Have you ever wondered why so many well-designed strategies fail in execution? Tim Ohai reveals that the real problem isn’t poor planning, it’s poor decision-making. Drawing on decades of global experience, he shares how strategy is best understood as a series of decisions rather than as a static plan. You’ll learn how clarity at every handoff—from leadership to teams—determines whether people can actually deliver on what’s expected.

You’ll also discover the human side of strategy. We explore how ego, fear, and unclear accountability derail even the best intentions—and what leaders can do to reverse it. Through engaging stories and practical insights, Tim explains how to replace confusion with empowerment, align decisions with outcomes, and approach leadership as stewardship rather than control. If you’re ready to transform how your organization thinks and acts, this episode will show you how to make clarity your greatest competitive advantage.

Tim has spent decades helping leaders around the world uncover what’s getting in the way of their teams—and their own success—and then guiding them to take meaningful action. As a consultant, coach, author, and speaker, Tim combines business best practices with psychological insights to drive performance that’s both healthy and sustainable. He’s also the host of the How to NOT Execute Your Strategy Podcast, and we explored some key ideas from his upcoming book, The Zen of Strategic Execution.

You’ll discover:

• Why strategic execution fails even when plans look solid.
• How defining strategy as a series of decisions changes everything.
• The three universal drives that shape team behavior.
• Practical ways to reduce fear and ego in your culture.
• How stewardship leads to stronger alignment and engagement.

Watch the episode:

Connect with Tim

Tim’s Website

Tim Ohai

Related Podcast Episodes

144: You’re One Belief Away from Exponential Growth

What does it look like when leadership is rooted in genuine care for people? In this conversation, you’ll hear how Peter Bissonnette’s experiences in a monastery and in the corporate world shaped a philosophy of service, humility, and trust. His journey shows that caring isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s the foundation for lasting impact with employees and customers alike.

With stories, Peter illustrates how leaders can bring humanity into business while still driving growth and innovation. From customer service initiatives that prioritize connection to employee engagement practices that value feedback, you’ll discover how an organization can thrive when its culture is built on compassion, humility, and treating people like family.

Peter is the former president of Shaw Communications Inc., one of Canada’s leading telecommunications companies. With more than three decades of experience in the cable, internet, and media industries, Peter played a pivotal role in transforming how Canadians connect and communicate.Peter has recently published a very inspiring memoir, Count on Me: My Life, Lessons, and Legacy as Former President of Shaw Communications. Peter is not just an exceptional leader, he’s also a remarkable human being. You’re sure to be inspired by a man who experienced unbelievable adversity and trauma as a boy, then created a life that’s grounded in integrity, empathy, and trust.

You’ll discover:

• Peter’s early life experiences that shaped his leadership philosophy.
• The values that run through Peter’s book, Count On Me.
• Why vulnerability and humility strengthen leadership impact.
• Practical ways Shaw Communications fosters customer loyalty and trust.
• How employee engagement and customer feedback transformed company culture.

Watch the episode:

Connect with Peter

Peter’s Book

Count on Me: My Life, Lessons, and Legacy as Former President of Shaw Communications

Related Podcast Episodes

160: How to Unlock the Potential in Others

What can you do to set up your frontline leaders for success from Day 1? This episode with Matt Gjertsen explores the essential skills and strategies new managers need to transition smoothly from individual contributor to effective leader. Find out how to help them shift from being the “answer person” to empowering their teams, asking better questions, and building trust that leads to stronger results.

Matt shares specific ways to guide new leaders in interviewing and hiring, holding meaningful development conversations, and setting realistic expectations around career growth. Whether you’re supporting first-time managers or looking to strengthen your leadership pipeline, you’ll gain actionable tools to help them thrive and positively impact their teams.

Matt is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and a former Air Force Instructor Pilot with 2500 flight hours. After leaving active duty, he spent over 4 years at SpaceX, leading the training and development team, before founding Better Every Day Studios in 2021. Matt has continued his career in the U.S. Air Force Reserves as a Lt. Colonel supporting Space Systems Command.

Matt’s 20 years of experience working with and leading high-performing teams all over the world have given him a unique perspective on what it takes to lead teams in this ever-changing world. He and his team at Better Every Day Studios are on a mission to train better managers, build better companies, and create a better world.

You’ll discover:

• What new leaders need to navigate the shift from individual contributor to manager
• How to coach them on interviewing and hiring using the 70-30 rule
• Why development conversations should focus on growth, not just tasks
• How to set clear expectations around promotions and career development
• Ways to help new managers balance reinforcing and redirecting feedback

Watch the episode:

Connect with Matt

Matt’s Website

Better Every Day Studios

Related Podcast Episodes

252: How to Help Transitioning Leaders Succeed

Curious how LinkedIn can actually help you build real business relationships—not just rack up connections? In this episode, LinkedIn expert Bill McCormick shares his journey from traditional sales to becoming a trusted advisor on the platform. Bill reveals why authenticity, curiosity, and genuine engagement are the keys to standing out and building trust, whether you’re networking, recruiting, or growing your business.

We dive into practical tips for optimizing your profile, engaging with others in a meaningful way, and using LinkedIn’s premium features (like Sales Navigator) to your advantage. Bill also shares his thoughts on AI and automation, and why the human touch still matters most. If you want to make LinkedIn work for you—without feeling salesy or inauthentic—this episode is packed with actionable advice you can use right away.

Bill is the Founder of Digi-Sales, a Digital Selling training company, and Digi-Sales Academy, an online video training platform where he shares his passion for helping professionals leverage the power of LinkedIn. Bill first started using digital sales techniques after he and his wife, Sue, started their own promotional product business.
By using social platforms, especially LinkedIn, they were able to build a very successful business. Bill then began to help other business owners, entrepreneurs and sales professionals learn how to use LinkedIn to increase sales.

Bill has conducted training for companies worldwide and specializes in helping to ‘make LinkedIn Human’ – explaining the platform in easy-to-understand ways, and recently launched the All Selling Is Social Podcast.

You’ll discover:

• How to create a value-driven LinkedIn profile
• The right way to connect and engage
• Why curiosity builds trust on LinkedIn
• Tips for using Sales Navigator effectively
• The pitfalls of AI and automation on LinkedIn

Watch the episode:

Connect with Bill

Digi-Sales

Course

Social Selling Compass Course

Podcast

All Selling Is Social

Related Podcast Episodes

253: Maximize the Power of LinkedIn

Company culture isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the foundation of an organization’s success or failure. Brad Federman shares how businesses can create a culture that balances people and results. He explains where many organizations go wrong when developing their values and why culture must be designed to outlast leadership changes. Brad also reveals how companies can avoid common pitfalls, such as tolerating bad behavior and adopting trendy policies without considering business needs.

We dive into practical strategies for aligning culture with business goals, reinforcing positive behaviors, and holding leaders accountable. Brad describes the importance of continuous culture audits and experiential activities that make culture tangible. Whether you’re a business leader, HR professional, or culture champion, this episode provides actionable insights to create an environment where employees thrive and customers stay engaged.

Brad is the founder of PerformancePoint, a firm dedicated to helping organizations engage employees, strengthen customer relationships, and cultivate resilient, collaborative cultures through effective leadership. With over 25 years of corporate experience, he’s worked with global companies like Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Nordstrom, and Mayo Clinic. Brad is an international speaker and the author of Cultivating Culture: 101 Ways to Foster Engagement in 15 Minutes or Less.

You’ll discover:

• The biggest mistakes companies make when defining their values
• Why culture must be stable, not built around a single leader
• How to hold employees and leaders accountable for culture
• The role of feedback and culture workouts in shaping workplace norms
• Strategies for overcoming resistance to cultural change

Watch the episode:

Connect with Brad

Brad’s Resources

Website

PerformancePoint

Brad Federman

Books

Cultivating Culture: 101 Ways to Foster Engagement in 15 Minutes or Less

Related Podcast Episodes

179: The Role of Wellbeing in a Thriving Culture

294: Creating an Award-Winning Workplace Culture

If someone took a look at your LinkedIn profile and your activity on that platform, what impression would they have? In case your answer involves any aspect of “needs improvement,” you’ll find this conversation with guest Jennifer Darling super valuable. She shares specific tips that will help you with 3 Ps: Profile, Posts, and People.

Jennifer is a master at creating visibility, making noise, and building relationships using LinkedIn. Her posts have generated 10’s of thousands of views, and she’s grown her network to over 8,000 high-quality connections.

She is one of the world’s foremost LinkedIn experts and the ONLY one who has 20+ years of advertising, sales and management experience. Jennifer has trained thousands of thought leaders to maximize their LinkedIn results—without having to invest hours and hours each week.

Jennifer is the author of Say Yes! Then Figure It Out and Increase Your Leads with LinkedIn. She’s also the creator of the Mastering LinkedIn Deep Dive Training, which Meredith has taken and highly recommends.

You’ll discover:

• How to create an attention-grabbing banner and headline in your profile
• Why a LinkedIn newsletter is an excellent content strategy
• What to do when you want to become visible to your ideal connections
• Tips for sending connection requests that get a positive response
• The surprisingly small amount of time you can devote to being on LinkedIn – and what to do while you’re there

Watch the episode:

Connect with Jennifer

Jennifer’s Resources

Ultimate LinkedIn Profile Checklist

To Book Jennifer for Speaking

Jennifer’s Books

Does “lead from the heart” imply touchy-feely or weakness? Not according to Mark C. Crowley, who used this approach successfully throughout his 25 years in the financial services industry, an industry known for being highly competitive. Mark shares the science and research that backs up the value of this approach.

Mark is the author of what’s become one of Meredith’s favorite business books ever, Lead from the Heart, and he’s the host of a podcast of the same name. You’ll find out WHY Mark was so successful by leading from the heart in this riveting conversation.

You’ll discover:

• Experiences Mark had early in life that shaped his purpose today
• The science that shows that the heart is more than “a blood pump”
• What Mark learned about the power of engaging both the minds and heart of others to achieve extraordinary results
• How “Love Your People” became Mark’s mantra
• The 4 Practices of leading from the heart

Watch the episode:

Connect with Mark

Mark’s Resources

Website

Mark C. Crowley

Book

Lead From the Heart: Transformational Leadership for the 21st Century

Podcast

Lead from the Heart

What can you do to make sure your company avoids being part of the Great Resignation? Maurice “Moe” Rondeau has specific suggestions you can adopt, based on what he and his team have done to build community and high performance.

Moe is Vice President of Learning & Development at WinnCompanies, a real estate property development and management company in the Boston area. He has a diverse 25+ year background in global learning and organizational development.

Moe’s multi-industry experience provides him with a solid understanding of the challenges that business leaders face in engaging and retaining talent.

You’ll discover:

• What leaders can do to engage and retain their top talent
• What WinnCompanies does to keep everyone informed and involved
• A few thought leaders Moe admires most…and why
• 5 key lessons Moe learned when starting up the L&D division from scratch
• How Moe structured programs for high potentials and first level managers to achieve a positive impact

Watch the episode:

Connect with Moe

Moe’s Website

WinnCompanies

What do bullying, workplace culture and visionary leadership have in common? Meet Connie St. John. She is a woman on a mission to have a positive (and BIG) impact in each of these areas. You’ll discover what she’s doing to eliminate bullying in middle schools throughout the country. And you’ll get valuable insights about the importance of leaders paying attention to the “tone” in order to tell if they are creating a culture where people thrive. Connie’s stories and message are compelling and unforgettable! 

Connie has more than 25 years of experience working with a wide variety of cultural influencers, including Fortune 50 companies, historic nonprofits, notable entertainment companies, churches and media moguls. She heads St. John Consulting Group, which specializes in team-building workshops and retreats, employee engagement, leadership development, executive coaching, and JEDI training (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion). Connie is also the president of No Weapon Productions, which specializes in change-your-life entertainment for film, television, stage productions, and live events.

You’ll discover:

• How Connie uses her balance between right- and left-brain thinking to help clients work more efficiently and with heart
• What “cultural influencer” organizations are and why Connie is uniquely qualified to serve them
• The musical Connie has created for middle school students around the issue of bullying
• The approach Connie takes with executives to address workplace bullies
• How Connie uses jigsaw puzzles to teach leaders the importance of communicating their vision throughout the organization

Watch the episode:

Connect with Connie

Connie’s Websites

No Weapon Productions

St. John Consulting Group

Want to create a new perspective about the younger generation in the workplace? You must listen to my conversation with Evan Hackel! Evan is on fire about the value these young people bring to work. You’ll discover why he says, “Millennials are the best workers who have ever entered the workforce, and Generation Z will only be better.” Evan also describes the detailed process his company uses to interview and hire new employees…and the excellent results they’ve achieved.

Evan is the CEO of Tortal Training, a leading training development company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tortal is on the cutting edge when it comes to the creation of mobile training platforms for organizations with distributed workforces. Evan is also Founder and Principal of Ingage Consulting, a management and leadership consulting firm located in Woburn, Massachusetts. And he’s the author of a wonderful book, Ingaging Leadership Meets the Younger Generation.

You’ll discover:

• The distinction Evan makes between Ingagement and Engagement
• The unique strengths that younger workers can bring to your organization
• Ways that Millennials and Gen Z generations are different
• What type of training young people respond best to
• How to onboard new hires so they become part of your culture faster

Watch the episode:

Connect with Evan

Evan’s Websites

Tortal Training

Ingage Consulting

Evan Hackel Speaks

Evan’s Book

Ingaging Leadership Meets the Younger Generation