Case Interview Preparation & Management Consulting | Strategy | Critical Thinking

Welcome to an episode with startup entrepreneurs Ash Ali and Hasan Kubba. Get Ash and Hasan’s book here: https://amzn.to/3Q8ctPD In this episode, we speak about the concept of unfair advantage and the process of identifying and managing it so it’s your edge over any competition. Many people have the limiting belief that they don’t have something authentic to offer, but what they don’t realize is that we all have unique skill sets and talents. It only takes self-awareness to realize that the ingredients to success are already within you.  Ash Ali is an award-winning serial tech entrepreneur and angel investor. Ash sold his first internet business at just 19 years old (and most recently, his Dubai-based on-demand mobile app startup in 2018). As the first marketing director of Just Eat UK, which IPO’d for £1.5 billion, he was included in the Top 250 Growth Hackers, as well as the Top 100 Asian Tech Stars in the UK. With over 20 years of hands-on experience creating and growing startups, he has consulted, advised

Welcome to an episode with an artist, researcher, author, and educator at Northwestern University, Julio Mario Ottino. Get Julio’s book here: https://amzn.to/3spt2Nn Individuals and organizations face complex problems and challenges today that demand a new way of thinking to grasp underlying solutions and opportunities. In this episode, Julio shares the beauty of the coexistence of art, science, and technology – rather than being separate disciplines – to navigate the complex world. Julio was born in Argentina and grew up with twin interests in physical sciences and visual arts, finding beauty in math and art, and seeing creativity as being one thing, rather than something that lives in compartments. Art provided a cathartic means of expression while he grew up in turbulent times. He managed to create a solo art exhibit while drafted as an officer in the Argentinian Navy. When he moved to the United States to pursue a doctorate, his research achievements followed.   Most of the early attention Ottino received

Welcome to an episode with a professor at Queensland University of Technology, Amanda Lotz. In this episode, Amanda shares her insights as a media expert about Netflix’s recent announcement that they are introducing an ad-supported version of their streaming service. She spoke about the challenges that Netflix may face as it goes down the advertising route. Amanda discussed the pros and cons of a subscription-based model versus an advertisement-based model and what it will be for Netflix as it launches its new strategy. Amanda Lotz is a media scholar, professor, and industry consultant. Her expertise includes media industries, digital distribution, the future of television, the business of media, and net neutrality.  Amanda leads the Transforming Media Industries research project in the Digital Media Research Centre at Queensland University of Technology. She is the author, coauthor, or editor of eleven books that explore television and media industries, including Netflix and Streaming Video: The Business of

Welcome to an episode with the Blue and Gold Distinguished Professor of Energy and the Environment at the University of Delaware, Saleem Ali. Get Ali’s book here: https://amzn.to/3eoUtTT   In this conversation, we discussed numerous examples of major problems around the world, from the resources industry, environmental conflicts, culture, and the system of order and control of many organizations, and how these issues come down to the need for literacy and proper education.    Environmental awareness is present today, however, we are lacking science or environmental literacy. Education is not an elite enterprise and someone even without formal education can be a citizen scientist who is seeing and observing the world and continuously gaining much more depth of knowledge and understanding to contribute to solving the problems of the world.    Prof. Ali previously served as chair in Sustainable Resource Development and professor of sustainability science and policy at University of Queensland in Australia. He al

Welcome to an episode with bestselling author, keynote speaker, workplace expert, and resilience researcher, Adam Markel. Get Adam's Book here: https://amzn.to/3MhODjI   In this episode, Adam speaks about how he reinvented his career path through valuable lessons and eye-opening life events. He shares his experience as a Jones Beach lifeguard in New York. As a first responder in a life-and-death environment, he learned the importance of cultivating a high-performance capacity and impeccable teamwork. He learned to never let anyone go under the water, not to quit, and to keep going no matter what the conditions were. Years later, after experiencing a panic attack due to stress and exhaustion, he was reminded of another important lesson that he learned at the beach: the importance of taking intermittent breaks. Rest, recover, and recuperate, or you cannot perform well.   Lots of people think of resilience as getting up after taking a blow, moving forward after getting knocked down, and bouncing back from setbac

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 256, an episode with an expert in business law and business ethics, J.S. Nelson. Get J.S’s book here: https://amzn.to/3C8am91 Managing business ethics has always been a challenge for many organizations. As unethical business conduct rises, the struggle of implementing ethics and compliance programs in organizations also increases. Business ethics can make or break your business or career. But it can be used as a competitive advantage if managed correctly and can build the most valuable asset: your reputation. The key is to articulate your organization's values – defining who you are, what you stand for, and extending it toward every inch of your organization. It’s very important for management to cultivate a culture of openness, where people feel safe to speak up and where ethical misconduct is not tolerated. As J.S. mentioned in this episode, “the way to get the behavior that you want is to intervene early and often.” In this episode, J.S speaks about the value of business

Welcome to an episode with the CEO and managing partner at Velocity Group, Edward Sullivan. Get Edward’s book here: https://amzn.to/3HT2Hy4 In this episode, Edward discussed the best practices that leaders and companies do to address mental health issues and the real cause of the great resignation. He spoke about the gravity of work-life balance, care, and understanding as part of an employee retention strategy.  For decades, we have avoided discussing the topic of mental health around the workplace. It was considered a weakness and could greatly derail one’s career. We operated under the assumption of manifesting the “executive presence,” which covertly added up to pressure and stress on the employees.  As companies have responded to the challenges brought by Covid in recent years, they are learning to consider mental health as a common issue in the workplace and taking employees’ well-being in a serious manner. The great resignation caused a stir in how companies view and treat their employees. As Edward me

Welcome to an episode with the Founder and visionary Managing Director of Bandelli & Associates, Dr. Adam C. Bandelli. Get Adam’s book here: https://amzn.to/3nhGgsC “It is very important for leaders to not only surround themselves with great talent but build really strong partnerships with their people.” - Adam Bandelli In this episode, Adam speaks about how reliance on technology has kept people technologically connected but has prevented them from building genuine and sustainable relationships. Covid has exacerbated this problem, especially when organizations started hybrid work models. In order to improve the level of connectivity and build strong long-lasting personal and professional relationships, Adam laid out the five key skills that make up relational intelligence: Establishing Rapport, Understanding Others, Embracing Individual Differences, Developing Trust, and Cultivating Influence. Dr. Adam C. Bandelli has 20 years of management and leadership advisory consulting experience in the firm’s serv

Welcome to an episode with Emeritus Professor at UCLA Anderson, Richard Rumelt. Get Richard’s book here: https://amzn.to/3OrNfuK In this episode, Richard iterated the real meaning of strategy, which many companies today confuse with a list of their goals and ambitions. Strategy is problem-solving – a clever way of dealing with a challenge, opponent, or problem. It also involves selecting which battle you fight because you cannot fight them all. As a great strategist, you need to select battles that you can win.  Richard also explained the crux or the biggest challenge that companies need to identify, emphasize, and concentrate their resources on until it is fixed or solved. As Richard mentioned in this episode, “the primary thing about strategy is that it is about a concentration of resources. It is about focus.” Richard Rumelt received his doctorate from the Harvard Business School in 1972, having previously earned a Master of Science in electrical engineering from UC Berkeley. He worked as a systems enginee

Welcome to an episode with a thought leader and global expert on infectious diseases and vaccine safety, Jan Bonhoeffer M.D. Get Jan’s book here: https://amzn.to/3y2x4hZ In this episode, Jan spoke about his medical career journey, working with different interesting organizations, and how he realized there was a missing piece: care. He spoke about how we often become so focused on solving a problem that we forget to give attention to what we care about – what gives us joy and fulfillment. In any business or profession, the key is to serve a much bigger purpose, taking your identity into account. As Michael mentioned in this conversation, “True leadership is about understanding who you are.” Leading with empathy requires understanding who you are to resonate and connect with the people you interact with. Bonhoeffer serves as professor of pediatrics, infectious diseases, and vaccines at the University of Basel Children’s Hospital, Switzerland. As a former consultant with the World Health Organization and the Cen

Welcome to an episode with a leading Yale expert and serial entrepreneur, Barry Nalebuff. Get Barry’s book here: https://amzn.to/3OiNiJs For thirty years, Barry has taught negotiation, innovation, strategy, and game theory at Yale School of Management, which led him to develop a new approach toward negotiation. This approach is vastly different from how most people think about negotiation, which usually involves having the best tactic to out-smart the other party and get the best deal.  This podcast explains the concept of the negotiation pie, which is the additional value created through an agreement to work together. It exhibits fairness and identifies what’s really at stake in any negotiation. We share examples that showcase negotiation principles and a different mindset about creating value that benefits both parties involved – more importantly, understanding the views of each party as if they are solving problems rather than making the most out of the negotiation. Barry is the co-author of seven books an

Welcome to an episode with one of Silicon Valley’s most renowned business advisors and coaches, Tom Eddington. “There's always a challenge, and there's always an opportunity.” - Tom Eddington In this episode with Tom, we discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a multitude of issues today – not only for individuals but also for most organizations. One of the biggest problems that every organization has faced because of COVID is retaining employees. Over the last couple of years, we've seen the mass resignation, and it's been a challenge across all industries to attract and retain talent.  Organizations adapted to a virtual workforce, and people have spent the last two years working remotely; the idea of moving back to a physical location has required a lot of reconsideration. Some companies exhibited higher productivity rates with a reduced workforce during that time. They delivered more financial results but took a tremendous toll as leadership teams are extremely stressed and exhausted. The long-term

Welcome to an interview with globally recognized academic thought-leader on digital transformation and innovation management, Satish Nambisan. Get Satish's book here: https://amzn.to/3QpWQE3 In this episode, Satish spoke about real-world examples of companies that use digital technology as their unique competency to move and globalize faster. He defined “globalization” and “digital” in a broader perspective, and elaborated on their role in a company to thrive through an emotional connection with customers. Satish also explained the idea of tight and loose coupling and how it allows companies to continuously adapt to disturbances that happen in different parts of the world without reinventing the business model, processes, or operations. Satish Nambisan, Ph.D. is the Nancy and Joseph Keithley Professor of Technology Management at the Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University. His current work focuses on how digital technologies, platforms, and ecosystems shape innovation, entrepreneursh

Welcome to an interview with a business coach and change leadership expert, Richard Hawkes. Get Richard's book here: https://amzn.to/3Oe5ljU In this session, Richard shared his experiences with building a consultancy, working shoulder to shoulder with leaders and teams to grow and scale all kinds of companies – in the US and in countries all over the world, but especially in Germany. He shared a little bit about how his worldview has changed throughout his journey from thinking of companies in a fragmented way – with different kinds of views, cultures, leadership, strategies, and processes – to thinking in an integrated way. He laid out a powerful framework that any team can apply to overcome the most common leadership challenges. Richard S. Hawkes is the author of Navigate the Swirl and the CEO and Founder of Growth River, an international consultancy that guides leaders and teams to create higher performance in businesses and organizations. Hawkes helps companies identify and resolve constraints to success.

Welcome to an interview with the CEO of YSC Consulting, Eric Pliner. Get Eric's book here: https://amzn.to/3HpM1hf In this video, Eric shared his career journey, experience with adjusting to consulting, and how to become a successful consultant while maintaining a healthy life balance. He discussed the reasons why his company survived and thrived during the pandemic. As a CEO, he spoke about the top things that he looks for when promoting an employee and the red flags that employees must be aware of to avoid or eliminate.  Eric shared the realizations that made him a stronger leader over the course of his journey to the top of his company. He emphasized the importance of constant learning and listening to other people, and that as a leader, you have to get over the idea that your job is to make everyone happy. You will disappoint people down the road, but how you handle that disappointment will make the difference between being a long-term leader or a short-term leader. Eric shared his advice on how to better

Welcome to an episode with scientist, inventor, writer, speaker, and entrepreneur, Alex Bäcker. Get Alex's book here: https://amzn.to/3HqNfZu In this episode, Alex spoke about the main ingredients of a successful life and the key to happiness. He discussed why he wrote his book, 101 Clues to a Happy Life, and shared how having children exponentially changed his life and perspective. Alex also elaborated on the role of sunlight in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 and the potential role of vitamin D. In this conversation, he shared valuable advice related to business, finding business partners and investors, and the practical steps that should be implemented to attain success and happiness. Alex Bäcker is the founder and CEO of QLess and co-founder at Drisit. He holds 11 patents and in 2021 was named among the top 100 MIT alumni in technology. His seminal papers on COVID and sunlight were picked up by the press around the world.  Alex is a National Champion of Informatics and holds a degree in Biology a

For this episode, let's revisit one of Strategy Skills classics where we discuss something that affects every consultant in the world: the issue of confidence – or even arrogance – and its role in getting results on a consulting engagement. We discuss the role that confidence plays in your career and look at what actually creates a competitive advantage in your career. We also look at an example that showcases the limited value of confidence in a consulting engagement.  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

Welcome to an episode with best-selling author, lawyer, and art historian, Amy Herman. Get Amy's book here: https://amzn.to/3R4z14s In this episode, Amy spoke about how art can renew our sense of vision and approach to problem solving. This method proves that everyone sees and interprets things differently, which shows that we need to become better communicators to solve our problems. She stressed that effective communication has a renewed significance now because we are communicating with our stakeholders in a virtual environment. For leaders of organizations, the most difficult thing for them to do is rethink their communication skills and make them as effective as they were before, which involves agility. Amy also spoke about confirmation bias – wherein people only hear what they want to hear – and how to realize that we are trapped in this way of looking at information. Building on the conversation, Amy spoke about well-known artists who reflect characteristics that a great leader can impersonate. Amy E.

Welcome to an episode with a renowned food journalist, Dan Saladino. Get Dan's book here: https://amzn.to/3QHLfQu In this episode, Dan talks us through a very interesting topic: food extinction. He elaborated on the value of food diversity through factual examples and stories, and he explained the risks of homogeneity or genetic uniformity of crops, livestock, poultry, or other food supply, which adds more vulnerability to preserving these resources during a crisis. Dan Saladino is a renowned food journalist who has worked at the BBC for 25 years. For more than a decade, he has traveled the world recording stories of foods at risk of extinction—from cheeses made in the foothills of a remote Balkan mountain range to unique varieties of rice grown in southern China. His work has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation, the Guild of Food Writers, and the Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards. Get Dan’s book here: Eating to Extinction: The World's Rarest Foods and Why We Need to Save Them. Dan Saladino:

Welcome to an episode with a sought-after strategist and advisor, Kian Gohar. Get Kian’s book here: https://amzn.to/3wdoonJ Many organizations have been caught flat-footed by disruptive changes – especially in the pandemic era – which has forced a lot of businesses to rethink their priorities to stay competitive in the post-pandemic world. Having the ability to identify trends that allow organizations to leverage potential threats and changes in the future will turn into great opportunities. But many organizations don't think this way and instead focus on what there is today and react to the changes later. In this episode, we discussed with Kian the key things that the pandemic taught us individually and as an organization. He spoke about the mindset and best practices of leaders and teams who were able to keep up, adapt, and remain competitive and advantageous during disruptions and continuous change. Kian also pointed out the key steps that leaders and organizations need to take and implement to build a com