CSOsandbox: Corporate Strategy and Operations

In this episode we explore how Enterprise Strategic Performance Management (ESPM) is transforming the role of the most trusted adviser to the CEO, the CFO’, from financial overseer to strategic leader. As organisations face increasing complexity and ambiguity, CFOs are stepping into the role of Strategy Navigators—guiding corporate strategy with data-driven insight, cross-functional alignment, and a renewed focus on long-term value creation. Tune in to explore how this shift is reshaping strategic thinking across the enterprise. 

CSOsandbox is a podcast for chief strategy officers, CEOs, CFOs, COOs and senior executives on how organisations build the intelligence and judgement to make better strategic decisions.

PHSANDL Podcast page: https://www.phsandl.com/listen

Each episode examines how strategy is actually made and remade in practice: reading market and competitive signals, testing assumptions, thinking seriously about the future without pretending to predict it, and turning analysis into commitments people can act on. Recurring themes include strategy execution, strategic planning, scenario thinking, decision rights, operating-model design, organisational learning and the use of AI in strategic analysis.

The focus is practical rather than theoretical: better strategic conversations, stronger judgement, clearer commitments, and the capacity to renew before circumstances force it.

Hosted by Dr Peter Hunter — author of The Seven Inconvenient Truths of Strategy and Corporate Strategy (Remastered), Volumes 1 and 2 (Routledge), co-author of The Corporation of the Future, former PwC partner, and founder of PH Strategy and Leadership.

For executives working where strategic outlook meets operating reality.

 In Australia’s tightly held markets, competition isn’t about slashing prices, it’s about strategic orchestration. “The Duopoly Diaries” unpacks how dominant players in sectors like groceries, construction, and aviation build enduring advantage through non-price strategies: loyalty ecosystems, automation, branding, and control of scarce assets. Drawing on real-world case studies and ACCC investigations, this podcast explores how firms like Woolworths, Coles, Boral, and Qantas strengthen their market presence through alignment across market positioning, strategic assets, differentiating activities, and performance improvements. For strategists, policymakers, and curious listeners alike, this series reveals the hidden mechanics of market dominance in Australia’s most concentrated industries. 

CSOsandbox is a podcast for chief strategy officers, CEOs, CFOs, COOs and senior executives on how organisations build the intelligence and judgement to make better strategic decisions.

PHSANDL Podcast page: https://www.phsandl.com/listen

Each episode examines how strategy is actually made and remade in practice: reading market and competitive signals, testing assumptions, thinking seriously about the future without pretending to predict it, and turning analysis into commitments people can act on. Recurring themes include strategy execution, strategic planning, scenario thinking, decision rights, operating-model design, organisational learning and the use of AI in strategic analysis.

The focus is practical rather than theoretical: better strategic conversations, stronger judgement, clearer commitments, and the capacity to renew before circumstances force it.

Hosted by Dr Peter Hunter — author of The Seven Inconvenient Truths of Strategy and Corporate Strategy (Remastered), Volumes 1 and 2 (Routledge), co-author of The Corporation of the Future, former PwC partner, and founder of PH Strategy and Leadership.

For executives working where strategic outlook meets operating reality.

In the continuation of our exposé into the roll of the CFO we provide in this video insight into the notion of Enterprise Strategic Performance Management (ESPM). The format of EPSM is an enhancement of, and addition to a more widely recognise Enterprise Performance Management philosophy and methodology.  Initially the conversation draws a contrast between static strategic planning and the concept of Third Wave Strategy. More importantly however it describes the means by which an EPM based EPSM can contribute to an organisation becoming a Hyper, High-Performance organisation. 

Rationale is provided to support this view of performance reporting. Empirical research has shown that Hyper, High-Performance organisations realise a 10% increase in revenue, a 29% increase in profit and a 23% increase in shareholder returns. Of course, Third Wave Strategy is concerned with shareholder and stakeholder outcomes - ultimately, as you will learn, the desired outcomes and focus will be a direct result of the targets set by each board and each leadership team of each corporation. Whichever orientation you support, you will find ESPM will take you a long way towards finding the right strategy, and approach to implementation that suits you.

This podcast is published as a supplement to the coursework on corporate strategy that provides insight into Third Wave Strategy - as a system. An overview to the coursework, the Corporate Strategy Master Class program and subscription details can be found here: https://www.csosandbox.com/buy-online-strategic-management-courses-here.

Content for our publications is provided by the the Strategic Management Institute (www.smiknowledge.com), the research arm of PH Strategy and Leadership (www.phsandl.com) management consultants. Another associated web site is PHSANDL's strategy simulation tool, the Chief Strategy Officer (CSOsandbox) www.csosandbox.com.

More video based podcasts (Video Bites) can be found on YouTube CSOsandbox: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwW1QK_4P31MtXyYGmJOyUg

The traditional role of the CFO is undergoing a transformation, as suggested in this thought-provoking podcast. The narrative challenges conventional notions by advocating for a paradigm shift in the CFO's responsibilities. Interestingly, this evolution leverages existing resources within CFO teams, particularly the Management Accountants, who are facing technological disruptions of their own. Rather than rendering them obsolete, the podcast highlights how these professionals can embrace a more forward-thinking approach, focusing on future strategies rather than past practices.

Central to this reimagined CFO role is the adoption of a strategic system known as Third Wave Strategy, as introduced in the book series "Corporate Strategy (Remastered) Vols. I and II" and explained in the Corporate Strategy Master Class online coursework. It explains how a Third Wave Strategy empowers CFOs to oversee a holistic strategy system, moving beyond traditional functional duties. Importantly, this shift does not diminish the role of the Chief Strategy Officer in shaping corporate strategies; instead, it redefines the CFO's strategic involvement. For a comprehensive understanding of this innovative perspective, the podcast delves deeper into the dynamics of this strategic evolution. 

CSOsandbox is a podcast for chief strategy officers, CEOs, CFOs, COOs and senior executives on how organisations build the intelligence and judgement to make better strategic decisions.

PHSANDL Podcast page: https://www.phsandl.com/listen

Each episode examines how strategy is actually made and remade in practice: reading market and competitive signals, testing assumptions, thinking seriously about the future without pretending to predict it, and turning analysis into commitments people can act on. Recurring themes include strategy execution, strategic planning, scenario thinking, decision rights, operating-model design, organisational learning and the use of AI in strategic analysis.

The focus is practical rather than theoretical: better strategic conversations, stronger judgement, clearer commitments, and the capacity to renew before circumstances force it.

Hosted by Dr Peter Hunter — author of The Seven Inconvenient Truths of Strategy and Corporate Strategy (Remastered), Volumes 1 and 2 (Routledge), co-author of The Corporation of the Future, former PwC partner, and founder of PH Strategy and Leadership.

For executives working where strategic outlook meets operating reality.

Jaguar is in the process of the developing a new car named Type 00, coupled with a new production platform oh, and by the way, aligned with a reinvention of the company itself - Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). In the promotion of this new car Jaguar has attracted the wrath of many, the support of few. In this podcast we look for, and find a deeper purpose in the advertisement. At the end of the day its meaning goes right to the heart of two alternatives - should we close the Jaguar business altogether, or should we fight. The JLR board chose the latter and demonstrated their support by signing off with a GBP 15 Billion, 5 year investment. That decision required JLR to close two production plants for at least half of that time. 

This video provides insight into the strategic thinking behind the decision, the exploration of the topic aims to answer the primary question "Can Jaguar deliver the intended outcomes from the somewhat vague promise made in the ad?" For those who have no seen the ad, a 30 second version can be viewed on You Tube here: https://youtu.be/rLtFIrqhfng?si=uDjFLujS5JyXzT42 .

CSOsandbox is a podcast for chief strategy officers, CEOs, CFOs, COOs and senior executives on how organisations build the intelligence and judgement to make better strategic decisions.

PHSANDL Podcast page: https://www.phsandl.com/listen

Each episode examines how strategy is actually made and remade in practice: reading market and competitive signals, testing assumptions, thinking seriously about the future without pretending to predict it, and turning analysis into commitments people can act on. Recurring themes include strategy execution, strategic planning, scenario thinking, decision rights, operating-model design, organisational learning and the use of AI in strategic analysis.

The focus is practical rather than theoretical: better strategic conversations, stronger judgement, clearer commitments, and the capacity to renew before circumstances force it.

Hosted by Dr Peter Hunter — author of The Seven Inconvenient Truths of Strategy and Corporate Strategy (Remastered), Volumes 1 and 2 (Routledge), co-author of The Corporation of the Future, former PwC partner, and founder of PH Strategy and Leadership.

For executives working where strategic outlook meets operating reality.

Listen to an insightful exploration of the innovative strategies employed by Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz, as we analyze his approach through the lens of the Strategic Management Institute's Third Wave Strategy. Discover how Kreiz not only implemented conventional restructuring for performance improvement but also revitalized Mattel, transforming it from a traditional toy manufacturer into a dynamic player in the multifaceted media industry.

Following his appointment, many analysts viewed Matell as not much more than a struggling participant in the toy industry. Barbie was seen as nothing more than a tired doll, but Kreiz had a vision that went far beyond that. This video provides insight into his groundbreaking ideas and the strategic shifts that have redefined the brand's identity and market presence.

Ready to dive deeper? Register for our online course to gain exclusive insights and strategies that can elevate your own business approach.

For more resources, visit the SMI's CSOsandbox website by scanning the QR code in the video.

Stay tuned for more engaging content by subscribing to our YouTube channel, CSOsandbox (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwW1QK_4P31MtXyYGmJOyUg), for video versions of these podcasts and more insights!

CSOsandbox is a podcast for chief strategy officers, CEOs, CFOs, COOs and senior executives on how organisations build the intelligence and judgement to make better strategic decisions.

PHSANDL Podcast page: https://www.phsandl.com/listen

Each episode examines how strategy is actually made and remade in practice: reading market and competitive signals, testing assumptions, thinking seriously about the future without pretending to predict it, and turning analysis into commitments people can act on. Recurring themes include strategy execution, strategic planning, scenario thinking, decision rights, operating-model design, organisational learning and the use of AI in strategic analysis.

The focus is practical rather than theoretical: better strategic conversations, stronger judgement, clearer commitments, and the capacity to renew before circumstances force it.

Hosted by Dr Peter Hunter — author of The Seven Inconvenient Truths of Strategy and Corporate Strategy (Remastered), Volumes 1 and 2 (Routledge), co-author of The Corporation of the Future, former PwC partner, and founder of PH Strategy and Leadership.

For executives working where strategic outlook meets operating reality.

While advances in technology continue to evolve other global forces have entered the equation (geo political unrest, climate, consequences of Covid) more recently. Nearly all have contributed to a loss of equilibrium in global markets and by definition, corporate performance. 

In this video I apply a brief history of Telstra to highlight the difference between a prosponsive program of transformation against the immediacy of a responsive adaptation; undertaken in the form of restructuring. My objective is to demonstrate the means to manage both at one time (ambidextrous strategic change); and to demonstrated that while the immediacy of restructuring is an imperative, a longer term solution (transformation) is desirable. The question is: "Is one more important than the other? ... and, does it matter?

CSOsandbox is a podcast for chief strategy officers, CEOs, CFOs, COOs and senior executives on how organisations build the intelligence and judgement to make better strategic decisions.

PHSANDL Podcast page: https://www.phsandl.com/listen

Each episode examines how strategy is actually made and remade in practice: reading market and competitive signals, testing assumptions, thinking seriously about the future without pretending to predict it, and turning analysis into commitments people can act on. Recurring themes include strategy execution, strategic planning, scenario thinking, decision rights, operating-model design, organisational learning and the use of AI in strategic analysis.

The focus is practical rather than theoretical: better strategic conversations, stronger judgement, clearer commitments, and the capacity to renew before circumstances force it.

Hosted by Dr Peter Hunter — author of The Seven Inconvenient Truths of Strategy and Corporate Strategy (Remastered), Volumes 1 and 2 (Routledge), co-author of The Corporation of the Future, former PwC partner, and founder of PH Strategy and Leadership.

For executives working where strategic outlook meets operating reality.

An overview of Organisational Learning as an Eco System - a support commentary to the webinar posted separately. In this podcast specific elements of organisational learning are discussed. the main message however is:

1.       We make a distinction between individual and organisational learning. When Peter Senge talking about systems thinking as the only form of sustainable competitive advantage for example: 

•  it wasn’t about how many MBA’s a corporation employs, rather 
• it was about ways the collective decision makers in a corporation could collaborate to build a momentum to allow a corporation to survive.

2.       Because of that, it is our view that the derived synergies from such a collaboration learning suggest that one can only thrive when closely engaged with the other to the extent that strategy could become a part of an organisational learning function, and

3.       That collaboration could then provide the knowledge and momentum for corporations to continually transform and renew. That is a fundamental and essential component of an organisations capacity to thrive.

Please enjoy

CSOsandbox is a podcast for chief strategy officers, CEOs, CFOs, COOs and senior executives on how organisations build the intelligence and judgement to make better strategic decisions.

PHSANDL Podcast page: https://www.phsandl.com/listen

Each episode examines how strategy is actually made and remade in practice: reading market and competitive signals, testing assumptions, thinking seriously about the future without pretending to predict it, and turning analysis into commitments people can act on. Recurring themes include strategy execution, strategic planning, scenario thinking, decision rights, operating-model design, organisational learning and the use of AI in strategic analysis.

The focus is practical rather than theoretical: better strategic conversations, stronger judgement, clearer commitments, and the capacity to renew before circumstances force it.

Hosted by Dr Peter Hunter — author of The Seven Inconvenient Truths of Strategy and Corporate Strategy (Remastered), Volumes 1 and 2 (Routledge), co-author of The Corporation of the Future, former PwC partner, and founder of PH Strategy and Leadership.

For executives working where strategic outlook meets operating reality.

A taste of what is covered in the webinar with the same name uploaded separately.

CSOsandbox is a podcast for chief strategy officers, CEOs, CFOs, COOs and senior executives on how organisations build the intelligence and judgement to make better strategic decisions.

PHSANDL Podcast page: https://www.phsandl.com/listen

Each episode examines how strategy is actually made and remade in practice: reading market and competitive signals, testing assumptions, thinking seriously about the future without pretending to predict it, and turning analysis into commitments people can act on. Recurring themes include strategy execution, strategic planning, scenario thinking, decision rights, operating-model design, organisational learning and the use of AI in strategic analysis.

The focus is practical rather than theoretical: better strategic conversations, stronger judgement, clearer commitments, and the capacity to renew before circumstances force it.

Hosted by Dr Peter Hunter — author of The Seven Inconvenient Truths of Strategy and Corporate Strategy (Remastered), Volumes 1 and 2 (Routledge), co-author of The Corporation of the Future, former PwC partner, and founder of PH Strategy and Leadership.

For executives working where strategic outlook meets operating reality.

In this era of great volatility, Third Wave Strategy provides a strategic management platform that enables the integration, alignment and systemisation of all forms of strategy practice. It is characterised by a systemic and integrated approach to its construct, a dynamic application of its practice and the use of deep, critical, dextrous strategic thinking in its enactment.
The video can be viewed on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwW1QK_4P31MtXyYGmJOyUg

CSOsandbox is a podcast for chief strategy officers, CEOs, CFOs, COOs and senior executives on how organisations build the intelligence and judgement to make better strategic decisions.

PHSANDL Podcast page: https://www.phsandl.com/listen

Each episode examines how strategy is actually made and remade in practice: reading market and competitive signals, testing assumptions, thinking seriously about the future without pretending to predict it, and turning analysis into commitments people can act on. Recurring themes include strategy execution, strategic planning, scenario thinking, decision rights, operating-model design, organisational learning and the use of AI in strategic analysis.

The focus is practical rather than theoretical: better strategic conversations, stronger judgement, clearer commitments, and the capacity to renew before circumstances force it.

Hosted by Dr Peter Hunter — author of The Seven Inconvenient Truths of Strategy and Corporate Strategy (Remastered), Volumes 1 and 2 (Routledge), co-author of The Corporation of the Future, former PwC partner, and founder of PH Strategy and Leadership.

For executives working where strategic outlook meets operating reality.