Strategy And Leadership Podcast

In many organizations, engagement is treated as a morale metric or a human resources initiative. But what if engagement isn’t a byproduct of strategy — what if it is the strategy?In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, host Anthony Taylor sits down with Christine Miller, former CEO of Melinta Therapeutics and seasoned Life Sciences executive, to explore how disciplined strategic planning, structural clarity, and cross-functional alignment can transform enterprise performance. With a background spanning engineering, portfolio leadership, and executive transformation, Christine shares how she helped reshape an organization by building a clear five-year roadmap anchored in four unwavering strategic priorities.Christine explains why engagement cannot be separated from execution. Leaders often chase growth without building the structural foundation required to sustain it. By aligning teams around long-term objectives, reinforcing priorities annually, and resisting the temptation to chase distractio

In a business world driven by growth targets, dashboards, and scale, leaders are often told that expansion is the ultimate measure of success. But what if the real challenge isn’t scaling bigger, it’s protecting what matters?In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, host Anthony Taylor sits down with Richard Mah, former Global Head of Digital Marketing at ASICS and now steward of Northern Cafe and Grill, a family-run Vancouver diner that has served its community since 1949. With more than 20 years of experience leading digital teams across Asia, aligning global markets, and building performance-driven platforms, Richard has lived the world of multi-million-dollar budgets, executive reporting, and international KPIs. Today, he applies that same strategic thinking to a deeply local, human-centered business.Richard shares what it was like to build digital infrastructure from scratch at ASICS, break down data silos across regions, and align diverse markets around a single performance dashboard. He r

Why good decisions often fail after they’re made — and how leaders can align intuition, planning, and execution so choices actually turn into results.Even strong strategies can fall apart if organizations aren’t designed to execute them. Decisions that look right on paper often fail downstream, not because they were wrong, but because the systems, structures, and judgment required to carry them through were never put in place.In this solo episode of the Strategy & Leadership Podcast, host Anthony Taylor examines why execution breaks down after decisions are made and what leaders can do to prevent it. Drawing on years of experience working with leadership teams, Anthony explains how strategy is less about the plan itself and more about the upstream conditions that allow people to make good decisions consistently.Anthony explores how judgment is shaped by organizational design, why treating all decisions equally undermines execution, and how prioritization, trade-offs, and sequencing determine whether work

In a time defined by rapid technological change, economic uncertainty, and shifting assumptions about work, innovation alone is no longer enough. Leaders are being challenged to rethink not just what they build, but how and why they build it.In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, host Anthony Taylor sits down with JoAnn Garbin, former Microsoft innovation leader and founder of Regeneris Labs, to explore what comes after traditional innovation models. Drawing on decades of experience inside Microsoft, startups, and now a venture studio, JoAnn shares how her thinking has evolved from driving innovation within large systems to designing entirely new regenerative models for work and value creation.JoAnn reflects on a major personal and professional inflection point that led her to step away from Big Tech and intentionally rebuild from first principles. She explains why her team spent eighteen months in what she calls an “amorphous blob” phase, experimenting, testing, and resisting the pressure to

As organizations grow, management quality often becomes the biggest constraint on performance. Yet most managers are promoted without training, leaving them to navigate people leadership through trial and error.In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, host Anthony Taylor speaks with Ashley Herd, former McKinsey HR leader, LinkedIn Learning instructor, and founder of Manager Method, about how organizations can build confident, capable managers at scale. Drawing on her experience across law, HR, and global consulting, Ashley shares a practical perspective on why management capability is frequently overlooked and how that gap impacts culture, performance, and risk.Ashley explains how HR is often viewed as a compliance function rather than a strategic partner, and why that mindset limits organizational effectiveness. She explores how compliance and culture can work together, not in opposition, when leaders focus on transparency, clarity, and human-centered decision-making. The conversation highligh

In mature industries, innovation is often misunderstood as novelty, experimentation, or disruption for its own sake. But for organizations facing margin pressure, increased competition, and slowing growth, innovation is not a buzzword. It is a mechanism for strategic renewal.In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, host Anthony Taylor speaks with Bruce Vojak, Managing Director of Breakthrough Innovation Advisors, about how established organizations can renew themselves without destabilizing the core business. Drawing on more than four decades of experience across executive leadership, board service, academic research, and advisory work, Bruce shares a pragmatic and disciplined view of innovation that moves beyond hype.Bruce explains why many mature companies default to cost-cutting and optimization when under pressure, and why that approach often accelerates long-term decline. He outlines his framework, built on alignment, simple processes, and innovation exemplars, and shows how leaders can as

In a workplace shaped by rapid change, remote work debates, and shifting expectations, many organizations are struggling to define what employee experience should actually look like. In this episode, we explore the future of employee experience and why leaders must return to first principles to build organizations that are truly future-ready.In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, host Anthony Taylor speaks with Jacob Morgan, founder of Future of Work Leaders, a professionally trained futurist, and a six-time best-selling author. Jacob shares insights drawn from years of research and conversations with hundreds of CHROs and senior leaders around the world. Together, they unpack how the pandemic reshaped the employee-employer relationship and where many organizations lost their way.Jacob explains why employee experience must be rooted in a mutually beneficial value exchange and why leadership accountability, clarity, and standards matter more than ever. He offers a clear perspective on the powe

In a marketing landscape increasingly obsessed with dashboards, efficiency, and short term ROI, many organizations are unknowingly measuring themselves into slower growth. In this episode, we explore what it really means to measure what matters in marketing and why focusing too narrowly on efficiency can quietly undermine long term results.In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, host Anthony Taylor speaks with Brook Shepard, founder of Mason Interactive and long time digital agency leader. With over a decade of experience helping businesses scale through data driven marketing, Brook shares a clear and practical perspective on how leaders should think about metrics, customer acquisition, and growth in an increasingly complex digital environment.Brook breaks down the tension between efficiency and growth, explaining why metrics like ROAS and cost per lead can be misleading when viewed in isolation. He shares real world examples of how bottom of funnel optimization, when overemphasized, can starv

As organizations scale, complexity increases. Systems break, communication slows, and leaders often lose sight of how the business actually works. In this episode, we explore why structure, sales discipline, and clear strategy are essential for sustainable growth in global organizations.In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, host Anthony Taylor sits down with Pete Harris, President of Pipedrive. Pete previously led global business development and global partnerships at Intuit and spent over a decade at Deloitte, where he worked closely with hundreds of organizations across industries. Today, he leads value creation strategy at Pipedrive, supporting more than 100,000 customers across 180 countries.Anthony and Pete discuss how an auditor’s mindset helps leaders truly understand their business, why strong systems create predictability without limiting adaptability, and how sales processes mirror leadership execution. Pete shares lessons from scaling a global SaaS platform, navigating private equ

Enroll in our strategic thinking training today for $0!https://courses.smestrategy.net/courses/Strategic-Leadership-ToolkitIf you want your team execution to be smoother, faster, and easier your team needs the right tools and coaching. Enroll in the Strategy Leadership Accelerator and level up your leadership team. https://courses.smestrategy.net/courses/Leading-Strategy-Execution In markets that feel more crowded and noisy every quarter, many organizations quietly slide into commodity status and do not even realize it. In this episode, we explore how to uncover the hidden magic in your business before you price and simplify your way out of what makes you great.In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, host Anthony Taylor speaks with Barry LaBov, founder of LABOV Marketing Communications and Training, long-time agency leader, former rock musician, and author of The Power of Differentiation. Together they dig into what real differentiation looks like in practice, why it usually already exists ins

When companies begin to scale, founders often become the bottleneck without realizing it. In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, Anthony Taylor speaks with Sam Goodner, serial entrepreneur, former Swiss Army officer, and author of Like Clockwork Run Your Business with Swiss Army Precision.Sam has spent more than 25 years scaling technology and consulting companies, leading teams through rapid multi-year growth, and building systems that create clarity, repeatability, and disciplined execution. His Swiss Army background brings a practical lens to leadership, communication, and operational structure.In this conversation, Sam explains why many founders plateau at three to four million in revenue, how to decentralize decision-making, and why sales must be the first part of the business to become repeatable. He shares the simple daily huddle that transformed alignment inside his organizations, how to build an executive team that actually owns decisions, and the question every leader must answer to

In every industry, there are strategies that quietly outperform the conventional wisdom. In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, Anthony Taylor speaks with Andy Weiner, Founder and President of RockStep Capital, one of the most innovative retail real estate investment firms in the United States.Andy’s career spans more than 40 years across retail operations, commercial real estate, and shopping center redevelopment. Before launching RockStep Capital, he served as Vice President of Operations for Weiner’s Stores, a regional chain that grew to 159 locations across Texas and Louisiana. Today, RockStep Capital owns and operates nearly 10 million square feet of shopping centers across 11 states, specializing in the revitalization of enclosed malls and open air retail in secondary and tertiary markets.In this conversation, Andy explains why RockStep invests in “hometowns” under a million people, how local partnerships reduce risk and unlock value, and why big institutional players routinely overlook

Most leaders can handle the easy 92 percent of their day. It is the remaining 8 percent that defines them. In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, Anthony Taylor speaks with Dr. JP Pawliw-Fry, one of the world’s leading authorities on pressure, performance, and the neuroscience of leadership.JP is the New York Times bestselling author of Performing Under Pressure and co-founder of the Institute for Health and Human Potential. For more than 25 years, he has coached and trained elite performers and teams across NASA, the CIA, the US Army and Navy, the Olympics, the NBA, the NFL, and global Fortune 100 companies, including Google, Goldman Sachs, Coca-Cola, BMW, IBM, and Johnson & Johnson. His research on leadership behavior and culture has appeared in Harvard Business Review and media outlets worldwide.In this conversation, JP explains the Last 8 Percent, the small but critical set of difficult moments that disproportionately shape organizational culture, execution, and long-term success. He

Growth is exciting until it starts costing you more than it is making you. In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, Anthony Taylor speaks with Ben Hansen, five time Inc. 5000 entrepreneur and founder of Profit Doctor, about why scaling too fast without fixing your profit problems is a recipe for burnout.After building an eight figure company with more than 100 employees, Ben learned firsthand that more revenue does not always mean more success. Through his Profit Doctor programs, he now helps CEOs and business owners cure what he calls “Profititis,” when your top line keeps growing but your bottom line stays flat.In this conversation, Ben shares practical ways to increase margins, cash, and distributions in just 90 days, often without adding more workload or pressure. He also explains why most companies are following the wrong playbook, chasing growth like tech startups instead of optimizing for profitability like sustainable businesses.► Work with us to facilitate your strategic plan: https://

How can organizations embrace AI to transform marketing without losing the human connection that drives trust and brand loyalty? In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, Anthony Taylor speaks with Matt Seitz, Chief Marketing Officer and Partner at Prosperity Capital Advisors, as well as CMO of C2P Enterprises and JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management.Under Matt’s marketing leadership, JL Smith achieved 40% average annual growth from 2020 to 2024, C2P launched one of the industry’s first in-house marketing agencies for advisors, and Prosperity Capital Advisors now supports over 130 independent financial advisors nationwide. Recognized as a ThinkAdvisor LUMINARIES 2025 CMO of the Year finalist, Matt has led standout campaigns like the OBBB initiative and The Rainmaker Multiplier, which earned national attention for creativity and results.In this conversation, Matt shares how AI is reshaping marketing strategy, why the traditional funnel is being replaced by continuous loops of engagement, and how l

How can leaders inspire innovation, engagement, and performance without relying on having all the answers? In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, Anthony Taylor speaks with Dr. Debra Clary, author of The Curiosity Curve: A Leader’s Guide to Growth and Transformation Through Bold Questions, and former executive at Frito Lay, Coca Cola, Jack Daniel’s, and Humana.Across more than three decades in Fortune 50 organizations, Dr. Clary has helped leaders shift from transactional to transformational cultures by building curiosity into the core of how teams think and perform. Her research reveals a direct correlation between curiosity and leadership effectiveness and shows how leaders who ask bold questions create more engaged, innovative, and high performing teams.In this conversation, Dr. Clary shares how leaders can turn curiosity into a strategic advantage, foster cultures of openness, and drive long term growth by asking better questions.► Work with us to facilitate your strategic plan:https://co

How can leaders create truly inclusive workplaces without blame, shame, or political polarization? In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, Anthony Taylor speaks with Mike Lynch, executive coach, author of From Ally to All In, and former HR leader at Capital One.After more than two decades guiding global teams, Mike has developed the Ally to All In Framework, a practical roadmap that helps leaders move beyond performative allyship toward authentic and sustained inclusion. His five building blocks, Awareness, Acknowledgement, Atonement, Accountability, and Amplification, offer a clear structure for leaders ready to do the real work of inclusion.For today’s executives, inclusion is not a side initiative, it is a business imperative. When leaders understand how to use their privilege and influence for good, they build stronger cultures, foster innovation, and unlock engagement across their organizations.In this episode, Mike shares how inclusive leadership starts with awareness and evolves through

How can leaders turn tension into teamwork, and disagreement into innovation? In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, Anthony Taylor speaks with Bob Bordone, USA Today Bestselling Author, Senior Fellow at Harvard Law School, and nationally recognized expert in negotiation and conflict resolution.Bob has spent his career helping people navigate the most challenging conversations—in politics, education, corporate life, and everyday relationships. His new book, Conflict Resilience, explores a research-backed approach to talking across divides without losing our values, our relationships, or the integrity of our organizations.For executives and organizational leaders, conflict resilience is fast becoming a 21st-century leadership imperative. Unresolved tension can stall decision-making, erode trust, and weaken culture. Building conflict resilience means learning to reframe disagreement, manage emotion, and transform friction into creativity and connection.In this episode, Bob shares how leaders ca

How do the world’s biggest companies navigate transformation, stay innovative, and lead through uncertainty? In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, Anthony Taylor speaks with Louisa Loran, transformation architect, global executive advisor, and author of Leadership Anatomy in Motion.Louisa has shaped industries across tech, logistics, and luxury—leading transformation at Google, Maersk, and Diageo. At Google, she launched a billion-dollar supply chain solutions business and led strategic business transformation for the company’s largest clients in EMEA. At Maersk, she co-authored the strategy that redefined the brand globally, helping pivot the company from traditional shipping to integrated logistics. Earlier in her career at Moët Hennessy and Diageo, she helped iconic brands innovate at the intersection of heritage and digital transformation.With over two decades of experience across continents and industries, Louisa brings a rare blend of commercial clarity and human-centered leadership. I

How do you build teams that truly work, empower people’s strengths, and adapt leadership for the future of work? In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, Anthony Taylor speaks with David Kolbe, CEO of Kolbe Corp, a company celebrating 50 years of helping leaders and organizations unleash innovation through the Kolbe Concept®.David has lived and breathed Kolbe his entire life. An author, speaker, and visionary behind many of Kolbe’s products and innovations, he is known for helping business leaders harness conation—the instinctive way people take action—to drive performance and results. With expertise spanning law, finance, organizational design, and team building, David has assisted thousands of professionals worldwide through seminars, workshops, and speaking engagements. His career began in Washington D.C. as Legislative Director for a U.S. Congressman, before practicing law at Gammage & Burnham, one of Arizona’s top firms, and later joining the family-founded Kolbe Corp.In this podcast,