● You’re never done. [28:22] The 10 E’s of Customer Experience. [31:49] Patricia can be found on Woowowwin.com   Mentioned in This Episode: Woo, Wow, and Win: Service Design, Strategy, and the Art of Customer Delight, by Thomas A Stewart and Patricia O'Connell Woo Wow Win @Woowowwin on Twitter Praxent @PraxentSoftware on Twitter

Should we be surprising and delighting our customers? Thomas A. Stewart and Patricia O'Connell, who co-authored a new volume, "Woo, Wow, and Win: Service Design, Strategy, and the Art of Customer Delight," say, "Erm, let's stick with 'delight'..." Listen to the spirited conversation between our service-minded co-authors and Continuum VP Toby Bottorf to learn how service design connects strategy to customers, the critical importance of delivery, and how the customer is—wait for it—*not* always right. Host: Pete Chapin Editor: Kyp Pilalas Producer: Ken Gordon

Woo, Wow, and Win reveals the importance of designing your company around service, and offers clear, practical strategies based on the idea that the design of services is markedly different than manufacturing. Most companies, both digital and brick-and-mortar, B2B or B2C; are not designed for service—to provide an experience that matches a customer’s expectations with every interaction and serves the company’s needs. When customers have more choices than ever before, study after study reveals that it’s the experience that makes the difference. To provide great experiences that keep customers coming back, businesses must design their services with as much care as their products. Tune in for our interview with Tom Stewart, an authority on intellectual capital and knowledge management, and an influential thought leader on global management issues and ideas.   Key Takeaways: [02:04] Service design is the most important management discipline you haven’t heard of. [3:56] Services are experiences, and therefore open to user interpretation. [6:45] It's harder to produce planned outcomes with services. [11:36] Starbucks is a beautiful example of service design, from start to finish. [16:06] The four design archetypes: The Trend-Setter The Classic The Old Shoe The Bargain [19:58] Design your business around customer emotion. [25:33] Critical moments can make or break your customer relationships. [30:06] Providing an omnichannel experience is hard. [32:50] A big city hospital designs the patient experience. [35:16] Growth is the great enemy of strategy. [38:38] How to learn more about Thomas Stewart or Woo, Wow, and Win.   Mentioned in This Episode: Woo, Wow, and Win: Service Design, Strategy, and the Art of Customer Delight, by Thomas A Stewart and Patricia O'Connell Tom Stewart on LinkedIn Tom Stewart on Twitter Praxent @PraxentSoftware on Twitter

Is your business equipped to deliver exceptional customer experiences? Shep Hyken speaks with Thomas A. Stewart and Patricia O’Connell, authors of the new book “Woo, Wow and Win: Service Design, Strategy and the Art of Customer Delight,” who assert that a customer’s experience should be designed just as thoughtfully as your product was designed. A successful customer experience will not happen by accident. O’Connell says that service design, which has its roots in Europe, is a fairly new discipline in the United States. The real crux of service design is for a business to think, reimagine and engineer the customer experience - from start to finish. Stewart states that every part of a service should be designed to create a set of expectations, and then deliver on them in a way that maps to your strategy. For example, Starbucks wants to create a different experience from a deli, Dunkin Donuts or McDonald’s. How you design your experience is part of your strategy. Stewart asserts that some moments matter more than others. These are known as the critical customer interactions, those moments when you either make it or break it with a customer. For instance, the time of an automobile insurance claim is that moment when a customer will decide to either love you or hate you. You’ve got to deliver an “aha” moment. O’Connell describes the Five Principles of Service Design: 1. The customer is always right, provided it is the right customer for you. 2. Don’t surprise and delight customers, just delight them. 3. Great service should not require heroic efforts. 4. Anywhere you play, you need to play well (across all platforms or channels) 5. You’re never done. Stewart discusses the importance of aligning yourself with one of the Nine Archetypical Service Designs, including these three: 1. Bargain – Are you the Walmart of your industry? 2. Trend setter – Are you the Apple of your industry? 3. Safe choice – Are you the CVS or Macy’s of your industry? Which is your archetype? Do not study others in the same archetype in the same industry as yours, as you’ll just be copying them. Instead, study others in the same archetype as you, but in different industries. What can you learn about delivering an extraordinary customer experience from them? Thomas A. Stewart, the executive director of the National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM), shows executives how to design, manage and run organizations that keep pace with innovation and achieve sustainable growth. Before joining NCMM, Stewart served as the chief marketing and knowledge officer for the international consulting firm Booz & Company (now Strategy&). Prior to that, for six years, he was the editor and managing director of Harvard Business Review. Patricia O’Connell, president of Aerten Consulting, works with companies to devise content strategies, and develop thought leadership. For 12 years, O’Connell served as news editor and then as the management editor of BloombergBusinessweek.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part 2 of a 2 part series, PRESIDENT&CEO founder, Paul Stukel speaks with Thomas A Stewart, Executive Director of the National Center for the Middle Market (a collaboration between the Ohio State University Fisher College of Business and GE Capital), about the Center's objectives and the challenges facing middle market executives in today's environment.

In part 1 of a 2 part series, PRESIDENT&CEO founder, Paul Stukel speaks with Thomas A Stewart, Executive Director of the National Center for the Middle Market (a collaboration between the Ohio State University Fisher College of Business and GE Capital), about the Center's objectives and the challenges facing middle market executives in today's environment.