Episodes
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm thrilled to welcome you back to a series I did with my dear friend, Roger Martin. He's the author of the amazing book, Playing to Win. In this episode, we're rethinking Warren Buffett's "moat" metaphor for competitive advantage.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders, entrepreneurs, strategists, and innovators who want to build a sustainable competitive advantage instead of competing in a race to the bottom.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…most companies think about competitive advantage as something static, or what Warren Buffett famously coined the "moat" that protects the business from competitors. But Roger argues that this metaphor falls short in this day and age and introduces a more dynamic way to think about strategy: moving through "rooms" ahead of competitors. Roger explores why the best companies stay curious, how customer observation leads to innovation, why benchmarking can actually hurt differentiation, and how asking different questions is often the foundation of breakthrough growth.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Competitive advantage must evolve constantly, it can't stay static.
Customer observation often reveals opportunities data alone misses.
Benchmarking competitors too closely can limit innovation.
Sustainable growth comes from continuously moving to the "next room."
WHAT I LOVE MOST…Roger's perspective that competitive advantage is about continually evolving faster than your competitors. His "rooms" metaphor is such a powerful way to visualize innovation, customer learning, and staying ahead by asking smarter questions over time.
Running Time: 30:44
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Roger Online:
LinkedIn
Website
Show Summary on Substack
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm thrilled to welcome you back to a series I did with my dear friend, Roger Martin. He's the author of the amazing book, Playing to Win. In this episode, we discuss how your current actions impact your strategy.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders, executives, entrepreneurs, and teams trying to improve results without getting stuck chasing the "perfect" strategy.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…whether you claim it or not, you already have a strategy. It's reflected in the choices you're making every day. In this episode, Roger and Tiffani unpack one of the biggest misconceptions in business: the belief that strategy is something you create from scratch during a planning session. Roger explains that every company already has a strategy because every organization is making choices about investments, hiring, marketing, products, customers, and priorities. The real question is whether those choices are producing the results you want.
KEY TAKEAWAYS…
Your current results are the outcome of the strategic choices you've already made. Strategy fails when leaders expect immediate results from long-term decisions. Chasing the "perfect strategy" often delays meaningful progress. Betterment comes from continuously improving the biggest problems first. Writing down assumptions helps leaders evaluate whether a strategy is truly working over time.WHAT I LOVE MOST…Roger's emphasis on "betterment" over perfection. Instead of trying to engineer one flawless strategy that solves everything forever, he encourages leaders to continuously improve the choices creating the biggest pain points.
Running Time: 27:38
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Roger Online:
LinkedIn
Website
Show Summary on Substack
-
Missing episodes?
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.
I'm thrilled to welcome Cheryl Strauss Einhorn, author, decision strategist, and creator of The Area Method. Her new book, The Human Edge, really challenges a core assumption we're all making right now that more technology automatically leads to better outcomes. What I love about her work is that it's not anti-AI, it's pro-human. She gives us a framework to think more clearly, challenge what we're seeing, and ultimately make decisions with more confidence and intention. Because at the end of the day, the question isn't whether we'll use AI, it is whether we will lead it or it will lead us.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anyone using AI in their work and wondering how to make better decisions without losing their human edge.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…AI can make you faster but it doesn't automatically make you better. Cheryl breaks down why decision-making, not technology, is the true competitive advantage. While AI can accelerate research, generate ideas, and even mirror your voice, it lacks context, judgment, and an understanding of what truly matters to you. Cheryl introduces the concept of "strategic stops" which are intentional moments to reflect, question assumptions, and ensure you're solving the right problem in the first place.
KEY TAKEAWAYS…
AI is only as good as the context you give it. Without that critical piece, you risk getting answers that sound right but aren't useful.
Strategic pauses ("friction") improve decisions by helping you question assumptions and refine your thinking.
AI can reinforce bias or limit perspective if you don't actively challenge its outputs.
The most important decisions still require human judgment especially when stakes are high and outcomes are uncertain.
The future belongs to strong decision-makers, not just companies with the best AI tools.
WHAT I LOVE MOST…Cheryl's perspective that AI isn't replacing thinking but is actually demanding better thinking. The idea that we're all "chief deciders" in our own lives is a powerful reminder: no matter how advanced the technology gets, the responsibility to think critically is still ours.
Running Time: 25:56
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Cheryl Online:
LinkedIn
Website
Cheryl's Book: The Human Edge: Smarter Decisions in the Age of AI
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm thrilled to welcome you back to a series I did with my dear friend, Roger Martin. He's the author of the amazing book, Playing to Win. In this episode, we discuss the concept of what would have to be true for something to be a good idea.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anyone frustrated by endless debates who wants a smarter way to make strategic decisions.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…most teams get stuck arguing about what's true when the better question is what would have to be true. In this conversation, Roger reframes one of the most common breakdowns in strategy: teams debating data, context, and "facts" without ever moving forward. Instead of trying to prove what's true today, he introduces a more powerful approach, working backward from a future outcome and asking what conditions must exist for it to succeed.
KEY TAKEAWAYS…
"What would have to be true" shifts teams from arguing about data to aligning on logic.
Strong strategies often make something true that isn't true yet.
Breaking goals into assumptions exposes whether a plan is realistic or wishful thinking.
WHAT I LOVE MOST…the idea that strategy isn't about proving you're right, it's about testing whether your thinking holds up. When you shift from "this is true" to "what would have to be true," the conversation changes completely. It removes ego, surfaces assumptions, and forces clarity.
Running Time: 27:35
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Roger Online:
LinkedIn
Website
Show Summary on Substack
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm thrilled to welcome you back to a series I did with my dear friend, Roger Martin. He's the author of the amazing book, Playing to Win. In this episode, we discuss how being too busy sabotages your strategy.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders and high-performers who feel constantly busy (or burned out) and want a more strategic way to manage their time and energy.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…being busy isn't a badge of honor. It's often a signal that your personal strategy isn't working. In this episode, Roger reframes busyness as a strategic failure, not a productivity win. If you're constantly overwhelmed, it likely means you haven't clearly defined where to focus your time, how to create the most value, and what to stop doing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS…
Constant busyness is often a sign of a weak or unclear personal strategy.
You have fixed capacity so where you spend your time matters more than how much you work.
Strategy is as much about what you don't do as what you do.
Subtracting low-value work is the fastest way to create more impact.
Investing time upfront (in people, systems, and planning) pays off long-term.
WHAT I LOVE MOST…the emphasis on subtraction over addition.So many people think the path to more impact is doing more but Roger shows that the real leverage comes from removing what doesn't matter and doubling down on what does.
Running Time: 25:36
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Roger Online:
LinkedIn
Website
Show Summary on Substack
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.
I'm thrilled to welcome Dr. Vivienne Ming to the show. She's a theoretical neuroscientist, AI expert, and what she calls a "professional mad scientist for the public good." She's also fabulous in person and one of my go-tos whenever I have a question about these topics because her work challenges the idea that we should compete with machines and instead pushes us to become more human, not less.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anyone trying to understand how to stay relevant in an AI-driven world and how to use technology to become more human, not less.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…we've spent the last decade building AI that can operate without us, but that may be the wrong goal entirely. Vivienne challenges the dominant narrative around artificial intelligence, arguing that the real opportunity isn't automation or efficiency, it's hybrid intelligence. The most powerful outcomes happen when humans and machines work together, not when one replaces the other.
KEY TAKEAWAYS…
AI alone is powerful, but human + AI ("hybrid intelligence") is the most effective combination for solving complex problems.The real differentiator in an AI world is your ability to explore unknown, messy, "ill-posed" problems.
Using AI to challenge your thinking—not replace it—leads to better outcomes and deeper insights.
WHAT I LOVE MOST…the idea that AI shouldn't make life easier, it should make your thinking better. The people who win in this new world aren't the ones who automate everything… they're the ones who stay deeply engaged, ask better questions, and use AI as a thought partner.
Running Time: 37:22
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Vivienne Online:
LinkedIn
Website
Vivienne's Book: Robot-Proof: When Machines Have all the Answers, Build Better People
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm thrilled to welcome you back to a series I did with my dear friend, Roger Martin. He's the author of the amazing book, Playing to Win. In this episode, we discuss whether OKRs, or Objectives and Key Results, actually help you win or whether they're masquerading as strategy.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders and operators who are frustrated with OKRs, unclear metrics, or goals that feel disconnected from reality and want a smarter way to connect strategy to execution.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…we often treat OKRs like a magic solution, but according to Roger, they're only as good as the strategy behind them. Too many organizations jump straight from setting big goals (the "O") to measuring results (the "KR") without doing the hard work in between. That missing middle—where to play, how to win, and what capabilities are required—is what actually makes goals achievable.
KEY TAKEAWAYS…
OKRs fail when there's no strategy connecting the objective to the results.
Measurement helps but not everything that matters can be measured.
The "middle three boxes" (where to play, how to win, capabilities) determine success.
Many OKRs are unrealistic because they're based on assumptions, not strategy.
When goals aren't achievable, adjust the strategy or reset the goal.
WHAT I LOVE MOST…Roger's reminder that metrics don't create outcomes but strategy does. This is such an important shift, especially for teams stuck chasing numbers that were never grounded in reality.
Running Time: 25:36
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Roger Online:
LinkedIn
Website
Show Summary on Substack
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.
I'm thrilled for this show for so many reasons. Today's guest has spent his career challenging how we think about people at work, what drives performance, what builds great teams and what actually helps people thrive. Marcus Buckingham is a New York Times bestselling author and a friend and one of the original pioneers of the strength movement. And now in his new book, Design Love In, he takes that thinking even further, arguing that love, when designed intentionally into how we lead and operate, is one of the most powerful forces in business.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders, managers, and individuals who want to better understand what drives high performance and how to build roles and teams around what people naturally do best.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…We've been taught to focus on improving our weaknesses but that approach is fundamentally flawed. In this conversation, Marcus explains why excellence comes from doubling down on strengths, not fixing what's broken. He shares how organizations can unlock performance by designing roles around what people love to do, why engagement surveys often miss the mark, and how leaders can create environments where individuals thrive by doing more of what energizes them.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
People grow most when they invest in what they naturally do best.
High performance comes from aligning work with what energizes individuals.
Traditional feedback and engagement systems often overlook individual strengths.
Great leaders focus on outcomes while allowing flexibility in how work gets done.
WHAT I LOVE MOST…Marcus' reminder that excellence isn't built by fixing weaknesses but by understanding and using your strengths every day. It's a simple shift, but it completely changes how we think about performance.
Running Time: 40:16
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Marcus Online:
LinkedIn
Buckingham Institute
Marcus' Book: Design Love In: How to Unleash the Most Powerful Force in Business
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.
This week's guest is someone whose work has shaped how millions of people think about their work, their strengths, and their lives. Tom Rath is a #1 New York Times bestselling author whose books, including Strengths Finder 2.0, have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and transformed how organizations develop talent. For more than two decades, Tom has studied what helps people thrive at work and in life from strengths and wellbeing to leadership and meaning. His latest book, What's the Point? explores one of the most important questions we can ask: how do we turn purpose into something we actually live every day?
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anyone who wants to do more meaningful work, lead with intention, and better align their strengths with how they show up every day.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…80% of us go through our lives not doing what we're best at and that disconnect has a massive impact on our energy, engagement, and overall well-being. In this conversation, Tom challenges the idea that success comes from fixing weaknesses and instead makes the case for investing in what you naturally do best. He breaks down how leaders can create environments where people thrive, why well-being and performance are more connected than most organizations realize, and how small, intentional shifts can help you get more out of your work and your life.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Your greatest opportunity for growth comes from investing in your natural strengths, not fixing every weakness.
Well-being is directly tied to performance, decision-making, and long-term success.
People do their best work when they feel energized, not just productive.
Leaders play a critical role in helping others discover and use what they do best.
WHAT I LOVE MOST…Tom's reminder that doing your best work isn't about pushing harder, it's about aligning what you do every day with what naturally gives you energy and purpose.
Running Time: 28:55
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Tom Online:
LinkedIn
Website
Tom's Book: What's the Point? Turning Purpose Into Your Daily Superpower
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.
This week, I'm super excited to have Jon McNeill on the show. Jon's resume reads like a playbook. He was appointed by Elon Musk as president of Tesla after an introduction from Meta's Sheryl Sandberg. During his tenure, he helped scale revenue from $2 billion to $20 billion in 30 months. He later served as CEO of Lyft doubling revenue and leading the company's IPO. Today he co-founds and scales companies at DVx Ventures where he has launched 12 ventures and delivered 6x return to investors. His leadership experience spans every stage of growth, founder, CEO, board member at GM, Lululemon, and CrossFit. He also collaborated with historian Walter Isaacson to write The Algorithm, the first book written by any of Elon's direct reports.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders, executives, and founders who want to scale innovation and speed without burning out their teams. If you've ever wondered how Tesla moved faster than traditional companies or how to build high-performing teams under extreme pressure, this episode will change how you think about leadership at scale.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…hypergrowth doesn't happen by chance. Jon shares the leadership principles and operating systems that allowed Tesla to scale quickly and consistently. In this conversation, he explains why innovation isn't just about smart ideas but about simplifying processes, removing friction, and giving teams the clarity and focus to execute at high intensity. He also shares why great leaders know where to get involved and where to step back, and how to build cultures where people feel empowered to solve big problems.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Hypergrowth succeeds when leaders simplify processes and remove unnecessary friction.
High-performing teams operate like "special forces," focused on the right problems during core hours.
Leaders scale by knowing which decisions require their involvement and which they can delegate.
Speed and performance don't come from working more hours, they come from working smarter.
WHAT I LOVE MOST…Jon's reminder that breakthrough results come from designing the system, not burning out people. His story shows that you can move fast, scale big, and innovate without sacrificing clarity, focus, or humanity.
Running Time: 38:59
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Jon Online:
LinkedIn
Jon's Book: The Algorithm: The Hypergrowth Formula That Transformed Tesla, Lululemon, General Motors, and SpaceX
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm thrilled to welcome you back to a series I did with my dear friend, Roger Martin. He's the author of the amazing book, Playing to Win. In this episode, we discuss what makes a great strategist.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders, strategists, and executives who want to strengthen their strategic thinking and better understand what separates great strategists from good planners.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…great strategy doesn't come from intellectual brilliance alone. Roger says the best strategists develop a mindset rooted in humility, curiosity, and practice. In this episode, Roger makes the case that great strategy starts with a deep understanding of customers and evolves through experimentation in complex systems.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Strategy should begin with a deep understanding of customers and their needs.
Overreliance on data analytics can limit creativity and strategic thinking.
Data should inform judgment, not replace it.
Great strategists invent the future rather than simply extrapolating from the past.
WHAT I LOVE MOST…Roger's reminder that strategy is a skill anybody can learn. Even leaders like A. G. Lafley became great strategists through years of experimentation and learning. It's a powerful reminder that anyone can get better at strategy with practice.
Running Time: 25:51
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Roger Online:
LinkedIn
Website
Show Summary on Substack
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.
This week, I have the pleasure of welcoming Claude Silver to the show. She is on a mission to revolutionize leadership talent and workplace culture. She is the world's first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX and partners with CEO Gary Vaynerchuk to drive their success. Claude has earned Campaign's U.S. Female Frontier Award and Adweek's Changing the Game Award. She is also the author of the new book, Be Yourself at Work.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders who want to build high-performing teams without sacrificing humanity.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…in this conversation, Claude shares why she believes AI should enhance human potential and not replace it. She explains why burnout is often a leadership system's problem rather than a personal failure. And she challenges managers to create cultures where people feel safe enough to speak up, honest enough to name their imposters, and supported enough to grow.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
AI should enhance human capability while preserving meaningful human connection. Emotional fluency allows leaders to choose their response instead of reacting impulsively. Energy management matters more than time management in preventing burnout. Psychological safety creates the conditions for belonging and high performance. Leaders scale culture by modeling self-awareness and vulnerability first.WHAT I LOVE MOST…Claude reframes leadership as something deeply personal before it's organizational. You can't build belonging for others if you haven't built awareness in yourself. Her reminder that "you are the CEO of you" feels especially powerful in a world that's moving faster than ever.
Running Time: 26:15
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Claude Online:
Website
LinkedIn
Claude's Book: Be Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Showing Up, Standing Out, and Leading from the Heart
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.
This week, I'm really excited to have Dr. Linda Hill back on the show. She's a top-ranked thinker on Thinker's 50 List and the Wallace Brett Donnan Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. Linda doesn't just study leadership; she studies the chemistry of how humans actually get big things done together. She's the co-author of the management Bible, as I like to say, Collective Genius, and the viral HBR hit, Why Great Innovations Fail to Scale. She has a new book coming out called Genius at Scale.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders who want to build organizations where innovation isn't left to chance but is built into how people work together every day.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…innovation doesn't happen because you hire a few creative people or run a brainstorming session. According to Linda, real innovation results from disciplined leadership and intentional culture-building. In this conversation, Linda shares what leaders often get wrong about creativity, how to foster productive disagreement without chaos, and why collaboration, experimentation, and learning must be embedded into the system.
Key Takeaways:
Innovation requires disciplined leadership, not just creative talent or good ideas.
Collective genius emerges when leaders cultivate both safety and accountability.
Productive conflict strengthens ideas when it is structured and purposeful.
Experimentation must be normalized to enable continuous learning.
Culture determines whether innovation thrives or stalls.
WHAT I LOVE MOST…I love Linda's perspective that innovation is not about having all the answers as a leader, it's about building the conditions where great answers can emerge from the group. This shifts the role of leadership from being the smartest person in the room to being the architect of the environment where smart thinking can happen.
Running Time: 31:02
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Linda Online:
LinkedIn
Linda's Book: Genius at Scale: How Great Leaders Drive Innovation
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.
This week, I'm thrilled to welcome Daniel Coyle to the show. He has spent the last two decades acting as a performance detective for some of the most elite organizations on the planet. While you may know him as the New York Times bestselling author of The Talent Code and The Culture Code, Dan's real work happens in the trenches. He served as a special advisor to the Cleveland Guardians. And work closely with Navy SEAL teams, Google, and top soccer academies to decode one simple question: why do some groups click while others crumble? He specializes in micro behaviors and the tiny repeatable signals that turn a group of talented individuals into a flourishing ecosystem.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR… leaders who want their teams to truly click. This conversation will shift how you think about performance, connection, and culture.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…we tend to believe that if you put talented people together, you'll automatically get a talented team. Daniel challenges that assumption. He says what actually determines whether a group flourishes isn't just individual ability, it's what happens in the space between people. Through real-life examples, Daniel shows the key ingredients to a flourishing team.
Key Takeaways:
Talented individuals do not automatically create high-performing teams.
Status management kills creativity, speed, and collaboration.
The best leaders create space for agency and shared ownership.
Questions build connection faster than answers do.
Flourishing combines performance with meaning and human energy.
WHAT I LOVE MOST…Daniel reframes leadership as creating moments where people feel they matter both as individuals and as contributors to something bigger. That simple shift from managing performance to cultivating meaning changes everything.
Running Time: 28:26
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Daniel Online:
LinkedIn
Website
Daniel's Book: Flourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.
I'm thrilled to welcome you back to a series I did with my dear friend, Roger Martin. He's the author of the amazing book, Playing to Win. In this episode, we dissect the difference between strategy and planning.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders who want to sharpen their thinking and make better strategic choices. If you're responsible for direction, decisions, or results, this conversation will challenge how you think about strategy.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…in this episode, Roger makes the case that real strategy is about making choices and accepting the trade-offs that come with them. He explains why too many organizations avoid hard decisions, how that avoidance weakens execution, and what it actually takes to build a coherent, winning strategy.
Key Takeaways:
Strategy requires making clear, deliberate choices about where to play and how to win.
Avoiding trade-offs leads to diluted focus and mediocre results.
A strong strategy aligns resources, decisions, and behaviors around a single direction.
Leaders must be willing to say no in order to build something truly differentiated.
Execution improves dramatically when strategic choices are clearly understood.
WHAT I LOVE MOST…Roger's insistence that strategy isn't complicated but it's uncomfortable. The real challenge isn't intelligence or frameworks; it's the willingness to commit to choices and live with the consequences. That reframes leadership in such a practical, grounded way.
Running Time: 25:39
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Roger Online:
LinkedIn
Website
Show Summary on Substack
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.
I'm thrilled to welcome you back to a series I did with my dear friend, Roger Martin. He's the author of the amazing book, Playing to Win, and together, we're exploring the true meaning of strategy and how it's often misunderstood or misapplied in business today.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…CEOs, strategy leaders, and executives who want a clearer, more disciplined way to think about strategy. If you've ever questioned whether your strategy is actually driving customer behavior, this episode is for you.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…in this conversation, Roger revisits the most common ways organizations misunderstand strategy and explains why those misunderstandings persist. He walks through what real strategy requires, why execution often fails even when teams are aligned, and how leaders can move beyond planning frameworks to make decisions that actually lead to winning.
KEY TAKEAWAYS…
Strategy succeeds only when choices reinforce one another and point toward a clear outcome.
Many organizations confuse strategy with planning, which leads to activity without impact.
Customer behavior is the ultimate test of whether a strategy is working.
Poor strategic outcomes are often the result of incomplete or misaligned choices.
Strong strategy requires leaders to be explicit about what they will and will not do.
WHAT I LOVE MOST…I love how Roger cuts through the noise and insists that strategy isn't mysterious, it's just demanding. His clarity around choice, discipline, and customer behavior challenges leaders to stop hiding behind complexity and start owning the real decisions required to win.
Running Time: 26:59
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Roger Online:
LinkedIn
Website
Show Summary on Substack
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.
This week, I'm excited to welcome Serin Silva to the show. She is a strategic advisor to women founders, CEOs, and leadership teams. She led integration communications for eight acquisitions in a single year at a billion-dollar telecom, helping bring Oracle's first CRM and human capital management platforms to market. She launched the original MSNBC digital brand for Microsoft, and drove strategy for an early food delivery robot long before it was cool. She led five restructures and turnarounds for mid-sized companies, doubled revenue for mid-market tech firms, and delivered 150% business increase in eight months by forcing the right business and mindset pivots, which is why I wanted her to join today.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anyone feeling exhausted by trying to "push" alignment instead of creating it.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…drawing from her experience leading impressive acquisitions and product launches, Serin explains how leaders can shift from managing "by spreadsheet" to leading with human understanding. She discusses why high achievers often burn themselves out, how asking better questions changes outcomes, and what it really takes to guide people through change without losing momentum or yourself.
Key Takeaways:
Leading change works best when leaders prioritize emotional alignment, not just operational efficiency. Asking better questions requires discipline, curiosity, and a willingness to challenge assumptions respectfully. Most resistance at work is emotional, even when it shows up as rational debate. Removing emotion from decision-making frameworks can unlock stalled progress and clarity.WHAT I LOVE MOST…Serin's honesty about learning to temper her fire without losing it. Her insight that growth often comes from separating self-worth from outcomes is a powerful reminder for driven leaders who care deeply about their work.
Running Time: 29:20
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Serin Online:
LinkedIn
Website
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.
This week I have the honor of welcoming Ashley Herd to the show. She is a former Chief People Officer and General Counsel who has trained over a quarter of a million managers through LinkedIn Learning and live corporate trainings. Ashley built Manager Method after leading HR in legal teams at McKinsey, Yum! Brands and Modern Luxury. She has a new book out called The Manager Method.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…new managers, experienced leaders, and anyone responsible for developing people who wants a more practical, human way to manage performance. If you've ever struggled with giving feedback, felt unsure how much autonomy to give your team, or questioned whether traditional performance reviews actually work, this episode will feel especially relevant.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…most managers aren't failing because they don't care, they're failing because they were never taught how to manage. In this episode, Ashley breaks down why so many well-intentioned leaders fall into patterns like avoiding feedback, overcorrecting, or defaulting to vague autonomy. She introduces a more structured, honest approach to management. We talk about why people actually want feedback, how AI is changing (and exposing) broken performance processes, and what managers can do differently to help their teams thrive.
KEY TAKEAWAYS…
Most managers are promoted for performance rather than trained for leadership, creating gaps in expectations and feedback.
Autonomy without structure often leaves employees feeling uncertain rather than empowered.
Avoiding feedback is usually driven by good intentions, but it ultimately limits growth and trust.
Consistent, direct feedback helps people feel respected, supported, and clear about where they stand.
WHAT I LOVE MOST…I loved Ashley's honest take on how good intentions often lead managers astray. Her insight that people don't need perfection but rather clarity reframes feedback as an act of respect, not criticism. It's a powerful reminder that strong management isn't about control or charisma, but about creating the conditions where people know where they stand and how to grow.
Running Time: 28:57
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Ashley Online:
LinkedIn
Website
Ashley's Book: The Manager Method: A Practical Framework to Lead, Support, and Get Results
-
Making Better Strategic Choices with Roger Martin
I'm thrilled to announce a new show with my dear friend, Roger Martin, author of the amazing book, Playing to Win. In this 12-part series, we'll explore the true meaning of strategy and how it's often misunderstood or misapplied in business today.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders and strategists who are tired of strategy being confused with planning and want a clearer, more practical way to think about how real strategic choices drive results.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…strategy isn't a list of priorities or a collection of initiatives—it's an integrated set of choices that work together to drive customer behavior. In this conversation, Roger Martin explains why so many organizations misunderstand strategy, how that misunderstanding shows up in day-to-day decision-making, and what it really takes to close the gap between what leaders hope will happen and what actually does. Drawing on decades of experience, Roger challenges conventional strategy thinking and lays the groundwork for a more disciplined, choice-driven approach to winning.
KEY TAKEAWAYS…
Strategy only works when choices reinforce one another, not when they exist as disconnected initiatives.
The hardest—and most important—part of strategy is influencing customer behavior, not internal activity.
Many companies mistake planning exercises for strategy, which leads to disappointing results.
WHAT I LOVE MOST…I love how clearly Roger reframes strategy as a set of deliberate, reinforcing choices. It's a powerful reminder that winning isn't about doing more things, it's about making better, more integrated choices.
Running Time: 21:22
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find Roger Online:
LinkedIn
Website
Show Summary on Substack
-
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.
This week I have the pleasure of welcoming from Australia, John Dwyer, also known as JD. He is a direct response customer attraction expert who thinks way outside the box. His marketing consultancy business is called the Institute of Wow and JD's mantra is that one's marketing needs to wow prospects. I'm sure you all understand exactly why I invited him to our show but dive into what you should be doing to grow and build a successful business in 2026.
THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders, founders, and marketers who want to stand out in crowded markets and create real customer loyalty without relying on gimmicks or short-term tactics.
TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…most companies say they care about customers—but very few design their business around them. In this episode, we explore what actually separates brands people remember from those they forget. John challenges leaders to rethink how they show up for customers, arguing that sustainable success comes from intentional experiences, not louder marketing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS…
How small, thoughtful actions can create disproportionate brand impact.
The difference between being visible and being memorable.
How leaders can embed customer-first thinking into everyday decisions.
WHAT I LOVE MOST…I loved John's reminder that meaningful differentiation doesn't come from copying what others are doing—it comes from truly understanding your customer and being willing to act on that insight. His perspective reinforces that growth isn't about chasing trends, but about committing to experiences that people actually care about.
Running Time: 30:47
Subscribe on iTunes
Find Tiffani Online:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Find John Online:
LinkedIn
Website
- Show more
