Strategish – Details, episodes & analysis

In our 12th episode, Dan and Craig go back to basics, providing our listeners with a 1-1 discussion on the fundamentals of Strategy.

In this conversation, our hosts break down the concept of strategy itself, articulating what an effective strategy is, the essential elements of how it gets built, the different approaches that organizations tend to employ to build them, and many of the common misconceptions around what they mean and how they’re used (and misused).

This discussion is packed full of insightful anecdotes and examples sourced from two careers spent delivering strategies for clients all over the world - not one to miss!

In our 11th episode, Dan and Craig sit down with experienced technologist and digital leader Rich Corbridge, Chief Digital Information Officer for the Department for Work and Pensions. Together, they explore how technology is transforming the way organizations function, and also examine the radical changes that have taken root within most technology and digital functions, turning them into engines for enterprise change.

In this conversation, we delve into Rich’s background as a digital and technology leader in both the public and private sectors, reflecting on the outsized role that technology has played in the performance of organizations over the last 20+ years. We also talk about how the digital transformation agents of yesterday have become the de-facto best leaders to drive the most complex change programs in today’s organizations, and how smart leaders tap into the power of new technologies to solve tangible problems without falling prey to the hype cycle that often accompanies these new tools.

For anyone looking to contact Rich, you can do so via linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-corbridge-fbcs-8b621b5/

In our 2nd episode, Dan sits down with Christiana Cavazzoni, Chief Digital and Data Officer for Supply Ontario. Craig also joins us later to reflect on the discussion and identify the Nuggets of Insight we captured throughout.

In this conversation, we hear from Christiana about the challenge to achieving greatness posed by "corporate inertia", the cultural force that pushes back on all large organizational transformation efforts. She shares perspectives shaped by decades of complex change in both the private and public sectors, and identifies strategies to overcome inertia and build up sustained momentum for big change.

For anyone looking to contact Christiana, you can do so via linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianacavazzoni/

In our first episode, Dan and co-host Craig sit down with Paul Kortenaar, CEO of the Ontario Science Centre (OSC).

In this conversation, we hear from Paul about how this venerated institution, a global pioneer in hands-on science education, tackled the existential challenges posed by COVID-19. We explore the importance of an organization's mission to it's pursuit of greatness, and learn how the OSC managed to stay on mission in the face of seemingly insurmountable hurdles - emerging from lockdowns with a renewed clarity and focus on it's core purpose.

In our Zero-th episode, co-hosts Dan and Craig get together to lay down the basics: What is a strategy, really, and how does it help organizations survive, thrive, and create tangible value for themselves and the people they serve?

In this conversation, we'll also lay our the Big Question we want to try and answer in Season 1: Why do so many organizations struggle to achieve greatness? We grapple with what it means to pursue this lofty aspiration, and explain why we think it's important that more leaders take on this challenge on behalf of their organizations and society at large.

Every organization in the world has a strategy - whether it's any good is another story.

Welcome to Strategish! This is the podcast that seeks to demystify how organizations make their most important and complex decisions, and why so many of them get it wrong. Each week, we'll interview another leader in the corporate, government, or non profit sector, along with a suite of senior executives in the strategy consulting industry. From these discussions, we'll extract useful "Nuggets" of insight that can be applied to our own organizations and even in our day-to-day lives.

So join us, for a conversation that may not always be serious, but promises to always be strateg...ish.

In our 10th episode, Dan sits down with resilient senior executive Jillian Moffatt, Regional President of McCain Foods in Great Britain and Ireland. Together, they take a cross-organizational view on how organizations can pursue and achieve complex change. In this conversation, we tap into Jillian's unique background, with senior leadership roles in the transformational domain (Enterprise program leadership), the functional domain (Former Chief Technology Officer) and the regional/operational domain (Regional President). Through this rare intersection of perspectives, we unpack the strikingly simple yet profoundly effective tools that she employs to drive change at a global scale. Her insights cover a wide spectrum, including a view for both the top down narrative and the bottom up needs of individuals customers, employees, and partners. Finally, we examine the under-appreciated power of sustained and authentic communication as an essential tool of great leadership, and reflect on it's ability to get to the heart of challenges embedded deeply within an organization. For anyone looking to contact Jillian, you can do so via linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillian-moffatt-757b996

In our 9th episode, Dan and Craig spend some quality time together, with a 1-1 discussion on the chronically misunderstood topic of Innovation!

In this conversation, our hosts explore the often quoted and rarely achieved concept of Corporate Innovation, providing an honest perspective on what it really means to innovate and what usually passes for it within most organizations. They’ll discuss why so many organizations struggle to make real investments in innovation despite both the obvious benefits and its essential role in the pursuit of greatness, and examine the practical methods that leaders can employ on their path to achieving it at scale across the enterprise.

In our 8th episode, Dan and Craig sit down with former colleague and all-around phenomenon Kevin Raymond, COO at Validere, to take a hard look at why so many organizations tend to inevitably struggle with complexity.

In this conversation, we discuss how demanding and reinforcing radical simplicity can cut through the explosion in value-less work that proliferates as organizations age. We also talk about the benefits this can have for a company’s ability to pursue greatness and maintain sustained performance in both the boom times and the hard times. 

For anyone looking to contact Kevin, you can do so via linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinpraymond/

In our 7th episode, Host Dan Marquez and Co-Host Craig Overmars continue their conversation with venerated leader Ret. LGen Michael Rouleau, former Vice Chief of the Defence Staff for the Canadian Armed Forces.

Throughout their conversation, Mike shares a broad range of hard-won lessons on the essentials of effective leadership and transformation. Building on the discussion of shaping a strategy and inspiring others in Part 1 (Episode 6), this half of the conversation focuses on how great leaders navigate the challenges that face any large complex change, and turn great strategies into a reality.

For anyone looking to contact Mike, you can do so via linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-rouleau-aa4b63256/