Podcasts about Vuca

Jamie Wheal, author of Stealing Fire and Recapture the Rapture, and the viral article The Man WILL Burn!, joins Stuart to unpack the cultural anthropology of peak states. They explore how Black Rock City serves as a crucible for thriving in the future. They deep dive into: Hedonic Engineering: Inducing bliss without cravings, healing without the cringe, and communing without it becoming a cult. The Culture of Culture: How movements morph, why BRC's builders are like Navy SEALs, and resetting through radical participation. Practical Optimism: Letting go of 21st Century normal, and keeping your shit together in the shitshow. Watch them un-forget how to make that magic anywhere. wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Wheal jamiewheal.substack.com/p/the-man-will-burn wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Will_Burn LIVE.BURNINGMAN.ORG

What's up everyone, today we have the pleasure of sitting down with Kathleen Schaub, Author, Strategist, and Advisor in Marketing Management and Organizations.We cover:(00:00) - Intro (01:19) - In This Episode (04:45) - Why Marketing Behaves More Like Weather Than a Machine (08:49) - The Four Mindsets Marketing Leaders Need for Complex Markets (14:06) - Why ROI Doesn't Work as a Marketing Measurement (18:19) - What Causal AI Can Actually Tell You About Marketing (28:37) - Why Your Marketing Budget Works Like an Investment Portfolio (34:21) - What Marketers Should Actually Be Held Accountable For (38:49) - The Surrogation Trap Behind Single Marketing Metrics (44:09) - Why Marketing Managers Should Create Conditions Instead of Commands (50:00) - How Pace Layering Makes a Marketing Budget Adaptable (57:16) - How Intention Decides What Deserves Your Energy Summary: Marketing has spent a century pretending it's a machine you can feed cash and read like a receipt, and Kathleen Schaub is here to take that apart. She makes the case that markets behave more like weather than vending machines, walks through her 4 mindset shifts for leading in the chaos, and explains why a single north-star metric quietly wrecks your decisions. Along the way there's a butterfly in Brazil, a cucumber garden in Canada, a poker champion, and a COO who begged for the book on a cruise. If you've ever had to defend marketing ROI in a boardroom and felt the ground move under you, this conversation names what's really going on.About Kathleen SchaubKathleen Schaub is an author, strategist, and advisor focused on marketing management and organizations, working through KathleenSchaub.com. She spent 9 years leading IDC's CMO Advisory practice, where she advised hundreds of technology marketing leaders, and she's a longtime contributor to leading martech publications including CMSWire. Her work argues that markets are complex adaptive systems rather than predictable machines, and her book lays out 4 mindset shifts, investor, navigator, statistician, and ecologist, for leading marketing in a volatile world. These days she splits her time between writing, advising, passion projects, and being a grandmother of 2.Why Marketing Behaves More Like Weather Than a MachineEvery marketing leader has sat across from a finance executive who wants one thing. Put a dollar in, know what comes out. Budgets get built on that promise. Forecasts get defended on it. And every year, the results wander off somewhere the model never predicted.Kathleen has spent more than a decade explaining why that keeps happening. Her line is that marketing is not a vending machine. A vending machine is controllable and predictable. You put your money in, you press the button, you get the exact thing you chose. Executives, she says, would give almost anything for marketing to work that cleanly. Marketing never has.The weather comparison is a humbling one. We carry supercomputers in our pockets, we have decades of atmospheric data, and we still can't say for sure whether it'll rain tomorrow. Marketing runs on something messier than the atmosphere, which is people. Buyers, brands, influencers, partners, and the economy, all reacting to each other at once. Kathleen calls the result a complex system, the kind scientists study, where every interaction feeds back into the next and quietly introduces unknowns into every situation.That's the part most measurement frameworks skip over. Marketers, salespeople, and customer experience teams all work at the edge of the company, the seam where the controllable inside meets the uncontrollable outside. Their whole job is to manage, predict, and measure a world that refuses to hold still. No amount of dashboard polish changes the fact that half the inputs live outside the building.Kathleen keeps the parts of the old factory toolkit that still earn their place. The shift she wants is smaller and harder to swallow. Accept that markets are what the military calls VUCA, volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous, then adopt measurement practices built for that reality instead of pretending the reality is something tamer. The methods already exist. Other fields use them every day. Marketing just hasn't bothered to translate them yet.The uncomfortable implication is that a lot of the dashboards marketing teams present with total confidence are measuring a machine that was never really there. The teams that win the next decade will be the ones who stop apologizing for uncertainty and start building for it.Key takeaway: Audit your current reporting for any number you present as a guarantee. Rewrite each one as a range or a probability, and rehearse saying "here's what's likely and here's what could move it" before your next budget review. Present every forecast as a weather report, a set of ranges you can actually defend.The 4 Mindsets Marketing Leaders Need for Complex MarketsYou can buy a new attribution platform, restructure the team, bolt on a dozen dashboards, and still land exactly where you started. Kathleen thinks she knows why. You changed your operations without changing the thing that steers them, which is your mindset. She treats mindset as the director of every action a team takes. Leave it untouched, and every operational upgrade delivers roughly the same results you've always had.Her favorite way to explain this comes from Buddhism. Your mind is the ox, and the cart is everything the ox drags behind it, every outcome your marketing produces.The leverage is quieter than it looks. Change your mindset and the dozens of small decisions you make every day start bending, even slightly, and over enough decisions you end up miles from where the old direction would have taken you. That's why the mindset has to move first. The 4 she recommends all come from worlds that are genuinely volatile and complex, but they're worlds anyone can picture, and each one maps onto something marketing leaders already wrestle with.Investor: stop treating the budget like a cost center you spend down, and start treating it like a portfolio you risk for a better future return., Navigator: change the relationship between your plan and your measurement, adapting like a pilot or a sailor who reads the conditions in front of them instead of clinging to the route., Statistician: give up the hunt for certainty and accept that everything in the human and natural world runs on probability. Kathleen calls this the hardest of the 4 because our brains hate it., Ecologist: manage the conditions people work in, because behavior arises from the intersection of an individual and the context around them, so managing the person by themselves only covers half of it.Read them together and a pattern shows up. Every one asks you to trade the illusion of control for the ability to adapt. That trade is where most transformation efforts quietly die, because swapping tools is easy and swapping beliefs is not.Key takeaway: Before you approve the next platform or reorg, write down the belief driving it in one sentence. If that belief still assumes marketing is predictable and controllable, fix the belief before you spend the money. Pick one of the 4 mindsets and name the single daily decision it would change for you this quarter.Why ROI Doesn't Work as a Marketing MeasurementAsk a room of marketers what keeps them up at night and ROI lands near the top every time. It's the question waiting in every board meeting. What drove revenue last month, and how much will this next bet add? Kathleen has been chasing that question longer than most. Running IDC's CMO advisory practice for 9 years, she kept asking leaders whether they were actually getting ...

Legacy Living with Dr. Gloria Burgess.Everyone has the capacity to lead. In today's podcast, Dr. Gloria shares how to elevate your leadership through creativity and artistry. You'll want to listen to this podcast again and again!https://www.talknetworkradio.com/hosts/legacylivinghttps://www.talknetworkradio.com/hosts/legacyliving

https://youtu.be/KUPg9BuYSaM David B. Jones, CEO and Partner of Mercer Assessments, is helping organizations attract the right A-Players by making labor markets more efficient through defensible human capital insights. By combining psychometric science, workforce analytics, and AI-enabled technology, David helps employers identify, develop, and retain the right talent while empowering people to discover careers where they can thrive and make meaningful contributions.  In this conversation, David introduces The R.E.A.P.E.R. Framework—Review the Situation, Explore Alternatives, Agree a Course of Action, Execute the Plan, and Refine the Approach. He explains why organizations should begin every challenge with a thorough situation review, how collaborative decision-making creates alignment before execution, and why continuous refinement drives long-term organizational success. David also discusses how AI is reshaping talent management, why organizations need real-time workforce insights instead of static reports, and how Mercer Assessments leverages technology while preserving the integrity and defensibility of human capital assessments. — Attract the Right A-Players with David B. Jones  Good day. Steve Preda here with the Management Blueprint Podcast. Today, my guest is David Jones, the CEO and partner of Mercer Assessments, focused on providing defensible human capital insights and foresight in the fields of talent acquisition, leadership development, and organizational productivity. David, welcome to the show.  Thank you, Steve. Great to be here.  Well, I’m excited to have you here, especially because you are the first guest—maybe not completely from the Middle East because we had a couple of guests from Israel—but definitely from Dubai, where you are. Maybe that is also impacting the answer that you’re going to give to my question. So here is my first question. What’s your personal ‘Why’, and how are you manifesting it in your business, Mercer Assessments?  Yeah. Well, I mean, I think obviously a lot of skills around resilience and being able to think about how you maintain your own personal well-being, but also the well-being of the workforce, is something which has come to the fore in the last couple of weeks, for sure, living in Dubai. But I think very much of my North Star—by educational background, I’m a labor market economist. Although I’ve worked in HR and talent management for pretty much all of my career, I think I’m always thinking about how to make markets more efficient.  I think the labor market, in some ways, and what it takes to become efficient, is very similar to a fish market, a stock market, or any other market that you can think of. What you need to be able to make the best decisions is really good data, really good up-to-date information, both on the supply side and on the demand side.Share on X I think a lot of what we do at Mercer Assessments, and a lot of what we do in talent management more generally, is really about trying to do that. Trying to help individuals understand what their strengths are.  Trying to match them to specific careers that will be more fulfilling for them in the long term and also help them be more productive for their employers. As well as helping employers understand what the important skills are for today and tomorrow, and how they can predict how people will perform in certain environments. So really trying to bring the supply side and demand side together. I think, notoriously, labor markets have very bad information.  Typically, most people get their career guidance from their parents or their grandparents, which can be great for aspiration but doesn’t always necessarily keep them up-to-date in terms of what’s happening in today’s workplace. So I think this is really my anchor, if you like, where a lot of what we do in our innovation, our technology, or our engagements with clients typically comes back to this point. Fundamentally, how do we make labor markets more efficient and more functional for all of the stakeholders?  Yeah, that’s fascinating. So would you say that if you are doing this well, then more people will feel fulfilled in the roles that they work in?  I mean, I think that’s definitely the aspiration, right? That’s definitely what you would hope to do. I think, as individuals, I’m sure we can all think of those really, really great days where you think that you nailed it at work, and you think that this is something where you can make a really specific contribution. It just feels good, and all those people around you have the benefit of that. It becomes something which is infectious for those around you.  I think it’s important for the economy on a macro level, right? I think if we are able to provide opportunities, provide career paths, and help people understand what their unique strengths are, then this is something which helps to promote productivity and positivity more generally, right? At the individual, team, family, and societal level, it affects all sorts of dimensions.  So maybe this is kind of a side question, but I’m really wondering, is this AI revolution, as we’re going through it, influencing your work, and is it changing the requirements of employers?  Yeah. I think we’re in a very interesting time. I mean, I’m not a futurologist. I’m not a prophet. I’m not somebody who makes these sorts of big predictions about the future. But I think the case for AI, to some extent, is still unproven in terms of what it’s actually delivered to date. I mean, I think there’s obviously a lot of investment. There’s a big impact on the environment. But I don’t think we’ve had something really groundbreaking discovered by AI at this point that’s new.  It seems to be quite backward-looking in many ways, based on ingesting data from all the novels that you have on your shelf and that I have on my shelf. Maybe they’re going to ingest this podcast in the future. I don’t know. It doesn’t seem that there’s been a unique breakthrough that humanity has not been able to, or would not be able to, achieve by itself. And yet, I think the promise and the anticipation of what AI can do is quite compelling, right?  I think the way that it is impacting the labor market especially… Ironically, it’s impacting probably software developers the most today. It’s interesting that a lot of people in white-collar fields, professionals maybe, are also feeling like it’s changing the way they’re working. So there’s a big debate, I think, about whether it’s going to be an augmentation or whether it’s going to be a replacement of some sorts of tasks. I think one thing you can say with certainty is that the concept of a job is definitely going to change. If you look at the roots of the word—the etymological roots of the word “job” in the English language—it literally means “a task” rather than a role as such. Yeah. So I think we’re going to get this greater atomization of people’s roles. What used to be bundled together as one job is now going to be much more atomized into specific skills, specific tasks.  The opportunity there is that we all get to do more of the things that we find more fulfilling and less of the repetitive, dangerous, or dull types of things that we have to do in our jobs sometimes.Share on X But I think it has some second-order impacts in terms of how people develop their careers and the competence and confidence that people, particularly when they’re junior in their jobs, need time to build—the ability to operate at a higher level. So I think we’re all going to have to be leaders in lots of ways, even leaders in our own work.  Yeah, I agree with you. That’s fascinating. So, David, let’s talk about the framework. What would be a framework? Think of something that allows you to be more effective in your job—something maybe that you personally discovered or that you and your colleagues developed. Something that helps you be more effective in creating those labor market matches, finding the right candidates, and assessing them. Something that you can describe in three, four, or five steps, or maybe three or four ways of looking at things. Anything that comes to mind?  So there are a few things. I did miss a few things because I think—I don’t know if you’ve heard the news. We’re recording this, and I think the British prime minister has just resigned today. This is, I think, our seventh prime minister in 10 years. I’m sure each one of those prime ministers had their own framework in terms of what they wanted from their political leadership and how they were going to operate in government.  So I think we’re definitely operating in a much more VUCA world, right? This mnemonic is about being volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. I think, to some extent, that means that having a framework has to be something that is constantly being amended, reviewed, and updated in many ways. A lot of what we do in assessment—we have very clear statistical frameworks where we look at particular behaviors or particular characteristics, and we try to make sure we measure them. But I thought maybe that was too detailed and too comprehensive.  So one of the things we do when engaging with our clients is that we have a sort of consulting approach. It’s like a cycle. We start by reviewing the situation, so it’s like a situation appraisal, if you like. We use this internally as well in Mercer Assessments. So we try to understand what’s happening, what’s going well, and what we’re concerned about—just trying to get any data or information that we can.  Then it's important, particularly with a team or with a client, to explore what the priorities are, what's important, and what is causing them the most thought or requiring the most energy to address.Share on X So reviewing, exploring, and then agreeing on a course of action. Making sure that there’s consensus or, if you’re in an organization, making sure you’ve got the budget and the endorsement from headquarters or senior management. Then I think you can go into a planning stage. Making sure you’ve got a focus on execution and that you know what has to happen and when.  Then I think you can go into the ability to have that as a cycle and review or evaluate the plan itself. Is it on track? Is it on time? Is it on budget? Is it achieving its objectives? You can continue on this sort of reflexive cycle. So if you were to do that, it becomes quite sinister. The mnemonic becomes R.E.A.P.E.R., like the Grim Reaper or like “reap what you sow,” because you review, explore, agree, plan, execute, and then review again.Share on X So it can become, hopefully, a virtuous cycle, but it can also become an ongoing process.  I love it. So Yeah. So if you refine, maybe the last one is refined, and then you avoid repeat— Yes. Yeah.  Yeah. Oh, great.  That’s good. Yeah, I like it. Yeah, love it. So basically, what you’re looking for is helping your customers with an initial problem and then helping them generally improve their organization by continuing to refine and add to it, making it better over time.  Yes, correct. Yeah.  So it turns into a recurring engagement.  Yes, that’s the hope. Well, yeah. I mean, hopefully, if you have that relationship with the client and also with your team, you have this ability to recognize what you’ve achieved together, but you can also plan what you want to do differently next time.  So you’re the CEO of Mercer Assessments, which is the Dubai operation. Is this just a geographic branch of the Mercer Group, or is it a separate business that operates in multiple geographies?  Yeah. So actually, it’s a new venture for Mercer globally. My background is that I was one of the founders of a company called The Talent Enterprise, which was acquired by Mercer just over two years ago. It had also made an acquisition of another company before that called Mettl. So we were more of a talent assessment type of company.  We would do talent acquisition, talent development, leadership development, things like high-potential identification, succession planning, and these types of applications. Employee engagement as well, things like employee well-being assessments and stuff like this. The psychometric assessment field. So if you or your listeners are good at Greek, you would know that “psychometric” means “measurement of the mind.”  Yeah, right. So this is really what we’re trying to do. We’re accredited by the British Psychological Society to say that the tools we have, use, or develop have validity, reliability, and are statistically stable within the sorts of bounds that you would expect when measuring human beings.  It can never be perfect, but it’s considered to be predictive. Mettl was more focused on skills assessment. That was one of their big areas of focus, along with educational assessment. So coming together as Mercer Assessments, we’re now part of this big global organization. Although we’re based in the Middle East, we’re now working in Asia, Europe, North America—we’re just starting to do more work in North America—and Australasia. So this is the sort of big, hairy, audacious plan that we have.  That must be pretty intense if you’re working around the clock, essentially working around the globe. Then Mercer is… It can be.  Yeah, it can be. Even working in the Middle East, you have different working weeks. Some of our clients work on Sundays. But we have a good team. We have a big team. We have great technology. So we have scalable ways of doing it.  So what drives growth in this business?  I think it is changing. If you were to ask me that question even two years ago, I would say it’s to do with the change, the transformation, or the aspiration of the client, of the organization. If they’ve got a new operation, or they’re expanding, or they need to develop new skills, or they need to make sure their productivity and positivity are enabling them to keep up with their competitors, then these things would often trigger the sorts of interventions that we help our clients with.  That’s still true to a large extent, but what's changing a lot is what you were talking about earlier—to do with AI and expectations from technology. So I think what we're doing a lot more of now is real-time decision support.Share on X It used to be that our deliverables would look like a PDF report. They would say, “Okay, this is Steve. We’ve assessed Steve. These are Steve’s strengths. These are his areas for development. This is the sort of team or the certain type of colleague that he would thrive working with.  These are the people or the situations that he might struggle with.” That type of static report. Then either we or the client—sometimes if you’re looking at large numbers of people—you’d have to do a lot of spreadsheet work or a lot of PowerPoint work and say, “Okay, now we need to match that with your strategic objectives.” So I think what’s happening now is we’re focusing a lot more on the data.  Our technology is providing much more of a dashboard report, so Steve can access his results straight away because that’s actually when Steve is most interested in them and they’re most relevant—not two weeks later when you schedule a coach or someone to give him feedback. You’re interested as soon as you finish the last question. You want to know, “Okay, what does this say about me?” We can add lots of AI layers to that to help you implement it or understand it. Then for the organization, we now provide much more of a dynamic dashboard-type report.  So if, I don’t know, the CFO leaves this afternoon and the CEO calls the CHRO and says, “Okay, who are the internal candidates for this role?” You can come up with an answer. It doesn’t have to be something where you say, “Let me check my filing cabinet,” or, “Let me put a PowerPoint together for you and get back to you later this week or next week.” You can actually do that type of matching within the platform that we have. We have our own platform called Lighthouse, and it really helps you match individuals or teams to certain tasks or to certain ventures or aspirations that the organization might have.Share on X  Yeah. So instead of providing individual reports for individuals, you now operate this platform for your clients, and then they can look up the people involved in changes. So how is it different to scale the business with this type of approach? What makes it more complex?  Yeah. So on the one hand, it can help us a lot as our own organization because we can be much more pervasive 24 hours a day across the different time zones that we operate in. If you’re our client, you don’t always have to rely on having a meeting or a call with us in person. You can go and find that answer yourself. It’s quite an intuitive process and platform. You can access it and get value from your own data. I think that’s the key thing that I’m trying to emphasize that’s changed.  Clients are now impatient with SaaS platforms in particular when they’re not able to access their own data directly. So there’s a little bit of disintermediation going on in the enterprise software business as a whole. That’s the key trend that I’m trying to highlight here. But it also helps us to be more scalable. Just to take a step back to the previous discussion about AI, I think when it comes to using AI in your business, the key strategic choice is what you’re not going to use AI for.  For us, we made the choice actually three or four years ago that we’re not going to use AI in the assessments themselves. Not today. Maybe in five years’ time or ten years’ time we might change our mind, and we’re constantly reviewing that. But we need these defensible assessments. We need to be able to say, “This is fair and objective, and we’re coming with an external point of view that is transparent and defensible in every sense of that word.”  Yeah. You don’t want to hallucinate assessments for clients or even run the risk of that happening, right?  Yeah, absolutely. And there are some companies that have done that, right? I mean, there are lots of cases you can find where companies have said, “Hey, we just need a five-minute video, and I can tell you everything you need to know about this person, and you can make decisions about their career and all sorts of stuff,” right? I’m not saying we won’t get there in the future, but I just don’t think that’s good enough at the moment.  And I think with a lot of things that you do with chatbots now, if you’re judicious about it, you might be able to say, “Well, actually, that’s interesting, but it’s not good enough,” right? It’s not a finished product. It’s not something that I can execute on. What we can do is add a lot of value around the assessment. So we can do things like AI-based development planning, right?  When someone wants to see their results—and people normally want to see their results almost immediately after they’ve finished their assessments—you can start to say, in the flow of work, in the client’s environment, whatever their learning partners or learning architecture may be, “Okay, here’s a development plan for you,” customized and curated within that environment for your strengths, how to emphasize them, and also for any development areas or new learnings that you want to address.  We can also do things like AI-based proctoring, right? We can give the client a risk report on an application and say, you know, how genuine is this? What other software does Steve have open on his laptop? Is there a shadow in the room? Where are his eyes going? Is he looking at someone else? Is he getting help from someone else? Is this really Steve? All these sorts of things, right? We can do that. We can also develop customized case studies for the organization around its specific tasks and challenges that the organization has.  So you can come up with very specific, job-related assessments. AI can add a lot of value to all of these things. It can provide greater scale and a greater ability to sustain our growth. But with the core of what we do today, we’re saying, “Look, you need to be able to trust us.” And we want to be able to show you the answer. If you have a question about any of our assessments, we can check. There’s an audit trail, and we can show you the answer. It’s not just, “The computer came up with this idea. We don’t know.” But that’s intellectual property, and you know that it works, and you’re sticking with it. You don’t allow AI to bastardize it, basically, yeah, which makes sort of sense. So, David, what is one thing that you’re actively trying to figure out in your business right now? That’s a great question. I mean, there’s lots of things. I think a lot of them come around, you know, what is this threshold between what we do as humans and what we use AI or other technology to help us do? And I think that threshold is constantly being reviewed. A lot of it is to do with how do you make growth sustainable. We have had massive growth in the last five or six years, and that’s a great thing.  But I think it means you have to make sure the foundations of your organization are strong so that you can move from one to another. I mentioned earlier that we’re just starting to focus on North America as one of our new markets, and I was very keen that we didn’t do that until this point or even next year because we’re not the organizational equivalent of The Beatles, right? Like, we can’t just expect to turn up in a big, sophisticated, very strong, highly cultured market and be able to expect that we’re going to do things like we’ve done them everywhere else, or that we don’t need to think about how we communicate with those prospects and those clients.  So that’s a really big step for us. And how we manage data, I think, is probably the key thing. Fundamentally, if I was to come back to answer your question, I think it’s how we manage data because I think clients are becoming much more sophisticated, much more impatient with people who curate their data. They say, “Look, you know, we know we’re generating lots of data inside the organization,” right? Which is typically what we do, right? It’s people data.  Normally in most work environments, you can tell when somebody opens their laptop, or you can tell when they walk in the office door, or you can tell sometimes even what they’re doing inside the working space, right? Their ID has got an RFID in it or something like that. So there’s lots of data that’s constantly being generated inside the organization, and clients want to get value from that data. And having a sort of third-party proxy come in and say, “Hey, we can do your payroll for you,” or “We can send a questionnaire to people once a year, and that can let you know whether they understand health and safety or they’re engaged in their workplace,” it’s not really satisfactory anymore, right?  The clients are saying, “Okay. I want to be able to get value from my data, and I want to be able to see that. I want the analytics. I want to ask questions that are not able to be prescribed at the beginning.” “And I want to be able to do these queries in real time.”  So essentially, would that require you to get integrated with your clients to some degree so that you can process the data in real time as it emerges? It’s really interesting because I think what I’m hearing from my clients is they’re actually frustrated with that. In the sort of classic SaaS world, which we’ve had in organizations now for 20, 30, maybe even 40 years, you integrate the big internal ERP systems or CRM systems, and you integrate them, and then you have to sort of work within their framework, right? And you might see a report that’s already pre-programmed, but you don’t necessarily see the data, right? If you wanted to say, “Okay, what’s the trend today over the 24-hour clock?” or “How is it changing in June compared to May?” or “How does it relate to the temperature?” or whatever, right?  You can come up with all these questions that you might not be able to predict and then plan and have a sort of pull-down standard report. So to do that, you need access to the data. And I think clients are saying, “This is our data.” This data belongs to us. We want to be able to see that directly, and we want to be able to use that as a decision-support tool, and not necessarily just have a report.”  Yeah. So they’d rather own the data and apply your tools to their data without you necessarily having access to the data or something like that?  Yeah. It’s also a source of differentiation for them, right? Because they know that if… I’m not going to mention these companies. I’m sure you and all your viewers know the big brands. It’s interesting what’s happening with their share prices recently, right? They’re all maybe suffering a little bit from a decline in their share prices, on average. It’s basically a standardized way of doing things, right?  There’s pretty much the same way that any corporation in any part of the world is going to do it because that’s the way you get efficiency through that software. But if an organization says, “Actually, we’ve got an insight into something that we think is unique and differentiated, and we want to make decisions in a slightly different way, or make them faster,” that’s a point of competitive advantage.  Does that mean they wouldn’t want you to apply their idea to other customers because it’s their unique property? They’d just want your tools to help them process their data. They don’t want to share it with you.  Yeah. There are clients like that. We do deal with very sensitive industries, and sometimes government departments, where we have to be able to certify that type of approach. I think that’s likely to become more common in the future as people become more sensitive and more aware of the value, the opportunity, and the threat of what can happen with their data.  Yeah. I mean, some people say that information is now ubiquitous. It’s the questions that are really important because that’s how you communicate with AI. Maybe the question itself can be proprietary know-how—knowing how to ask the right kind of question. They don’t want…  No. I mean… Yeah, I agree. Completely. Yeah. You’re absolutely right. Again, to go back to assessments, we’ve recently released a whole bunch of assessments that measure skills in AI as a domain. We’ve got all sorts of technical and non-technical AI assessments. Obviously, one of the skills that we look at is prompt engineering. If you’ve used some of the generative AI platforms, you’ll always get an answer.  They’re pre-programmed to give you an answer, and most of them are also pretty polite. They fluff up your ego a little bit and say, “Hey, great question.” “That was really interesting.” Then they’ll give you an answer. You need to be aware of that. You need to probe and make sure you’ve not just got an answer—you’ve got the answer. Or at least the best answer that makes sense for you. Then you’ve quality-checked it.  You’ve taken it from one platform, put it into another platform, and then into a third platform. Whatever you’ve done, you need to have that awareness and those specific skills to get the most value out of it. It’s very dangerous, and I think we can all see it. I’m sure your inbox is like my inbox. You get emails from people and think, “Okay, well, that’s not an email from a person.” It’s a bulleted email. It’s not personal. It’s not directed at you. Sometimes it’s hard to understand what it even means.  Yeah. You’re right. So David, who is the ideal customer for you that can most benefit from your solution?  That’s a good question. Personally and professionally, I like clients who challenge us. I like clients who ask questions that make us think in a different way, so we can hopefully give them value and really answer those questions. I think that’s important for us to develop. Clients who are looking for new insights or different foresights that help them in their business—those are the kinds of clients we’re looking for. Definitely the ones who are pushing the envelope and helping take us forward in terms of quality.  So if those types of people are listening to this show and would like to learn more about what you do and how you might be able to help them, where should they go? Where can they find out more?  Yeah, absolutely. You can find me on LinkedIn. I’m David B. Jones on LinkedIn. There are a lot of David Joneses. I think David Jones is the most common name for a British man—even more common than John Smith—so there are a lot of us around. But you’ll be able to find me as David B. Jones. You can also find Mercer Assessments. You can find out more about us through those channels. I’ll be happy to answer any questions or provide more information.  Is there a website people should check out? Do you have a separate website for Mercer Assessments?  We do. Mercer Assessments is part of the mercer.com website. That’s where you’ll find more information. There are also a number of books we’ve published on particular subjects to do with assessment, talent, and leadership development more generally. Those are all available on Amazon as well.  Okay. So if you’re out there and you’re looking to have a more sophisticated view of your people and their aspirations and how they fit the type of work that you want them to do, and you’d like to understand more deeply, then check out Mercer Assessments, David B. Jones. Actually, it’s easy to just put in “David Jones Mercer,” and David will pop up that way.  Check out the books that David and his colleagues have published. And if you enjoyed this conversation, then make sure you follow us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts. And David, thanks for coming to the show and sharing your experience and insights. I mean, it seems to me that you have a much more nuanced approach than most talent assessment or performance assessment organizations, and you have a lot more tools at your disposal. It’s a combination of technology and professional expertise. So that’s fascinating. Thanks for coming on the show. And if you enjoyed this conversation, make sure you follow us because we come out every week with exciting entrepreneurs like David. I will. I will. Thank you, Steve. Important Links: Davidi's LinkedIn David's  website

What does the research actually say about why people trust their leaders, and why do so many well-intentioned leaders still get it wrong? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson welcome Dr. Ben Granger, chief workplace psychologist at Qualtrics, organizational psychology doctorate from the University of South Florida, and author of A Leader Worth Following, for one of the most research-backed and practically useful conversations the Lounge has ever had.Dr. Ben opens with a breakdown of VUCA, the framework originally developed by the Army War College to describe volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environments, and makes the case that we are not just in a VUCA moment but a perennial VUCA reality that is only accelerating. His advice for leaders navigating it is both counterintuitive and immediately actionable: give people more grace, and communicate more, not less, especially when you do not have all the answers yet.The conversation goes deep on trust, one of the most talked about and least understood concepts in leadership. Dr. Ben shares data from 80,000 leadership assessments showing that the number one driver of trust is simply the quality of the personal relationship between a leader and their people. He also breaks down the three lenses employees use to evaluate whether they trust their leaders, competence, integrity, and benevolence, and reveals that only about half of global employees believe their leaders make decisions for the benefit of the group rather than themselves. That third lens, he argues, is where most leaders quietly lose their people without ever knowing it.Jon and Coach draw out some of the sharpest moments of the episode when Dr. Ben shares the story of an executive who got up in front of his company right after a major layoff and delivered an overly optimistic message that completely missed where his people were emotionally. Dr. Ben walks through exactly how that 15 minute misstep eroded trust on a massive scale, what it took to rebuild it, and why the Stockdale Paradox is one of the most important leadership frameworks any leader can internalize.The episode also covers the science of effective one-on-one meetings, why the agenda should belong to the employee rather than the manager, and what Dr. Ben did early in his career that quietly sent the wrong signal to his whole team every time he showed up late or cancelled. He closes with sharp advice on hiring for diversity of thought, building teams where task conflict is welcomed, and the critical distinction between interpersonal conflict that destroys performance and productive disagreement that drives better decisions.Whether you are just stepping into leadership or looking to understand why your team is not as all in as you need them to be, this episode will give you both the research and the practical tools to close that gap.Grab A Leader Worth Following wherever books are sold or on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Leader-Worth-Following-Benjamin-Granger/dp/1394402562Connect With Dr. Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-granger-7147991b/

There is “Big A” Agility, the frameworks like Scrum, Kanban, and SAFe, and there is “little a” agility, the plain human ability to change direction when the world shifts under your feet. Kate Megaw and Ryan Smith make the case that the second one matters most, and that it belongs in every company's core values, not just its delivery teams. Recorded ahead of Agile 2026 in Washington DC, whose theme is “Shaping the Future with Agility”, the conversation moves from VUCA to Bill George's VUCA 2.0, which answers volatility with vision, uncertainty with understanding, complexity with courage, and ambiguity with adaptability, to the most expensive words in business: “we have always done it this way”. Kate and Ryan dig into experimentation and the experiment log, why psychological safety is the ground everything grows from, the shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, and why the five year plan and the pretty Gantt chart no longer survive contact with reality. The takeaway is simple. Shaping the future with agility is not about predicting what comes next. It is about building leaders, teams, and organizations that can thrive no matter what does.

A full schedule used to hide a lot. In 2026, it doesn't.The team is working hard. The schedule is packed. The owner is exhausted.But under the surface, the yeses are softer, the referrals are thinner, the recare is leakier, and everyone can feel the pressure rising.In Day 28 of The Flow Protocol series, Dr. Dave breaks down why the VUCA is exposing human underperformance inside dental practices.In this episode:Why a full schedule can make a weak performance system look healthyHow team tension turns into soft case acceptance, weak referrals, and missed recareWhy your best clinical day wasn't luckHow flow triggers turn accidental performance into something your team can repeat under pressureListen to Day 28 and find out whether your practice is built for the future or making peace with human underperformance.━━━━━━━━━Busy isn't the same as Irreplaceable. One fills your schedule. The other protects your time, your income, and the team that has your back.Ten questions. Four minutes. See where your practice is strong, where it is exposed, and what to build next so you can work less, earn more, and be ready for what is coming.Take the Commoditization Threat Assessment: assessment.irreplaceablepractice.com

Communication used to be filed away as a soft skill.  Kate Megaw and Ryan Smith make the case that it has become central to everything we do.  In a VUCA environment that is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous, communication is the anchor that keeps teams steady, and a recent Wiley survey found that 64 percent of people call it the single most important leadership skill.Kate and Ryan dig into why communicating well is harder than ever across hybrid, remote, and distributed teams.  They unpack the Mehrabian 7-38-55 rule and why a quick Slack can cost you most of your message, the rule of seven and how to repeat yourself without becoming noise, and the over-communication trap that trains people to tune you out.  You will walk away with practical habits for choosing channels, building two-way dialogue, and turning communication into part of your team's working agreement.  When things are stable, a team can survive weak communication.  Nothing is stable right now, so 

How do you stay resilient when change feels constant?In this episode, I'm joined by learning and development specialist Russell Harvey to explore what resilience really means, why it's becoming one of the most important skills we can develop, and how it can help us navigate uncertainty both at work and in life.After a career spanning more than 20 years in leadership and organisational development,  including six redundancies, Russell has experienced more change than most. Rather than seeing resilience as simply "bouncing back," he describes it as learning, adapting and moving forward stronger than before.We explore the realities of today's workplace, from rapid change and uncertainty to the pressure many leaders and teams are feeling, and discuss practical ways to build resilience without simply adding another task to an already full to-do list.In this episode, we discuss:✅ What resilience really looks like in today's workplace✅ Why uncertainty isn't going away and how to respond to it✅ The VUCA framework and how leaders can navigate change more effectively✅ Practical strategies to move from surviving to thriving✅ The importance of purpose, confidence and adaptability✅ Why your strengths give you energy (and why that's important)✅ How leadership behaviours shape culture and performanceRussell also shares his simple reflection framework to help you pause, learn from difficult situations, and focus your attention on the things you can actually influence. Whether you're leading a team, navigating a career transition, or simply trying to stay grounded in an increasingly unpredictable world, this conversation is full of practical ideas to help you build resilience and future-proof your career.To connect with Russell:Website & resources: theresiliencecoach.co.ukLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russelltheresiliencecoach/Can you also find episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaGrahamCareerCoach/videosYour host, Emma Graham, Career Coach and ex-recruiter, is here to help you with: 

55 - Allyn Vannoy, The Far SeasAllyn Vannoy is the designer of Traces of Victory which I looked at last episode, as well as a prolific writer. For a game dive, this time we look at the upcoming  The Far Seas from Vuca.Live Cardboard 34 where Mark Herman teachs me Pacific WarLive Cardboard 33 Games that need more lovePoint Blank's new Rules Reference and Learn to Play guide.Thin Red Line's Dogs of WarGMT June newsletterTrafalgar Editions Afrika Korps 41Noble Knight GamesThe best place to find out of print games without paying Ebay prices!Cube4Me Storage SolutionsCube4Me are a revolution in trays for games. Multiple sizes, configurations, and depths!Ko-FiSign up to support the show monthly, or with a one-time donationDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

„Bevor Lernen zu einem eigenen System wurde, war es einfach Teil des Lebens. Menschen lernten nicht, um später zu leben – sie lernten, weil sie lebten. Sie wuchsen hinein in das, was um sie herum geschah.“ Dieses Hörmoment Feature widmet sich unserem Gespräch mit Marco Jakob, Mitgründer der "Effinger Kaffeebar und Coworking Space" in Bern (CH). Der Effinger ist ein Raum, in dem Jugendliche ab der Oberstufe und Erwachsene gemeinsam arbeiten und lernen können und so die Arbeits- und Lernwelt altersübergreifend zusammengeführt wird. Es geht in diesem Ausschnitt um die Frage, wie Lernen (höchst wahrscheinlich) funktioniert, und was passiert, wenn Jugendliche einfach mittendrin sind: in der Arbeitswelt, neben Erwachsenen, im Alltag.

Producer's Note: It's been two years since this episode first aired, and it's every bit as relevant today. We've got some exciting things on these themes coming really soon, so revisit this one and we'll see in two weeks with a brand new episode. --- For decades, traditional consulting (think “management” or “strategy” varieties now synonymous with the Big Three) has been a go-to move for organizations looking for a shake up. Need a bulletproof vision for the future or a new org restructuring that'll win over the C-suite and shareholders? You can't beat their analytical prowess, strategy design, and slick presentation. But too often clients wind up stuck with expensive change plans they can't execute on their own. Without real coaching, structure, and experienced guidance, these efforts stand a high chance of fizzling out and collecting dust on a shelf. Facing that reality time and time again lead The Ready to study and understand how organizations actually work and evolve. Yes, we're also consultants—but the processes, outcomes, and experiences we create differ greatly. And that can lead to a whole bunch of confusion. In this episode of At Work With The Ready, Rodney Evans and Sam Spurlin delve into the stark differences between traditional consulting and how future-of-work firms like The Ready operate. Because not all consulting is created equal. -------------------------------- Ready to change your organization? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Let's talk.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get our newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -------------------------------- Mentioned references: ⁠VUCA⁠ "participatory change": ⁠BNW Ep. 43⁠ "cross-functional teaming": ⁠Future of HR Ep. 1⁠ "strategy pancakes episode": ⁠AWWTR Ep. 2⁠ 00:00 Intro + Check-In: What's your best advice for moving? 04:37 Disclaimer: This isn't a takedown episode of traditional consulting 06:33 The Pattern: Traditional consulting is a band-aid for a broken OS 10:20 The deliverable is often confused with an outcome 13:20 Executives and C-suite buy projects for the visible work, not the invisible work 15:31 Traditional consulting is a hedge for the CEO–Board of Directors relationship 17:52 Traditional consulting works around and outside a broken OS; it doesn't fix it 25:30 Builds dependency on a third party for expertise or sensemaking the market 28:30 What to do instead: prioritize effectiveness even/over growth and extraction 31:34 Figure out where you'll always want an outside partner, and where you want to learn to do it internally 34:19 Seek our partners you want to be positively disrupted by, if you want to be disrupted 37:57 Contract for the partnership you want and what your needs are 39:19 Decide for yourself what you need and then ask for it, rather than having a third party tell you what you need 42:42 Be clear about what you're buying, and what it will require from you 45:50 Closing round: What did we learn? 49:10 Wrap up: share the show with your friends and coworkers! Sound engineering and design by Taylor Marvin of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Coupe Studios⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, futurists Bob Johansen and Jamais Cascio join the conversation to explore the ideas behind their new book, The Age of Chaos: A Sense-Making Guide to a BANI World That Doesn't Make Sense. Both guests bring decades of deep foresight work, scenario planning, and leadership insight—Bob through more than 50 years with the Institute for the Future, and Jamais as the originator of the BANI framework (“brittle, anxious, nonlinear, incomprehensible”). Their combined perspectives create a powerful lens for leaders facing a world where old assumptions and linear playbooks no longer hold.Across the discussion, they argue that today's disruptions are not isolated shocks. They are interconnected, compounding forces that make the environment fundamentally different from the “VUCA world” many leaders were trained for. Johansen and Cascio unpack how brittleness shows up in organizations disguised as efficiency, why anxiety has become a rational and necessary signal, and how nonlinearity rewrites traditional cause-and-effect expectations. They challenge leaders to rethink certainty, decision-making, and the stories they tell inside their organizations.At the heart of the conversation is a clear message: leading in a BANI world requires a shift in mindset. The best leaders will cultivate clarity instead of certainty, ask better questions instead of providing fast answers, and build organizations that bend rather than break under pressure. Cascio highlights how empathy, diverse perspectives, and even “useful wrongness” serve as strategic advantages. Johansen pushes leaders to think farther into the future than they are comfortable with—then work backwards to create resilient clarity in the present.The episode does not offer easy fixes. Instead, it gives listeners a framework for making sense of complexity, a set of practices to strengthen foresight, and a renewed understanding of the human side of leadership in chaotic times. For CEOs, board members, and senior executives navigating relentless uncertainty, this conversation provides both grounding and a challenge: to lead with more humility, more imagination, and more future-back discipline.Actionable TakeawaysYou'll learn why “clarity beats certainty” and how leaders who project confidence without openness can miss critical signals in chaotic environments.Hear how to spot brittleness in your systems—and why high efficiency often hides vulnerabilities that collapse under stress.You'll learn why a healthy level of anxiety is necessary and how leaders can use it to sharpen attention without slipping into dysfunction.Hear how to apply foresight as a leadership practice, using scenarios not to predict the future but to “vaccinate” your organization against emerging risks.You'll learn why nonlinear environments break traditional planning, and how to cultivate neuro-flexibility and improvisational leadership.Hear how storytelling becomes a strategic tool, helping leaders create meaning, focus attention, and align teams in moments of uncertainty.You'll learn why cross-generational leadership is becoming a competitive advantage, especially as digital natives bring new skills to nonlinear problem-solving. Connect with Bob Johansen and Jamais CascioBook Website Institute for the FutureJamais Cascio LinkedIn  Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

Today, we explore what it means to invest in a world defined by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). We discuss why geopolitical shocks... especially supply-driven ones... are creating persistent trends across markets, and why trend-following strategies are thriving despite strong equity performance. The conversation dives into how investors process information (or fail to), the limits of central bank responses to supply shocks, and why markets may not be fully pricing in current risks. Mark also shares new research comparing hedge fund strategies under different volatility regimes, highlighting why managed futures stand out as a robust diversifier. The episode closes with a forward-looking discussion on AI, replication strategies, and the growing role of narrative versus data in investment decision-making.-----50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HERE-----Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.IT's TRUE ? – most CIO's read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.comAnd please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.Follow Mark on Twitter.Episode TimeStamps:00:00 – Introduction: Preparing for the unpredictable00:36 – Entering a VUCA world: volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity02:00 – “Uncharted territory” in markets and beyond05:30 – Central banks, leadership changes, and policy uncertainty07:16 – Oil markets, OPEC shifts, and geopolitical tension10:16 – Trend-following performance update and market context14:06 – Reverse engineering CTAs and the role of AI18:42 – Replication strategies vs. true alpha22:41 – Trend-following performance metrics (April update)24:43 – Supply shocks and why they're harder to manage28:53 – Are markets underreacting to geopolitical risk?31:53 – Information overload, ambiguity, and trend persistence34:54 – Why more data doesn't mean better decisions38:34 – Government intervention vs. market-driven trends40:30 – Pandemic policies and unintended inflation43:00 – New research: hedge fund strategies vs. volatility regimes47:16 – Why managed futures stand out as diversifiers51:11 – Narrative vs. data in investment decisions55:36 – AI, sentiment analysis, and the future of models58:46 – Simplicity vs. complexity in strategy design01:00:49 – Bundling vs. unbundling investment strategies01:03:18 – Momentum crashes and new research directionsCopyright © 2025 – CMC AG – All Rights Reserved----PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways I can help you in your investment Journey:1. eBooks that cover key topics that you need to know about In my eBooks, I put together some key discoveries and things I have learnt during the more than 3 decades I have worked in the Trend Following industry, which I hope you will find useful. Click Here2. Daily Trend Barometer and Market Score One of the things I'm really proud of, is the fact that I have managed to published the Trend Barometer and Market Score each day for more than a decade...as these tools are really good at describing the environment for trend following managers as well as giving insights into the general positioning of a trend following strategy! Click Here3. Other Resources that can help youAnd if you are hungry for more useful resources from the trend following world...check out some precious resources that I have found over the years to be really valuable. Click HerePrivacy PolicyDisclaimer

BONUS: Why the People Track Exists — And What It Will Help You See at GAS26 The Global Agile Summit kicks off on May 4th, and the People track is one of the most loaded lineups this year. In this episode, track co-hosts Pete Oliver-Krueger and Alina Thapliyal share the story behind the track, the sessions they're most excited about, and why — in a world increasingly focused on technology and AI — the people dimension is more critical than ever. The Story Behind the People Track "Every transformation still comes down to how people feel, how they communicate, how they work with each other, how decisions are made, and how leaders can create a space and conditions for them to thrive."   The People track isn't new to the Global Agile Summit — it's been part of the event for several years, sometimes combined with the Product track. But this year, the volume and quality of submissions made it clear that the topic deserves its own dedicated space. Alina frames it in terms of the VUCA world we operate in: volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity make the people dimension more important, not less. Pete picks up the thread with a sharper edge — as AI and technology increasingly dominate the conversation, it's easy to lose sight of the people creating, designing, using, and selling the products. That tension is exactly why he wrote Shift: From Product to People with his co-author Michael. The book exists to pull practitioners out of product-as-a-thing thinking and into product-as-people thinking. Product as a Thing vs. Product as People "When we lose sight of the people around the product is when things start to suffer."   When Pete reviewed the track submissions, he noticed a telling pattern — a divergence that confirmed the track's reason for existing. Many submissions talked about product as an artifact, focused on deliverables and outcomes, with no connection to the humans involved. Then there was a second group that immediately saw themselves in the People track. Pete explains the dynamic: we all start by caring about people and solving problems, but at some point we pick a solution and the work of getting it done becomes all-consuming. The task becomes the goal and the people become objects. Unless we consciously leave space to think about relationships and human dynamics, we drift into laser focus on things. The sessions in this track are designed to be the antidote. Marcus Bullock's Keynote — A People-First Success Story "It's so inspiring to just listen to it and think that I can also do it. We can give people a second chance. We can focus on what's good and increase the good, rather than focus on what's bad."   Both Alina and Pete highlighted Marcus Bullock's keynote as a must-watch. Marcus, CEO of Flikshop, started from a deeply difficult place and built his way to leading a business and empowering others. What makes his story stand out isn't the arc from adversity to success — it's the honesty. Pete, who has known Marcus for over 15 years, points out that Marcus's story includes genuine ups and downs, and his people-first approach is what helped him weather all of them. Alina was struck by the energy Marcus brings and his focus on amplifying what's good in people rather than minimizing what's bad. It's a message that resonates whether you lead a team of five or an organization of five thousand. Usability Theater — The Courage to Shut Up and Listen "Take a product, give it to a customer, and don't say anything. Just let the customer try it, let the customer experience the product. We need to have the courage to shut up."   Alina's second highlight was the session on usability theater, where the core idea is deceptively simple: put your product in front of a customer and resist the urge to explain anything. No "look what we did here," no guided tour. Just observe how people actually interact with what you've built. It takes real courage, Alina says, because our instinct is to showcase and defend our work. But the insights you gain from silence and observation are worth far more than the comfort of narration. This is one of those sessions that sounds simple but could change how you run your next product review or demo. Agency — Breaking the Permission Loop "There is a necessity to understand ourselves and have some of this confidence, but that's true for everybody, even our leaders. They may be stuck in permission loops with their own bosses."   Tara Scott's session on agency and breaking the permission loop touched a nerve for both hosts. Alina shared that in companies she's worked for, drawn-out decision processes wasted resources and drove people to leave. Tara's session tackles how to empower people to actually make decisions. Pete adds a crucial nuance: the permission loop isn't just a top-down problem. Leaders are stuck in their own permission loops too. Everyone in the chain faces the same challenge, and the solution can't be found in a vacuum — it requires understanding where each person is coming from and building flexibility across the team and organization. If this topic hits close to home, Tara is also doing a live Q&A during the summit. Neurodiversity, Jeff Patton, and the Full Lineup "Every time I have a conversation with Jeff Patton, it just goes in all kinds of directions, and I have so much fun."   Pete flagged two more sessions worth watching. The neurodiversity session with Anita promises to open up a topic that deserves more airtime in the agile community — how different minds experience and contribute to team dynamics. And Jeff Patton, whose conversations with Pete apparently never follow a straight line, brings his signature blend of product thinking and people awareness. The full track covers a wide range: trust, leadership, inclusion, decision-making, neurodiversity. As Alina puts it, these topics are universal — they're about human behavior, and that's valuable in any field where you work with people. A New Lens for Monday Morning "I think people can take away from the track the ability to see other dynamics in their workplace that maybe they currently aren't spending a lot of time paying attention to, or didn't even realize were there."   When asked what attendees will walk away with, both Alina and Pete landed on the same metaphor: a new lens. Alina described it as a better understanding of how human dynamics shape culture and performance, paired with practical tips that can be applied immediately — no theory, just real-life stories from real practitioners. Pete took the metaphor further, comparing it to putting on night vision goggles. After watching these sessions, you'll start noticing dynamics you'd been walking past every day — relationship patterns, permission loops, communication gaps. And with that new visibility comes influence. You'll realize you have more ability to shape your environment than you thought, simply because you can now see what was always there. About Pete Oliver-Krueger Pete Oliver-Krueger is an Executive Coach with the Library of Agile, and co-author of the book "Shift: From Product to People", a novel that tells the complex story of how leading "people-first" is required to solve tomorrow's biggest problems.   You can link with Pete Oliver-Krueger on LinkedIn, and visit Pete OK's website at https://www.shiftingpeople.com/. About Alina Thapliyal Alina Thapliyal is the Scrum Master for a team within the public sector. Her aspiration is to become an agile coach. She grew up in Romania and has been living in Germany for 13 years. She loves jogging, reading and actively listening to people's life stories.   You can link with Alina Thapliyal on LinkedIn.

Survival in chaos doesn't come from optimization. It comes from diversification, buffers, and the speed to decide what to do next. Pragmatists have a completely different way of doing risk management that is designed for these VUCA times. By focusing on building resilience to survive volatility.  Most managers are doing this wrong by chasing efficiency in a uncertain world. In this episode, we break down the "Pragmatist Manifesto" and its six core principles.

Welcome back to Our Agile Tales as we continue our conversation with Bjarte Bogsnes, exploring case studies from his latest book, This Is Beyond Budgeting. The book distills nearly three decades of experience challenging traditional budgeting, targets, and control-based management.In this final episode of the series, we discuss with Bjarte what distinguishes business models (external interaction) from management models (internal organization). He introduces the Viable Map, inspired by the Business Model Canvas, to help management teams assess their management model against the 12 Beyond Budgeting principles, considering business environment from SUSO (simple, understood, stable, orderly) to VUCA and employees on a Theory X–Y scale. He emphasizes the need for coherence between values/purpose-based leadership claims and often “fixed” budgeting processes, calling mismatches “poisonous gaps.” He argues listed companies can adopt beyond budgeting, as markets want sustainable performance, and recommends starting by separating budget purposes—targets, forecasts, and resource allocation—implemented in parallel. He contrasts beyond budgeting's enterprise-wide focus with Agile's origins in software, shares disappointing and rewarding client experiences, and points listeners to bbrt.org and key books.Key topics and timestamps00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro01:09 Business vs Management Models01:59 Viable Map Framework05:16 Assessing Coherence Gaps08:02 Empowerment Needs Process Change09:40 Markets Wall Street Myths12:08 Why Beyond Budgeting Sticks14:34 Where to Start Separating Budgets17:45 Pilots vs Big Bang19:12 Disappointing Transformation Story21:20 Most Rewarding Successes23:06 Learn More About Beyond Budgeting25:20 Wrap Up and Next SeriesAbout Bjarte BogsnesBjarte Bogsnes is Chairman of the Beyond Budgeting Round Table, a former global finance executive, and a leading thinker in management innovation. He is the author of Implementing Beyond Budgeting and This Is Beyond Budgeting, showing how organizations can replace rigid, calendar-driven systems with models built on trust, transparency, and adaptability — creating companies that are both more responsive and more human.Follow Bjarte at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjarte-bogsnes-41557910/Music: https://www.purple-planet.comVisit us at https://www.ouragiletales.com/about

In nearly a thousand episodes of Natural Born Coaches, a topic like this has never been tackled! Today, Marc is joined by Bryce Hoffman, the founder of Red Team Thinking and a former business journalist who has spent decades looking inside the world's most successful organizations, as he dives into the concept of Red Teaming, a methodology originally developed by military and intelligence agencies to stress-test strategies and navigate extreme uncertainty. In a world that feels increasingly volatile, complex, and disrupted by AI, the old way of doing things isn't just a choice; it's a liability. Bryce breaks down how coaches can use these tools to help leaders challenge their own assumptions, identify unseen threats, and surface missed opportunities that others are walking right past, plus much more. Bryce is hosting a Red Team Coaching Bootcamp next Monday, April 27th at 12 PM EST. Listeners will learn foundational tools like Think-Write-Share and the Six Strategic Questions to help clients navigate complexity with clarity, and you can claim your spots now at https://www.naturalborncoaches.com/redteamcoaching!  What You'll Hear In This Episode: Defining the concept of red teaming within a business context and how deliberate challenge can actually strengthen an organization's strategy. A look at the massive shifts in the coaching industry over the last few years and the disruptive impact of a "VUCA world". How coaches can help leaders establish their unique value and build cognitive resilience in a market flooded with low-cost alternatives. The one critical limitation of AI and why this is important for coaches to understand. Practical steps for applying red team thinking to your own coaching business by focusing on the three Cs: Clarity, Capability, and Culture. A sneak peek at the upcoming Red Team Coaching Bootcamp and the two foundational tools that mine the hidden wisdom already existing within an organization. LINKS:  Register for Bryce's Red Team Bootcamp (Happening Next Monday, April 27th, 2026)!  Bryce's Website, Podcast & Book  Red Team Thinking's Website Need help launching a podcast or editing your current show? This podcast is proudly sponsored, edited and produced by PodAssist. Visit their website below for more info!  http://www.podassist.com Book a no-obligation 1:1 strategy call with Marc for your coaching business: http://www.chatwithmarcm.com   If you'd like more coaching clients without sending cold messages or spending money on ads, the Natural Born Coach Program is for you. Get the details here! http://www.nbcprogram.com Join The Coaching Jungle Facebook Group! http://www.thecoachingjungle.com   Become a Coaching Jungle VIP member which includes special posting perks in the group to reach almost 30,000 potential clients! http://www.myjunglevip.com   Grow your business with The Coaching Jungle Mastermind! http://www.coachingjunglemastermind.com If you have a product or service that helps coaches, and you'd like to get it in front of 100,000 of them: http://www.jvwithmarc.com

The superintendent isn't a budget manager, they're the chief advocate for all children. Dr. Michael J. Barnes rebuilt Mayfield City Schools around this principle, and the results speak for themselves.The superintendent is the chief advocate for all children in their community. Nobody else can say that, not the mayor, not the school board, not the superintendent of the next district over. But somewhere along the way, superintendents drifted from the instructional chair into operations and politics. Dr. Michael J. Barnes reversed that drift entirely.At Mayfield City Schools (Ohio), Barnes built a four-track personalized learning model that blew up the time/learning equation. Traditional, Cross-Curricular, Self-Paced, and The Option. When students got agency over their learning design, attendance skyrocketed, not because of better discipline policies, but because students were actually designing their own learning. Time stopped being the constant. Learning became it.In this conversation with Dr. Conner, Barnes walks the AC-Stage reframe: what does instructional leadership look like when the industrial model is obsolete? What's the role of the superintendent in an Innovation Core? Why do design thinking, engineering, and entrepreneurship matter as much as math? How do you navigate the VUCA landscape of state politics without abandoning your moral imperative?What You'll LearnThe superintendent's real job: chief advocate for all childrenHow to flip the time/learning variable, when learning is constant, time becomes flexibleThe four-track personalized learning model and why student agency drives attendanceWhy instructional leadership means staying in the learning chair, not the politics chairThe Creative Staircase framework for systemic innovationHow to navigate the VUCA landscape in state politics without compromising your visionThis conversation is essential for any superintendent or central office leader in the AC-Stage of education. Dr. Conner and Dr. Barnes dig into the frameworks that move the dial from excellence as an aspiration to excellence as a system.And on that note, onward and upward.

EMN Podcast DescriptionIn this episode of The Emergency Management Network Podcast, Andrew Boyarsky sits down with Todd DeVoe to unpack a powerful and timely idea: the world is not falling apart; it is revealing itself.Drawing from Todd's latest article, the conversation explores how today's risk environment is no longer defined by single incidents, but by a convergence of interconnected stresses across geopolitical systems, the economy, climate, technology, and public trust. What feels like instability is, in reality, a clearer picture of how fragile and interdependent our systems have always been.Todd challenges the profession to rethink preparedness in a VUCA environment, where volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity demand adaptability over rigid planning. The discussion goes beyond traditional emergency management approaches and calls for a shift toward capability building, honest communication, and genuine whole-community engagement.This episode is not about fear; it is about clarity. It is a conversation about leadership, responsibility, and what it really means to prepare communities for a future that will not follow the plan.Show NotesIn this episode, Andrew and Todd explore the idea that what we are experiencing today is not a breakdown of systems, but a revelation of their true nature under stress. Multiple systems are being strained at the same time, from geopolitics and supply chains to climate extremes and cyber threats, and each one amplifies the others.The conversation reframes how emergency managers should think about risk. Rather than planning for isolated hazards, the focus must shift to understanding interconnected threats and building systems that can operate under continuous pressure.A central theme of the discussion is VUCA, a concept borrowed from the military that describes a world characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. Todd argues that while the term is widely used in emergency management, it is often misunderstood. It should not be used to explain why things are difficult, but to drive a fundamental shift in how preparedness is approached.The episode also challenges a long-standing assumption in public communication: that emergency managers must avoid creating fear. Instead, Todd emphasizes that fear is not the real issue. Helplessness is. Communities can handle difficult truths when they are given clear information and meaningful ways to act.Andrew and Todd discuss the implications for whole-community preparedness, arguing that it must move beyond messaging into a genuine partnership. When individuals understand their role and feel a sense of agency, they are far more likely to respond effectively during crises.The conversation also addresses a difficult but necessary reality: the federal safety net is becoming less predictable. Emergency managers must begin preparing communities with this in mind, shifting the narrative from reliance on external assistance to building local capability and resilience.The episode closes with a call to action. Preparedness is no longer about having the right plan on the shelf. It is about building adaptable systems, strengthening relationships, and leading communities through complexity with honesty and clarity.Key ThemesConvergence of risk across multiple interconnected systemsVUCA as a framework for action, not just descriptionThe gap between planning and true capabilityThe danger of avoiding hard conversations with the publicWhole community as partnership, not messagingShifting from federal reliance to local resilienceLeadership in complexity and uncertaintyEpisode Title OptionsThe World Isn't Falling Apart… It's Revealing ItselfVUCA Is Here, Now WhatPreparedness in a Converging Crisis EnvironmentFrom Plans to CapabilityLeading Through ComplexityTagsEmergency Management, VUCA, Community Resilience, Leadership, Disaster Preparedness This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emnetwork.substack.com/subscribe

Business agility has become a defining capability for organizations operating in today's environment of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). But while many companies focus on operational flexibility or technology investments, fewer understand the critical role finance plays in enabling true agility across the business.In this episode of The CFO Show, Melissa Howatson speaks with Mitch Max, founder of BetterVu and Executive in Residence for the Association of Financial Professionals, about what separates organizations that survive from those that thrive during disruption. Drawing on research and decades of experience in enterprise performance management, Mitch shares how agility is less about tools and more about culture, decision-making, and embedded finance leadership.Together, they explore:The difference between finance agility and true business agilityWhy only a small percentage of companies outperform during volatilityThe “sense, decide, act” model for faster, more effective decision-makingHow finance teams act as early warning systems and strategic partnersThe role of EPM systems in enabling real-time planning and collaborationHow to manage data overload and focus on actionable insightsWhere AI is delivering value today, from automation to advanced analyticsWhether navigating economic uncertainty, implementing new planning systems, or redefining the role of finance, this conversation offers practical guidance for CFOs and finance leaders looking to build more agile, resilient organizations.

In this episode, Chad explores the vital role of coaching in leadership, emphasizing the importance of guiding team members toward their own success rather than providing all the answers. He discusses the challenges of leading in a VUCA world—where volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity are prevalent—and the need to shift from traditional leadership styles to a coaching approach that empowers individuals. Chad introduces three essential skills for effective coaching and highlights the importance of recognizing when coaching is appropriate and when direct instruction is necessary. He closes by sharing a great resource designed to help integrate these coaching techniques into leadership practice, fostering growth and independence within teams. Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com 

In Episode 307 of The Rainmaking Podcast, Scott Love interviews leadership expert Jon Lokhorst on what it means to practice mission-critical leadership in today's volatile and complex business environment. Jon introduces a powerful framework for leading in all directions—not just managing direct reports, but also leading yourself, influencing peers, and effectively managing upward. In professional services firms, where hierarchy is often flat and influence matters more than authority, this approach is essential for building trust, alignment, and long-term success. The conversation breaks down practical leadership tools, including self-leadership through vision and values, improving internal self-talk, leading peers without formal authority, and implementing coaching-style leadership with accountability. Jon also shares actionable strategies such as structured one-on-one meetings, supportive accountability, and leadership development planning. For law firm partners, executives, and professionals navigating growth and complexity, this episode delivers a clear roadmap for developing leaders people want to follow and building teams that perform at the highest level. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/pvw9vtfa8NM ----------------------------------------

Host Lewis Weiss interviews Jim Tompkins about his career path from industrial engineering academia and the Army to founding Tompkins Solutions and later launching Tompkins Ventures, a matchmaking firm that connects manufacturers with partners for logistics, procurement, technology, automation, AI, and organizational development, typically offering recommendations without consulting fees and earning a success fee when solutions are implemented. Tompkins discusses how manufacturers can focus on core competencies while outsourcing non-core functions, the challenges of maintaining quality in outsourcing, and VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) as the operating reality for global supply chains. He explains reshoring as a risk-mitigation hedge tied to adaptability, digital twins, scenario planning, AI, and automation, and outlines four factors for what to reshore: value density, demand volatility, IP sensitivity, and automation potential.   00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:40 Tim's Career Origin Story 01:18 From Seminars to Global Supply Chain 02:56 Launching Tompkins Ventures 03:51 How Ventures Helps Manufacturers 04:42 No Fee Model Explained 06:19 Success Fees and Partner Network 07:45 Why Outside Expertise Matters 10:12 Virtual Companies and Outsourcing 11:07 Quality Control in Outsourcing 13:44 VUCA Defined for Supply Chains 17:10 Reshoring as Risk Mitigation 18:19 Surfing the Next Disruption Wave 22:25 Resilience Over Pure Efficiency 25:13 What to Reshore Four Criteria 26:59 Tariff Refunds Supreme Court Fallout 32:12 Wrap Up Contact and Subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We push through, take on more than we should, and keep moving even when something does not feel right. From the outside, that can look like leadership strength or resilience. Inside, it can feel very different.In How to Break Resilience Myths and Spring Forward with Russell Harvey, I sit down with leadership coach Russell Harvey for a thoughtful conversation about what resilience really means for leaders and executive teams. Together, they challenge the myths many leaders have learned to accept, especially the idea that resilience means pushing harder, carrying more, and keeping it all moving no matter what.Through stories, reflection, and practical insight, this conversation helps you look at resilience, leadership energy, and over-functioning through a different lens. It also brings forward the role of self-awareness, the cost of staying in constant motion, and the kind of pause that can help leaders regain perspective before pressure starts affecting their confidence, decisions, and team impact.In this episode, listeners will:Gain a clearer and more practical way to think about resilience in leadershipRecognize patterns that may be draining energy, weakening perspective, or pulling them into over-functioningReflect on how greater awareness can strengthen leadership impact, team experience, and decision makingAbout Russell HarveyRussell Harvey is a Leadership Coach and Facilitator, Public Speaker, Managing Director, NED, Podcaster, and Radio Host. With over 20 years of experience in learning, leadership, and organizational development, he has specialized in resilience and VUCA for the past 18 years.Connect with Russell HarveyWebsite: The Resilience CoachEmail: russell@theresiliencecoach.co.ukLinkedIn: Russell HarveyRecommended resources:⭐ If you enjoyed this content, subscribe to our podcast, rate it so others can find it, and share the episode with your trusted network.Looking for ways to grow and lead?⭐ Let's connect for a 15-minute cyber coffee and explore what you're facing or what may be holding you or your team back. I've held a few spots on my calendar for these high-impact connections: https://cybercoffee.youcanbook.me/⭐ If you're hosting an event and looking for a relatable speaker who delivers fresh perspectives, energy, and practical insights, let's explore how we can collaborate. https://www.executivebound.com/speaking⭐ Gain weekly leadership tools and strategies by joining our ExecutiveBound Inner Circle: https://www.executivebound.com/innercircle⭐ Explore upcoming events and high-value resources from our website: https://www.executivebound.com/events⭐ And don't miss claiming your copy of Healing Leadership or Fearless Women at Work for actionable insights to strengthen your journey: www.executivebound.com/booksLet's expand our network!⭐ Send me a LinkedIn connection request. I'd love to share my network of over 29K members with you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginnybaro© ExecutiveBound®. All rights reserved. The Dr. Ginny Show content may not be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without prior written permission.Disclaimer: The views, information, and opinions shared on The Dr. Ginny Show are intended for entertainment and educational purposes only. They do not substitute for professional advice in legal, medical, financial, therapeutic, or organizational matters. Always seek the advice of qualified professionals regarding your unique situation.

We are making decisions with incomplete and conflicting information every day.  Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity (VUCA) make it harder and harder to get those decisions right. Maybe we need to change our objective, not to find the best decision, but the one with the least chance of disastrous consequences.  Keep your eyes out for the Regime change that has started.  We provide four examples of what may be next.  

Leadership today often feels like navigating constant change.Volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity are realities many leaders face daily. But resilience is not about simply pushing through the chaos — it's about learning how to lead yourself and others through it.In this episode, Darrin sits down with Russell Harvey, The Resilience Coach, to explore how leaders can build resilience in themselves and their teams while navigating the modern leadership landscape.Russell shares powerful frameworks and practical strategies that help leaders move from overwhelm to clarity, from control to command, and from reactive leadership to intentional leadership.This conversation offers practical insights for leaders who want to strengthen their mindset, support their teams more effectively, and build sustainable leadership habits.In this episode, you'll learn:Why resilience is one of the most important leadership skills todayThe difference between being in control and being in command as a leaderHow the VUCA framework explains the constant change leaders faceThe importance of developing personal resilience before leading othersWhy great leaders focus on delegating brilliantly and removing obstacles for their teamsHow identifying your purpose can strengthen resilience and confidenceA practical strengths and skills grid exercise leaders can use immediatelyKey leadership insight from Russell:A resilient leader focuses on three core responsibilities:Delegate brilliantly based on the strengths of your teamBuild and nurture a resilient team cultureDevelop your own personal resilienceWhen leaders invest in these three areas, they create the conditions for trust, clarity, and stronger team performance.About Russell HarveyRussell Harvey, known as The Resilience Coach, is a leadership coach, facilitator, speaker, and resilience expert with more than 20 years of experience in leadership and organizational development.His work focuses on helping leaders and organizations build resilience in the face of constant change and uncertainty.Russell works with leaders and organizations to develop practical strategies that improve leadership effectiveness, strengthen team relationships, and help individuals rediscover their energy and purpose.Connect with Russell HarveyWebsite: https://www.theresiliencecoach.co.ukLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russelltheresiliencecoach/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theresiliencecoach/Connect with DarrinIf this episode resonated with you and you're looking for support in developing stronger leadership teams, clearer systems, and healthier school cultures, connect with Darrin.Website: https://darrinpeppard.com/Thank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com

How do global companies make confident decisions when supply chains are constantly disrupted by tariffs, geopolitical tension, shifting consumer demand, and unpredictable global events? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I sat down with Dr. Ashwin Rao, EVP of AI and R&D at o9 Solutions, to talk about how artificial intelligence is changing the way organizations plan, forecast, and respond to uncertainty. Ashwin brings a fascinating mix of experience to the conversation. After earning a PhD in mathematics and computer science, he spent fifteen years on Wall Street working on derivatives trading strategies at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley before moving into the world of enterprise technology. Today, he operates at the meeting point between business and academia as both a senior AI leader and an adjunct professor at Stanford University. Our conversation begins with Ashwin's unusual career path and how those early experiences in finance shaped the way he thinks about risk, decision making, and real world AI deployment. The journey from theoretical mathematics to trading floors and eventually into Silicon Valley offers an interesting lens on how analytical thinking can travel across industries and still remain highly relevant. We then move into the work happening at o9 Solutions, where AI is helping organizations make smarter decisions across supply chain planning, demand forecasting, and inventory management. In a world that Ashwin describes using the acronym VUCA, volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, businesses are under pressure to react faster and make better informed decisions. He explains how enterprise AI platforms can connect fragmented data across departments and create a more complete view of the business. One example he shares brings the concept down to earth. Even predicting how many bananas a grocery store should stock on any given day requires analyzing internal sales trends alongside external signals such as weather, social media trends, and economic conditions. Machine learning systems can now process those signals in real time and continuously update forecasts so businesses can respond quickly to changes. We also explore the rise of neuro- and symbolic AI, a concept Ashwin believes represents the next stage in enterprise decision-making. Rather than relying only on large language models, this approach blends the structured reasoning of symbolic systems with the pattern recognition of neural networks. The result, he suggests, feels less like a chatbot and more like having an expert coach embedded inside the decision-making process. Along the way, we also discuss why many organizations still struggle to embed AI successfully. Technology is only one piece of the puzzle. Ashwin believes the toughest obstacle is organizational change management, bringing teams together, connecting data across silos, and helping leaders guide their organizations through transformation. If you have ever wondered how AI moves beyond chatbots and into the systems that quietly power global supply chains, this conversation offers a thoughtful and practical perspective. So, how prepared is your organization to make decisions in a world defined by volatility and uncertainty, and could AI become the trusted partner that helps guide those choices? Useful Links Ashwin's blog Ashwin's LinkedIn o9 Solutions Website o9 LinkedIn  

How do founders navigate a business landscape shaped by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity? In this live conversation, we speak with Matt Wilde from SWIG Finance about the funding gaps many businesses still face and what it really takes to grow in an unstable global environment. From working capital and supply chains to the role of trusted advisors and stronger ecosystem support, Matt shares what founders need to get right when the pressure is on. Key takeaways: Businesses that want to thrive in uncertain times need strong foundations, especially around working capital and effective supply chain management. Social impact lenders like SWIG Finance play an important role in supporting a wide range of businesses with tailored financial solutions that help them grow and sustain operations. AI can free up time for more valuable human-centred work, but businesses need to balance efficiency with sound judgement and human values.  We also explore the role of SWIG Finance as a social enterprise lender, supporting businesses with finance options that help founders start, sustain and scale. The conversation looks at the importance of good advisors, access to capital and stronger ecosystem connectivity, and how these factors shape a founder's ability to build a resilient business. Alongside this, we discuss the growing influence of AI on the way businesses operate. While technology can create efficiencies, Matt makes the case for keeping human judgment at the centre of decision-making. The episode closes with real examples, reflections on smarter financial decisions and a broader look at what founders need to succeed in a VUCA world. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Paul welcomes back three-time guest Bob Johansen to discuss his co-authored book, Navigating the Age of Chaos, and the shift from VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) to BANI (brittle, anxious, nonlinear, incomprehensible) as a more accurate frame for today's world.Bob explains that unlike VUCA, BANI assumes some external events won't make sense even with data and experts, yet leaders must still decide, often with less information than they want.Paul and Bob explore why today differs from past crises—citing global climate disruption, AI systems even designers don't fully understand, and unprecedented cyber threats—and how chronic anxiety, cognitive overload, and polarization shape responses.The conversation highlights how BANI+ can be used to respond to the challenges of BANI, and other positive actions we can all take to deal with the challenges of the current world.00:00 Housekeeping and Audio Note01:05 Bob Returns and New Book02:15 Setting the Agenda for BANI03:41 From VUCA to BANI08:40 Why Today Feels Different10:05 Anxiety and Human Impact12:15 Nonlinear Climate and Decisions16:46 Cognitive Overload and Unthinkable Risks20:54 BANI Plus Flipping Positive23:32 Simulation Gaming and Readiness26:33 Coach Eck Cave Story29:32 Stories and Resilient Clarity31:55 Small Actions Beat Helplessness35:59 Gratitude and Mental Fitness38:32 Wrap Up and Next Book Tease39:01 Credits and Call to ActionHumanity Working is a podcast focused on helping individuals, teams and organizations be ready for the future of work by maximizing their human potential.For more information, and access to our weekly newsletter, visit us at humanityworking.net.

Mahnaz has lived with volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity in ways most product teams never will. In this episode, we talk about what happens when VUCA isn't theoretical, how to avoid becoming an order taker, and how courage, empathy, and initiative can reshape your role as a designer.What if the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity you're facing at work feel overwhelming only because you've never had to live through it in your everyday life?I throw the word VUCA around like it's a trendy framework. Volatility. Uncertainty. Complexity. Ambiguity. But for Mahnaz Hajesmaeili, those aren't abstract concepts; they're lived experience.Originally from Iran, before becoming a product designer, she built a life in China, knowing she could never fully belong there. When COVID hit, borders closed, savings ran out, and the life she had carefully constructed disappeared almost overnight. She returned to Iran, started over, taught herself UX, and eventually rebuilt her career in the United States.That's not “roadmap volatility.” That's real volatility.This week, I chat with Mahnaz to explore how living through that level of instability reshaped her approach to work. Why rejected designs don't shake her. Why unclear strategy doesn't rattle her and why she doesn't default to being an order taker.If you've ever felt overwhelmed by shifting priorities or frustrated by leaders who “don't know what they want,” this episode offers perspective—and practical lessons.Give it a listen. It might change how you define uncertainty.Helpful Links:• Connect with Mahnaz on LinkedIn

Todd Conklin discusses VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Adaptation) and argues that innovation and safety improve when organizations embrace uncertainty and gather more diverse information and perspectives. He mixes personal travel and Olympics anecdotes, touches on aviation and healthcare examples, and invites listeners to a hands-on workshop to explore these ideas further.

A jet engine is complicated. Your company is complex. The strategies for managing the risks of each are fundamentally—and dangerously—different. We call Complexity the "twist" in VUCA because it fundamentally changes the nature of the problems we face. While Volatility, Uncertainty, and Ambiguity describe challenging conditions, Complexity introduces a system where the parts are interdependent and adapt. This means you cannot solve a complex problem by simply breaking it into smaller, complicated parts and fixing them. Complexity is the twist: it's the element that makes VUCA environments truly unmanageable with old playbooks. You cannot apply a "complicated" solution to a "complex" problem and get the result that you want. 

Welcome to Episode 33 of Leadership in Quarters: Interview Series. My name is Josh Seldin and today I'm interviewing David Cicerchi. A little about David: David is a Leadership Aperture Coach who specializes in helping leaders expand their capacity to navigate the today's fast-changing complex world, make better decisions under pressure, and build stronger, healthier cultures. He works in the field of vertical leadership development and partners with the telos institute in their flagship leadership development program called The Vertical Frontier, coaching leaders across corporate environments to develop two essential capacities: range — the ability to widen their aperture— and wisdom — the ability to deploy the aperture that most effectively meets the needs of the situation. David helps leaders move beyond reacting on autopilot so they can respond with clarity, presence, and maturity — especially in VUCA organizational contexts, where things are volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. He's also a second-degree black belt in Aikido, the martial art of peace, and integrates that embodied practice into his leadership work — helping leaders stay centered under pressure, handle conflict productively, and lead with grounded strength. During this episode, we discuss how similar to a camera, leadership can widen and narrow their aperture depending on the situation and need of the business, and the team. Whether it's a narrow aperture for focused decision making, or a wide aperture to step back and focus on big picture, each approach is important and critical to a healthy culture. You can connect with David through any of the links below: LinkedIn: / davidcicerchi The telos institute: https://www.thetelosinstitute.com/lea... His website: www.evolutionaryemergencecoaching.com For any questions, or if you're interested in being a guest, please email me at leadinquarters‪@gmail.com‬. Artwork by: Adam Powell Music: Bensound.com/royalty-free-music License code: IXKVF9KQAVOF4YZF Artist: : Benjamin Tissot

Brian Miller (Coach Approach Ministries) sits down with Brent Sleasman (Winebrenner Seminary) to unpack a hard reality: important kingdom-focused organizations are disappearing—not because the mission isn't needed, but because leaders fail to see the bigger picture and adapt to a changed world. They explore how "little-kingdom thinking," nostalgia-driven decision-making, and fear of loss keep leaders stuck. The conversation lands on two mindset shifts—moving from deconstruction to construction, and from craving certainty to practicing curiosity—plus a practical lifeline: partnership and collaboration before it's too late. Big ideas & key takeaways 1) "Important organizations" can fail while the Kingdom doesn't Brent defines "important" as organizations advancing Jesus' kingdom mission—raising up and equipping workers. Some fail by closing completely; others "survive" by being absorbed and losing autonomy and original mission. 2) The "bigger perspective" starts with Kingdom clarity Brent's core framework: One King One Kingdom One Kingdom mission When organizations obsess over their own mission/brand distinctiveness and neglect the larger kingdom mission, they drift into "my little kingdom" thinking—and conflict with reality eventually wins. 3) Nonprofits get a weird superpower: they can ignore financial reality longer Because they're not serving shareholders or chasing profit, they can keep doing what "worked for my grandparents"… right up until the day they can't pay staff. 4) Leaders are loss-averse, so change feels like dying Brent names the psychology: we overweight what we might lose versus what we might gain. So even small workflow changes (a new system, new dashboard, a meeting rhythm) can get treated like a spiritual crisis. 5) Two mindset shifts for a VUCA world Brent's two shifts: Deconstruction → Construction (Jeremiah language: don't only tear down/uproot; also build and plant.) Certainty → Curiosity/comfort with uncertainty (the world is volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous—so "certainty" as a leadership strategy is basically a fossil.) 6) The practical rescue move: partnership Brent's blunt claim: organizations that failed had ready partners available, but didn't take the humility step early enough. If you think no partner exists, his response is essentially: test that—then admit you're wrong. 7) Before you "shut it down well," try one more creative loop He points to tools/resources (Business Model Canvas, The Startup Way, books/podcasts) to spark fresh thinking before leaders get enchanted with the shutdown process. Standout quotes (clean and punchy) "There's one king, one kingdom, one kingdom mission." "People would rather the church close than change the color of the carpet." "Nobody likes the person at a party that's constantly pointing out everything wrong." "You're going to feel worse about what you lose than what you gain—until you do it." "There were ready partners." Light outline (great for show notes) 00:00–01:35 Setup: "Human-to-human connection will matter more" + the bigger claim: orgs failing due to lack of perspective 01:36–04:31 What "important" means; what "failure" means (closure vs. absorption) 04:32–09:30 Bigger perspective = Kingdom-first clarity (Matthew 28; "one king…") 09:31–15:06 Why orgs get stuck: nostalgia, purity mindset, resistance to change, delayed financial consequences 15:07–20:07 Helping leaders embody mission; fear/loss aversion; journeying together 20:08–26:18 Mindset shifts: constructive thinking + comfort with uncertainty; VUCA 26:19–32:17 Direct advice: partnership/collaboration + use tools/resources to spur creativity; closing encouragement + CAM CTA Practical application prompts (for leaders listening) Where are we protecting our identity more than we're advancing the Kingdom mission? What's one change we keep calling "impossible" that is actually just "uncomfortable"? Who are the "ready partners" we've avoided because partnership would require humility? What decision are we delaying until "certainty" arrives (spoiler: it's not arriving)? What are we building and planting right now—not just critiquing? Links / resources mentioned (no links given in audio) Michael Porter, Competitive Advantage Business Model Canvas Eric Ries, The Startup Way VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) Scriptural references/inferences: Matthew 28 (Great Commission), "harvest is plentiful/workers few," Jeremiah (tear down/uproot vs build/plant), "gates of hell shall not prevail"

In 1987, the US Army War College coined the acronym of VUCA in 1987 to describe a world that was expected to become more difficult to navigate as the end of the Cold War started to become a reality – VUCA stands for volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous.Aside from it being kinda ironic, with what's happening right now, that the US Army coined this acronym, it's struck me that musicians have been working in an industry that has breathed this sort of uncertainty and volatility, whilst those in paid employment are now much more exposed to it after decades of living a much more three stage life of study, work, retire.So, it's always a joy and an education for me to meet younger musicians and chat about their life and music and how they are navigating through everything, so I'll just get on with it and invite you to listen to this brilliant conversation with Idyl, an amazing artist who recently released her first single Illusion in November. https://www.iwannajumplikedeedee.comI Wanna Jump Like Dee Dee is the music podcast that does music interviews differently. Giles Sibbald talks to musicians, DJ's and producers about how they use an experimental mindset in every part of their lives.- brought to you from the mothership of the experimental mindset™- cover art by Giles Sibbald - doodle logo and art by Tide Adesanya, Coppie and Paste

Episode 353: Resilience Isn't Optional: Tools Every Nonprofit Leader Needs Now (Russell Harvey)SUMMARYNonprofit leaders are operating in a world where change is constant - and the pressure to react quickly can undermine clarity, trust, and team stability. In this episode, Russell Harvey explains why resilience is a leadership capability (not a personality trait) and how leaders can strengthen it without adding more overwhelm. Russell introduces the VUCA framework (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) alongside the leadership responses that help teams navigate it (Vision, Understanding, Clarity, Agility). He also shares his Resilience Wheel - seven connected elements leaders can develop personally and organizationally, including purpose, adaptability, support networks, meaning, and energy. Throughout, Russell emphasizes reflective practice as a practical discipline: pausing regularly to identify what's working, what isn't, and what to do next - so leaders and teams can “spring forward with learning” rather than simply trying to bounce back.ABOUT RUSSELLRussell Harvey is a leadership coach and facilitator based in Leeds, England, and the founder of The Resilience Coach. He works with senior leaders, teams, and organizations across sectors - including the nonprofit and third sector - helping them lead themselves and others well in a “full-on” world shaped by constant change. Russell's approach blends practical frameworks (VUCA and the Resilience Wheel) with core leadership behaviors: delegating to strengths, removing blockages that prevent performance, building resilient teams, and committing to lifelong personal growth.RESOURCES & LINKSThe Resilience CoachResilience Wheel (Russell's framework + related posts)Russell Harvey on LinkedInBook recommendation: Humankind by Rutger BregmanFollow Your Path to Nonprofit LeadershipLearn more about the PMA & Armstrong McGuire merger

What if the first step to better leadership isn't strategy, but respect? Rosie officially welcomes Gregg Ward to the Show Up As a Leader family with a bold new series: The Better Boss. In this intro episode, they explore the urgent need for human-centric leadership in today's VUCA world. Gregg shares how his unconventional path, from theater to training NYPD officers in de-escalation, shaped his life's mission: helping leaders communicate with compassion and lead with respect. Together, they dive into why managers at every level feel overwhelmed, how stress fuels disrespect, and why "just give me the tool" isn't just a cry for help, but a call for practicality. You'll get a sneak peek at what to expect from this powerful monthly series, including short-burst learning and real-world demos of proven techniques like Respectful Listening. Whether you're a new manager, seasoned exec, or someone who's tired of the command-and-control playbook, this is your invite to show up differently. Don't be a butthead… be a better boss!   Additional Resources: Connect with Gregg on LinkedIn Learn more about The Center for Respectful Leadership Invest in Manager Skills with the R-Factor Workshop Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: Respect starts with you, don't wait for others first Stress is the root of most disrespectful behavior One practical skill at a time makes change stick People don't need fluff, they need useful tools Listening to understand calms conflict and builds trust  

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, futurists Bob Johansen and Jamais Cascio join the conversation to explore the ideas behind their new book, The Age of Chaos: A Sense-Making Guide to a BANI World That Doesn't Make Sense. Both guests bring decades of deep foresight work, scenario planning, and leadership insight—Bob through more than 50 years with the Institute for the Future, and Jamais as the originator of the BANI framework (“brittle, anxious, nonlinear, incomprehensible”). Their combined perspectives create a powerful lens for leaders facing a world where old assumptions and linear playbooks no longer hold.Across the discussion, they argue that today's disruptions are not isolated shocks. They are interconnected, compounding forces that make the environment fundamentally different from the “VUCA world” many leaders were trained for. Johansen and Cascio unpack how brittleness shows up in organizations disguised as efficiency, why anxiety has become a rational and necessary signal, and how nonlinearity rewrites traditional cause-and-effect expectations. They challenge leaders to rethink certainty, decision-making, and the stories they tell inside their organizations.At the heart of the conversation is a clear message: leading in a BANI world requires a shift in mindset. The best leaders will cultivate clarity instead of certainty, ask better questions instead of providing fast answers, and build organizations that bend rather than break under pressure. Cascio highlights how empathy, diverse perspectives, and even “useful wrongness” serve as strategic advantages. Johansen pushes leaders to think farther into the future than they are comfortable with—then work backwards to create resilient clarity in the present.The episode does not offer easy fixes. Instead, it gives listeners a framework for making sense of complexity, a set of practices to strengthen foresight, and a renewed understanding of the human side of leadership in chaotic times. For CEOs, board members, and senior executives navigating relentless uncertainty, this conversation provides both grounding and a challenge: to lead with more humility, more imagination, and more future-back discipline.Actionable TakeawaysYou'll learn why “clarity beats certainty” and how leaders who project confidence without openness can miss critical signals in chaotic environments.Hear how to spot brittleness in your systems—and why high efficiency often hides vulnerabilities that collapse under stress.You'll learn why a healthy level of anxiety is necessary and how leaders can use it to sharpen attention without slipping into dysfunction.Hear how to apply foresight as a leadership practice, using scenarios not to predict the future but to “vaccinate” your organization against emerging risks.You'll learn why nonlinear environments break traditional planning, and how to cultivate neuro-flexibility and improvisational leadership.Hear how storytelling becomes a strategic tool, helping leaders create meaning, focus attention, and align teams in moments of uncertainty.You'll learn why cross-generational leadership is becoming a competitive advantage, especially as digital natives bring new skills to nonlinear problem-solving.Connect with Bob Johansen and Jamais CascioBook Website Institute for the FutureJamais Cascio LinkedInConnect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

Vivimos en un mundo VUCA / BANI.Incierto, frágil, ansioso y no lineal.Y no, el reto no es entender el concepto.El reto es cómo lideras cuando todo se mueve.En este episodio hablamos de algo clave:

This special Monday release of Skip the Queue marks Blue Monday, often labelled the most depressing day of the year. But is Blue Monday real, or just clever marketing?Andy Povey is joined by Emma Newell, Chair of the TEA Wellness Council, to unpack the truth behind Blue Monday and explore a much bigger issue facing the attractions industry: burnout.Key Topics Covered: The truth about Blue MondayWhat burnout really looks likeThe Window of ToleranceWhy the attractions industry is uniquely challengingWhy burnout often feels “normal” in themed entertainmentSeasonal living and energy managementLeadership, boundaries and responsibilityThe role of the TEA Wellness Council Show References: Emma Newell, TEA Chair, and Strategy, Culture & Leadership Coach at Magnetic Moon Coachinghttps://www.teaconnect.org/https://magneticmooncoaching.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-newell-magneticmooncoachingltd/ Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your host is Andy Povey.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop' — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

In Episode 002 of the The Leadership Contrarian, Michael Redman, CEO of Half a Bubble Out (HaBO), explores why leadership feels harder right now—and why that's not your imagination. We're living in a VUCA world: Volatility. Uncertainty. Complexity. Ambiguity. Drawing from a formative experience in 1980 and more than 20 years of working with leaders, Michael unpacks: What VUCA really means (and why it's personal) Why yesterday's leadership tools no longer work How resilient leaders stay grounded when everything feels unstable Why internal capacity—not external control—is the key to leading well in chaos This episode isn't about reacting faster or doing more. It's about becoming a steadier, more human, and more effective leader—without adding more to your plate. If you're navigating constant change, pressure, and uncertainty, this message will meet you right where you are.

Stop letting fear of the wrong choice lead to the biggest mistake of all: no decision making at all. Join the conversation as host Penny Zenker sits down with neuroscientist, researcher, and keynote speaker Lorne Epstein, who consults with senior leaders on improving decision making outcomes. They dive into how to navigate today's volatile, uncertain, chaotic, and ambiguous (VUCA) world by identifying unconscious bias, the critical role of cognitive flexibility, and why you need to master your personal 'reset moment' to filter out the noise and find your signal. Lorne also shares insights on his novel psychometric assessment for teams and explains how AI can be a great advisory tool in your decision making process.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://pennyzenker360.com/positive-productivity-podcast/

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with David Ross, VUCA strategist and author of Confronting the Storm: Regenerating Leadership and Hope in the Age of Uncertainty. David is a renowned expert on VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) environments and has spent his career advising organizations on how to thrive amidst complexity and disruption. With a background as an ecologist, David brings a unique perspective to leadership—one that emphasizes the interconnectedness of the issues facing businesses and society today. His deep understanding of wicked problems, those challenges with no straightforward solutions, forms the backbone of this engaging conversation.The discussion centers around how leaders must adapt to the rapidly changing business landscape, where traditional approaches no longer work. David argues that the old leadership models—based on control and linear thinking—are ill-suited for the challenges we face today. Instead, he advocates for a more collaborative, emotionally intelligent, and resilient leadership style, one that embraces uncertainty rather than fighting it. He explains how technology, climate change, and societal shifts are creating a world that's more BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, and Incomprehensible), and what leaders need to do to stay ahead.Throughout the episode, David draws on his extensive experience advising CEOs and leadership teams, offering practical insights into how organizations can navigate the unpredictability of today's environment. He also delves into the importance of hope and optimism, even in times of crisis, and how leaders can turn challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation. Actionable Takeaways:You'll learn why traditional leadership models based on control and linear thinking are no longer effective in today's VUCA world—and what you need to replace them with.Hear how embracing uncertainty and fostering resilience can transform how your organization responds to crises and wicked problems.Discover the power of emotional intelligence in leadership and why listening is just as important as speaking in today's collaborative environments.Find out what David means by a BANI world (Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, and Incomprehensible) and how leaders can adapt to thrive in these unpredictable times.Explore the importance of hope and optimism in leadership and how turning crises into opportunities is key to long-term success.Understand why future literacy and foresight are critical tools for leaders looking to anticipate change and guide their organizations through complexity.Learn why David believes that normalcy has left the building and how leaders must evolve to lead effectively in this new reality.Hear David's insights on why collaboration—not isolation—is the future of leadership and how diverse perspectives fuel innovation.Gain insight into why scenario planning is a powerful tool for leaders to prepare for multiple futures and make better strategic decisions.Connect with David RossDavid Ross Website Confronting the Storm: Regenerating Leadership and Hope in the Age of UncertaintyDavid Ross LinkedInConnect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

Presilience: A Leadership Framework for Thriving in Crisis and Uncertainty with Dr. Gavriel Schneider In today's volatile and uncertain world, resilience is no longer enough. Leaders must learn how to thrive before a crisis hits. In this episode of Deep Leadership, I'm joined by Dr. Gavriel Schneider, an internationally recognized expert in security, risk intelligence, and leadership under pressure. Gav is the creator of the Presilience framework, a proactive approach to leadership that helps individuals and organizations turn disruption into opportunity. We explore why traditional risk management and compliance models fall short in today's VUCA environment, and what leaders must do differently to sustain high performance during uncertainty, disruption, and crisis. Gav shares real-world lessons from decades of advising governments, critical infrastructure, and global organizations, along with insights from psychology, decision-making, and high-performance leadership. If you're leading a team, running a business, or navigating constant change, this conversation will challenge how you think about resilience, risk, and leadership. In this episode, we discuss: What presilience is and why it matters now The difference between surviving disruption and thriving through it How leaders make better decisions under pressure Why resilient organizations require resilient people Turning risk into opportunity in a complex, digital world Leading with confidence when certainty is gone About today's guest: Dr. Gavriel Schneider is the CEO of the Risk2 Solution Group, a former program director in the psychology of risk, and the author of Presilience: How to Navigate Risk, Embrace Opportunity, and Build Resilience. He has trained thousands of professionals worldwide in crisis leadership, risk intelligence, and decision-making.

The collapse of a major hospital system set off one of the most complex healthcare emergencies Massachusetts has ever faced. In this episode, Dr. Gregg Meyer, Incident Manager for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, discusses how the state responded to the unprecedented Steward Health Care crisis and worked to protect patients, communities, and hospital staff. He explains how years of debt, real estate deals, and private equity extraction destabilized the system and pushed it into bankruptcy. He shares what it took to manage a months-long VUCA public health emergency, including on-site monitoring, emergency closures, and the transfer of six hospitals to new nonprofit operators. He also reflects on the human and financial toll the crisis left behind, as well as why stronger oversight and policy reform are urgently needed. Tune in to learn how Massachusetts led one of the most challenging hospital rescue operations in U.S. history! Resources Follow the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on LinkedIn and explore their website! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Way back in March 2020, I published two episodes about VUCA. VUCA V - U -C- A is an acronym describing a concept that was developed by the U. S. Army War College to describe the world after the end of the Cold War. A world that was more Volatile, V; Uncertain, U: Complex, C; and Ambiguous, A.Peter Schein talked with me in Episode 361, published two weeks ago, about his book, Humble Inquiry: The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling, which was published earlier this year.In the book, Peter refers to VUCAA. That's VUCA with an additional A. The second A stands for Anxiety. Difficult enough to deal with volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. Anxiety affects our ability to handle every one of those.What can we do about it all in the context of conflict?We can start by recognizing that we come from different perspectives.VUCAA may be our new norm.  And, we will benefit from recognizing that we won't all experience it or deal with it the same way. And we can exercise as much grace as we can muster. Do you have comments or suggestions about a topic or guest? An idea or question about conflict management or conflict resolution? Let me know at jb@dovetailresolutions.com! And you can learn more about me and my work as a mediator and a Certified CINERGY® Conflict Coach at www.dovetailresolutions.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/janebeddall/.Enjoy the show for free on your favorite podcast app or on the podcast website: https://craftingsolutionstoconflict.com/ 

Todd Cherches is the CEO and co-founder of BigBlueGumball, a NYC-based leadership and executive coaching firm. He is a member of Marshall Goldsmith's “MG 100 Coaches,” a three-time award-winning adjunct professor of leadership at NYU, a lecturer on leadership at Columbia University, a TEDx speaker, and the author of the groundbreaking book, "VisuaLeadership: Leveraging the Power of Visual Thinking in Leadership and in Life."In today's episode of Smashing the Plateau, you will learn how to leverage relationships, community, and visual thinking to build a thriving business after leaving the corporate world.Todd and I discuss:What led Todd to start his own business [02:47]Key challenges in balancing business development and client work [03:32]The importance of relationships and community for business growth [04:21]How teaching, speaking, and content creation fuel relationship building [05:22]Keeping relationships warm over time—especially for introverts [06:36]Using LinkedIn to nurture your network [06:36]The power of metaphors, analogies, and visual leadership for entrepreneurs [10:16]Four ways to communicate ideas visually [11:14]How visual thinking helps corporate refugees stand out [15:53]Becoming a resource for organizations in a VUCA world [16:55]Todd's “four G's” philosophy for leadership and community [22:14]How to start building your network and why it's never too late [24:19]Learn more about Todd at:https://www.toddcherches.com/https://www.amazon.com/VisuaLeadership-Leveraging-Visual-Thinking-Leadership/dp/1642933376https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddcherches/Thank you to our sponsor:The Smashing the Plateau CommunityReady to level up? Subscribe for exclusive tips and strategies to drive your success forward!

In This Episode Many bank leaders are currently grappling with the same paradox: despite having access to more data than ever, it's increasingly difficult to discern what truly matters. Budgets are tight, initiatives are piling up, and the market sends conflicting signals, all while the imperative to remain relevant to customers persists. Breaking Banks did a show on VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) three weeks ago (if you missed it, take a listen when you get a chance!). When there's VUCA, the natural inclination is to add more—more dashboards, more projects, more committees—yet this rarely leads to clarity. This episode of Breaking Banks features Catherine Lynch from Citizens Bank and Greg Palmer, host of sister podcast Finovate. They discuss the importance of human-centered innovation. Catherine Lynch leads digital experience and human-centered design at Citizens, a super-regional bank with approximately 1,000 branches primarily in the Northeast and $220 billion in assets. With over 20 years in banking and prior experience at Accenture and various tech startups, Catherine has dedicated her career to leveraging technology to solve customer problems. At Citizens, she focuses on digital channel strategy and experience design for a diverse customer base, including consumers, commercial clients, and wealth management customers. Catherine explains that all banking clients share three fundamental needs: seeing their money, moving their money, and protecting their money. However, these needs have evolved as people navigate cognitive overload, economic stress, and reduced community connections, leading to a demand for simpler and easier banking experiences. To meet these changing expectations, Citizens employs a human-centered design approach, placing customer needs at the core of their problem-solving process through empathy, collaboration, iteration, and testing. Their innovation lab, part of Green Pixel Studios, enables them to observe customer interactions and rapidly develop solutions for pain points. With its human centered focus and work building the right kind of innovative community, the future looks bright for Citizens Bank as it continues to deliver exceptional customer experiences and help customers navigate today's information overload. Listen now to learn more!

200,000+ leaders have become unbeatable with my operating system, will you be the next? Join The Unbeatable Leader Challenge Today: https://www.unbeatableleader.comMost high performing and elite leaders neglect the essence of sustainability in a VUCA world of hustle culture - I didn't have the option as a SEAL or as a serial entrepreneur. In this video, I sit down with Dr. Greg Kelly, a leading expert in human performance and longevity, for a deep dive into the science of living better, longer. In this episode, you'll discover proven strategies for longevity and anti-aging, including the latest on exercise routines, nutrition, and fasting protocols, cutting-edge insights into senolytics and stem cell activation—what they are, how they work, and their potential to revolutionize healthy aging, the powerful role of purpose, mindset, and holistic health practices in extending not just your lifespan, but your “performance span.”Whether you're looking to optimize your health, stay ahead of the latest wellness trends, or simply live a more vibrant life, this conversation is packed with actionable takeaways.Key Takeaways: Longevity and anti-aging strategies (including exercise, nutrition, and supplements)The science and application of senolytics and stem cell activationThe role of purpose, mindset, and holistic health practices in healthy agingQualia: The difference Qualia Senolytic has made for my own aging process has been incredible. I'm living a lifestyle of someone YOUNGER, by keeping my senescent cells to a minimum, so my energy and vitality can stay through the roof. So to feel in your prime WAY longer than you ever thought possible, try Qualia Senolytic up to 50% off right now at neurohacker.com/md15, and code MD15 at checkout will score you an additional 15% off. Dr.Greg Kelly Links:Websites: https://www.qualialife.com/Book: Shape Shift - https://a.co/d/iV7XPtwLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-kelly-98b96b138/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qualialife/Mark Links: Website: https://unbeatableleader.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@markdivineofficial/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markdivineofficialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdivine/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markdivineofficial/Subscribe to https://www.youtube.com/@markdivineofficial for more inspiring conversations on leadership, growth, and impact.Rate and review the show to help us reach more listeners.Share your thoughts and takeaways in the comments!Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to the Mark Divine Show & Dr. Greg Kelly's background01:40 Dr. Greg's journey: Navy, naturopathic medicine, and health philosophy03:27 What is naturopathy? Differences with integrative and functional medicine06:15 Personalized medicine, blood type diets, and early longevity interests08:12 Longevity mindset: “Performance span” vs. lifespan, portfolio approach to health09:46 The role of exercise in longevity: types, intensity, and balance13:01 Avoiding overtraining and the importance of rest and nervous system regulation17:23 Biohacking interventions: Sauna, cold exposure, and their science22:45 Nutrition for longevity: fasting, fasting-mimicking diets, and intuitive eating28:13 Hydration, electrolytes, and the importance of salt33:55 Cutting-edge supplements: NAD, senolytics (“zombie cells”), and stem cell activation44:06 The future of longevity: gut microbiome, plant medicines, and holistic health51:15 The power of mindset, purpose, and ancient practices in healthy aging59:36 Closing thoughts, resources, and where to find more#leadership #mental toughness #mindset #peakperformance #NavySEAL #executivecoaching #resilience #selfimprovement #growthmindset #unbeatablemind #highperformance #mindfulness #personaldevelopment #warriormindset #stoicleadershipSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.