Mark Gandy

I make no apologies for believing that Ben Lamorte is one of the most gifted business teachers and coaches I’ve ever encountered. While he’s the global go-to expert in OKRs and coaching other coaches, he could be that conversationalist who can inspire, educate, and inform on any business topic. In this episode, Ben is back to talk about OKRs. In this show, we address outcomes vs outputs and where KPIs fit in this conversation.

[Read more…] about Outcome-Based OKRs

If you ask ten successful CEOs what they do, you’ll probably hear many answers–all good, but vastly different from executive to executive. A dream team of McKinsey partners decided to research this very question based on 200 in-depth interviews and surveys with successful CEOs. Their findings are found in the new book, CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest. The book is practical, inspiring, and refreshingly insightful.

[Read more…] about The Six Pillars of CEO Excellence

Devin Durrant is a retired NBA basketball player who worked with a growing software firm that he found rewarding and memorable. He followed that work stint with a successful real estate business. From basketball to brick-and-mortar investments, Devin was standing on the shoulders of great teachers during his early childhood, which became a primary driver for his book, The Values Delta: A Small & Simple Way to Make a Positive Difference in Your Personal & Professional Life.

[Read more…] about A Former NBA Player on The Values Delta

As we observe the DNA behind some of our favorite CEOs, patterns will start to surface. Some are natural at scaling companies to new levels. And then there are the stories of Phil Knight, Jeff Bezos, Reid Hoffman, and Sara Blakely who started with a kernel of an idea and went on to launch brands that are household names. In this episode, we learn about a new leadership framework that defines the unique abilities of impactful leaders.

[Read more…] about The DNA Behind the FABS Leadership Styles

I read upwards of 120 books every year, and during every 12-month stretch, I’ll come across a few business leaders, entrepreneurs, and start-up founders that I admire, appreciate and want to hold up for others to see and read about. Names in the recent past have included Alan Mulally, Bill McDermott, Ed Stack, and Hunter Harrison. The newest name I’m adding to the list is Joe Coulombe, the founder of Trader Joe’s. I would have loved to have met this larger-than-life creative thinker.

[Read more…] about Entrepreneurial Magic at Trader Joe’s

Dan Montgomery is the first person I’ve heard that connects OKRs with strategy. But Dan is not talking about this old industrial mindset of predicting and then controlling in yesterday’s strategy process. Dan lifts the idea of sensing and responding, the heart behind what he calls agile strategy. He also explains why OKRs are the engine to this strategy framework which consists of continuous experimentation. We learn more in his book, Start Less Finish More.

[Read more…] about What is Agile Strategy?

For years, I’ve been searching for a simple and readable explanation of phantom stock plans. I want that simple guide to give to CEOs because I believe phantom stock arrangements when executed creatively can be one of the best bonus plans for mid-level and senior leadership team members. While that book does not exist, I did find someone who has helped to craft more than a hundred such phantom stock plans, our topic in this episode.

[Read more…] about What’s the Book on Phantom Stock Plans?

I’ve always been intrigued about the roles of business psychologists and certified coaches and their ability to elevate the performances of the people and organizations they work with. In this show, I visited with Dr. Russell Thackeray, a business psychologist, certified coach, trainer, and renowned speaker. We addressed topics such as resistance, when to hire a business coach, the intentions and execution of tough love, psychological capacity, and much more.

[Read more…] about What is a Business Psychologist?