Show Notes: Christian Hyatt, Founder of Risk3Sixty, discusses the top three or four things that chief information security officers at sub-enterprise firms are most worried about right now.  He explains that these concerns include the business environment, threat actors, cybersecurity regulation, nation-state actors like Russia and China, and phishing campaigns. He also highlights the unique bridge between cybersecurity and information technology coming to a head with the recent CrowdStrike incident. Advice to Clients on Cybersecurity  Christian suggests that independent consultants should ask clients questions or warning signs to raise their concerns and consider consulting a cybersecurity expert. He suggests that clients are looking for someone who is a good listener and not operating off fear, uncertainty, and doubt. By listening to clients' needs and concerns, consultants can offer advice on implementing best practices on their existing toolset and spreading security awareness. Christian emphasizes that many big enterprise tools, such as Office 365 and Google Suite, have built-in security, covering many bases. Independent consultants should listen for how well implemented their tools are, listen for business problems they have, and offer security assurance. Offering advice on implementing best practices and spreading security awareness can help firms understand how security is impacting their business and make informed decisions about investing in security measures. Cybersecurity Due Diligence In the context of due diligence, Christian states that it is important to consider the company's internal infrastructure, including its cloud-based and on-premises systems. This can help identify potential red flags and ensure the company's sustainability and scalability. For example, if a product company is being acquired, it is crucial to ask about its application security, product security, and scalability. Additionally, understanding the company's mastery of its own product and its ability to scale without the team is essential. Another key factor to consider is the company's internal infrastructure, whether it is cloud-based or on-premises. Integrating with the acquiring firm can impact the cost of the process. Cybersecurity for Independent Consultants and Boutique Firms  Independent consultants and boutique firms with a few employees should also take cybersecurity precautions. Some good tools for small businesses include G Suite or Office 365, which have built-in tools for file share sharing, email security, and internal messaging. These tools help protect against cybersecurity attacks that originate from email. Installing antivirus tools like CrowdStrike and Sentinel can help prevent attacks at the endpoint level. Blocking and tackling security processes, such as using file sharing platforms like OneDrive or Dropbox. It’s also important to identify areas where money changes hands and take protective measures. Creating an offline backup of key files once a month can help protect against ransomware attacks. Office 365 or G Suite can also be used to store files in the cloud, with tools like spanning for Office 365 creating backup copies of cloud storage. Exploring the full suite of options available to small business owners can help them get coverage for their biggest risks. Employee Training on Cybersecurity The conversation turns to the importance of raising employees' awareness of phishing dangers. He recommends using tools that periodically send white hat phishing messages to test employees' skills. Christian suggests that small businesses should focus on creating a culture of awareness and vigilance, letting candidates know about potential scams and asking questions if they feel uncomfortable. There are several tools available for security awareness training, including Curricula. Additionally, he suggests using YouTube videos as part of training, as they can be more effective than expected. By implementing these tools, businesses can create a culture of vigilance and prevent employees from clicking on suspicious links. The Origins and Growth of Risk 3 Sixty Christian started his firm as an independent consultant eight years ago, with a trajectory of impressive growth. He initially had one client, a $30,000 one-off engagement, but from there eventually grew the business to 60 clients. Christian shares a few of the tactics behind the growth, including his shift towards cybersecurity.  He focused on a few cybersecurity services that had great demand and packaged them as multi-year deals, and recurring revenue. He also learned that organizations have huge compliance requirements. They built a SaaS platform to help them manage the information. They invested in the SaaS platform and started selling it as a subscription. Today, their services are tech-enabled services, where companies often outsource their entire programs to them due to the need for human labor. Christian made strategic decisions early on, scaling the business around recurring revenue streams, over-delivering, and building a good culture. He centered around those activities that felt risky at the time, saying no to big contracts that didn't fit within his revenue stream. He also explains how a book by Gino Wickman, Traction, and The Entrepreneur Operating System, helped him shift the responsibility for business development off of his shoulders to other members of the firm.  Recruiting Talent for Risk3Sixty Christian hired a West Point graduate to become an ops manager. He believed that hiring great people was a risky move but ultimately helped build a sales function and complement the founder's role. The company also hired a strategic partner with Georgia Tech to hire top students. Despite the early hires, the success of the company can be attributed to the smart people who pushed the founder to think more like a leader and helped him see the future. The company's success can be attributed to the excellent people who helped him make decisions that he wouldn't have made on his own.  The Structure of a Successful Company Christian’s company has 60 employees, and a top-down structure consisting of an Executive Leadership Team (ELT) consisting of six members: the CEO, President, Head of People, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Revenue Officer, and the CTO. The CEO focuses on mission and metrics, breaking down the vision into KPIs and measurables, and making sure everyone understands it. He also works on brand equity through social media, podcasts, and speaking events. He also talks about how he approached pay bands and benefits to attract talent and maintain retention. The CEO manages the ELT, ensuring they are motivated and have the same vision. An initiative Review Board was created to address pent up projects or initiatives that were not previously budgeted. This allowed people to request new projects or initiatives outside of budget season, providing a pressure relief valve for strategic initiatives. A Successful Marketing Philosophy Christian's marketing philosophy focuses on teaching good concepts and adding value to people, rather than being an influencer. He uses content such as videos and white papers to add value and engage people, leading to more leads and engagement. He initially used LinkedIn outbound to find open job opportunities and reach out to hiring managers, but found that more people would ignore him than respond. Christian shares his teaching methods on LinkedIn, YouTube, and a newsletter. For cybersecurity-focused content, he hosts a weekly cybersecurity executive brief on YouTube. He also has a marketing team that helps with content creation, and practice leaders who produce content regularly, called media properties, on LinkedIn. Each member of the team has a dedicated content pillar, and it's up to them to create content that resonates with the audience. A marketing team supports them with video editing and accountability. Christian initially did it all himself, using a video editor tool and recording videos and writing white papers.  Timestamps: 03:14: Cybersecurity precautions for independent consultants and small firms 08:10: Cybersecurity awareness training for small businesses 13:51: Growing a consulting firm through strategic decision-making and recurring revenue streams 18:19: Scaling a consulting business by hiring a leadership team 22:24: Leadership decisions and team structure 26:55: Using LinkedIn for business growth and content creation Links: <ul> <li dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt;" aria-level="1"> Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: <a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianhyatt/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianhyatt/</a> </li> <li dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt;" aria-level="1"> Check out his book: <a href= "https://risk3sixty.com/stos">https://risk3sixty.com/stos</a> </li> </ul>   Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at <a href="http://www.umbrex.com.">www.umbrex.com.</a>

<description>&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Show Notes:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Christian Hyatt, Founder of Risk3Sixty, discusses the top three or four things that chief information security officers at sub-enterprise firms are most worried about right now.  He explains that these concerns include the business environment, threat actors, cybersecurity regulation, nation-state actors like Russia and China, and phishing campaigns. He also highlights the unique bridge between cybersecurity and information technology coming to a head with the recent CrowdStrike incident.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Advice to Clients on Cybersecurity &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Christian suggests that independent consultants should ask clients questions or warning signs to raise their concerns and consider consulting a cybersecurity expert. He suggests that clients are looking for someone who is a good listener and not operating off fear, uncertainty, and doubt. By listening to clients' needs and concerns, consultants can offer advice on implementing best practices on their existing toolset and spreading security awareness. Christian emphasizes that many big enterprise tools, such as Office 365 and Google Suite, have built-in security, covering many bases. Independent consultants should listen for how well implemented their tools are, listen for business problems they have, and offer security assurance. Offering advice on implementing best practices and spreading security awareness can help firms understand how security is impacting their business and make informed decisions about investing in security measures.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cybersecurity Due Diligence&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;In the context of due diligence, Christian states that it is important to consider the company's internal infrastructure, including its cloud-based and on-premises systems. This can help identify potential red flags and ensure the company's sustainability and scalability. For example, if a product company is being acquired, it is crucial to ask about its application security, product security, and scalability. Additionally, understanding the company's mastery of its own product and its ability to scale without the team is essential. Another key factor to consider is the company's internal infrastructure, whether it is cloud-based or on-premises. Integrating with the acquiring firm can impact the cost of the process.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cybersecurity for Independent Consultants and Boutique Firms&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Independent consultants and boutique firms with a few employees should also take cybersecurity precautions. Some good tools for small businesses include G Suite or Office 365, which have built-in tools for file share sharing, email security, and internal messaging. These tools help protect against cybersecurity attacks that originate from email. Installing antivirus tools like CrowdStrike and Sentinel can help prevent attacks at the endpoint level. Blocking and tackling security processes, such as using file sharing platforms like OneDrive or Dropbox. It’s also important to identify areas where money changes hands and take protective measures. Creating an offline backup of key files once a month can help protect against ransomware attacks. Office 365 or G Suite can also be used to store files in the cloud, with tools like spanning for Office 365 creating backup copies of cloud storage. Exploring the full suite of options available to small business owners can help them get coverage for their biggest risks.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Employee Training on Cybersecurity&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;The conversation turns to the importance of raising employees' awareness of phishing dangers. He recommends using tools that periodically send white hat phishing messages to test employees' skills. Christian suggests that small businesses should focus on creating a culture of awareness and vigilance, letting candidates know about potential scams and asking questions if they feel uncomfortable. There are several tools available for security awareness training, including Curricula. Additionally, he suggests using YouTube videos as part of training, as they can be more effective than expected. By implementing these tools, businesses can create a culture of vigilance and prevent employees from clicking on suspicious links.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Origins and Growth of Risk 3 Sixty&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Christian started his firm as an independent consultant eight years ago, with a trajectory of impressive growth. He initially had one client, a $30,000 one-off engagement, but from there eventually grew the business to 60 clients. Christian shares a few of the tactics behind the growth, including his shift towards cybersecurity.  He focused on a few cybersecurity services that had great demand and packaged them as multi-year deals, and recurring revenue. He also learned that organizations have huge compliance requirements. They built a SaaS platform to help them manage the information. They invested in the SaaS platform and started selling it as a subscription. Today, their services are tech-enabled services, where companies often outsource their entire programs to them due to the need for human labor. Christian made strategic decisions early on, scaling the business around recurring revenue streams, over-delivering, and building a good culture. He centered around those activities that felt risky at the time, saying no to big contracts that didn't fit within his revenue stream. He also explains how a book by Gino Wickman, &lt;em&gt;Traction,&lt;/em&gt; and The Entrepreneur Operating System, helped him shift the responsibility for business development off of his shoulders to other members of the firm. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recruiting Talent for Risk3Sixty&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Christian hired a West Point graduate to become an ops manager. He believed that hiring great people was a risky move but ultimately helped build a sales function and complement the founder's role. The company also hired a strategic partner with Georgia Tech to hire top students. Despite the early hires, the success of the company can be attributed to the smart people who pushed the founder to think more like a leader and helped him see the future. The company's success can be attributed to the excellent people who helped him make decisions that he wouldn't have made on his own. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Structure of a Successful Company&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Christian’s company has 60 employees, and a top-down structure consisting of an Executive Leadership Team (ELT) consisting of six members: the CEO, President, Head of People, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Revenue Officer, and the CTO. The CEO focuses on mission and metrics, breaking down the vision into KPIs and measurables, and making sure everyone understands it. He also works on brand equity through social media, podcasts, and speaking events. He also talks about how he approached pay bands and benefits to attract talent and maintain retention. The CEO manages the ELT, ensuring they are motivated and have the same vision. An initiative Review Board was created to address pent up projects or initiatives that were not previously budgeted. This allowed people to request new projects or initiatives outside of budget season, providing a pressure relief valve for strategic initiatives.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Successful Marketing Philosophy&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Christian's marketing philosophy focuses on teaching good concepts and adding value to people, rather than being an influencer. He uses content such as videos and white papers to add value and engage people, leading to more leads and engagement. He initially used LinkedIn outbound to find open job opportunities and reach out to hiring managers, but found that more people would ignore him than respond. Christian shares his teaching methods on LinkedIn, YouTube, and a newsletter. For cybersecurity-focused content, he hosts a weekly cybersecurity executive brief on YouTube. He also has a marketing team that helps with content creation, and practice leaders who produce content regularly, called media properties, on LinkedIn. Each member of the team has a dedicated content pillar, and it's up to them to create content that resonates with the audience. A marketing team supports them with video editing and accountability. Christian initially did it all himself, using a video editor tool and recording videos and writing white papers. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Timestamps:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;03:14: Cybersecurity precautions for independent consultants and small firms&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;08:10: Cybersecurity awareness training for small businesses&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;13:51: Growing a consulting firm through strategic decision-making and recurring revenue streams&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;18:19: Scaling a consulting business by hiring a leadership team&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;22:24: Leadership decisions and team structure&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;26:55: Using LinkedIn for business growth and content creation&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Links:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt;" aria-level="1"&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr" role="presentation"&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: &lt;a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianhyatt/"&gt;https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianhyatt/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt;" aria-level="1"&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr" role="presentation"&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Check out his book: &lt;a href= "https://risk3sixty.com/stos"&gt;https://risk3sixty.com/stos&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at &lt;a href="http://www.umbrex.com."&gt;www.umbrex.com.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</description>

Show Notes: Christian Hyatt, Founder of Risk3Sixty, discusses the top three or four things that chief information security officers at sub-enterprise firms are most worried about right now.  He explains that these concerns include the business...

583. Christian Hyatt, Growing a Cybersecurity Firm

Show Notes: In this panel discussion, Lisa Carlin, director of Future Builders and author of the newsletter Turbocharge Weekly, and strategy execution specialist  introduces the three panelists, who discuss the challenges of traditional strategy development, including volatility, uncertain business environments, and significant digital and AI disruption. The panelists,  Will Bachman, Founder of Umbrex, a global community of independent management consultants,  Alex M.H. Smith, breakthrough strategist and author of No Bullshit Strategy, and Rob McLean, investor, philanthropist and co-author of  two books on strategy, discuss the challenges of traditional approaches to business strategy.  The Problem of Business Strategy Rob emphasizes that, previously, strategies were deterministic and assumed certainty in business plans. However, increasingly, there is global uncertainty, and risk and probability should be included in a strategy. He mentions that there are assumptions about uncertainty that don’t hold true. He also highlights the fast change and that the cadence of strategy is changing, but despite this, many enterprises are locked into three and five-year plans.  Alex explains why he believes that many businesses lack understanding of effective strategy development and deployment. He emphasizes the importance of making precepts accessible, engaging, interesting, and usable for medium-sized businesses. He believes that traditional strategy is not bullshit but has limited purchase as it doesn't address the needs of small and medium-sized businesses. Will shares his experience with 500 conversations per year with clients seeking consultants, and he shares the main trends in what clients want from consultants and states that it has not changed dramatically over the years, but he also stresses the need for alignment, clarity, and action. Alex identifies the importance of substance and the ability to convert to action. He mentions the difficulty of achieving engagement, encouraging action, and the underemphasis of style in communications. He suggests thinking about strategy as a motivational discipline. Alex suggests that focusing more on sexing up the strategy can make a significant difference in making progress. He suggests that if strategy is viewed as a motivational discipline, it is essential to motivate people to do it. He believes that making the strategy “sexier” will bring stronger results in engaging and motivating buy-in. Problem-solving, Strategic Intent and Strategic Development Robs talks problem-solving as a driver of strategic development. The identified problems are  viewed through different lenses to achieve a 360-understanding. He mentions the greater premium on new data, and on trials and experiments, and mentions strategy that includes peeling back layers of uncertainty, putting people in a position where they can make decisions and evolve the strategy. He uses an example from Amazon to illustrate this.  He also points out that strategic intent is often confused with strategy, as strategy is an integrated set of actions that build value and competitive advantage. Rob shares his experience with the concept of continuous development,  and how businesses have changed the timeline on strategic development and clarity on the future. Alex states that medium-sized businesses face a challenge in understanding strategy literature, as it is often constructed to be relevant to large, polar businesses like Amazon. This makes the strategy literature inaccessible for single-brand founders or CEOs, as it is often too broad. This gap in communication between the concerns of large companies and those running small businesses makes it difficult for the latter to effectively develop and communicate their strategies. Business Strategy in the Context of Technology and Culture The discussion revolves around the impact of AI on consulting and strategy building. Lisa mentions a top-rated technology podcast, which emphasizes that the number one difference will be strategy and that the most significant impact of AI will be on product managers.  Will builds on the use of AI for strategy consultants. He explains the difference between  skills and services that rise in status and which ones are lower in status and where using AI is applicable. He offers examples on both using an energy storage company as an example.   Dark Room Consulting Lisa brings the discussion towards  “dark room” consulting where the consultants and executives operate in private before disclosing the strategy to the company at large. Alex  explains why he prefers this approach, stating that while it may not be politically beneficial, it can provide a sense of involvement and ownership for a radical, meaningful move. However, this approach can also lead to a slightly autocratic approach, as seen with Steve Jobs and Elon Musk, who were both successful business leaders but also tyrants in their own businesses. Rob talks about the workers’ strategy as bifurcating, and he shares an example from McKinsey where they used AI, and that employing “dark room” tactics can work well however working closely with the front line is also important in strategy building. Will shares a story from his days as a submarine officer that clearly demonstrates the benefits and need of front line work a consultant needs to do. This also involves gathering information, and Alex adds how this allows everyone to feel involved, while maintaining the core idea and decision-making  back to the people who lead the company. While this approach may not be as democratic as some may prefer, it is essential for businesses to adapt and evolve to stay competitive in today's competitive market. Q&A Session The conversation opens up to questions and panelists are asked to share one recommendation. Rob suggests a problem-solving approach that recognises uncertainty, a tolerance for ambiguity, and taking steps forward feeling the stones beneath the feet. Alex states that, if a change in results is desired, changes to strategy must be made. Will focuses on implementation, stating that strategy implementation, or execution, or transformation is in high-demand and notes that increased resources in these directions are needed to make the change happen. The conversation covers a variety of areas including strong leadership vs. dictatorship, helping people feel comfortable with uncertainty, the need for monitoring and evaluation improvement during implementation, and the importance of measuring the impact of their work, particularly in implementation. And finally, the audience shares their key takeaways from the discussion.   Timestamps: 05:43: Strategy development for small to medium-sized businesses 10:11: Strategies for effective communication and implementation in business 17:01: Strategy in a rapidly changing world, with a focus on dealing with uncertainty and ambiguity 25:08: Strategic planning for businesses of varying sizes, with a focus on the challenges of scaling and the importance of industry knowledge 31:04: The impact of AI on strategy development and execution 37:13: Strategy development, emphasizing the importance of gathering insights from frontline employees and changing meaningful aspects of the business to improve results 42:46: How to handle uncertainty in business strategies 47:33: Implementing strategies with uncertain outcomes Links: Connect with the other two panelists on LinkedIn:  Robert McLean:  <a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-mclean-412268ba/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-mclean-412268ba/</a> Alex M. H. Smith:  <a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-m-h-smith/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-m-h-smith/</a> Connect with Lisa Carlin on LinkedIn  <a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisacarlin/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisacarlin/&source=gmail&ust=1722988329509000&usg=AOvVaw2Q4PUT6qR6JhoGZw-APafs"> Connect on LinkedIn</a>   For for more like this, please subscribe to Turbocharge Weekly: Fast-track your strategy. 3 tips in 3 minutes from 50+ implementations. Join 8,000 leaders now. <a href= "https://info.theturbochargers.com/register-turbocharge-weekly" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://info.theturbochargers.com/register-turbocharge-weekly&source=gmail&ust=1722988329509000&usg=AOvVaw35vYSGNRrbOSklDOFEhKeb">https://info.theturbochargers.com/register-turbocharge-weekly</a> Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at <a href= "http://www.umbrex.com.">www.umbrex.com.</a>

<description>&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Show Notes:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;In this panel discussion, Lisa Carlin, director of Future Builders and author of the newsletter Turbocharge Weekly, and strategy execution specialist  introduces the three panelists, who discuss the challenges of traditional strategy development, including volatility, uncertain business environments, and significant digital and AI disruption.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;The panelists,  Will Bachman, Founder of Umbrex, a global community of independent management consultants,  Alex M.H. Smith, breakthrough strategist and author of No Bullshit Strategy, and Rob McLean, investor, philanthropist and co-author of  two books on strategy, discuss the challenges of traditional approaches to business strategy. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;The Problem of Business Strategy&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Rob emphasizes that, previously, strategies were deterministic and assumed certainty in business plans. However, increasingly, there is global uncertainty, and risk and probability should be included in a strategy. He mentions that there are assumptions about uncertainty that don’t hold true. He also highlights the fast change and that the cadence of strategy is changing, but despite this, many enterprises are locked into three and five-year plans.  Alex explains why he believes that many businesses lack understanding of effective strategy development and deployment. He emphasizes the importance of making precepts accessible, engaging, interesting, and usable for medium-sized businesses. He believes that traditional strategy is not bullshit but has limited purchase as it doesn't address the needs of small and medium-sized businesses. Will shares his experience with 500 conversations per year with clients seeking consultants, and he shares the main trends in what clients want from consultants and states that it has not changed dramatically over the years, but he also stresses the need for alignment, clarity, and action. Alex identifies the importance of substance and the ability to convert to action. He mentions the difficulty of achieving engagement, encouraging action, and the underemphasis of style in communications. He suggests thinking about strategy as a motivational discipline. Alex suggests that focusing more on sexing up the strategy can make a significant difference in making progress. He suggests that if strategy is viewed as a motivational discipline, it is essential to motivate people to do it. He believes that making the strategy “sexier” will bring stronger results in engaging and motivating buy-in.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Problem-solving, Strategic Intent and Strategic Development&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Robs talks problem-solving as a driver of strategic development. The identified problems are  viewed through different lenses to achieve a 360-understanding. He mentions the greater premium on new data, and on trials and experiments, and mentions strategy that includes peeling back layers of uncertainty, putting people in a position where they can make decisions and evolve the strategy. He uses an example from Amazon to illustrate this.  He also points out that strategic intent is often confused with strategy, as strategy is an integrated set of actions that build value and competitive advantage. Rob shares his experience with the concept of continuous development,  and how businesses have changed the timeline on strategic development and clarity on the future. Alex states that medium-sized businesses face a challenge in understanding strategy literature, as it is often constructed to be relevant to large, polar businesses like Amazon. This makes the strategy literature inaccessible for single-brand founders or CEOs, as it is often too broad. This gap in communication between the concerns of large companies and those running small businesses makes it difficult for the latter to effectively develop and communicate their strategies.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Business Strategy in the Context of Technology and Culture&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;The discussion revolves around the impact of AI on consulting and strategy building. Lisa mentions a top-rated technology podcast, which emphasizes that the number one difference will be strategy and that the most significant impact of AI will be on product managers. &lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Will builds on the use of AI for strategy consultants. He explains the difference between  skills and services that rise in status and which ones are lower in status and where using AI is applicable. He offers examples on both using an energy storage company as an example.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Dark Room Consulting&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Lisa brings the discussion towards  “dark room” consulting where the consultants and executives operate in private before disclosing the strategy to the company at large. Alex  explains why he prefers this approach, stating that while it may not be politically beneficial, it can provide a sense of involvement and ownership for a radical, meaningful move. However, this approach can also lead to a slightly autocratic approach, as seen with Steve Jobs and Elon Musk, who were both successful business leaders but also tyrants in their own businesses.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Rob talks about the workers’ strategy as bifurcating, and he shares an example from McKinsey where they used AI, and that employing “dark room” tactics can work well however working closely with the front line is also important in strategy building. Will shares a story from his days as a submarine officer that clearly demonstrates the benefits and need of front line work a consultant needs to do. This also involves gathering information, and Alex adds how this allows everyone to feel involved, while maintaining the core idea and decision-making  back to the people who lead the company. While this approach may not be as democratic as some may prefer, it is essential for businesses to adapt and evolve to stay competitive in today's competitive market.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Q&amp;A Session&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;The conversation opens up to questions and panelists are asked to share one recommendation. Rob suggests a problem-solving approach that recognises uncertainty, a tolerance for ambiguity, and taking steps forward feeling the stones beneath the feet. Alex states that, if a change in results is desired, changes to strategy must be made. Will focuses on implementation, stating that strategy implementation, or execution, or transformation is in high-demand and notes that increased resources in these directions are needed to make the change happen. The conversation covers a variety of areas including strong leadership vs. dictatorship, helping people feel comfortable with uncertainty, the need for monitoring and evaluation improvement during implementation, and the importance of measuring the impact of their work, particularly in implementation. And finally, the audience shares their key takeaways from the discussion. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Timestamps:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;05:43: Strategy development for small to medium-sized businesses&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;10:11: Strategies for effective communication and implementation in business&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;17:01: Strategy in a rapidly changing world, with a focus on dealing with uncertainty and ambiguity&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;25:08: Strategic planning for businesses of varying sizes, with a focus on the challenges of scaling and the importance of industry knowledge&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;31:04: The impact of AI on strategy development and execution&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;37:13: Strategy development, emphasizing the importance of gathering insights from frontline employees and changing meaningful aspects of the business to improve results&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;42:46: How to handle uncertainty in business strategies&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;47:33: Implementing strategies with uncertain outcomes&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Links:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Connect with the other two panelists on LinkedIn: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Robert McLean:  &lt;a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-mclean-412268ba/"&gt;https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-mclean-412268ba/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Alex M. H. Smith:  &lt;a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-m-h-smith/"&gt;https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-m-h-smith/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Connect with Lisa Carlin on LinkedIn &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt; &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisacarlin/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisacarlin/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1722988329509000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Q4PUT6qR6JhoGZw-APafs"&gt; Connect on LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt; &lt;div&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;For for more like this, please subscribe to Turbocharge Weekly: Fast-track your strategy. 3 tips in 3 minutes from 50+ implementations. Join 8,000 leaders now. &lt;a href= "https://info.theturbochargers.com/register-turbocharge-weekly" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://info.theturbochargers.com/register-turbocharge-weekly&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1722988329509000&amp;usg=AOvVaw35vYSGNRrbOSklDOFEhKeb"&gt;https://info.theturbochargers.&lt;wbr /&gt;com/register-turbocharge-&lt;wbr /&gt;weekly&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at &lt;a href= "http://www.umbrex.com."&gt;www.umbrex.com.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Show Notes: In this panel discussion, Lisa Carlin, director of Future Builders and author of the newsletter Turbocharge Weekly, and strategy execution specialist  introduces the three panelists, who discuss the challenges of traditional strategy...

582. Strategy Mavericks: Disrupting Traditional Approaches to Business Strategy

Show Notes: In this episode of Unleashed, Will Bachman discusses cold outreach with David A. Fields. David advises that cold outreach is a last resort tactic and should not be included in the mix of marketing strategies. Instead, he suggests that consulting firms should focus on the five marketing musts to build their network. Why Cold Outreach is Inefficient David emphasizes that cold outreach is remarkably inefficient for most consultants, as it is often slow to close and has a long sales cycle. He suggests that firms should experiment with cold outreach to find the best approach based on client feedback and experience. David also shares some historical insights about cold outreach. Cold outreach tends to respond better when closer to product sales when hardcore selling messages works better. David states that, when selling expertise and experience which is trust driven, cold outreach doesn't work well.   The Aggressive Reframe Approach Aggressive reframe, which involves asking for something rather than just asking for it, can also work well for cold outreach. David suggests that most consulting firms think they should differentiate versus competition, but this is not how they win business. David explains what the aggressive reframe approach is and how it works for consultants. The 111 Messaging Effective Outreach Technique  David discusses the effectiveness of 111 messaging, a technique developed for cool contacts in your network core. This approach is particularly effective for cold outreach on LinkedIn, as it requires some modifications. He explains that 111 messaging is a way to construct messages to people, focusing on the other person and their needs. It is a right-side-up email, one line, and one question that must be easy to answer. The 111 approach is designed for cold outreach and works well on LinkedIn. The message should be one-sided, one-line, and asks one simple question. The message should be short and simple, and the recipient should be able to answer the question easily. David shares the response rate from this technique, which is better than any other engagement technique, and offers examples of simple questions to ask.  How to Use Cold Outreach Effectively David talks about using cold outreach correctly  in acquiring clients. He believes that it is not efficient enough to get leads, as it requires a long sales cycle and a high close rate. To do cold outreach correctly, he suggests viewing it as the first step in a three-year process of winning clients and think of it as an investment in gaining future clients. David shares his tips on how to engage someone connected through LinkedIn who may be a potential client. The best practices in messaging are discussed, including keeping messages short to the point and focused on a topic that meets the needs or interests of the recipient. David also shares a story about using focus groups and how companies can be encouraged to launch products that nobody wants. He talks about  the Ben Franklin approach, which involves asking for a small favor instead of trying to give a favor, such as asking for help on articles, webinars, research, podcasts, or other activities. How to Use Content as Lead Magnets The conversation turns to the concept of lead magnets, which is content that people can download and engage with on social media. David offers the example of his two published books which have generated millions of dollars in business. He believes that a book is a lead magnet, but it is not free on the website. He suggests that the best way to convert people who consume content into clients is by creating an opportunity for them to join in and engage in conversation. It is suggested that, instead of just putting content out there, it is important to create engagement and opportunities for people to join in and interact with the content.  It is recommended that, if someone comments or downloads a piece, there are steps that need to be taken to reach out to that person.  Higher engagement approaches, webinars, and podcasts that generate a conversation have been more successful than just putting content and lead magnets out there. David discusses the importance of making it easy for people to reach out to a firm. He believes that longevity and having published around 500 articles in addition to books contribute to this success. He also mentions that they do not engage with their tribe members, but rather let them know about the Boutique Consulting forum and he discusses models for engaging with tribe members. Timestamps: 04:55: Cold outreach techniques, including Ben Franklin approach and 111 messaging 10:03 Using 111 outreach for consulting firms to re engage with leads 17:16 LinkedIn outreach strategies for connecting with potential clients 20:37: Lead magnets, cold outreach, and converting blog subscribers to clients 26:35: Creating opportunities for conversation in content marketing 32:24: Cold outreach effectiveness with client success stories Links: Sales Benchmarks: <a href= "https://www.davidafields.com/important-sales-benchmark-for-your-consulting-firm/"> https://www.davidafields.com/important-sales-benchmark-for-your-consulting-firm/</a> Website: <a href= "https://www.davidafields.com">www.davidafields.com</a>.  Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at <a href= "http://www.umbrex.com.">www.umbrex.com.</a>

<description>&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Show Notes:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;In this episode of Unleashed, Will Bachman discusses cold outreach with David A. Fields. David advises that cold outreach is a last resort tactic and should not be included in the mix of marketing strategies. Instead, he suggests that consulting firms should focus on the five marketing musts to build their network.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Why Cold Outreach is Inefficient&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;David emphasizes that cold outreach is remarkably inefficient for most consultants, as it is often slow to close and has a long sales cycle. He suggests that firms should experiment with cold outreach to find the best approach based on client feedback and experience. David also shares some historical insights about cold outreach. Cold outreach tends to respond better when closer to product sales when hardcore selling messages works better. David states that, when selling expertise and experience which is trust driven, cold outreach doesn't work well.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;The Aggressive Reframe Approach&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Aggressive reframe, which involves asking for something rather than just asking for it, can also work well for cold outreach. David suggests that most consulting firms think they should differentiate versus competition, but this is not how they win business. David explains what the aggressive reframe approach is and how it works for consultants.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;The 111 Messaging Effective Outreach Technique &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;David discusses the effectiveness of 111 messaging, a technique developed for cool contacts in your network core. This approach is particularly effective for cold outreach on LinkedIn, as it requires some modifications. He explains that 111 messaging is a way to construct messages to people, focusing on the other person and their needs. It is a right-side-up email, one line, and one question that must be easy to answer. The 111 approach is designed for cold outreach and works well on LinkedIn. The message should be one-sided, one-line, and asks one simple question. The message should be short and simple, and the recipient should be able to answer the question easily. David shares the response rate from this technique, which is better than any other engagement technique, and offers examples of simple questions to ask. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;How to Use Cold Outreach Effectively&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;David talks about using cold outreach correctly  in acquiring clients. He believes that it is not efficient enough to get leads, as it requires a long sales cycle and a high close rate. To do cold outreach correctly, he suggests viewing it as the first step in a three-year process of winning clients and think of it as an investment in gaining future clients. David shares his tips on how to engage someone connected through LinkedIn who may be a potential client. The best practices in messaging are discussed, including keeping messages short to the point and focused on a topic that meets the needs or interests of the recipient. David also shares a story about using focus groups and how companies can be encouraged to launch products that nobody wants. He talks about  the Ben Franklin approach, which involves asking for a small favor instead of trying to give a favor, such as asking for help on articles, webinars, research, podcasts, or other activities.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;How to Use Content as Lead Magnets&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;The conversation turns to the concept of lead magnets, which is content that people can download and engage with on social media. David offers the example of his two published books which have generated millions of dollars in business. He believes that a book is a lead magnet, but it is not free on the website. He suggests that the best way to convert people who consume content into clients is by creating an opportunity for them to join in and engage in conversation. It is suggested that, instead of just putting content out there, it is important to create engagement and opportunities for people to join in and interact with the content. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;It is recommended that, if someone comments or downloads a piece, there are steps that need to be taken to reach out to that person.  Higher engagement approaches, webinars, and podcasts that generate a conversation have been more successful than just putting content and lead magnets out there. David discusses the importance of making it easy for people to reach out to a firm. He believes that longevity and having published around 500 articles in addition to books contribute to this success. He also mentions that they do not engage with their tribe members, but rather let them know about the Boutique Consulting forum and he discusses models for engaging with tribe members.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Timestamps:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;04:55: Cold outreach techniques, including Ben Franklin approach and 111 messaging&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;10:03 Using 111 outreach for consulting firms to re engage with leads&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;17:16 LinkedIn outreach strategies for connecting with potential clients&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;20:37: Lead magnets, cold outreach, and converting blog subscribers to clients&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;26:35: Creating opportunities for conversation in content marketing&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;32:24: Cold outreach effectiveness with client success stories&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Links:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Sales Benchmarks: &lt;a href= "https://www.davidafields.com/important-sales-benchmark-for-your-consulting-firm/"&gt; https://www.davidafields.com/important-sales-benchmark-for-your-consulting-firm/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Website: &lt;a href= "https://www.davidafields.com"&gt;www.davidafields.com&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at &lt;a href= "http://www.umbrex.com."&gt;www.umbrex.com.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Show Notes: In this episode of Unleashed, Will Bachman discusses cold outreach with David A. Fields. David advises that cold outreach is a last resort tactic and should not be included in the mix of marketing strategies. Instead, he suggests that...

581. David A. Fields, Pursuing Cold Leads

Tish Baldez, a leading expert in management consulting, has worked with small and mid-sized consultancies and 20,000 professionals worldwide. She shares the trajectory of her career from an independent consultant to a managing partner and leader at  P31 Consulting LLC, a training program for professionals in management consulting, life science, IT consulting, finance, banking and more, and how they became a 100% referral-only business.  The Foundations of the Consultants Training Program Tish introduced the foundations for consulting skills program about a year and a half ago, which enables small businesses hiring new analysts, consultants, and engagement managers without formal structure training on how to do consulting or work in a consultative way. The program focuses on providing foundational skills, storyboarding, and teaching how to synthesize data and communicate it meaningfully for clients. The program is currently running multiple sessions a year in the US, UK, and Latin America. The P31 Academy offer to help scale up and accelerate the learning curve of consultants, allowing them to be more effective and successful.  Storyboard Presentations for Consultants Tish also trains 30-40% of their people on how to storyboard presentations in the traditional consulting way, teaching the principles of how it works and why it works. They also have a special version for scientists, medical professionals, and people working within Life Sciences or data science organizations, helping them become business fluent. This program helps them understand what they’re presenting and translate it into language that is meaningful for their audience, making it easier for them to make decisions and take actions based on the presentations.  The Foundation for Consulting Skills Program The foundation for consulting skills is a 100-day experience that combines online, self-directed, and self-paced learning in addition to a combination of in-person and virtual-led instruction with expert consultants. The program includes a three-day intensive, where participants work independently for a few weeks, then come together for a three-day intensive in different locations in the UK and the United States. The remaining weeks involve small group exercises and one-on-one coaching and group coaching sessions. The focus is on major transformational bills, such as skill development, practical application, and theory. The program ends with a celebration of completion. One unique aspect of the program is the incorporation of neuroscience, which is intentional about engaging the brain and getting synapses going to ensure learning sticks and becomes habitual. The program also uses brain exercises to activate both the left and right side of the brain. The program is fun, engaging and conducive to adult learning, with participants finding it challenging but ultimately gaining the necessary skills.  Breaking Down the Consulting Skills Program The program typically has 20 participants, with four coaches in the room, two of whom serve as facilitators. Each pod is assigned to a coach, who ensures that the participants receive individual coaching and feedback. This approach helps maintain a one-to-five ratio, ensuring individual coaching and that participants feel comfortable participating without feeling overwhelmed. The program begins with framing the problem, teaching the hypothesis-based problem-solving model, breaking down analysis and synthesis into separate pieces. Storyboarding is introduced, with the principles and reasons behind its effectiveness, as well as articles and papers that have been studied and proven effective. The program also emphasizes content and messaging, with key messages supported by evidence. The final presentation is a case-based course that covers various industries, including science, data science, finance, and accounting. The purpose of the case-based training is to provide a good foundation upon which the participants can apply their skills. The Demographic Profile of Attendees Tish discusses the demographic profile of attendees, which includes people coming out of college, mid-career professionals, and robots. They initially intended to cater to individuals who were hired by their consultancies and needed training for their skills. However, they found that many consultants from industry had never been taught how to do consulting, leading to a need for foundational training.  Tish also talks about the pricing for their programs, including a course that specifically addresses the unique needs of these experts, scientists, and medical professionals, who need to learn how to translate their brilliant work into meaningful messages that make sense for the business. The Key Values of a P31 Coach Tish discusses the role of facilitators in their business. They are looking for experienced consultants with a background in management consulting to facilitate effective training. They believe that consultants should not just be great lecturers but also be able to identify learning opportunities for the participants and make adjustments accordingly. The company has a core team with a leader in the UK, overseeing Latin American business, and overseeing the United States and Asia Pacific.The focus is on business transformation, not just skills development. The company aims to help consultants build relationships that last a lifetime, ensuring they bring value on an ongoing basis. As the business world has changed, the training they provide has evolved. One key aspect of their training is staying relevant and ahead of clients. Tish mentions that COVID-19 has changed the way they interact and engage with clients, and the skills needed to be effective have evolved.  Timestamps: 05:35: Training consultants for business fluency 09:46: Incorporating neuroscience into training programs to improve retention 13:25: Intensive three-day training program for consultants 18:23: Training programs for consultants and scientists to communicate effectively with business audiences 23:54: Hiring subcontractors for training with a focus on experience and relevance 28:26: Staying ahead in business by providing value and building relationships Links: P31 website: <a href= "https://p31-consulting.com/">https://p31-consulting.com/</a> P31 LinkedIn: <a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/company/p31-consulting-llc-us/">https://www.linkedin.com/company/p31-consulting-llc-us/</a> P31 Academy: <a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/company/p31-academy-for-consulting-performance-excellence/"> https://www.linkedin.com/company/p31-academy-for-consulting-performance-excellence/</a>   Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at <a href= "http://www.umbrex.com.">www.umbrex.com.</a>

<description>&lt;p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 19.0pt; background: white;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" xml:lang="EN"&gt;Tish Baldez, a leading expert in management consulting, has worked with small and mid-sized consultancies and 20,000 professionals worldwide. She shares the trajectory of her career from an independent consultant to a managing partner and leader at&lt;span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt; P31 Consulting LLC, a training program for professionals in management consulting, life science, IT consulting, finance, banking and more, and how they became a 100% referral-only business.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 19.0pt; background: white;"&gt;&lt;span style= "color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;" xml:lang="EN"&gt;&lt;span style= "mso-spacerun: yes;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong style= "mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "line-height: 115%;" xml:lang="EN"&gt;The Foundations of the Consultants Training Program&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 19.0pt; background: white;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" xml:lang="EN"&gt;Tish introduced the foundations for consulting skills program about a year and a half ago, which enables small businesses hiring new analysts, consultants, and engagement managers without formal structure training on how to do consulting or work in a consultative way. The program focuses on providing foundational skills, storyboarding, and teaching how to synthesize data and communicate it meaningfully for clients. The program is currently running multiple sessions a year in the US, UK, and Latin America. The P31 Academy offer to help scale up and accelerate the learning curve of consultants, allowing them to be more effective and successful.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 19.0pt; background: white;"&gt;&lt;span style= "color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;" xml:lang="EN"&gt;&lt;span style= "mso-spacerun: yes;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong style= "mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "line-height: 115%;" xml:lang="EN"&gt;Storyboard Presentations for Consultants&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 19.0pt; background: white;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" xml:lang="EN"&gt;Tish also trains 30-40% of their people on how to storyboard presentations in the traditional consulting way, teaching the principles of how it works and why it works. They also have a special version for scientists, medical professionals, and people working within Life Sciences or data science organizations, helping them become business fluent. This program helps them understand what they’re presenting and translate it into language that is meaningful for their audience, making it easier for them to make decisions and take actions based on the presentations.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 19.0pt; background: white;"&gt;&lt;span style= "color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;" xml:lang="EN"&gt;&lt;span style= "mso-spacerun: yes;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong style= "mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "line-height: 115%;" xml:lang="EN"&gt;The Foundation for Consulting Skills Program&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 19.0pt; background: white;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" xml:lang="EN"&gt;The foundation for consulting skills is a 100-day experience that combines online, self-directed, and self-paced learning in addition to a combination of in-person and virtual-led instruction with expert consultants. The program includes a three-day intensive, where participants work independently for a few weeks, then come together for a three-day intensive in different locations in the UK and the United States. The remaining weeks involve small group exercises and one-on-one coaching and group coaching sessions. The focus is on major transformational bills, such as skill development, practical application, and theory. The program ends with a celebration of completion. One unique aspect of the program is the incorporation of neuroscience, which is intentional about engaging the brain and getting synapses going to ensure learning sticks and becomes habitual. The program also uses brain exercises to activate both the left and right side of the brain. The program is fun, engaging and conducive to adult learning, with participants finding it challenging but ultimately gaining the necessary skills.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 19.0pt; background: white;"&gt;&lt;span style= "color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;" xml:lang="EN"&gt;&lt;span style= "mso-spacerun: yes;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong style= "mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "line-height: 115%;" xml:lang="EN"&gt;Breaking Down the Consulting Skills Program&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 19.0pt; background: white;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" xml:lang="EN"&gt;The program typically has 20 participants, with four coaches in the room, two of whom serve as facilitators. Each pod is assigned to a coach, who ensures that the participants receive individual coaching and feedback. This approach helps maintain a one-to-five ratio, ensuring individual coaching and that participants feel comfortable participating without feeling overwhelmed. The program begins with framing the problem, teaching the hypothesis-based problem-solving model, breaking down analysis and synthesis into separate pieces. Storyboarding is introduced, with the principles and reasons behind its effectiveness, as well as articles and papers that have been studied and proven effective. The program also emphasizes content and messaging, with key messages supported by evidence. The final presentation is a case-based course that covers various industries, including science, data science, finance, and accounting. The purpose of the case-based training is to provide a good foundation upon which the participants can apply their skills.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 19.0pt; background: white;"&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"&gt;&lt;strong style= "mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "line-height: 115%;" xml:lang="EN"&gt;The Demographic Profile of Attendees&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 19.0pt; background: white;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" xml:lang="EN"&gt;Tish discusses the demographic profile of attendees, which includes people coming out of college, mid-career professionals, and robots. They initially intended to cater to individuals who were hired by their consultancies and needed training for their skills. However, they found that many consultants from industry had never been taught how to do consulting, leading to a need for foundational training.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt; Tish also talks about the pricing for their programs, including a course that specifically addresses the unique needs of these experts, scientists, and medical professionals, who need to learn how to translate their brilliant work into meaningful messages that make sense for the business.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 19.0pt; background: white;"&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"&gt;&lt;strong style= "mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "line-height: 115%;" xml:lang="EN"&gt;The Key Values of a P31 Coach&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 19.0pt; background: white;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" style= "font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" xml:lang="EN"&gt;Tish discusses the role of facilitators in their business. They are looking for experienced consultants with a background in management consulting to facilitate effective training. They believe that consultants should not just be great lecturers but also be able to identify learning opportunities for the participants and make adjustments accordingly. The company has a core team with a leader in the UK, overseeing Latin American business, and overseeing the United States and Asia Pacific.The focus is on business transformation, not just skills development. The company aims to help consultants build relationships that last a lifetime, ensuring they bring value on an ongoing basis. As the business world has changed, the training they provide has evolved. One key aspect of their training is staying relevant and ahead of clients. Tish mentions that COVID-19 has changed the way they interact and engage with clients, and the skills needed to be effective have evolved.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN" xml:lang= "EN"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Timestamps:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;05:35: Training consultants for business fluency&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;09:46: Incorporating neuroscience into training programs to improve retention&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;13:25: Intensive three-day training program for consultants&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;18:23: Training programs for consultants and scientists to communicate effectively with business audiences&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;23:54: Hiring subcontractors for training with a focus on experience and relevance&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;28:26: Staying ahead in business by providing value and building relationships&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Links:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;P31 website: &lt;a href= "https://p31-consulting.com/"&gt;https://p31-consulting.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;P31 LinkedIn: &lt;a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/company/p31-consulting-llc-us/"&gt;https://www.linkedin.com/company/p31-consulting-llc-us/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;P31 Academy: &lt;a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/company/p31-academy-for-consulting-performance-excellence/"&gt; https://www.linkedin.com/company/p31-academy-for-consulting-performance-excellence/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at &lt;a href= "http://www.umbrex.com."&gt;www.umbrex.com.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Tish Baldez, a leading expert in management consulting, has worked with small and mid-sized consultancies and 20,000 professionals worldwide. She shares the trajectory of her career from an independent consultant to a managing partner and leader...

580. Tish Baldez, Training Consultants

In this episode of Unleashed, Michael Rubenstein discusses the importance of organizational culture in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Michael's expertise is broader than organizational culture; he offers a bird's eye view of an organization to help move it to the next phase in their evolution which includes: Strategy, M&A, Value Creation, People and Culture, etc.  It’s all about moving an organization to the next phase in their evolution and includes: Strategy, M&A, Value Creation, People and Culture, etc. He believes that culture is the key to a successful integration and that it often goes unnoticed. He suggests that when assessing a company's culture, it is essential to identify the culture elements of the current company and the target company, and identify any gaps. Key Points in Assessing Company Culture To do this, Michael recommends conducting self-assessments and assessments of both companies, as well as conducting interviews with stakeholders such as leadership, employees, customers, and suppliers. These interviews can help identify critical issues that could be problematic or could be beneficial. A culture diagnostic is a process that involves asking open-ended questions about how decisions are made within a company. This can include whether the organization is meritocratic, where instructions come from the top, or more empowered, where people have more autonomy in their roles. It is also important to consider whether the decision-making process is customer-driven, or operationally driven. Unpacking Elements of Company Culture  Michael states that culture is a complex concept that encompasses behaviors, norms, and rituals. Behaviors involve people working together, collaborating, hiding information, and doing things for the greater good or their own benefit. Norms are standards that hold individuals accountable for values, self-integrity, and communication within an organization. Rituals are important and often involve stories and networking opportunities. The Benefits an Organizational Diagnostic An organizational diagnostic can help identify gaps in culture, which can be useful in assessing the current state of the organization and the target acquisition company. A visual representation of the organizational diagnostic can help identify gaps and areas for improvement. For example, if the company being acquired is more advanced than the current one in terms of collaboration, it can help probe and identify areas for improvement. Michael explains that a case study can help assess the impact of a mismatch between cultures and the success of a merger. In a successful merger, culture was a key factor, as the acquiring company focused on taking the best people, processes, and models from both organizations. However, in a failed merger, the acquiring company ignored the value of the best people and processes, leading to a loss of billions of dollars in acquisition costs. The Importance of Culture in Organizations Michael discusses the importance of culture in organizations. He suggests assessing gaps, identifying positive aspects, and assessing alignment. He emphasizes the need to create a sense of unity and use language that is meaningful. Rubenstein also suggests soliciting input from stakeholders about creating a future state and creating a cultural strategic weapon. Culture is crucial as it is unique and cannot be duplicated by competitors. He suggests using a culture lens to frame people processes and tools, and building initiatives around this. Michael's practice is a boutique advisory firm that focuses on culture across various industries. He believes that culture can either facilitate or kill any other initiative, whether it's about strategy, change management, or continuous improvement. In conclusion, culture is a crucial aspect of any organization, and it can be a powerful tool for fostering harmony and success. By addressing cultural gaps and fostering a culture of alignment, organizations can create a more successful and successful future state. Timestamps: 00:12: Organizational culture in M&A deals, including diagnostic tools and assessing gaps 05:50: Organizational culture, behaviors, norms, and rituals 13:01: Culture in M&A deals and its impact on success   Links: Email:<a href= "mailto:michael@rubensteinadvisory.ca" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">michael@rubensteinadvisory.ca</a>   Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at <a href= "http://www.umbrex.com.">www.umbrex.com.</a>

<description>&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;In this episode of Unleashed, Michael Rubenstein discusses the importance of organizational culture in mergers and acquisitions (M&amp;A). &lt;span style="font-weight: 400;"&gt;Michael's expertise is broader than organizational culture; he offers a bird's eye view of an organization to help move it to the next phase in their evolution which includes: Strategy, M&amp;A, Value Creation, People and Culture, etc.&lt;/span&gt;  It’s all about moving an organization to the next phase in their evolution and includes: Strategy, M&amp;A, Value Creation, People and Culture, etc. He believes that culture is the key to a successful integration and that it often goes unnoticed. He suggests that when assessing a company's culture, it is essential to identify the culture elements of the current company and the target company, and identify any gaps.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Key Points in Assessing Company Culture&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;To do this, Michael recommends conducting self-assessments and assessments of both companies, as well as conducting interviews with stakeholders such as leadership, employees, customers, and suppliers. These interviews can help identify critical issues that could be problematic or could be beneficial. A culture diagnostic is a process that involves asking open-ended questions about how decisions are made within a company. This can include whether the organization is meritocratic, where instructions come from the top, or more empowered, where people have more autonomy in their roles. It is also important to consider whether the decision-making process is customer-driven, or operationally driven.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Unpacking Elements of Company Culture &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Michael states that culture is a complex concept that encompasses behaviors, norms, and rituals. Behaviors involve people working together, collaborating, hiding information, and doing things for the greater good or their own benefit. Norms are standards that hold individuals accountable for values, self-integrity, and communication within an organization. Rituals are important and often involve stories and networking opportunities.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;The Benefits an Organizational Diagnostic&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;An organizational diagnostic can help identify gaps in culture, which can be useful in assessing the current state of the organization and the target acquisition company. A visual representation of the organizational diagnostic can help identify gaps and areas for improvement. For example, if the company being acquired is more advanced than the current one in terms of collaboration, it can help probe and identify areas for improvement. Michael explains that a case study can help assess the impact of a mismatch between cultures and the success of a merger. In a successful merger, culture was a key factor, as the acquiring company focused on taking the best people, processes, and models from both organizations. However, in a failed merger, the acquiring company ignored the value of the best people and processes, leading to a loss of billions of dollars in acquisition costs.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;The Importance of Culture in Organizations&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Michael discusses the importance of culture in organizations. He suggests assessing gaps, identifying positive aspects, and assessing alignment. He emphasizes the need to create a sense of unity and use language that is meaningful. Rubenstein also suggests soliciting input from stakeholders about creating a future state and creating a cultural strategic weapon. Culture is crucial as it is unique and cannot be duplicated by competitors. He suggests using a culture lens to frame people processes and tools, and building initiatives around this. Michael's practice is a boutique advisory firm that focuses on culture across various industries. He believes that culture can either facilitate or kill any other initiative, whether it's about strategy, change management, or continuous improvement. In conclusion, culture is a crucial aspect of any organization, and it can be a powerful tool for fostering harmony and success. By addressing cultural gaps and fostering a culture of alignment, organizations can create a more successful and successful future state.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Timestamps:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;00:12: Organizational culture in M&amp;A deals, including diagnostic tools and assessing gaps&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;05:50: Organizational culture, behaviors, norms, and rituals&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;13:01: Culture in M&amp;A deals and its impact on success&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style= "font-size: 10pt;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Links&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Email:&lt;a href= "mailto:michael@rubensteinadvisory.ca" target="_blank" rel= "noopener"&gt;michael@rubensteinadvisory.ca&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt;"&gt;Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at &lt;a href= "http://www.umbrex.com."&gt;www.umbrex.com.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

In this episode of Unleashed, Michael Rubenstein discusses the importance of organizational culture in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Michael's expertise is broader than organizational culture; he offers a bird's eye view of an organization to...

579. Michael Rubenstein, Organizational Culture in Mergers and Acquisitions

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Unleashed - How to Thrive as an Independent Professional

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