Podcasts about toffler associates

In 2025 we turn our attention towards “Community Engagement and the Grassroots of Change.” Throughout the year we explore the stories, strategies, and successes of community-driven movements making a difference. Case Study: Toffler Associates & Youth Empowerment Services (YES) In this episode we explore the importance and significance of involving younger generations in community engagement and grassroots movement. Engaging youth in community engagement projects is a powerful way to develop leadership, build intergenerational solidarity, and nurture civic responsibility. We offer a case study of two organzations focused on youth—Toffler Associates and Youth Empowerment Services (YES) Toffler Associates is a future-focused strategic advisory firm dedicated to empowering organizations to thrive amid accelerating change. The furure is in the hands of our youth—are they prepared?Core Values: Lifelong learning. Engaging in diverse thought. Speaking truth to power. Commitment to connection. Youth Erichment Service (YES): Empowering. Enriching. Serving.The YES model has been vetted and has thrived for nearly three decades. Student successes and outcomes are a testament to the important work they do to change the lives of young people, families, and communities in Pittdsburgh PA.    

Michael Soileau, Director of LUS Fiber, joins us to discuss his vision for the organization. A native of Mamou, Michael graduated from Mamou High, and then earned a degree in International Business from UT in Austin and an MBA from LSU - Shreveport. He took over the reins at LUS Fiber in May 2024. Before this appointment, Michael had worked exclusively in private enterprise. His past employers include Comcast NBCUniversal, specializing in the broadband and cable television business, as well as Toffler Associates, O3, Viya, Comcast Cable, AT&T Broadband, and Optel. He's a proven business leader in sales, business development, and strategic planning in the telecommunication and fiber-optic industry. Michael's first work experiences in broadband came about through his work with Optel. The company was first acquired by AT&T Broadband, which was then acquired by Comcast Corporation, making it the largest broadband and cable subscription business provider in the U. S. Then, Comcast purchased 49% ownership of NBC, and several years later bought the remaining ownership in the broadcast network. These mergers resulted in Michael moving into the entertainment and distribution side of the business. "I worked with Comcast NBC Universal for twenty years, in every operational role you can imagine....sales, marketing, finance, strategic planning on how to grow the business. With the Time Warner acquisition, affordabiIity came up. We started off offering programs for low-income households, and expanded it to sectors such as seniors, Veterans, students...different sectors of the community that can find broadband expensive. I learned so much." Advocate staff photo by Leslie Westbrook. Michael retired from Comcast and then dedicated his life to studies, earning an MBA from LSU. "I admit to being a lifelong learner. When I retired from Comcast, I went to school to get my Master's degree. I had considered working in academia as I had guest lectured at UT for a while. I earned the degree to gain the needed credibility to lecture on international business. But I was reinvigorated by school to get back into the 'business of the business.'" He then spent a year and a half as CEO of O3, a digital experience consultancy based in Philadelphia. At O3, he focused on digital customer experience, strategy, and innovation, bringing the organization a fresh set of eyes on how to position it to tap into new markets and create innovative solutions. Michael had maintained a residence in Lafayette in order to be close to his parents who still reside in Mamou. One day, his neighbor was visiting and they started talking about the open position at LUS Fiber. Rachel Godeaux, LCG's Chief Administrative Officer, met with him and Michael then met with Lafayette Mayor Monique Boulet, who inspired him with her vision for Lafayette and the role fiber could play in attracting companies and driving economic development. "Her overarching belief in the importance of transparency in government was compelling." He wasn't looking for a position, but couldn't say no. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYsXM71kDIw "I love the business of broadband. I've seen the power of broadband and what it does to change communities across the country, so I was excited about the opportunity to come back." Familiar with the history of LUS Fiber, having watched it from its inception back in 2005 when the citizens of Lafayette voted to make it a reality, he remembers having a conversation with the President of Comcast's cable division, saying at the time, "This is a model that will hurt us because it drives community engagement and loyalty with in the community." He further added during our interview, "Those are the values that we are all a part of by living here in Lafayette." "LUS Fiber has had 17 years of operations. We have the opportunity to rethink our marketing and ask what do we stand for, what is our brand, what is our promise to the community,

Tyler Sweatt shares a series of powerfully concise lessons on business development he's picked up over the years consulting in a wide range of industries. Find out how Tyler and his team solve incredibly complex compliance problems while making the buying process as frictionless as possible, why saying no to some prospects is critical to find the customers, and how planning is the easiest way to set yourself apart from your competition.   Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: When did you realize that business development was great? When Tyler transitioned out of the military, he wasn't sure which direction to take his career. He cut his teeth at Deloitte where he learned the two basic functions of a business: value creation and value protection. You have to figure out which one you need to focus on from a career standpoint. Tyler started thinking about how to build relationships and establish trust since that was the fastest way to grow. Tyler found a few partners within the organization that helped him learn the ropes of value creation, and in the process, he got in touch with Toffler Associates. That was where he learned a new approach to consulting that opened up a huge number of opportunities for him. Those experiences became unique information that Tyler could share simply by being exposed to it. There is no better time than now to invest in yourself and your education. Focusing on your technical expertise, getting exposed to how other businesses work, and growth skills. When you're learning, you should always have the last part be a practical implementation. Test your knowledge and put it into practice. Value creation and growth skills are highly transferable.   Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: What is your personal definition of business development? Simply put, it's all about value creation. The entire spectrum of taking a prospect from completely cold to raving fan is the process of growth. Content creation is part of the effort, similar to an at-scale give-to-get. When someone hits the pipeline, Tyler focuses on qualifying them immediately and moving quickly on closing the deal. For marketing and lead generation, you need to figure out the three most important metrics you need to cover and orient on those. That will make everything else easier. Referrals are a big indicator of both effectiveness and product-market fit. Try to avoid measuring too many metrics at the same time. You need to think about business development from the customer's buying process and how you can remove as much friction from their buying process as possible. Make it as easy to buy from you as possible. Focus on a positive buying experience and make it easy for the customer. Being customer-centered will be extremely valuable in everything you work on.   Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: What is your favorite science, step, or story from the GrowBIG Training or Snowball System? Too many people focus on just having a meeting and following the script they have in their mind. Dynamic Meeting Prep is one of Tyler's favorite strategies that solves that problem. Using the process, you can solidly prepare for a meeting in under 10 minutes which is a great way to bring many of the other Snowball System strategies. Have a goal in mind, but be flexible on how you get there. The value is not in the plan, it's in the planning. You are creating a plan to operate fluidly depending on the situation. You can completely separate yourself from your competition in the way that you approach meetings. Tyler's second favorite strategy is Asking For The Advance. Moving along opportunities ties into the Dynamic Meeting Prep and makes the buying process much easier. You are 34x more likely to get a yes in person than you are over email. This is why it's so important to get the next step or next meeting nailed down during your current meeting. There are four main reasons you might not win. It's usually either not a strategic fit, a technical fit, a timing fit, or not a relational fit. You should try to eliminate those potential obstacles during the qualifying process. Think about who stands to benefit from the purchase, how to make the purchase as easy as possible, or how you can get the prospect to build the solution with you. Seek early victories.   Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: Tell me a business development story that you are really proud of. At Second Front, Tyler is working to solve some ridiculously complicated problems and building something that has never existed before. Tyler has been in several different industries, all of which involve emerging technology and security. In most of those industries, compliance burdens were always an issue and Second Front is working on solving that. They have figured out a solution that solves a pressing national security problem and has opened new doors of opportunity that could be saving lives. The Second Front team is the best team he's been a part of since leaving the military, and he loves the fact that he's proving people wrong. When somebody tells him that something can't be done, that motivates Tyler to go and prove them wrong. It's a lot easier to maintain things than it is to create things. At its core, business development is always new and always different, which is something that Tyler appreciates. Know what your why is, and it's okay if that changes over time. For Tyler, being able to set examples for his sons and have teachable moments is the core of why he does what he does in his season of life.   Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: If you could record a video around business development and send it to your younger self, what would it say? Don't fall in love with titles. Identify character traits that you don't want to emulate. Don't lose sight of the value of saying no. No is the most strategic word in your arsenal. Don't feel obligated to stick around in an organization. You are your own client. Tyler is a fan of being brutally transparent. The easiest way to make sure your message is heard the way you want it to be heard is to make it as simple and plain as possible. You are doing the other person a favor by being honest. No is a decision, yes is a commitment. Saying yes to something you don't want to do only creates negative energy and sabotages the relationship over time. Figure out what you're doing that you don't want to do right now, and start cutting them out so you can focus on the activities that have the highest value to you.     Mentioned in this Episode: GrowBIGPlaybook.com linkedin.com/in/tylersweatt secondfront.com

Tyler Sweatt shares a series of powerfully concise lessons on business development he's picked up over the years consulting in a wide range of industries. Find out how Tyler and his team solve incredibly complex compliance problems while making the buying process as frictionless as possible, why saying no to some prospects is critical to find the customers, and how planning is the easiest way to set yourself apart from your competition.   Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: When did you realize that business development was great? When Tyler transitioned out of the military, he wasn't sure which direction to take his career. He cut his teeth at Deloitte where he learned the two basic functions of a business: value creation and value protection. You have to figure out which one you need to focus on from a career standpoint. Tyler started thinking about how to build relationships and establish trust since that was the fastest way to grow. Tyler found a few partners within the organization that helped him learn the ropes of value creation, and in the process, he got in touch with Toffler Associates. That was where he learned a new approach to consulting that opened up a huge number of opportunities for him. Those experiences became unique information that Tyler could share simply by being exposed to it. There is no better time than now to invest in yourself and your education. Focusing on your technical expertise, getting exposed to how other businesses work, and growth skills. When you're learning, you should always have the last part be a practical implementation. Test your knowledge and put it into practice. Value creation and growth skills are highly transferable.   Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: What is your personal definition of business development? Simply put, it's all about value creation. The entire spectrum of taking a prospect from completely cold to raving fan is the process of growth. Content creation is part of the effort, similar to an at-scale give-to-get. When someone hits the pipeline, Tyler focuses on qualifying them immediately and moving quickly on closing the deal. For marketing and lead generation, you need to figure out the three most important metrics you need to cover and orient on those. That will make everything else easier. Referrals are a big indicator of both effectiveness and product-market fit. Try to avoid measuring too many metrics at the same time. You need to think about business development from the customer's buying process and how you can remove as much friction from their buying process as possible. Make it as easy to buy from you as possible. Focus on a positive buying experience and make it easy for the customer. Being customer-centered will be extremely valuable in everything you work on.   Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: What is your favorite science, step, or story from the GrowBIG Training or Snowball System? Too many people focus on just having a meeting and following the script they have in their mind. Dynamic Meeting Prep is one of Tyler's favorite strategies that solves that problem. Using the process, you can solidly prepare for a meeting in under 10 minutes which is a great way to bring many of the other Snowball System strategies. Have a goal in mind, but be flexible on how you get there. The value is not in the plan, it's in the planning. You are creating a plan to operate fluidly depending on the situation. You can completely separate yourself from your competition in the way that you approach meetings. Tyler's second favorite strategy is Asking For The Advance. Moving along opportunities ties into the Dynamic Meeting Prep and makes the buying process much easier. You are 34x more likely to get a yes in person than you are over email. This is why it's so important to get the next step or next meeting nailed down during your current meeting. There are four main reasons you might not win. It's usually either not a strategic fit, a technical fit, a timing fit, or not a relational fit. You should try to eliminate those potential obstacles during the qualifying process. Think about who stands to benefit from the purchase, how to make the purchase as easy as possible, or how you can get the prospect to build the solution with you. Seek early victories.   Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: Tell me a business development story that you are really proud of. At Second Front, Tyler is working to solve some ridiculously complicated problems and building something that has never existed before. Tyler has been in several different industries, all of which involve emerging technology and security. In most of those industries, compliance burdens were always an issue and Second Front is working on solving that. They have figured out a solution that solves a pressing national security problem and has opened new doors of opportunity that could be saving lives. The Second Front team is the best team he's been a part of since leaving the military, and he loves the fact that he's proving people wrong. When somebody tells him that something can't be done, that motivates Tyler to go and prove them wrong. It's a lot easier to maintain things than it is to create things. At its core, business development is always new and always different, which is something that Tyler appreciates. Know what your why is, and it's okay if that changes over time. For Tyler, being able to set examples for his sons and have teachable moments is the core of why he does what he does in his season of life.   Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: If you could record a video around business development and send it to your younger self, what would it say? Don't fall in love with titles. Identify character traits that you don't want to emulate. Don't lose sight of the value of saying no. No is the most strategic word in your arsenal. Don't feel obligated to stick around in an organization. You are your own client. Tyler is a fan of being brutally transparent. The easiest way to make sure your message is heard the way you want it to be heard is to make it as simple and plain as possible. You are doing the other person a favor by being honest. No is a decision, yes is a commitment. Saying yes to something you don't want to do only creates negative energy and sabotages the relationship over time. Figure out what you're doing that you don't want to do right now, and start cutting them out so you can focus on the activities that have the highest value to you.     Mentioned in this Episode: GrowBIGPlaybook.com linkedin.com/in/tylersweatt secondfront.com

Tyler Sweatt shares a series of powerfully concise lessons on business development he's picked up over the years consulting in a wide range of industries. Find out how Tyler and his team solve incredibly complex compliance problems while making the buying process as frictionless as possible, why saying no to some prospects is critical to find the customers, and how planning is the easiest way to set yourself apart from your competition.   Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: When did you realize that business development was great? When Tyler transitioned out of the military, he wasn't sure which direction to take his career. He cut his teeth at Deloitte where he learned the two basic functions of a business: value creation and value protection. You have to figure out which one you need to focus on from a career standpoint. Tyler started thinking about how to build relationships and establish trust since that was the fastest way to grow. Tyler found a few partners within the organization that helped him learn the ropes of value creation, and in the process, he got in touch with Toffler Associates. That was where he learned a new approach to consulting that opened up a huge number of opportunities for him. Those experiences became unique information that Tyler could share simply by being exposed to it. There is no better time than now to invest in yourself and your education. Focusing on your technical expertise, getting exposed to how other businesses work, and growth skills. When you're learning, you should always have the last part be a practical implementation. Test your knowledge and put it into practice. Value creation and growth skills are highly transferable.   Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: What is your personal definition of business development? Simply put, it's all about value creation. The entire spectrum of taking a prospect from completely cold to raving fan is the process of growth. Content creation is part of the effort, similar to an at-scale give-to-get. When someone hits the pipeline, Tyler focuses on qualifying them immediately and moving quickly on closing the deal. For marketing and lead generation, you need to figure out the three most important metrics you need to cover and orient on those. That will make everything else easier. Referrals are a big indicator of both effectiveness and product-market fit. Try to avoid measuring too many metrics at the same time. You need to think about business development from the customer's buying process and how you can remove as much friction from their buying process as possible. Make it as easy to buy from you as possible. Focus on a positive buying experience and make it easy for the customer. Being customer-centered will be extremely valuable in everything you work on.   Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: What is your favorite science, step, or story from the GrowBIG Training or Snowball System? Too many people focus on just having a meeting and following the script they have in their mind. Dynamic Meeting Prep is one of Tyler's favorite strategies that solves that problem. Using the process, you can solidly prepare for a meeting in under 10 minutes which is a great way to bring many of the other Snowball System strategies. Have a goal in mind, but be flexible on how you get there. The value is not in the plan, it's in the planning. You are creating a plan to operate fluidly depending on the situation. You can completely separate yourself from your competition in the way that you approach meetings. Tyler's second favorite strategy is Asking For The Advance. Moving along opportunities ties into the Dynamic Meeting Prep and makes the buying process much easier. You are 34x more likely to get a yes in person than you are over email. This is why it's so important to get the next step or next meeting nailed down during your current meeting. There are four main reasons you might not win. It's usually either not a strategic fit, a technical fit, a timing fit, or not a relational fit. You should try to eliminate those potential obstacles during the qualifying process. Think about who stands to benefit from the purchase, how to make the purchase as easy as possible, or how you can get the prospect to build the solution with you. Seek early victories.   Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: Tell me a business development story that you are really proud of. At Second Front, Tyler is working to solve some ridiculously complicated problems and building something that has never existed before. Tyler has been in several different industries, all of which involve emerging technology and security. In most of those industries, compliance burdens were always an issue and Second Front is working on solving that. They have figured out a solution that solves a pressing national security problem and has opened new doors of opportunity that could be saving lives. The Second Front team is the best team he's been a part of since leaving the military, and he loves the fact that he's proving people wrong. When somebody tells him that something can't be done, that motivates Tyler to go and prove them wrong. It's a lot easier to maintain things than it is to create things. At its core, business development is always new and always different, which is something that Tyler appreciates. Know what your why is, and it's okay if that changes over time. For Tyler, being able to set examples for his sons and have teachable moments is the core of why he does what he does in his season of life.   Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: If you could record a video around business development and send it to your younger self, what would it say? Don't fall in love with titles. Identify character traits that you don't want to emulate. Don't lose sight of the value of saying no. No is the most strategic word in your arsenal. Don't feel obligated to stick around in an organization. You are your own client. Tyler is a fan of being brutally transparent. The easiest way to make sure your message is heard the way you want it to be heard is to make it as simple and plain as possible. You are doing the other person a favor by being honest. No is a decision, yes is a commitment. Saying yes to something you don't want to do only creates negative energy and sabotages the relationship over time. Figure out what you're doing that you don't want to do right now, and start cutting them out so you can focus on the activities that have the highest value to you.     Mentioned in this Episode: GrowBIGPlaybook.com linkedin.com/in/tylersweatt secondfront.com

Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: When did you realize that business development was great? When Tyler transitioned out of the military, he wasn't sure which direction to take his career. He cut his teeth at Deloitte where he learned the two basic functions of a business: value creation and value protection. You have to figure out which one you need to focus on from a career standpoint. Tyler started thinking about how to build relationships and establish trust since that was the fastest way to grow. Tyler found a few partners within the organization that helped him learn the ropes of value creation, and in the process, he got in touch with Toffler Associates. That was where he learned a new approach to consulting that opened up a huge number of opportunities for him. Those experiences became unique information that Tyler could share simply by being exposed to it. There is no better time than now to invest in yourself and your education. Focusing on your technical expertise, getting exposed to how other businesses work, and growth skills. When you're learning, you should always have the last part be a practical implementation. Test your knowledge and put it into practice. Value creation and growth skills are highly transferable.     Mentioned in this Episode: GrowBIGPlaybook.com linkedin.com/in/tylersweatt secondfront.com

Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: When did you realize that business development was great? When Tyler transitioned out of the military, he wasn't sure which direction to take his career. He cut his teeth at Deloitte where he learned the two basic functions of a business: value creation and value protection. You have to figure out which one you need to focus on from a career standpoint. Tyler started thinking about how to build relationships and establish trust since that was the fastest way to grow. Tyler found a few partners within the organization that helped him learn the ropes of value creation, and in the process, he got in touch with Toffler Associates. That was where he learned a new approach to consulting that opened up a huge number of opportunities for him. Those experiences became unique information that Tyler could share simply by being exposed to it. There is no better time than now to invest in yourself and your education. Focusing on your technical expertise, getting exposed to how other businesses work, and growth skills. When you're learning, you should always have the last part be a practical implementation. Test your knowledge and put it into practice. Value creation and growth skills are highly transferable.     Mentioned in this Episode: GrowBIGPlaybook.com linkedin.com/in/tylersweatt secondfront.com

Mo asks Tyler Sweatt: When did you realize that business development was great? When Tyler transitioned out of the military, he wasn't sure which direction to take his career. He cut his teeth at Deloitte where he learned the two basic functions of a business: value creation and value protection. You have to figure out which one you need to focus on from a career standpoint. Tyler started thinking about how to build relationships and establish trust since that was the fastest way to grow. Tyler found a few partners within the organization that helped him learn the ropes of value creation, and in the process, he got in touch with Toffler Associates. That was where he learned a new approach to consulting that opened up a huge number of opportunities for him. Those experiences became unique information that Tyler could share simply by being exposed to it. There is no better time than now to invest in yourself and your education. Focusing on your technical expertise, getting exposed to how other businesses work, and growth skills. When you're learning, you should always have the last part be a practical implementation. Test your knowledge and put it into practice. Value creation and growth skills are highly transferable.     Mentioned in this Episode: GrowBIGPlaybook.com linkedin.com/in/tylersweatt secondfront.com

Deborah Westphal has guided our era's top minds and leaders to challenge biases, ignite ideas, and build connections and resilience for a secure and sound future. Her career spans more than 30 years, government agencies and Fortune 100 companies, and virtually every continent. In 1999, Alvin Toffler tapped her as one of the founding members of his eponymous consulting firm, Toffler Associates. From 2007 through 2018, she served as the firm's CEO. Through her work, she has guided notable organizations including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Marriott, U.S. Air Force, Baxter International, Bayer, Heinz, Microsoft, Koppers, PPG, DARPA, National Security Agency, Loral Space Systems, NASA, Qwest, Verizon, and Westinghouse. Deborah's empathetic and thought-provoking style helps leaders spot patterns that signify future risks and opportunities. She's a sought-after speaker and writer who provided the Foreword to After Shock. Deborah is a world traveler who enjoys time with her son and running in the mountains. What We Discuss with Deborah Westphal in this Episode The curiosity of a futurist The work of Alvin Toffler Advancing technology and humanity The power of “What if” questions Convergence and the forces converging right now Questioning the assumptions you have Business trends and how to prepare for the future Honeywell and making plastics recyclable From shareholders to stakeholders Are electric cars really clean? The impact of the internet on the environment Practical solutions for leaders How travel shapes our perception and understanding The importance of Antarctica to humanity How the environment impacts your critical supply chain Episode Show Notes: https://tinyurl.com/2c285jfx 

DeborahWestphal.m4a In this episdode I speak with Deborah Westphal, former CEO of Toffler Associates, and author of "Convergence," whose wakeup call was coming from an engineering background and realizing the importance of considering people in planning for the future. https://deborahwestphal.com/  

Preparing for the Next Rogue Wave We're continuing a series of episodes on the topic of the future. It's hard to imagine that we can be effective at leading others if we're not forward-thinking. But after getting slammed by the COVID tsunami and subsequent recurring waves, the future can feel so unsure. So how do we prepare ourselves and our teams for the future despite the challenges of understanding it? To help us with that, we're joined in this episode by Jonathan Brill, author of a new book entitled Rogue Waves: Future-Proof Your Business to Survive and Profit from Radical Change. Jonathan is the former Global Futurist at HP and has led companies that have substantially improved the world in many domains. Not to mention he invented a machine that makes frozen coffee slurpees! Learn more about Jonathan and his book at JonathanBrill.com. Additional Resources In the outtakes of the episode, Jonathan mentions an HBR article that he wrote with Dorie Clark about how to future-prep your career. You can find that article here. My discussion with Brian David Johnson, former Chief Futurist at Intel, can be found in episode 313 My discussion with Deborah Westphal from Toffler Associates can be found in episode 329 My discussion with Michael Solomon about preparing your career for the future can be found in episode 304 My discussion with Cecily Sommers about how to think like a futurist can be found in episode 87 Join our Global LEAD52 Community Ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? LEAD52 is your 5-minute weekly pass to leadership intelligence. You get 52 weeks of learning, delivered right to your inbox, taking less than 5 minutes a week. And it's all for free. Join us at https://GetLEAD52.com. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Strategic and Business Management   Back To The Future by WinnieTheMoog Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6090-back-to-the-future License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license It's Funky by Frank Schröter Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/8061-it-s-funky License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

 Today we are going to discuss the topic drug enforcement from a very interesting technological angle. Brian Drake, is the Director of Artificial Intelligence for the Defense Intelligence Agency's (DIA) Directorate of Science and Technology. Mr. Drake works with the DIA's Future Capabilities and Innovation Office, and he also leads an initiative to test the effectiveness of different applications of artificial intelligence at solving various mission problems, including using AI to combat the opioid crisis with a DIA program known as SABLE SPEAR. Previous to this role Brian was a Senior Intelligence Analyst and Branch Chief in the DIA's Americas and Transregional Threats Center (ATTC) and prior to joining ATTC, Mr. Drake was a Management Analyst with DIA's Chief of Staff. For DIA's intelligence analysis mission, he has worked worldwide targets in narcotics, emerging and disruptive technologies, and weapons of mass destruction. Mr. Drake was stationed in the Pentagon as an Intelligence Briefer in the Executive Support Office, served on the Information Review Task Force, and has led several interagency technical and counterterrorism intelligence teams. Prior to his time in DIA, Mr. Drake was a management consultant at Deloitte and Toffler Associates where he served commercial clients in various industries and government clients at the ODNI, FBI, CIA, NSA, and the US State Department. Apart from his government service, Brian is the President and CEO of the Defense Intelligence Memorial Foundation; a scholarship fund for the children of fallen defense intelligence officers. He is a graduate of Mercer University and earned a Master's degree in Strategic Studies from Georgetown University. 

Coming up on the show today, Deborah L. Westphal from Toffler Associates, reflects on the classic book “Future Shock” by Alvin Toffler in 1970. Accessibility reporter Meagan Gillmore describes how some autistic people are responding to the Toronto van attack trial. The Realwheels Theatre in Vancouver will be hosting a virtual reading tonight of “Gimpy: A New Musical.” Amy Amantea gives us the lowdown in her community report. Coming up in the second hour of the show; Apple is paying millions of dollars in a settlement for "throttling" the speed of older iPhones. Mike Agerbo of The App Show shares all the details. We discuss the latest news in Canadian politics with veteran political correspondent Craig Oliver. This is the November, 2020 episode.

Deborah L. Westphal from Toffler Associates, reflects on the classic book “Future Shock” by Alvin Toffler in 1970. From the November, 2020 episode.

As CEO of Toffler Associates, Maria taps into deep experience with strategy development and execution, customer experience, business performance management, acquisition integration, and organizational transformation. Before joining Toffler Associates, Maria was a managing director at North Highland, overseeing media, entertainment, and communications industry. As the division president, she led the Data Analytics and Sparks Grove groups and directly contributed to the profitability and growth of the businesses. She was the executive advisor to the Managing Services division during its U.S. expansion and led the development of the Washington office. Her prior experience includes management consulting with Arthur Andersen Business Consulting and Ernst & Young, as well as roles at AllConnect and Litton Poly Scientific.Maria earned a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research as well as an MBA from Virginia Tech, and serves as an advisory board member for the ISE department. She holds a certificate of cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu Paris and actively volunteers to cook healthy meals for the homeless and hungry in the Washington area where she resides with her family.Find out more about Maria at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariabothwell/

In this episode, Angie talks with human-centric leader, futurist, and CEO of Toffler Associates, Deborah Westphal. Westphal shares the history and legacy of Toffler Associates and provides insights into their mission to help organizations understand the dynamics of change, plan their way to the future, and adapt. She explains four macro-drivers that are causing uncommon disruption and influencing everything we know about organizations. Westphal also explores very important questions and assumptions about power structures, technology, and societal values and advocates for leaders to focus on people, rather than processes or technology. Help support Human Current by becoming a Patron of the show!

In this episode preview, we share a clip from our interview with Deborah Westphal, a human-centric leader, futurist and the CEO of Toffler Associates. Westphal talks about the importance of reorganizing business for the future so there is less emphasis on processes and technology and more emphasis on people and the values and questions they bring into the workplace. 

***2019 Re-release. Some of the content in this episode may be out of date*** Masseh is a risk strategist for Toffler Associates, a strategic advisory firm based on Arlington, Virginia in the United States. He has a special focus on 'space hacking' and has presented a talk on the subject as well as a blog and infographic. We talked about what it would take to hack a satellite and its implications should it happen in real life, the importance of online security, as well as the future of space travel. --------- Are you an everyday person who has an interesting passion, project, hobby, organisation or anything else going on? Want to share your story with the world? Or are you a musician or singer who wants a song of theirs played at the end of a future episode? Email me at inmelbournelastweek@gmail.com Facebook Twitter Instagram Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode, two female futurists come together to talk about the future of humanity with technology; water infrastructure and the leadership needed to sustain it; empowerment of women and new generations of leaders; and much, much more. Deborah Westphal, CEO of the future-focused strategic advisory firm, Toffler Associates, is an engineer by training and an evolving leader who recognizes the value of people. She believes individuals' hopes, desires and strengths can further organizations, even in exponentially changing technology environments. She and Dr. Connie also explain that our inter-dependencies whether rural and urban, male and female, boomer and millennial are assets to build upon.

Deb Westphal is CEO of Toffler Associates, a dynamic and future-focused strategic consulting and advisory firm that helps organizations build resilience and sustain growth in a complex global landscape. She’s a Futurist and Executive Advisor. In this episode, Audrey, Lee and Deb discuss: ·           The difference between a traditional organization and a “Human-centric” organization·           How a culture that puts people first can counter the future wave of artificial intelligence·           The five shifts managers need to know that control how people work together·           How to hire managers who are early tech adopters and can work well with machines  “The evolution will advance in such a way that we will start to think of these machines and it's really teammates versus technology applications.” – Deb Westphal Join hosts Audrey Strong and C. Lee Smith every week as they dive into the aspects and concepts of good business management. From debunking sales myths to learning how to manage with and without measurements, you'll learn something new with every episode and will be able to implement positive change far beyond sales.   Connect with Deb Westphal:   ·         Twitter:  @westphaldeb·         Website:  https://www.tofflerassociates.com/·         LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-westphal-5b223211/  Connect with the hosts of Manage Smarter: ·         Website: ManageSmarter.com ·         Twitter: @ManageSmartPod ·         LinkedIn: Audrey Strong ·         LinkedIn: C. Lee Smith   Connect with SalesFuel: ·         Website: http://salesfuel.com/ ·         Twitter: @SalesFuel ·         Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salesfuel/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Date: November 29, 2016Time: 7:00 PMGuest: Disuccion on Alvin Toffler Subject: Are you ready to Learn, Un-Learn & Re-Learn?  The Tofflers are known widely for their global bestsellers, including Future Shock, The Third Wave and Powershift, all of which have been translated into dozens of languages.ABOUT TOFFLER ASSOCIATES:As a consulting and advisory firm, Toffler Associates delivers strategic advantage to clients around the globe with an unwavering commitment to be the catalyst for change. Both the public and private sectors rely on Toffler Associates’ Future Proof® business consulting service and unique perspective to architect better futures. Alvin Toffler passed away on June 2016 at the age of 87. He and Heidi had retired from business life. Yet, the vast influence of their curiosity, methodologies, and passion for architecting better futures thrives through the work that Toffler Associates continues to do for organizations across the globe.Join Ronald on November 29 at 7:00 PM to share the perspective on...Are you ready to Learn, Un-Learn & Re-Learn for a changing climate.

Date: November 29, 2016Time: 7:00 PMGuest: Disuccion on Alvin Toffler Subject: Are you ready to Learn, Un-Learn & Re-Learn?  The Tofflers are known widely for their global bestsellers, including Future Shock, The Third Wave and Powershift, all of which have been translated into dozens of languages.ABOUT TOFFLER ASSOCIATES:As a consulting and advisory firm, Toffler Associates delivers strategic advantage to clients around the globe with an unwavering commitment to be the catalyst for change. Both the public and private sectors rely on Toffler Associates’ Future Proof® business consulting service and unique perspective to architect better futures. Alvin Toffler passed away on June 2016 at the age of 87. He and Heidi had retired from business life. Yet, the vast influence of their curiosity, methodologies, and passion for architecting better futures thrives through the work that Toffler Associates continues to do for organizations across the globe.Join Ronald on November 29 at 7:00 PM to share the perspective on...Are you ready to Learn, Un-Learn & Re-Learn for a changing climate.