The Strategy Skills Podcast: Management Consulting | Strategy, Operations & Implementation | Critical Thinking

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 218, an episode with a sought-after keynote speaker and a National Champion storyteller, Kindra Hall. Get Kindra's book here: https://amzn.to/3sRmOp3 In this episode, Kindra spoke about the importance of understanding the power of stories that an individual tells and believes and how it impacts our daily lives. She discussed how self-stories influence everything you do, everything you say, and everything you are. Kindra Hall is President and Chief Storytelling Officer at Steller Collective, a consulting firm focused on the strategic application of storytelling to today’s communication challenges. Kindra is one of the most sought-after keynote speakers trusted by global brands to deliver presentations and training that inspire teams and individuals to better communicate the value of their company, their products and their individuality through strategic storytelling. What began as a chance encounter at age 13 with a storytelling cassette tape grew into a passion for not only

For this episode, let's revisit one of Strategy Skills classics where we discuss a special type of case study called a period case study which is significantly harder to do, but incredibly useful. Most consultants prefer case studying the latest and greatest fad, which is extremely misleading, as explained in this podcast. Click here to see the full study and here to see the merger study and market entry study. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit one of Strategy Skills classics where we discuss the tough work being done by the Organizational Design team. We discuss the three tensions which drive all Organizational Design recommendations and the trade-offs required. We also spoke about the most important requirement to implement a new culture and structure at any company, and it is quite simple to do. As you will see, the Organizational Design stream is struggling in the study. Click here to see the full Corporate Strategy & Transformation study and here to see the merger study and market entry study. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 215, an episode with an award-winning entrepreneur, business leader, and best-selling business author, Catherine Bell. Get Catherine's book here: https://amzn.to/3Gzdqvf   In this episode, Catherine spoke about the importance of humanity and trust in every organization. She highlighted that as a leader, we need to pause and understand where we are as a person, which allows us the discretionary space to make the best decisions. Mindful and self-aware leaders are higher performers compared to those who are not.   Catherine Bell focuses on awakening and sustaining the fire within as Founder of The Awakened Company with passion, purpose, and play. Catherine founded BluEra, a Profit 500 executive search firm. She now helps organizations develop healthy culture strategies and hosts webinars on leadership and the Enneagram.   She also started The Awakened Project, a jewelry line that helps females get out of poverty by starting their businesses with microloans. Catherine has also b

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 214, an episode with CEO and executive coach, Emily Bermes. In this episode, Emily spoke about the challenges that new generation executives are facing, particularly during the trying times of the pandemic. She discussed how having no physical role model or person to look up to impacts how an executive behaves and performs, and how executives cope up with that. Emily Bermes is the CEO of a human capital consulting firm. She has devoted her career to helping executives—from Fortune 100 companies to industry-shifting startups—successfully assimilate into new roles, create strong teams, and develop cultures that attract and retain the best talent. Combining more than 20 years of experience as a partner-level management consultant and executive coach with her background as a quantitative researcher, Emily is a master at creating customized, elegant solutions for the toughest organizational and human capital challenges. She has successfully assimilated nearly 100 executives acros

For this episode, let's revisit one of Strategy Skills classics where we discuss why you should avoid the strategy echo chamber. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills where we discuss what makes a study a "transformation study" and how to determine if an organization is going through a transformation or something else, such as restructuring. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills where we discuss how to complete logical case studies. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills where we discuss the 3 career path options that consultants face once they become partners. We discuss each career path and what it means for a consultant's career. These are differences that are crucial to know and understand because partner career paths that appear to be more attractive often lead to disappointing results. For example, did you know it is a really bad idea to emulate the career path of all the McKinsey and BCG partners who appear in the McKinsey Quarterly, BCG perspectives, and HBR? This counter-intuitive podcast will explain why. Many consultants don't spend enough time analyzing and considering the implications of following each career path. They take a superficial look at who are the partners most known and respected within the firm and try to emulate those partners. Yet, down the road, they often end up at a dead end. We further address which partner career path you should follow if your goal is to become a CEO one da

For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills where we talk about one of the issues that we deal with at Firmsconsulting and which many ex employees of major consulting firms (e.g. ex McKinsey and ex BCG consultants) encounter as they embark on building their own boutique consulting firms or even when they join other consulting firm as employees. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

How do you become an outstanding management consultant? Should you excel at analysis? Should you master problem-solving? Should you become the world's most gifted communicator? You could master all of the aforementioned items and still be an average management consultant at best. Great management consultants have all these skills but they have one more quality that makes them great, they are not just competent business people but they are also artists. For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills where we explain the mindset we encourage teams to use on the study. This is the mindset I used in my career and it is very different from what you would expect. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills with Bill Matassoni, where we discussed a topic about Tesla's strategy. Every now and then, someone comes along and makes the subject of management both fun and insightful. That’s what Bill Matassoni has done in his memoir—a combination of compelling stories and contrarian substance—that covers his forty-year career selling what he calls “ephemeral things.” In addition to the memoir, Bill plays host to a series of videos that are entertaining, irreverent, and filled with his conviction that marketing is the primary driver of progress in both commercial and social markets. We will soon release Bill Matassoni's memoir and documentary series. If you would like to read a bonus chapter, view advance content and receive other exclusive strategy material, please sign up below. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills, where we discuss whether a strategy (functional) partner can/should lead the workshop over an energy (sector) partner. There is a difference, and the answer is not obvious. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills, where we answer a question, "Does the strategy workshop offer precise answers?" Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 204, an episode with a recognized expert on cybersecurity, privacy, identity theft, fraud, and personal finance, Adam Levin. In this episode, Adam speaks about various digital threats that individuals and organizations face today. He shares that anyone can be a cyber-crime target: consumers, businesses, companies, or the government. He shares valuable insights about cybersecurity and ways to protect yourself and your organization from cyber-crimes. Adam K. Levin is the Former Director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, the founder of CyberScout, and co-founder of Credit.com. He is a graduate of Stanford University and the University of Michigan School of Law. Levin is a sought-after speaker who, during his career in the public and private sectors, has shared his expertise with numerous state and federal regulators and legislative committees, and appeared before a wide variety of organizations—government, law enforcement, public interest, education, human resou

For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills, where we answer a question, "Should I email the full deck to participants before the strategy workshop?" Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 202, an episode with one of the leading innovators in digital marketing, Jeff Rosenblum. In this episode, Jeff speaks about effective marketing and advertising that both informs and inspires. He shares how businesses can help customers feel empowered to solve their problems and create a better customer experience.  We will learn why businesses that embrace empowerment, transparency, and authenticity are essential in today's marketing world.  Jeff Rosenblum is an author, a documentary filmmaker, and an advertising agency founder. He is widely regarded as one of the leading innovators in the field of digital marketing and has worked on teams that have helped revolutionize dozens of industries. Jeff is the co-writer and director of a groundbreaking documentary about the advertising industry's future, The Naked Brand. It reveals the surprising story about corporations' ability to improve the world, one small step at a time. Jeff is the Founding Partner of Questus, a digital

For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills, where we cover a topic about how to handle a difficult client situation and what happens when a strategy firm overbills a client. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 200, an episode with a globally recognized performance coach, Jason Goldsmith. Get Jason's book here: https://amzn.to/3GVf3ny   Jason Goldsmith is the founder of Goldsmith Performance and has coached multiple Major champions and numerous top-fifty golfers. Jason emphasizes combining the mental and physical aspects of optimal performance in high-pressure environments. His accomplishments in golf include assisting Jason Day and Justin Rose in achieving the number-one world ranking and helping Rose win both the Gold Medal at the 2016 Olympics and the 2018 FedEx Cup.   Jason is also the president and founder of Mustard, a computer-vision-enabled social platform that is revolutionizing performance coaching by creating proprietary CV/AI technology in partnership with legends Dr. Tom House, Mia Hamm, Drew Brees, Nolan Ryan, Anson Dorrance and several other hall-of-fame coaches and athletes. His practice has expanded into other sports in recent years, including the NBA, MLB, NFL, U

For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills, where we covered a topic about analyses. - Are the analyses always the same for a strategy workshop? In other words, what determines the analyses you should undertake for a strategy workshop? - How does one set objectives for the workshop?  - How many strategy workshops should be completed during an engagement?  - Why are top-down analyses so important?  Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo