Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Succession: Greg Abel and 7 Lessons for Leaders

Imagine the final moments of Warren Buffett’s May 3, 2025, 60th annual meeting. First of all, how many people have held 60 annual meetings for their company? Very few. So here we had the Oracle of Omaha, 94 years old, standing before about 40,000 shareholders and guests, and almost no one knew about the shocking news he was about to deliver. 

All of a sudden, Buffett says, “I think the time has arrived where Greg should become the Chief Executive office of the company at year end,” and hands over the reins of an over $1 trillion organization so many admire to a man most people have never heard of. 

Why did Buffett wait so long to announce his successor, and what makes Greg Abel the best choice?

And what if you could build a company with the discipline of Warren Buffett, the vision of Berkshire Hathaway, and the adaptability to survive any market (so far at least)?

Whether you’re a management consultant, a member of a strategy team, or an executive seeking partner-level impact, this story is a good example of how leadership transitions at the very top are made and how they impact strategy, culture, and the future of a major organization.

As we dissect Berkshire Hathaway’s most consequential leadership change of the century, pay attention to what you can apply to your own journey: the operational rigor, board-level executive presence, and agility that leaders like Greg Abel and Warren Buffett exemplify to all of us.

And they are not perfect, of course. Buffett's company owns a lot of insurance companies, and we all know how insurance companies treat their customers in America. They extract from clients what is, in economic terms, called rent. Meaning they extract from clients a lot more than what is fair under contract. For example, you often have to allocate many hours every week calling them and faxing them just for them to eventually reply to you to try to push one step forward, which is what they are required to do as part of the contract.

So I had to say it as a side note, for us not to think that Buffet or Greg or anyone is a perfect role model. But even if someone is not a perfect role model, we can learn from them.

So, back to our story. 

THE MOMENT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

From what I can observe, Buffett’s choice was made carefully and over a multi-year period. He did give some hints in shareholder letters and interviews about who would be taking over, but many people were very surprised that it ultimately was Greg Abel.

Greg Abel is an interesting character. Not the investor's "celebrity. He is someone with operator's discipline. Reminds me of Steve Jobs' selection of his successor.

Once the announcement was made, questions poured in. Could Greg Abel fill Buffett's shoes? What does it all mean for Berkshire's future? How will shareholders be impacted?

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS TO BIG LEAPS

Greg Abel was born in 1962, far from Wall Street. He grew up in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada). As many of you know, I am Canadian and American, so it's very good to have someone from your homeland succeed. 

His teenage years had similarities to Buffett's: they both were business-minded early in their lives. Greg was delivering flyers, collecting bottles, and even worked as a forestry laborer. 

He played ice hockey, which is ordinary for a man growing up in Canada, especially in Alberta. People say he learned “you are more successful if you play as a team than as an individual” from ice hockey.

He got a scholarship from his fire extinguisher-filling job and earned an accounting degree from the University of Alberta in 1984. I was 3 years old at the time, and many of you probably were even younger, so imagine the impact we can still make (in case you are comparing your accomplishments to Greg's).

Anyway, Greg started as a chartered accountant at PwC in Edmonton. I actually also worked for PwC, Canada, which was a breath of fresh air after my stint in banking. It was an interesting learning experience to manage a portfolio of over $1 billion, but the toxic culture erodes you from the inside at record speed. 

After Edmonton, he moved to San Francisco. Then he joined, before joining a little-known power producer called CalEnergy in 1992. 

ASCENT AT BERKSHIRE

At CalEnergy, Greg Abel’s work ethic is what sets him apart and makes him visible. This is what we always mention, over the last 15 years of running StrategyTraining.com and FIRMSconsulting.com. And what you can see clearly from my career. You can outwork anybody. Don’t underestimate how far you can go if you just do the work, skill up consistently, seek higher levels of responsibility and compensation, invest in yourself with more diligence than you do in your retirement investments, and treat every job as if you are the owner.

Anyway, back to our story. Greg Abel quickly rose through the ranks. He led transformative deals, including acquiring MidAmerican Energy. MidAmerican Energy was noticed by Berkshire Hathaway in 2000, and they took control. Greg became an important asset for Berkshire Hathaway.

He was promoted to CEO of MidAmerican (renamed Berkshire Hathaway Energy) in 2008. Greg Abel managed utilities and renewable assets, making acquisitions like NV Energy ($5.6B in 2013) and turning Berkshire Hathaway Energy into a renewable energy leader. Under his leadership, the company grew to serve over 11 million customers and made over 10% of Berkshire’s total earnings.

Greg Abel is known for his detail-oriented approach as a leader, versus Buffett's famous hands-off delegation approach. In fact, Greg Abel is described as someone who “does more in every hour of every day than any person I’ve ever met”. He is known for asking probing questions. I am not surprised, though. Given his background in accounting, he has a very good understanding of what business needs to succeed and what will lead to failure. In fact, when I lived in South Africa, I noticed the highest chance to become very senior there, all the way up to CEO, is to have an accounting degree as your foundational training.

THE SUCCESSION GAMBLE

Most conglomerates struggle with succession. Buffett spent years grooming Greg Abel. In his last shareholder letter, Buffet wrote: “Abel has vividly shown his ability to act at such times as did Charlie”. This is, of course, drawing parallels to the late Charlie Munger.

Greg Abel is now responsible for the over $1 trillion behemoth. Shares include Apple, American Express, BNSF Railroad, and Geico. And yes, $350 billion in cash. As a result, Greg's decisions on capital allocation, risk, and innovation will shape not just Berkshire but the future of American business as a whole.

THE LEADERSHIP STYLE: HANDS-ON, HUMBLE, HIGH EXPECTATIONS

People say that Greg Abel’s leadership is “substance over style.” Colleagues describe him as intensely hard-working, humble, and very sharp. They say he is focused on team wins and avoids the spotlight.

Buffett himself mentioned (I guess joked) that Greg Abel’s more hands-on style “is working way better for Berkshire's 60-plus subsidiaries. I didn’t want to work as hard as he works”. Late Charlie Munger called Greg Abel “sensational in business, both a thinker and a doer … exceptional at getting things done smoothly through others.”

UNCERTAIN FUTURE, HIGH EXPECTATIONS

But let's remember, Greg Abel faces a tough challenge. With a lot of power comes a lot of responsibility. Will he be bold with the conglomerate’s massive cash reserves? Will he make decisions Buffett avoided? And he has to make good decisions while everyone is watching. 

Buffett told shareholders, “I would leave the capital allocation to Greg, and he understands businesses extremely well”. The torch has passed, but who knows how things will unfold.

I will wrap this up with 7 lessons from Berkshire Hathaway’s succession. 

1. Start Planning Early

Buffett didn’t wait until the last minute to choose who would lead after him. He started thinking and planning many years ahead. This helps everyone feel ready and not surprised when change comes.

2. Hard Work Matters More Than Being Famous

Greg Abel wasn’t a well-known star. From what we know about him, he worked really hard, learned the business, and cared about his team. That’s why Buffett trusted him. Doing your best every day is what counts most. That is something I have done throughout my career, and it really does pay off.

For example, when I immigrated the first time, and after 8 months of applying for every job I could qualify for, I finally got one, I would be the first to come and the last to leave. I would do everything I possibly could to move things forward for the business, and that was noticed, and I got promoted very fast.

I approached my undergraduate studies the same way, and despite having to translate almost every word in my first economics book, I graduated with summa cum laude, with straight As, and was the top 3 student for my economics class nationwide for that university.

I followed the same approach when I joined consulting and, as a result, got promoted 3 times in 2 years.

Then, I followed the same approach during MBA and graduated on the Dean's list, even though at the beginning it looked like that would not be possible since everyone in class was a top student with very high GMAT scores, and most people were native English speakers.

After MBA I followed the same approach in banking and got promoted to director, managing a portfolio of over 1 billion dollars in just 6 months.

And, of course, I am using the same approach in building StrategyTraining.com and FIRMSconsulting.com. And, of course, I would never have had a chance to work with Michael on building StrategyTraining.com without all the steps above.

So, treating each job like you are an owner, but not settling for what you achieved, is a phenomenal approach to basically guarantee a successful career.

3. Always Share and Explain Your Plan
Buffett wrote long letters to explain how the company works. He made sure everyone understood what he wanted and why. When leaders are open and clear, people trust them more.

4. Teaching Others Is Important
Buffett didn't just do everything himself; he taught others how to run the company. Greg Abel learned directly from Buffett. Great leaders teach and let their team grow. When I see our clients making sure their team is trained using FIRMSconsulting resources versus hoarding it only for themselves, this is when I know this leader will go far.

5. Keep Things Simple
Buffett kept the company simple. Even as the business got much bigger, he made sure the rules stayed simple to follow. Not easy but simple. Simple plans work best for most teams.

6. Respect What Worked, But Be Ready to Change
Greg Abel will probably keep doing the things that made Berkshire great, but he’ll likely also make changes when needed. It's important to balance old habits with new ideas, especially when the world changes so fast. Now, with AI and other technological changes, this is the only way to even stay in business. 

7. Teamwork Is Stronger Than Going It Alone
Buffett and Greg Abel believe in working with others. Just think about the Charlie and Warren duo. Their teams make better decisions together, and people help each other. Leading with teamwork helps companies do well, even when things get tough. StrategyTraining.com and FIRMSconsulting.com would never be able to do what we are able to do without our amazing team.

Everyone can learn from how Warren Buffett and Greg Abel handled this change. Plan ahead, work hard, be honest and clear, help others learn, keep things simple, respect the past but keep learning and be ready to adapt, and always act as a team. That’s what helps leaders, and their companies, succeed for a long, long time.

For every consultant, strategy head, and executive, Greg Abel’s next moves will offer living case studies in succession and adaptability. How will a “hands-on operator” shape capital allocation, innovation, and leadership at one of the world’s great empires? We have already seen it play out with Tim Cook. And now will have front row seats to see how it will play out with Warren Buffett.

As you follow how things will unfold, think: How can you use these lessons about preparation and bold, structured leadership to get bigger mandates, strengthen your skills, build stronger teams, and lead transformation, with AI and technology as leverage?

What you’ve just read is a reminder of the kind of preparation, rigor, and clarity we all need if we want to move from solving mid-level problems to shaping the direction of entire departments or even organizations.

That’s why we built Insider, Legacy, and Strategy Control Room Advanced.

Each membership is designed to give you the discipline, frameworks, and judgment to lead at the very top of your profession.

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If you’ve been learning from these emails, imagine how much more you’ll achieve with the full systems behind them.

New Releases on StrategyTraining.com

This week’s releases focus on the issues that consistently derail teams and organizations: failed IT projects, consulting practices that stall, and leaders who execute well but never set direction. Each program distills the lessons from real engagements where the stakes were high and the margin for error was very small.

What you’ll find is tools and approaches tested in practice, frameworks that help you redirect client conversations, secure a seat at the table, and avoid the traps that cause even well-designed strategies to fail.

Here are new resources available for members:

For Strategy Control Room Advanced Members

New IT, Digital, AI, and Cloud Center-of-Excellence – Final Update (163 SLIDES).

Most IT projects fail, not because of bad technology, but because of poor thinking. This Center-of-Excellence shows you exactly why projects go off track and how to prevent it. 

For Insider Members

These new training episodes were released.

Why Am I Not a Visionary - Episode 3 of 4

Even consistent execution at the highest standard can leave you stalled. This program examines the pivotal shift from being a reliable operator to becoming a leader with a clear, compelling vision. One who shapes direction rather than simply delivering on it.
Episode title: How to be visionary...if you must be

Building a Consulting Practice. Level II  – Episode 9 of TBD
Level II moves beyond the fundamentals of establishing or rebuilding a consulting business to focus on the advanced discipline of turning everyday engagements into engines of sustained growth.

Through real-world examples, including an operations strategy project that evolved into an entirely new consulting practice, you’ll learn how to:

- Redirect client discussions from transactional tasks toward high-value, strategic issues.
- Identify opportunities even when no obvious “problem” is on the table.
- Position yourself as a trusted advisor with a seat at the most critical conversations.

This is consulting at its highest level, where strategic thinking is applied in operational contexts, discussions are triangulated toward your strengths, and growth is designed to outlast any single engagement. Together with Level I and programs such as Partnership Memoir, Rebuilding a Consulting Practice, and How to Sell >$10MM Consulting Studies. The Andrew Program, this series offers a complete roadmap for building a resilient, high-impact consulting practice.
Episode title: The Proposal. Background Section - I

The Bill Matassoni Show, Season 3 (Part 2 - Nicholas Gertler) – Episode 4 of 15
In this episode, Bill Matassoni engages in a deep strategic dialogue with Nicholas Gertler, a former McKinsey colleague, on how to redesign systems to create value for all stakeholders. Moving beyond traditional advertising and sales approaches, they explore the role of storytelling and influence as levers to reshape industries, organizations, and relationships.

Filmed at the iconic Philip Johnson Glass House, the conversation challenges leaders to reconsider how value is defined, created, and sustained, and how their own work can drive meaningful, long-term change. The series, now followed by senior leaders from many parts of the world, offers practical tools to broaden perspective and uncover opportunities often missed by others.
Episode title: Thin Line of Humility and Expertise

For Legacy Members

Legacy members gain access to all Insider content, plus these exclusive episodes:

What Most Product Managers Get Wrong - Episode 3 of 3
Too many product teams fixate on detailed plans and cross-functional coordination, yet overlook the single question that should precede everything else. This episode reveals the critical step that must come first, and why getting it right sets the foundation for all subsequent decisions.
Episode title: Bringing it all together

Networking to Build a New Business - Episode 1 of 1
Most advisors unknowingly leave the bulk of the value they create on the table. This program challenges you to ask: are you simply advising, or are you building a business model that lets you own the upside?
Episode title: It was, is and will forever be about the business model

Billable Hours Are the Worst Form of Wealth Creation - Episode 1 of 3
Building client trust may come easily, but keeping it, scaling it, and doing it without burning out is a different game entirely. This program asks whether you’re really building a business, or just trading time for money.
Episode title: You are in the lowest yielding wealth model

Earning a Seat in the Core Group - Episode 1 of 4
Many professionals focus on how to get into the inner circle of decision-makers. But the real question is... what will you do once you’re there, especially if your goals don’t align with the company’s priorities?
Episode title: Why work in an area being de-prioritized

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Strategy Skills Podcast (ranked among the top 5–10 career podcasts in many countries)
These episodes are now available on iTunes, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms.

Bain Senior Partner Sarah Elk on Doing Agile Right (Strategy Skills classics) - with Sarah Elk

Sarah Elk is a Senior Partner at Bain & Company and Americas leader of their AI, Insights, and Solutions practice. She brings a clear, pragmatic lens to why so many large-scale change efforts fail to stick. Drawing on decades of advising multinational organizations, she diagnoses the structural and behavioral traps that cause transformations to stall, and shares the disciplines that make change durable.

Sarah emphasizes that transformation is not a one-off program but an enduring capability that must be “led from the top and embedded in the culture.” She cautions against outsourcing responsibility to a program office:

“If the CEO is not leading it and the leadership team isn’t engaged in the change, you might get something done, but it will erode quickly.”

Key Insights from the Conversation:

Clarity on Non-Negotiables
Many failed transformations lack a shared definition of the “non-negotiables” in the new operating model. Without them, execution becomes fragmented.
“You have to be crystal clear on what’s standard and what’s flexible.”

Outcomes Over Activity
Successful change efforts are anchored to measurable business results, not just activity metrics or generic benchmarks.
“It’s not about hitting 80 percent of a checklist. It’s about whether you’ve moved the needle on the outcomes you care about.”

Leadership Alignment Is a Continuous Process
Alignment requires ongoing dialogue, joint problem-solving, and confronting decisions that challenge entrenched interests.
“You need the leadership team acting as one, every week, every month, not just at the kickoff.”

Manage Change Fatigue
Overloading the organization erodes momentum. Sequencing initiatives and celebrating visible early wins tied to strategy helps sustain energy.
“People get tired. You have to show progress and give them space to breathe.”

Governance, Incentives, and Talent Must Evolve Together
Elk warns that without parallel changes to systems and structures, “behavior will revert to what it was before.”

The discussion reframes transformation from a high-profile event into a muscle organizations must build and maintain. For executives seeking change that endures beyond the initial push, Elk offers a blueprint grounded in operational rigor, leadership accountability, and cultural realism.

Listen to the episode here (you can also watch or read the transcript).

Former Submarine Commander L. David Marquet on How Leaders Make Better Decisions - with L. David Marquet

L. David Marquet, former nuclear submarine commander and author of Leadership Is Language, shares a precise, operational approach to leadership, one that replaces command-and-control with a language designed for clarity, ownership, and adaptability. Drawing on his experience turning the USS Santa Fe from one of the worst-performing submarines in the fleet to one of the best, David shows how seemingly small shifts in language can radically improve decision-making, learning speed, and execution.

David rejects the traditional leader–follower model in favor of a leader–leader framework, where decision rights are pushed “to the people closest to the information.” He explains how questions, statements, and the timing of communication directly shape whether teams think critically or default to compliance.

“What we say and when we say it changes what people do. Language is a leadership technology.”

Key Takeaways:

Replace Permission with Intent
Moving from “Can I…?” to “I intend to…” changes accountability and ownership:
“When people tell me what they intend to do, they’re already owning the decision.”

Protect Redwork and Bluework
David distinguishes between redwork (doing) and bluework (thinking/planning) and stresses keeping them separate:
“Mixing them degrades both. You want focused doing and focused thinking.”

Sequence for Thinking, Not Speed
Meetings often reward quick answers over thoughtful ones. Asking the most junior person to speak first helps reduce conformity bias.

Use Language to Invite Dissent
Adding uncertainty, “I’m not sure, but…,”creates psychological safety and surfaces crucial information that might otherwise stay hidden.

Leaders Design Systems, Not Just Give Answers
The leader’s job is to build communication structures that distribute thinking and enable faster adaptation in changing conditions.

This episode is practical and helpful for leaders who want to operationalize empowerment without losing control. By deliberately changing how they speak and listen, executives can create teams that are more resilient, accountable, and high-performing.

Listen to the episode here (you can also watch or read the transcript).

Stanford’s Robert E. Siegel on Navigating the Toughest Leadership Trade-Offs - with Robert E. Siegel

Robert E. Siegel, Stanford Graduate School of Business professor, venture capitalist, and former executive, shares the leadership lessons he learned working with Intel’s legendary CEO, Andy Grove, and other amazing leaders, and how to thrive in today’s era of conflicting pressures. Robert actually worked closely with Andy, including on Andy's book, "Only the Paranoid Survive."

In this in-depth conversation, we explore the concept of the systems leader, someone who can innovate while delivering results, balance global and local priorities, and combine decisiveness with humility. Drawing from his work with leading CEOs, his investing career, and his experiences in fast-moving industries, Robert explains how leaders can adapt and stay relevant, even as AI, economic shifts, and political uncertainty reshape the business world.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How Andy Grove influenced Robert’s approach to leadership and decision-making

• Why the most effective leaders do well in environments of “cross-pressures”

• Practical steps for staying relevant as technology and AI transform industries

• The importance of balancing execution with long-term vision

• Stories from Robert’s career as an operator, investor, and Stanford professor

About Robert Siegel:

Robert is a Lecturer in Management at Stanford GSB, a venture capitalist, and a board member for multiple technology companies. His work blends academic research with real-world experience, guiding executives at the highest level.

Listen to the episode here (you can also watch or read the transcript).

Additionally, here are the recent releases on FIRMSconsulting / StrategyTraining.com / Kris Safarova YouTube Channels:

IT Strategy vs. Corporate Strategy: Microsoft - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Build Consulting Storyboards in 3 Weeks (This is How McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte Do It) - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Feel Comfortable on Camera - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

Management Consulting Storyboard | Storyboarding used by McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, PwC et al. - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

McKinsey’s Rise to Prominence Under Marvin Bower - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

The Systems Behind Sustained High Performance with ADHD - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

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There is always another level of impact. We are here to help you reach it.

Authority Begins Inside Your Firm

Have you ever heard about a fantastic role, within your firm, to work for a renowned leader serving an important client and dashed off an email explaining the value you could bring, why you valued working for them, and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

It rarely ever works. That's because everyone else is chasing the same role.

When we talk about networking, sales, executive presence, confidence, and gravitas, we often forget that these need to be applied within your firm first before you can see results outside the firm. You need to get onto the right roles in your firm to shine for clients outside your firm.

A client is more likely to respect you and listen to you if they see you working with the best members of your firm on the most important issues.

Yet, it's about more than perception. When you find the best opportunities within your firm, you learn faster. You work with the best people and can model their behavior. You receive effective mentoring. As a result, other strong employees want to work in your teams, so the quality of your work improves overall. You end up building a system to succeed rather than trying to find that one opportunity that gets you some success. Systems are always more sustainable.

So how do you avoid reaching this point of having to rush hail-mary last-minute emails to get onto the radar of someone who could transform your career?

You do this by communicating well in advance who you are and the value you can bring. So, when the time comes, you don’t need to introduce yourself to the opportunity. The opportunities come to you.

Michael often talks about his career. He focused on corporate strategy, but the risk of a strategy, while everyone focused on the returns, growth, and profits. He focused on the idea that some strategies were riskier than others even if they were perfectly implemented, and this risk could be measured. He would write memos and articles and put together presentations for his firm when no one else was talking about it. I have seen his work. Most people are still not talking about it. Many of these ideas have been adapted into the Strategy Control Room, Advanced Level, and Insider and Legacy memberships material.

Eventually, if you talk about something long enough, you become the de facto authority on the subject. His colleagues forwarded Michael's emails to clients. Michael's colleagues did not have time to find out who knew about corporate strategy risk if a client asked about the topic. They reached out to the one person they knew was an expert on this topic. 

Your colleagues are tired. They want to know who to contact if it helps them help a client (and help their own career). They want the process to be frictionless. They want to know what you know and how to best use your skills.

Writing to educate your firm about what you know pays dividends. This is especially true because most people don’t take the time to write. They see it as an activity that does not impact their income. An article and a chapter in a book are assets. There is a payback down the line.

Many of you have seen us being approached by very senior executives from major firms because of our books. I was recognized as one of the World's Top 30 Business Professionals in Management for the 3rd year in a row because of our books. I have no idea who is nominating me for these 3 years, but I am honored to be chosen to be recognized along with the greats such as Harvard's John Kotter, James Collins, Dr. Philip Kotler, Stanford's Jeffrey Pfeffer, Harvard Kennedy School's Barbara Kellerman, London Business School's Herminia Ibarra, MIT's Hal Gregersen, Gary Hamel and chief economist of the World Bank and a professor at Columbia University, Joseph Eugene Stiglitz.

And out of 30, last year I was number 22, which is a number that played a very big part in my life, as those of you who read my biography will know. My parents met on the 22nd of May. They got married on 22nd of May 2 years later. I was born on the 22nd of December when my mother was 22. And this number continued to play a big part in my life long after my birth, unexplainably. So it was great to see I was rated #22 last year. And this year I was rated #25. And I was also honored to be rated above Gary Hamel, who was #25 and #28 this year. We actually interviewed Gary for the Strategy Skills podcast, and he is brilliant. I was also rated above a chief economist of the World Bank last year and this year.

So someone found my books, and 3 years in a row, nominated me along with the very top thinkers in the entire world in my field. That is the power of books, and that is what I want to make possible for you. (By the way, if the person who nominated me 3 years in a row is reading this, thank you. The time and care you have taken to nominate our work for this award is very much appreciated.)

So, how can you publish a book? It is such an excruciating process to find a book agent and to do book proposals, and deal with rejections, and to have a small chance that your proposal will get accepted. And even if it does, many traditionally published books do not do well when launched. Just look at Amazon to confirm this. Or you have to pay quite a lot of money to get someone to publish it for you without going the traditional route. Or you have to invest a lot of time figuring out how to publish a book and pay for all the steps needed to go through the publishing process. And even if you do, how do you make sure your book actually launches well so you can get a bestselling author status that you can use for the rest of your life, and have a book you can be proud to share with clients?

We created an opportunity for you to co-author a book not only with some of our outstanding clients but also with Bill Matassoni, a former McKinsey and BCG senior partner and the first McKinsey worldwide head of marketing. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. What would it take for you to find a co-author of such caliber for your book?

Think about how many senior and influential people will read this book just because Bill appears in it. How many people will have this book in their home for other people to read it, too, and to come across your chapter? To my knowledge, Bill has only published one book in his life so far, and that is the book for which we are the publisher. It is called Marketing Saves the World, and you can find it on Amazon (or within The Strategy Control Room). It is amazing. So you can determine the chances yourself of Bill ever doing a co-authored book again. So, if you want to co-author a book with Bill, the time to participate is now.

We designed this program to set you up to become a published author with a caliber of co-authors you can't find pretty much anywhere else. The prior co-authored books we published went on to become number-one bestsellers in multiple business categories, and all authors obtained bestselling author status for the rest of their lives. You can achieve this distinction, too.

How We Guide and Support You

• Step-by-step guidance:
  From day one, you will receive templates, frameworks, and outline guides that make writing your chapter easy and impactful, even if it’s your first time writing. You’ll never need previous publishing experience, and you won’t face the process alone: we provide specific advice on structuring your chapter and sharing your thinking in the most effective way.

• Direct, personal support:
  Work directly with me via personal calls and collaborative drafts as part of available optional add-ons. If you need my support with this, I can help you figure out your message and develop your unique positioning in your chapter. You can choose the wordsmithing add-on: we’ll interview you, write the first draft, and preserve your voice so your chapter truly reflects your expertise, with minimal effort for you.

• Professional brand training:
  Every author receives access to a masterclass on promoting your book and using it as an asset for career and business growth. You’ll learn how to leverage your chapter, pre-frame clients, attract leads, and build authority that sets you apart, even before a client meeting.

• Flexible options:
  Choose between Expert (longer chapters, exclusive co-authoring with Bill Matassoni, Kris Safarova, and senior industry leaders) and Lite (shorter, affordable, and more accessible to more participants). Prior books like Win When It’s Hard, Nine Leaders in Action, and How Leaders Get Things Done made every author a bestseller, for life. Below are some nice reviews for our latest Expert level book, How Leaders Get Things Done. Every chapter receives a professionally designed PDF you can use for email marketing and business development.

Optional add-ons for extra support:

• Wordsmithing service: Save time, reduce stress, and ensure quality with our team’s help in drafting your chapter from an interview or via guided revision.

• Strategy call: Work one-on-one with me to clarify your goals and pick your best stories and lessons for your chapter before you write or record the interview.

• Editing by Kris personally: Write your chapter with my help through back-and-forth iterations where I review your drafts, help you improve it (not just suggest, but do some of the writing to help you improve your chapter).

Answers to Common Concerns

• Worried about your experience or credibility?
  Many successful authors started with self-doubt. You don’t need a C-suite title. You need useful insights and stories. We help you tap into your expertise and position you for maximum impact, no matter your background.

• Not a strong writer or don’t have time?
  Use our templates, review cycles, and direct coaching via add-ons. Opt-in for the wordsmithing service if you want full drafting support, one call and your chapter is written for you, ready to be tweaked to match your voice.

• Will this really help my brand?
  Yes! Our co-authors gained client leads, increased visibility, and became recognized experts and bestselling authors. Your published chapter becomes permanent proof of your expertise, always working on your behalf, plus, you’ll join a masterclass on amplifying your results with your book.

• Time commitment?
  Flexible chapter lengths, supportive pacing, and upgrade options mean you set your own schedule and involvement. Most authors complete their chapters in a few months, with help available throughout.

Apply now if you’re ready, or reply to discuss the fit and best options for your chapter. Every co-author receives personal guidance, masterclass training, ongoing promotion, and the option for add-ons that make the process easy and the outcome exceptional.

Here are the steps for your application to join the co-authored book with Bill Matassoni:

Step 2: Learn more here.
Step 2: Enroll here. Installment options are also available.
Step 4: Email team@firmsconsulting.com and add optional add-ons as needed.

P.S. If you’re seeking a more accessible way to become a published bestselling author, our Lite version is designed for you. By contributing a shorter chapter, you’ll join a dynamic group of co-authors and still earn “bestselling author” status, just as every contributor did with our last Lite book, Win When It's Hard, which became a #1 Amazon bestseller in its category.

The Expert edition, featuring longer, in-depth chapters and exclusive participation with Bill Matassoni, is reserved for senior clients and offers a highly selective experience. The Lite edition, in contrast, welcomes all members and allows more people to share their expertise.

If you’d like to claim your spot in the next Lite book project and begin building your brand as a bestselling author, learn about the Lite level of The Published Author program here. 

The investment to participate is $1,297. But for everyone who is a subscriber to Strategy Insights newsletter (this newsletter, for a limited time I am offering a $300 discount, so you can lock in your spot at $997 ($300 discount already applied) in case of upfront payment: Enroll Now

And you are still going to get a discount, just a slightly smaller one, if you want to pay in 4 payments at $275 per month.

You Don’t Outgrow the Fundamentals...

...You Refine Them.

In consulting and in leadership, there is a danger of stopping practicing the fundamentals because we assume we’ve “moved beyond” them. Yet many major breakdowns I’ve seen come from a failure in the basics: unclear problem statements, weak structuring, sloppy synthesis, or poor communication. 

The higher you rise, the less forgiving people are when you get the basics wrong. No one cares if you “almost” solved the right problem. No one has patience if your insight is buried in complexity. If you confuse, you lose.

When it comes to how senior people are evaluated by their team, superiors and clients, the fundamentals are invisible when mastered and painfully visible when neglected. 

This is why we began TCO IV with one of the hardest possible challenges: a client preparing to land a McKinsey role after 5 years out of the workforce.

Unlike most programs that give you highlights or case studies, TCO is the complete recording of the training itself that is happening over weeks, and sometime over months. Every brainstorming session, every estimation, every PEI preparation, every resume editing session, every networking strategy session, every coaching moment. You see the real progression, including failures and mistakes that can cost you the role you are after if you don't know you need to watch out for it, step by step, week by week, exactly as it happened.

With TCO IV, you watch us prepare Assel in just 3 weeks for McKinsey interviews, a process that demonstrates the power of rebuilding fundamentals under immense pressure.

(Note: All TCO programs are full recordings of the actual training, with one exception, TCO II, where we only showed the final partner round preparation, but we were training the candidates before they met with Kevin, former McKinsey worldwide co-head of strategy practice.)

Why this program matters, even for senior members:

While TCO is often called “case interview prep,” it’s much more. It is a structured system for sharpening the consulting fundamentals:

- Problem-solving under pressure
- Structuring ambiguous CEO-level challenges
- Synthesizing insights into compelling narratives
- Communicating with authority and executive presence

For senior members, these are the exact skills needed when:

- Presenting recommendations to skeptical executives
- Leading a high-stakes boardroom discussion
- Teaching or mentoring junior employees
- Simplifying complexity into strategies leaders act on

That’s why you can think of TCO as the gym for your brain, whether you are in consulting or not. 

You never really outgrow the fundamentals. You refine them. At the start of your career, the fundamentals get you into the room. Later, they are what keep you there, among other things.

When it comes to leadership, as you rise, the problems don’t get simpler, they become harder to solve. You have to have the ability to return to the basics under pressure. That is why the most senior leaders, the ones you admire most, often seem to focus on simplicity. Simplicity is not a lack of sophistication. It is mastery of the fundamentals. The more you understand something, the easier it is for you to see it in simple terms.

The lesson from Assel’s training:

Her recorded journey shows what happens when you rebuild fundamentals quickly and deliberately.

Now ask yourself: if you had just 3 weeks to prepare for the most important moment of your career so far, would your fundamentals hold? Or would you be scrambling to rebuild them?

For senior members, this mirrors real situations: preparing for partner promotion, defending a strategy in front of investors, or stepping into a major new role. The method is always the same, return to the fundamentals, refine them, and deliver.

Our recommendation:

That is why we highly recommend every member, no matter their seniority, to work through The Consulting Offer (TCO) and Experienced Hire program (we have done for Darden EMBA).

Not because you need to “pass” an interview, but because it is one of the most powerful ways to strengthen problem-solving, communication, and executive presence and other skills partners and executives rely on daily.

More about TCO IV with Assel:

We commenced the release of TCO IV with "Joining McKinsey After 5 Years Maternity Leave." Meet Assel, with whom we make history at McKinsey. Never before, to the best of our extensive knowledge, has anyone ever joined McKinsey, BCG or Bain after 5 years of maternity leave.

Assel came to us with this unique challenge: could we help her join McKinsey after 5 years of raising children? This was given she never worked for MBB prior to maternity leave. In addition, should she lower her sights, just to get back into the workforce, by first working as an executive assistant aka personal assistant at McKinsey?

5 years is a long time! These milestones occured when Assel was last in the workforce, prior to the time we helped her re-enter the workforce.

There was the huge Fukushima earthquake devastating Japan that caused all the nuclear problems, the Arab spring protests began in early 2011, Steve Jobs passed away in 2011, the Occupy Wall Street protests began in the latter half of 2011, Barack Obama released his long form birth certificate, the royal wedding between Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place in April of 2011, Amy Winehouse died in that year as well, R.E.M. broke up after three decades, Russell Brand and singer Katy Perry filed for divorce. Those are some of the events in 2011.

Imagine if you had been out of the workforce for 5 years. You don't know what is happening and you don't know what is new in business. Your networks have all withered. You are busy taking care of two (or more) babies. You spent years barely speaking to adults. You do not have time to skill up. You are busy and far away from the professional world.

5 years is a long time. It is more than 1 US presidential term.

This TCO program covers the crucial areas of case interview preparation, such as brainstorming, estimation, PEI, full cases, resume editing, etc. However, it goes further and addresses the particular challenges of interviewing with firms after a LOOONG time away from the professional workforce. Those include:

1) Communication skills and networking
2) Appearance and image management
3) Learning ability: speed, age, and focus
4) Leveraging experiences during unemployment
5) Accepting less pay and lower titles just to get in
6) Balancing your family/personal life and career
7) Planning your application, given your situation. What to do and what not to do
8) Confidence issues due to a prolonged stay away from the workforce

And there are many others. So the issues Assel faced are like nothing most of us can understand. We dig into these and many more challenges. Even if the issues are not relevant to you, seeing how we address them can help you address your own challenges. Even if your working gap was caused by traveling, a sabbatical, unemployment etc. our approach of not making excuses, but rather explaining the insights/value gleaned from the experience is certainly going to help you in your interviews.

We can place a client into McKinsey after 5 years of maternity leave because we use a proprietary teaching approach. We work on root cause issues as opposed to teaching the same things to everyone. We still focus on the fundamental skills, but the way we teach them is generally different. We do not teach frameworks, and all our work is done by former partners and directors.

This is one of the most exciting programs we have ever done because we had 3 weeks to do this. Not 3 months. Not 6 months. Not 1 year. We had 3 weeks to get Assel ready. And those 3 weeks were not guaranteed. It could have been shorter if the interview date had been moved earlier. Yet, we took on the challenge and were enormously successful. In the last call, you will be able to listen to Assel talking through her interviews and how it worked.

TCO IV demonstrates the Firmsconsulting approach of accepting the most challenging assignments when it comes to dealing with clients. Because the more difficult the client situation, the more we grow and the more it improves our ability to develop training to help FC members achieve their moonshot goals. 

In this program, among other things, we address the challenging obstacles faced by mothers returning to the workforce and how to overcome them by repositioning alleged weaknesses as strengths. Shopping, planning schedules etc. provide mothers with unique insights and business judgment which should be correctly elevated and not hidden. We teach you how to leverage these activities that most ignore as irrelevant skills.

This program remains available exclusively to monthly Premium members, Insiders and Legacy members. Premium members who remain for 6 months can request an upgrade to Insider status. Insider status grants full access to TCO IV, every other TCO program, Experienced Hire program, step by step studies and many other advanced programs across StrategyTraining.com, Apple, Android, Roku, and Apple TV.

If you find our programs useful, a short review on our apps or iTunes goes a long way.

New Releases on StrategyTraining.com

This week’s updates focus on equipping you with the tools to tackle the problems others avoid and to deliver results that endure. We’ve released new Insider and Legacy episodes, along with another Strategy Control Room Advanced update, each built on battle-tested approaches used in high-stakes engagements. The goal is to elevate your thinking, sharpen your judgment, and take deliberate action that moves the needle, now and over the long term.

Here are new resources available for members:

For Strategy Control Room Advanced Members

New IT, Digital, AI, and Cloud Center-of-Excellence – Update 10 of TBD (151 SLIDES).

Most IT projects fail, not because of bad technology, but because of poor thinking. This Center-of-Excellence shows you exactly why projects go off track and how to prevent it. 

For Insider Members

These new training episodes were released.

Why Am I Not a Visionary - Episode 2 of 4

Even consistent execution at the highest standard can leave you stalled. This program examines the pivotal shift from being a reliable operator to becoming a leader with a clear, compelling vision. One who shapes direction rather than simply delivering on it.
Episode title: Coaching breakthrough: what leadership is actually asking for

Building a Consulting Practice. Level II  – Episode 8 of TBD
Level II moves beyond the fundamentals of establishing or rebuilding a consulting business to focus on the advanced discipline of turning everyday engagements into engines of sustained growth.

Through real-world examples, including an operations strategy project that evolved into an entirely new consulting practice, you’ll learn how to:

- Redirect client discussions from transactional tasks toward high-value, strategic issues.
- Identify opportunities even when no obvious “problem” is on the table.
- Position yourself as a trusted advisor with a seat at the most critical conversations.

This is consulting at its highest level, where strategic thinking is applied in operational contexts, discussions are triangulated toward your strengths, and growth is designed to outlast any single engagement. Together with Level I and programs such as Partnership Memoir, Rebuilding a Consulting Practice, and How to Build an Innovation Division, this series offers a complete roadmap for building a resilient, high-impact consulting practice.
Episode title: The Proposal. Context

The Bill Matassoni Show, Season 3 (Part 2 - Nicholas Gertler) – Episode 3 of 15
In this episode, Bill Matassoni engages in a deep strategic dialogue with Nicholas Gertler, a former McKinsey colleague, on how to redesign systems to create value for all stakeholders. Moving beyond traditional advertising and sales approaches, they explore the role of storytelling and influence as levers to reshape industries, organizations, and relationships.

Filmed at the iconic Philip Johnson Glass House, the conversation challenges leaders to reconsider how value is defined, created, and sustained, and how their own work can drive meaningful, long-term change. The series, now followed by leaders from many parts of the world, offers practical tools to broaden perspective and uncover opportunities often missed by others.
Episode title: Nicholas Gertler's journey

For Legacy Members

Legacy members gain access to all Insider content, plus these exclusive episodes:

What Most Product Managers Get Wrong - Episode 2 of 3
Too many product teams fixate on detailed plans and cross-functional coordination, yet overlook the single question that should precede everything else. This episode reveals the critical step that must come first, and why getting it right sets the foundation for all subsequent decisions.
Episode title: What comes before the vital planning?

Resiliency and Scenario Planning - Episode 5 of 5
Most organizations face the same underlying risk, but few address it head-on. A winning strategy is not defined solely by accuracy; it is measured by how quickly you can adapt when events diverge from plan. This episode challenges conventional planning models and offers a practical framework for becoming prepared, adaptable, and resilient, so neither your company nor your career is easily knocked off course.
There’s a problem all companies are facing, but few are truly addressing it. The strength of your strategy is not only in getting it right. It’s also in how quickly you can recover when reality doesn’t go your way. This episode challenges conventional planning models. If your company, or your career, depends too heavily on being “right,” this is your playbook for becoming prepared, adaptive, and hard to knock off course.
Episode title: How to be flexible, while being resilient

Writing an Article - Episode 4 of 4
Most aspiring authors start with the wrong question: How do I write something good? The better question is: What is the message that I need to deliver? This program reframes article writing as a strategic exercise, aligning your message with your long-term professional and personal objectives.

Before drafting a single sentence, you’ll assess your runway, intellectual property, and trajectory with the same rigor we would apply to a market entry or regulatory strategy. You will leave with a repeatable method to pinpoint the one idea the world most needs to hear from you, and a plan to ensure it reaches the right audience.
Episode title: Write tightly around what you know

Insiders can upgrade to Legacy at any time and revert to Insider without losing Insider status.

To upgrade: While logged in, select any Legacy program and follow the upgrade prompt.

To return to Insider: Email team@firmsconsulting.com, and we will restore your Insider status, provided there are no gaps in your subscription or gaps are covered.

Legacy Member Q&A — Tailored Partner Feedback
Legacy members may submit one personal or professional question twice per month. A partner will respond with a custom recorded answer.

Submission deadlines: 15th and 30th of each month

Format: One paragraph emailed to team@firmsconsulting.com

Include: Relevant context and details so we can provide precise, actionable guidance

Subject line: Legacy Question

Strategy Skills Podcast (ranked among the top 5–10 career podcasts in many countries)
These episodes are now available on iTunes, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms.

Ex McKinsey Expert on War Games, John Horn: How to Read Your Competitors - with John Horn

John Horn, professor of economics at Washington University's Olin Business School and former McKinsey strategist, shares a disciplined framework for understanding competitive behavior by applying game theory and structured simulations. In this episode, he explains how companies can elevate competitor analysis from basic intelligence gathering to actionable strategic insight.

Horn begins by debunking the common misconception that many competitors behave irrationally. As he puts it:

“Every single time a client said the competitor is irrational, I could ask them... two, three questions which would explain why the company was being rational in what they were doing.”

He outlines a four-step framework leaders can use to model likely competitive behavior:

1. Observe what competitors say and do, including press releases, earnings calls, and other public data.

2. Assess their assets, resources, and capabilities, and imagine what you'd do in their position.

3. Identify the decision-maker and their background to infer how they think:
   “If you grew up as a marketer and you became a CEO, you’re going to look at the world from a marketing perspective.”

4. Make a short-term prediction, write it down, and revisit it:
   “It becomes a virtuous cycle of getting a better insight into how that competitor thinks.”

Horn emphasizes that many firms fall short because they stop at step one or lack mechanisms to feed deeper insights into decision-making. He also stresses the role of empathy, not sympathy, in strategy:

“I do have to empathize, understand why they’re making the choices they make.”

War gaming, in Horn's view, is a powerful simulation tool, not theater.

“It’s a chance to practice business choices in a risk-free way... and just a much more realistic discussion.”

For entrepreneurs or under-resourced teams, Horn offers a lighter-weight version called "War Gaming Lite," which enables rapid, structured thinking about competitive responses using only internal knowledge and role-playing.

He also discusses how human biases, short-term incentives, and lack of time make both your firm and your rivals more predictable than you might think:

“People really are predictable... It’s not rocket science. It’s about being disciplined.”

Whether you're a startup founder or a Fortune 500 executive, this episode offers practical steps to improve your strategic foresight and competitive positioning, grounded in empathy, behavioral realism, and iterative prediction.

Listen to the episode here (you can also watch or read the transcript).

McKinsey Senior Partner, Kate Smaje: Winning in the Age of Digital and AI - with Kate Smaje

In this episode, we interviewed Kate Smaje, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company and Global Leader of McKinsey Digital. Kate offers a clear-eyed and disciplined perspective on what it takes for organizations to succeed in digital transformation. Drawing from deep client work across industries, she outlines a practical, results-focused view of how digital can be embedded into the operating core, not treated as a parallel initiative or buzzword.

Kate Smaje challenges conventional narratives around innovation, urging leaders to look beyond technology adoption and focus instead on talent systems, cultural alignment, and strategic clarity. “We often start with a conversation about tech, but the value comes from the way you bring it all together,” she says.

“If you think digital is the job of the digital team, you’ve missed the point. It’s about how the whole organization behaves.”

Key Takeaways:

Digital Transformation Must Be CEO-Led and Enterprise-Wide
Smaje emphasizes that meaningful transformation requires the involvement of the full organization, not just IT or digital teams. “Digital is everyone’s job. The companies who really succeed have a CEO and leadership team who are actively engaged.”

Shift Metrics from Volume to Value
She critiques outdated performance metrics: “If you’re just measuring lines of code or hours worked or features shipped, you’re not measuring outcomes.”

Technology Without Architecture Is Just Chaos
Many companies overemphasize agile practices but underinvest in foundational tech and data coherence. “You can’t run 300 agile teams and not have an architecture that supports it. It’s like having everyone run at speed but in different directions.”

Product Ownership and Cross-Functional Clarity Are Essential
Successful organizations empower teams with clear product mandates while maintaining enterprise-wide alignment. “The product owner model is about creating real accountability, with multidisciplinary teams who have the context to make decisions.”

Leadership Behavior Drives Cultural Change
Where leaders focus their time is key: one of the biggest indicators of success is how leadership spends its time.

This conversation is going to be helpful for senior executives who want to move beyond surface-level digital initiatives and embed durable capabilities that support both innovation and performance. Smaje leaves no doubt: digital excellence is not a side project, it’s a leadership discipline.

Listen to the episode here (you can also watch or read the transcript).

Additionally, here are the recent releases on FIRMSconsulting / StrategyTraining.com / Kris Safarova YouTube Channels:

IT Strategy vs. Corporate Strategy: Microsoft - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Build Consulting Storyboards in 3 Weeks (This is How McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte Do It) - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Feel Comfortable on Camera - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

Management Consulting Storyboard | Storyboarding used by McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, PwC et al. - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

McKinsey’s Rise to Prominence Under Marvin Bower - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

The Systems Behind Sustained High Performance with ADHD - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Enroll in Insider, Legacy, or Strategy Control Room Advanced

You may join any membership tier at this time. 

To enroll: Visit StrategyTraining.com and select your preferred membership. If you need help selecting the right membership for you please email team@firmsconsulting.com.

To upgrade from Insider to Legacy: While logged in, click on any Legacy program. The system will prompt you to upgrade.

To return from Legacy to Insider: Email team@firmsconsulting.com, and we will restore your Insider status, provided there are no gaps in your subscription or if the gap was covered.

Strategy Control Room Advanced:
Our most comprehensive library includes full studies, proposals, Centers of Excellence, and books not available anywhere else. You may join directly, or start with a monthly SCR membership and earn advanced status by the time your 7th month begins (email team@firmsconsulting.com to request an upgrade once you have a sufficient track record / 6 full consecutive months).

There is always another level of impact. We are here to help you reach it.

Your Job in a Case Interview is to Make the Interviewer Absolutely Certain You Can Be ...

...Trusted in Front of Any Client

Even if you will never sit in a case interview, this note is about a skill you will need throughout your career: earning someone’s trust in a high-stakes, imperfect situation.

The example I’ll use is the case interview, but the principles apply when you are:

- pitching to a client who is scanning their email during your presentation,

- briefing a board member who has just come from a contentious discussion, or

- interviewing for a role when the interviewer is clearly distracted or unprepared.

In all of these situations, your task is the same: leave the other person absolutely certain you can be trusted in front of any client (internal or external), in any circumstance.

That is why this is not simply an email about preparing for case interviews. It is an email about how to perform when the person judging you is tired, distracted, and human, and how to help them see your value despite the inevitable imperfections in the interaction.
 

***

As some of our clients and members are preparing for case interviews I wanted to offer some perspective. 

Let’s begin by acknowledging that conducting a case interview is not a pleasant experience for an interviewer. It is not why people become management consultants. The greatest case interviewer does not necessarily become an EM, let alone a partner. When a consultant is being assessed every few months, their phenomenal case interview skills will not save them from mediocre engagement feedback. 

Running a case interview is not what the consultant wants to do. It is not why a consultant is primarily rewarded and promoted. The very best consultants are unlikely to be conducting interviews. They would be with clients. 

Interviews take consultants away from engagement teams and away from clients. No client ever uttered the words, “I respect Amy as a consultant because she took 2 days away from my study to fly to Boston to conduct MBA interviews.” To a client, having their consultant engaged in interviews is a distraction and a cost they do not want to bear. 

Consultants are tired. Consultants are behind schedule. Consultants are overworked. They are overwhelmed. Consultants do not have sufficient time to prepare. If a consultant could do it, they would spend all their time working on client work and never prepare for the case interview. They would simply create an interview based on what they know. 

Companies expect responses immediately. An interviewer is not supposed to read and respond to emails, but it is bound to happen. An interviewer should be able to multitask if they choose to read and respond to emails. But interviewers are tired and sleep-deprived. They often may miss things or not hear something you say in an interview. 

Interviewers would rather fail you than admit they made a mistake. Can you think of any situation where a firm/interviewer admitted an interview mistake? 

Interviewers should take the time to help you. They should give you the benefit of the doubt. They should have no prejudices. They should not discriminate against gender, race, schools, or other forms of pedigree. But interviewers are human. They do and will.

I mention this because too many clients only focus on themselves in an interview and assume the interviewer is a perfect person who is totally focused on them, and with a razor sharp intellect. They are not. They are only human, and even if the day they meet you is their best day, they will have quirks. 

Knowing all of the above, you need to practice defensive case interviews. Like defensive driving, in this approach, you expect the worst and run the case interview by taking charge to help the interviewer help you. 

If the interviewer is in a bad mood, take charge of the energy in the room and keep things pleasant, conversational, and moving along. Listen to how Assel managed a tough McKinsey interviewer in the final session with Assel which we made available at this time to help you with your case interview preparation. You can watch the full program with Assel on StrategyTraining.com, even as part of a monthly Premium membership (only $167 per month).

Knowing how busy and unprepared most interviewers are, take the time to speak clearly and offer your assumptions and inferences versus waiting for the interviewer to guide you. 

Do not be thrown off by an interviewer who is checking emails, typing emails, or even eating lunch. They are human. They should not, but it is far worse to have a consultant suffering from low blood sugar in an interview. 

Make it pleasant for the interviewer. Make sure they can read your exhibits or any diagrams you draw. Help them understand your thinking by offering succinct explanations and offering them options. 

Answer their questions. Don’t give them what a case book told you to give them if it does not answer their question. 

I can sum this up by saying treat interviewers as if they are human. Which they are. They are not perfectly programmed robots who do everything correctly. 

And the same advice applies to you. Every client tries to avoid a mistake. And should clients make a mistake, they act like the case interview is over and they have failed, and therefore, there is no point in trying any further. 

Try this approach. Rather than practicing to avoid a mistake, practice what you will do when you make a mistake. You should not apologize and offer to fall on a sword, since that means nothing at all and is not helpful, but rather focus on immediately and cheerily fixing it and moving on. 

Assume you will make a mistake. Accept this and have a plan. You will rarely be failed for a mistake unless the mistake is truly obvious, you did not spot it yourself, and/or you failed to correct the mistake after it was pointed out to you. 

Three minutes spent apologizing is three wasted minutes to solve a case. Three minutes of berating yourself simply lowers your standing in the eyes of the interviewer. Leaders don’t take the time to belittle themselves. They act. 

Don’t worry so much about math mistakes. While firms usually point them out when offering feedback, far more clients fail due to a lack of proper structure, critical thinking, judgment, and fit. 

Your job is not to pass the case interview. Your job is not to solve the case. Many interviewees will achieve this goal but fail to get an offer. Your task is to make this such a pleasant experience for the interviewer that you will leave them no doubt that you are fit to be in front of any client. 

You can only do this if you take the time to think about the interviewer as a person. It's not about you. It's about them. Most clients never think about the interviewer. You may not be able to solve a case. You may not even complete the case. Yet, you could still easily obtain an offer if you prove you have the skills to think critically. 

Communication, MECE, 80/20, hypotheses, prioritized branches are like ingredients. If you have the perfect ingredients but assemble them in the wrong way, you will have a bad dish. So take the time to learn how to use them conversationally, versus just ticking the boxes off as you use them. 

Always remember that many things lie outside your control. Firms and offices are driven by economics. If an office can only afford to hire 3 people and 6 people were exceptional, unless the firm found a way to defy the laws of economics, only 3 people will be hired.

Overall, hiring numbers are driven less by case performance and more by the general economic environment. There is a reason firms hire more in strong economic environments, and hire less and fire more during weaker economic growth. 

So you can be phenomenal but there could have been someone better. These things happen. 

Everyone will learn at their own pace with their own level of commitment. Some clients do well with little preparation. This is because they already think in this critical reasoning format and generally speak well. Others need more time. And that is fine. 

Some clients are very good but lack confidence and need the interviewer to constantly affirm that they are going in the right direction. This hurts their chances. 

I know many McKinsey, BCG, Bain, et al. partners who did not get in on their first chance. I know many people who chose not to join the firm after obtaining an offer. And I know many whose lives did not materially change after they joined. 

Good, talented people will always excel. They may end up on a different path, but they will get there. 

Solving cases requires critical reasoning skills. The same way you only need to solve a few math problems to understand a concept, many candidates don’t need to practice +100 cases. If you are doing that, you are probably memorizing frameworks. It's far more efficient to learn how to build frameworks from first principles, which is why we spend so much time in The Consulting Offer on how to build frameworks. 

If this were not true every great mathematician and scientist would be memorizing the answers to every type of question. They don't, and neither should you. 

If you want to meaningfully strengthen your foundational skills, not just to help you prepare for case interviews but to become a stronger communicator, networker and problem solver, I believe there is no other more effective program out there to help you than The Consulting Offer. I recommend you go through our case interview programs in the following order:

• TCO 1 with Felix - See Felix getting trained and ultimately obtaining an offer from McKinsey.

• Experienced Hire program - in-depth (110 episodes) case interview program specifically designed for EMBAs and experienced hires, prepared for the Darden EMBA program.

• TCO 4 with Assel - See how we trained Assel to join McKinsey after five years out of the workforce. Prior to joining McKisney, she never worked at MBB.

• TCO 3 with Jen - See how we trained Jen to join Bain, Boston.

• TCO 2 (full program) - See Alice going through the program and getting offers from McKinsey and BCG, NYC.

• TCO 5 with Ritika - See us training Ritika to join McKinsey, Chicago.

The above programs are programs we recommend everyone should start with when enrolling as an Insider or Legacy member on StrategyTraining.com. This is because they are designed to help you develop foundational problem-solving,  communication, networking, and interviewing skills. They will also help you make the most of more advanced programs.

The above programs may look like programs only relevant to people who want to join a consulting firm.

In reality, they help you develop impressive problem-solving, interviewing, networking, and communication skills that can set you apart from your colleagues and competitors and alter the trajectory of your career.

Many of our most successful Insiders and Legacy members, including those who never worked in consulting, credit The Consulting Offer with giving them the foundational skills to fully benefit from more advanced programs on StrategyTraining.com, and with delivering meaningful career impact.

If you find this message useful, please share it with those who need it.

Good luck with your case interview preparation, and with developing and strengthening foundational skills.

Are You Leading For The World We Have...

...Or The World We Had?

As you know, within StrategyTraining.com, we've been tracking global trends for a long time. And you and I have always known the West wouldn’t hold a lead forever.

But when you spend time on the ground in different parts of the world the shift becomes undeniable.

Regions once considered “developing” now operate with systems, infrastructure, and technology that often surpass what we experience in the West.

It’s visible in how daily life works. Cashless payments, logistics, services, scale. It’s fast, reliable, and integrated.

They are no longer catching up.
 

In many areas, leadership has already changed hands,
most people just don't realize it yet.

Let me share two examples that illustrate what’s happening.

You probably know Xiaomi as a smartphone brand. Recently, they launched their first electric vehicle, the SU7 Ultra. It accelerates from zero to 62 mph in under two seconds and posted one of the fastest lap times for any production EV.

Ferrari purchased it and shipped it to Maranello. To study it.

A tech company that wasn’t in the auto industry five years ago now builds a car Ferrari considers serious enough competitor to analyze.

That’s not catching up.
 

That’s setting the new standard.

Then there’s BYD. They started in battery manufacturing. Today, they are the largest electric vehicle company in the world by volume. Over four million EVs were sold last year. EV revenue over $100 billion.

They don’t only build cars. They produce batteries, semiconductors, public transport systems, an integrated model that’s scaling rapidly.

And this, of course, is happening not only in the automotive industry. 

For years, the West led and the rest followed. That was the accepted dynamic.

It reminds me of a group of boys growing up together.

Early on, one boy is taller, stronger, and naturally becomes the leader. Everyone defers to him. He sets the pace.

But part of the reason he led was timing. The others had just come through a tough period. They were recovering, still finding their footing. So he pulled ahead and for a long time, everyone assumed he’d always be out in front.

But over time, the others grew: taller, stronger, or smarter. They developed their own strengths. They no longer followed. 

And the old dynamic couldn’t last.

After World War II, much of the world was rebuilding. The U.S. emerged from that period stronger, more intact, and took a leading role.

And those circumstances have changed.

The rest of the world recovered. The lead wasn't permanent. And it’s already being challenged.

That’s the situation now.

The West was once the clear leader: economically, technologically, militarily. Many still think that’s the case.

But leadership in key areas has already shifted, or is shifting fast.

When one power rises and another declines, it often creates tension. History has a name for this: Thucydides’ Trap. The term comes from the ancient Greek historian Thucydides, who wrote about the war between rising Athens and established Sparta. It describes what happens when an established power is challenged by a rising one. Often, the result is conflict.

Translation:

Often, the result is war.

Sometimes it’s avoided. But it always forces change.

It’s what happened when Athens challenged Sparta, triggering the Peloponnesian War.

It happened again when Germany rose against Britain and France in the early 20th century, leading to two world wars.

And now, many believe we’re seeing a version of this play out again, as China rises and the US faces increasing pressure to maintain its leadership.

What does this mean for you?

If you’re leading a business or managing your career, you need to adapt to this new reality.

The competitive landscape is not what it used to be.

Worse, most people don't have any idea of what the competitive landscape is because they are not paying attention to what is happening outside of the West.

The strategies and benchmarks you’ve relied on may no longer reflect what’s needed to stay ahead.

Many are still acting as if the old dynamic holds. That others are still catching up.
 

That’s a mistake.

The shift already happened.

The question is whether you see it and whether you’re ready to operate at the new level the world now demands.

While we cover these shifts in many programs, the scale of change now calls for a focused, in-depth series. We are introducing a new category of programs with a working title: Leading Through Global Power Shifts. Some programs will be for both Insiders and Legacy members, and some more advanced programs will be for Legacy members. And relevant materials will also be added to the Strategy Control Room Advanced for those members who prefer to have reading materials as well. (Side note: We do not recommend using the SCRA as the only membership. You still need the training from Insider/Legacy. We recommend it as an optional add-on.)

This new series of programs helps executives, leaders, consultants, and business owners understand and respond to the changing global power dynamics, especially the rise of new leaders in innovation, infrastructure, and execution. It’s about how to recognize the real benchmarks, adjust strategy accordingly, and stay competitive in a world where traditional advantages are eroding.

Key Focus Areas For This Series:

1. Recognizing the Shift

   • How global leadership is changing in tech, manufacturing, infrastructure, and finance.

   • What companies like BYD, Xiaomi, and Tencent are doing differently, and why it works.

   • The end of the West’s monopoly on innovation: what this means for your strategy.

2. New Competitive Benchmarks

   • How to redefine “best practice” when leadership comes from new players.

   • Why speed, vertical integration, and ecosystem thinking now matter more than scale alone.

   • Key case studies: China’s EV dominance, India’s fintech acceleration, and more.

3. Strategic Response for Leaders

   • How to build agility into your strategy and operations.

   • Tools for staying informed and responding early, not late.

   • Avoiding complacency: how to lead without relying on legacy positioning.

4. Thucydides’ Trap, AI Arms Race, and Strategic Risk

   • Navigating the risks when global powers shift: from AI to geopolitics.

   • How AI accelerates this transition and how to use it strategically.

   • Scenario planning: how to prepare your organization for multiple possible futures.

5. Personal Career Strategy in a Changing World

   • How to position yourself as a leader when traditional markers of status are losing value.

   • Skills and mindsets that matter in a world where the pace of change is accelerating.

   • Finding and seizing global opportunities others aren’t seeing.

Why This Series Is Being Introduced?

Insiders and Legacy members need to not only understand what’s changing but act now, not later. This series is about staying relevant, staying competitive, and staying ahead, even when the benchmarks for success are shifting rapidly.

If you want to lead at the level today’s world demands, you need more than surface-level insights. You need tools, strategies, and support that reflect the real world, not outdated playbooks. That’s what you’ll find inside StrategyTraining.com.

This is why we created a new series for Insiders, Legacy, and Strategy Control Room Advanced members, leaders who want to navigate global power shifts with clarity and decisiveness, not be caught off guard or left behind.

You need to understand what’s changing and know how to respond regardless of your role or title.

And if you want to operate at a level that reflects where the world is now, not where it used to be, this series will help you do that.

StrategyTraining.com is built for those who want to see the shift early, act on it, and stay ahead, long before others realize what’s changed.

New Releases on StrategyTraining.com

We’ve just released several powerful new episodes for Insider and Legacy members, plus a major Strategy Control Room Advanced update.

This release includes a 126-slide full study focused on Infrastructure Funding Strategy, a comprehensive system to navigate financing, risk, and economic scenarios for large-scale national projects. If you work with clients on complex capital decisions, this is essential.

Alongside it, new training episodes are now live, designed to help you take deliberate action, elevate your thinking, and solve the problems others can’t. These are battle-tested and highly effective approaches for long-term impact.

Here’s what’s now available for members:

For Strategy Control Room Advanced Members

Another major update: a new 126-slide full study was released.

Infrastructure Funding Strategy Study - A major release. 126 SLIDES.

This release explores the financial strategies and risk management approaches required to fund a national highway upgrade. ​It examines borrowing impact, financing requirements, and bond ratings, while analyzing scenarios ranging from best-case to worst-case economic conditions. ​

With insights into weighted average cost of capital (WACC), peer comparisons, and market appetite for bonds, this study highlights the critical importance of timing, risk mitigation, and debt issuance. It also examines the implications of government guarantees, potential rating changes, and the challenges posed by construction delays and inflation.
​ 
This study is a must-read for consultants seeking to navigate complex infrastructure financing.

For Insider Members

These new training episodes were released.

Why Am I Not a Visionary - Episode 1 of 4
What if doing everything right still isn’t enough to move you forward? This program explores the hidden leap from trusted executor to visionary leader.
Episode title: Long-term member, trusted executor, unsure what leadership wanted

The MasterPlan Advanced – Episode 33 of 4
This program builds on the most transformative career strategy work we have done to date. Drawing on decades of working with senior executives, The MasterPlan Advanced explores what it takes to go from well-off to truly wealthy, across career, relationships, investing, health, and more. And wealth here is not only financial. It’s also about freedom, impact, and alignment. 
Episode title: The identity shift

The Bill Matassoni Show, Season 3 (Part 2 - Nicholas Gertler) – Episode 2 of 15
In this part of Season 3, Bill Matassoni begins a thought-provoking conversation with Nicholas Gertler, a former colleague from McKinsey. Their discussion explores how strategic thinking can be used to redesign systems that create value for all stakeholders. Rather than focusing on traditional advertising or sales tactics, Bill explores how storytelling and influence can be used to reshape industries, organizations, and relationships. These insights are designed to help you solve complex problems that others cannot or will not address. Filmed at the iconic Philip Johnson Glass House, this episode challenges you to rethink how value is created and how your work can drive meaningful, long-term change. The series has reached leaders around the world, from China to Canada, offering practical tools to expand your perspective and uncover opportunities others overlook.
Episode title: Creating win-win systems

For Legacy Members

In addition to all Insider episodes, Legacy members receive these exclusive episodes:

(New) Segmenting Your Customers - Episode 5 of 5
What happens when the way you earn a living slowly pulls you away from who you really are? This episode unpacks how inauthenticity creeps into your work, why it leads to burnout, and how to rebuild both your external brand and internal sense of self. If you’ve ever sensed a growing gap between what your clients need and what you want to offer, this is the roadmap for closing that gap, on your terms.
Episode title: Three ways to engage clients

(New) Resiliency and Scenario Planning - Episode 4 of 5
There’s a problem all companies are facing, but few are truly addressing it. The strength of your strategy is not only in getting it right. It’s also in how quickly you can recover when reality doesn’t go your way. This episode challenges conventional planning models. If your company, or your career, depends too heavily on being “right,” this is your playbook for becoming prepared, adaptive, and hard to knock off course.
Episode title: The problem ALL companies are facing

(New) Writing an Article - Episode 3 of 4
Most people who want to write an article start with the wrong question: How do I write something good? That’s not the right place to begin. This program dissects what an article really is and how to shape a message that serves your broader life and professional goals. Before writing a word, you’ll examine your runway, IP, and trajectory the same way we’d approach a market entry or regulatory challenge. You’ll leave with a method to uncover the one idea the world needs to hear from you and a plan to ensure the right people are listening.
Episode title: There is only one goal in writing

Insiders can move to Legacy anytime and back to Insider without losing Insider status. To move to Legacy, click on a Legacy program while you are logged in, and the system will offer an opportunity to upgrade. When going back to Insider, email us at team@firmsconsulting.com so we can manually restore your Insider status (provided there are no gaps in subscription).

Ask Us a Question — Get Tailored Feedback

Legacy members are invited to submit one personal or professional question twice per month. We’ll respond with a custom answer recorded by a partner.

• Deadlines: Submit by the 15th and 30th of each month

• Format: One paragraph emailed to team@firmsconsulting.com

• Include: Context and details so we can provide tailored guidance for your unique situation

• Subject line: Legacy Question

Strategy Skills Podcast (top 5-10 for careers in many countries)

We’ve just released new episodes, now available on iTunes, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms.

Listen in and stay sharp.

Former Biotech CEO and Harvard Medical School Faculty Member Margaret Moore on the Science of Good Leadership - with Margaret Moore

Margaret Moore, faculty member at Harvard Medical School and former biotech CEO, brings decades of experience at the intersection of science, strategy, and human development. In this episode, she unpacks The Science of Leadership, the forthcoming book she co-authored after reviewing hundreds of meta-analyses and large-scale studies, ultimately synthesizing leadership science into a framework of nine essential capacities.

Moore emphasizes the role of conscious leadership, defined as the ability to “see things clearly” by quieting internal “ego noise”, impatience, and worry that cloud judgment. She highlights the emerging concept of the quiet ego, noting that “you’re still impactful... but with a way of being quiet about it that people can absorb more easily.”

Challenging conventional strength-based approaches, Moore advocates for psychological wholeness, encouraging leaders to access underused capacities such as empathy, creativity, and intuition to become more balanced and mature decision-makers.

She also discusses how intuition, often misunderstood as abstract, is a skill that can be developed through stillness, reflection, and experience: “Creativity is flow, and flow is when you let go of control… It’s the opposite of our main mode.”

The conversation underscores the importance of strategic adaptability. Drawing on research, Moore shares that while humility doesn't improve a leader’s own performance, “other people’s performance is improved if you’re humble. So you don’t do it for yourself, you do it for them.” But she also cautions: in crises, “humility is not what people want. They want strong leaders out in front, in charge.”

Finally, Moore distinguishes between empathy and compassionate leadership, where compassion is “respect and understanding… with action.” 

Listen to the episode here (you can also watch or read the transcript).

Multi-Award-Winning Researcher Vanessa Druskat on Team Emotional Intelligence - with Vanessa Druskat

Vanessa Druskat, organizational psychologist and professor at the University of New Hampshire, discusses team emotional intelligence (EI) as a predictor of sustained performance. Building on her foundational work with Daniel Goleman, Druskat focuses not on individual EQ, but on the group-level norms and practices that distinguish effective teams, particularly in complex, high-stakes environments.

Druskat identifies three core team norms essential to cultivating group EI: mutual trust, constructive expression of emotions, and norms that support individual and group self-awareness. 

Key takeaways include:

High-performing teams are not those without conflict, but those with processes for metabolizing conflict. Druskat emphasizes the role of emotional expression norms in allowing task-related disagreement while mitigating interpersonal friction.

Leaders significantly influence team EI by modeling openness and emotional competence, but sustained performance requires that these behaviors be embedded in team norms, not reliant on individual charisma or authority.

Team emotional intelligence predicts effectiveness beyond technical competence, especially when teams must adapt to ambiguity, pressure, or interdependence. Druskat cites multiple studies where team EI predicted performance outcomes more reliably than IQ or experience.

Psychological safety is necessary but not sufficient. Teams with high EI create an environment where members not only feel safe but are also expected to monitor and manage the group’s emotional climate.

Organizations often undermine team EI unintentionally, through forced competition, misaligned incentives, or ignoring the emotional fallout of change. Druskat suggests that senior leaders regularly audit not just team outcomes, but the emotional processes behind them.

This episode reframes emotional intelligence not as a personal trait but as an institutional capability with measurable consequences for execution, resilience, and organizational learning. The discussion is particularly relevant for senior professionals seeking to institutionalize performance through culture rather than control.

Listen to the episode here (you can also watch or read the transcript).

Additionally, here are the recent releases on FIRMSconsulting / StrategyTraining.com / Kris Safarova YouTube Channels:

IT Strategy vs. Corporate Strategy: Microsoft - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Build Consulting Storyboards in 3 Weeks (This is How McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte Do It) - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Feel Comfortable on Camera - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

Management Consulting Storyboard | Storyboarding used by McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, PwC et al. - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

McKinsey’s Rise to Prominence Under Marvin Bower - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

The Systems Behind Sustained High Performance with ADHD - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Enroll in Insider, Legacy or Strategy Control Room Advanced:

You can enroll at any time. Enrollments are currently open. Simply visit StrategyTraining.com and select your membership tier.

If you are already an Insider and want to move to Legacy, click on any Legacy program while logged in, and the system will prompt you to upgrade.

Insiders can move back from Legacy to Insider without losing Insider status. When you are ready to switch back, email us at team@firmsconsulting.com, and we will handle the transition.

You can also enroll in Strategy Control Room Advanced (our huge reading library with full studies, proposals, centers of excellence, and books) here. If you prefer to start with a monthly SCR membership, you can request an upgrade to Advanced status by emailing team@firmsconsulting.com when your 7th month begins.

There is always another level of impact. We are here to help you reach it.

New Releases on StrategyTraining.com

New releases on StrategyTraining.com include a major update to the Strategy Control Room Advanced (Infrastructure Funding Strategy Study/126 SLIDES), alongside new powerful episodes on consulting growth, leadership, and long-term career design.

Each release is a structured system built for immediate application and long-term impact.

Here’s what’s now available for members:

For Strategy Control Room Advanced Members

Another major update: a new 126-slide full study was released.

Infrastructure Funding Strategy Study - A major release. 126 SLIDES.

This release explores the financial strategies and risk management approaches required to fund a national highway upgrade. ​It examines borrowing impact, financing requirements, and bond ratings, while analyzing scenarios ranging from best-case to worst-case economic conditions. ​

With insights into weighted average cost of capital (WACC), peer comparisons, and market appetite for bonds, this study highlights the critical importance of timing, risk mitigation, and debt issuance. It also examines the implications of government guarantees, potential rating changes, and the challenges posed by construction delays and inflation.
​ 
This study is a must-read for consultants seeking to navigate complex infrastructure financing.

For Insider Members

These new training episodes were released.

Why Am I Not Happy? How Can I Be Happy? Episode 14 of 14
Practical insights to help you recognize the patterns that are draining your energy and how to stop them. 
Episode title: Must listen to at the end

The Real Reason You Are Not Being Promoted – Episode 18 of 18
This 18-part Insider program challenges the conventional wisdom of career growth, helping ambitious professionals rethink promotions, leadership roles, and long-term wealth creation.
Episode title: Action Next Step #11

The Bill Matassoni Show, Season 3 (Part 2 - Nicholas Gertler) – Episode 1 of 15
In the initial episodes of Part 2, Bill starts a conversation with Nicholas Gertler, a former colleague of Bill at McKinsey. The discussion centers around the concept of marketing as a pivotal tool for systems redesign, exploring its potential to effect meaningful change. The insights shared are intended to equip you to solve the kind of problems that none of your colleagues can or dare (or are motivated) to solve. The Bill Matassoni Show has quickly gained popularity worldwide, reaching audiences from China to India to England to Canada to Africa to Germany to Japan to the United States and beyond. Hosted by Bill Matassoni, a former senior partner at McKinsey & BCG, and former McKinsey worldwide head of marketing and McKinsey Quarterly, the series offers a fresh take on marketing, steering away from traditional sales and advertising tactics. Through storytelling and practical insights, Bill explores the core of marketing, prompting viewers to rethink their approach to work. The show encourages viewers to expand their perspectives and uncover new opportunities in the market space to create more value for all stakeholders involved.  Shot at the iconic Philip Johnson Glass House, "The Bill Matassoni Show" offers exclusive insights available only on StrategyTraining.com.
Episode title: Systems Redesign

For Legacy Members

In addition to all Insider episodes, Legacy members receive these exclusive episodes:

(New) Segmenting Your Customers - Episode 4 of 5
What happens when the way you earn a living slowly pulls you away from who you really are? This program unpacks how inauthenticity creeps in, why it leads to burnout, and what it takes to rebuild both your brand and your sense of self.
Episode title: Three ways to focus your communication

(New) Resiliency and Scenario Planning - Episode 3 of 5
This is a very important new Legacy program. The real strength of your strategy is not only in getting it right, but in how quickly you can recover when you're wrong. This program challenges conventional planning models and shows why resilience, not perfection, may be the ultimate strategic advantage.
Episode title: Never, ever, make analyses the star

Writing an Article - Episode 2 of 4
Most people who want to write an article approach it with the wrong question: "How do I write something good?" That question is premature. This program starts earlier, at the point where real strategic thinking begins. It dissects what an article is, what it does, and why now may be the critical time for you to master this skill. Before a single word is put to paper, you are asked to examine your runway, your career trajectory, your intellectual property, and your broader life goals. Not in the abstract, but with the clarity and precision we’d demand when shaping a high-stakes market entry or regulatory response. If you’re at a career crossroads, or sensing that something in your positioning must evolve, this is the moment to pause, recalibrate, and chart a deliberate path forward.

Across the program, we open up frameworks that rewire how you think about visibility, trust, and influence, especially in environments where attention is scarce but expectations are high. We don’t begin with formats or templates. We begin with goals, blind spots, and strategy. This program will challenge you to think, not just about what you’re writing, but why the world needs to hear it from you, and why certain channels will amplify or dilute your message. You’ll likely want a pen nearby, because what unfolds is not generic guidance, as is the case with all our programs. It's a method to uncover and shape your message with surgical intent, so that when you do speak, people listen. And when you write, the right people respond.
Episode title: What is your style

Insiders can move to Legacy anytime and back to Insider without losing Insider status. Email us at team@firmsconsulting.com so we can manually restore your Insider status when you move back to Insider (provided there are no gaps in subscription).

Ask Us a Question — Get Tailored Feedback

Legacy members are invited to submit one personal or professional question twice per month. We’ll respond with a custom answer recorded by a partner.

• Deadlines: Submit by the 15th and 30th of each month

• Format: One paragraph emailed to team@firmsconsulting.com

• Include: Context and details so we can provide tailored guidance for your unique situation

• Subject line: Legacy Question

Strategy Skills Podcast (top 5-10 for careers in many countries)

We’ve just released a new episode, now available on iTunes, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms.

Listen in and stay sharp.

Advisor to Microsoft, Google, and Hilton Executives Reveals How Leaders Create High-Performance Cultures Without Sacrificing Employee Joy - with Bree Groff

In this conversation with Bree Groff, author of "Today Was Fun" and who has advised executives at Microsoft, Google, Target, and Hilton through periods of organizational change, shares specific observations about leadership blind spots in large corporations and offers practical frameworks for creating workplace cultures that drive both performance and employee satisfaction.

Key Insights:

The Professional Conformity Trap: Large organizations often mistake formality for competence, creating environments where rigid presentation styles and corporate jargon become proxies for professionalism. This stifles the creativity and authenticity that both employees and customers actually seek. Organizations that are "unapologetically themselves" create magnetic appeal, as demonstrated by early Google's distinctive culture.

The Psychological Safety Framework: Effective leaders implement simple tools to humanize workplace interactions. The "check-in" method, where meeting participants rate their current state on a scale of one to five and briefly explain why, helps establish emotional safety that enables better performance.

The Micro-Change Strategy: Leaders create meaningful cultural shifts through "micro acts of mischief" and connection. These range from rearranging office furniture to facilitate collaboration, to sending brief acknowledgment messages to colleagues. Such small actions compound to create environments where creativity and engagement flourish.

The Joy-Performance Connection: Organizations that measure employee satisfaction with the same rigor they apply to productivity metrics discover that optimizing for workplace enjoyment simultaneously addresses communication gaps, decision-making delays, and other operational inefficiencies. As Groff explains, "to optimize for joy and fun means you're automatically optimizing for all of the other things that make a business successful."

Leadership Characteristics That Drive Culture Change: The most effective leaders demonstrate two key traits: they avoid taking themselves too seriously while thinking expansively about possibilities. Groff cites Melisa Goldie, former Chief Marketing Officer of Calvin Klein, who maintained perspective with phrases like "there's no such thing as a fashion emergency" while pursuing ambitious creative projects.

This discussion provides concrete tools for leaders seeking to create environments where high performance and genuine workplace satisfaction reinforce each other, drawn from real-world applications across major corporate environments.

Listen to the episode here (you can also watch or read the transcript).

Additionally, here are the recent releases on FIRMSconsulting / StrategyTraining.com / Kris Safarova YouTube Channels:

IT Strategy vs. Corporate Strategy: Microsoft - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Build Consulting Storyboards in 3 Weeks (This is How McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte Do It) - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Feel Comfortable on Camera - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

Management Consulting Storyboard | Storyboarding used by McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, PwC et al. - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

McKinsey’s Rise to Prominence Under Marvin Bower - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

The Systems Behind Sustained High Performance with ADHD - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

My first consulting engagement. Traveling internationally with the head of practice and another consultant, presenting to CEOs. Summer of 2007.

I Know What It Means To Start Again...
With Nothing But Your Will.

This is my fifth restart.
Not metaphorical. Not optional. 
Real-life ground zero. Again.

I started over 4 times before.
Across 3 continents.
Across what it feels like multiple lifetimes.

Each time, walking away from everything I knew and starting again from the ground zero.

People think starting over is brave.

It probably is.
But for me, starting over was the only choice.
Staying, that would be much harder.

I first learned to survive in Russia.
Not later. There.

By 4-5 years old, I already knew what it meant to carry someone you love, literally.
My grandmother carried my drunk grandfather on her back, and I walked beside her through the gloomy streets of Samara, making sure his feet didn’t get caught, and carrying her purse.
My grandmother didn’t allow me to help her lift him, but you wouldn’t accuse me of a lack of trying the entire time we walked home.

We lived in one half of a tiny house.
There was no shower. No hot water.
Just a hole in the backyard that was used as a toilet, with pieces of old free newspapers used as toilet paper.
Imagine going there when it is minus 40, windy, and dark outside.

And still, I was a happy child when I was with her.
Because my grandmother, Galina, loved me.
Unconditionally.

That’s what kids actually need.
They can go to bed hungry,
but they can’t go to bed deprived of love without significant consequences.

I went to bed deprived of love when I wasn't with her.
And if it wasn’t for her, I don’t know who I would be today.

She taught me that you don’t need much to be rich in spirit.
And that no matter how little we had, we had each other.

Life wasn't easy. I stood in long lines for hours to get one stick of margarine, and hoped they wouldn’t run out before my turn. But she was the light of my life.
After she died, I learned a different kind of survival.
The kind where you hide who you are to stay safe.

I changed my name.
I learned to be really quiet.
I literally could say nothing for hours.
I played the piano, taught piano, composed music, and sang at weddings and nightclubs, but never had enough for a taxi home.

Some nights, I didn’t know if I’d make it home at all.
Samara is not a safe place, especially once the sun is down.
But my job required me to return home when it is dark.
I crossed the street to avoid people, especially after I was attacked with a knife on the street, in daylight.

Still, I didn’t give up.
I started over again in a place where I didn’t speak the language.

I had no experience, no business skills, $1,000 of my life savings, and no recognized degree (my music institution wasn’t listed in the Western database).

I made money using all the skills I had:
teaching piano and Russian, doing translations, and working as a voice coach.
I learned to code and coded my first website. I then optimized it for search engines and students started finding me and booking lessons.

In parallel, I spent hours each day applying for every job I could find. After 8 months of applying daily, I finally received an offer: $500/month.
I had been rejected at first for being overqualified.
But the woman who accepted the job died tragically, and they offered the role to me.

I worked like it was my company.
I was the first person in and the last one out. Not just in the office of my company but in the entire office building. It was just me and security.
I cut manufacturing costs by 25% by renegotiating all contracts.
I created marketing catalogs.
I walked to the post office and carried heavy mail because I didn’t have a car.
Some days, I was absolutely starving because I just didn't make enough money to buy sufficient food.

When I wasn’t working, I was studying.
I translated every sentence, word by word, with a pencil in hand.
On top of it, I was still teaching. Still translating. 

Free time was something I understood… just not something I ever got to experience.

I didn’t have fun. I didn’t rest.
I just did what it took.
And it took a lot to work towards reaching the level of contribution, impact, and success I was aiming for.

Eventually, that hard work paid off.

I joined a large consulting firm.

And I earned accelerated promotions.
Because I made myself indispensable.
I solved complex problems. Took full ownership. Delivered.

After that, I pursued my MBA in Canada.
I used all the money I saved during consulting days to pay for it.
At one point, all I had left in my bank account was $76.
Here I was turning 30 and still not having money to buy food.
Why? Because I started over in a new country.
Again.
 

And this is what it took.

I graduated with distinction in every subject.
I refused to be average.
I gave it everything I had.

That opened more doors.
I entered banking and managed a portfolio worth over $1 billion. I was part of a corporate finance division and got promoted to Director within 6 months of joining.

And I never forgot what it felt like to count coins to buy bread.

Then I partnered with someone I deeply respect, and we built a company of our own.
Not with funding. Not with privilege.
With belief. With long hours. With everything we had.

I am very proud of what we accomplished within FIRMSconsulting over the last >15 years.
And I’ve given it everything.
Even when it took too much out of me.
And I will continue to do so.

I’m starting over again this year.

As you may know, in January, I got caught up in a natural disaster.
That day, I left my home and didn’t return.
Since then, I’ve been living out of a suitcase.

This 5th restart has been the hardest of all.

Because this time, I didn’t choose it.

A natural disaster is not something you prepare for.
You just survive it and try to keep going.

But payroll doesn’t pause because you don't have a home to go to.
You still have to deliver for your clients. 
You have to make sure neither your clients nor your business falls behind, given how the world is moving forward at a record speed.
Technology advancements will not pause while you try to rebuild your life.

So I kept moving.
And I’m still rebuilding, piece by piece.

So yes, I’ve started over five times now. I am in the process of rebuilding for the 5th time as we speak.
And here’s what I’ve learned:

Starting over is not the point.

The point is, if you can, build in the right place the first time.
Don’t waste your energy rebuilding over and over.

Most people can’t break out of their orbit even once, in the city where they were born.
Doing it more than once takes a toll on your health.
Doing it in another city is hard. Doing it in another country is brutal.

It drains your time, your energy. It impacts your health.
And it forces you to sacrifice things no one else sees.

And once you build something,
do everything to keep it.

That means choosing what you protect.
It means staying when staying is harder than running.
It means building slowly and not leaving the moment it gets hard.
It means not damaging your reputation, not becoming distracted when you get some success and think you have a luxury now to "be normal" and "live your life."

Because if you run every time it hurts…
If you try to "be normal" when "normal" does not correspond with the results you want, you will fall behind. You will start losing what you have built.
You will get older.
You lose your edge.
People will stop seeing you as the superstar you once were.
And you accumulate regrets.

If you’re in a place of starting again,
I know how hard it is.

But I also know how beautiful life becomes
when you choose to stay.
When you choose to build a worthwhile life.
When you decide not to dial back when it seems like you could coast for a while.

Don't lose momentum. It is very hard to regain it, and many people never regain it once they lose it.