Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL

By Justin McMenamyBusiness Management

Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL episodes

April 03, 2025 Skunk Works II: The Tyranny of Alignment
In this episode of 'Grody and UnPrOfEsSiOnAL' Justin McMenamy delves into how principles from rocket science can inform organizational architecture, particularly in disruptive startup environments. Using Kelly Johnson's 14 Rules of Management from Lockheed Martin's Skunkworks, McMenemy emphasizes the importance of organizational elasticity, embedded project management, and the value of small teams consisting of highly competent individuals as building blocks for effective teams. He then contrasts this approach with traditional metric-driven corporate methodologies. McMenemy shares personal experiences from his tenure at Precision Planting to illustrate these points, emphasizing the need for trust, cooperation, and a bureaucratic aversion in driving disruptive innovation.
34 min
March 20, 2025 The Trade w. Lon Stroschein
In this episode of "Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL" Justin McMenamy interviews Lon Stroschein, a former corporate executive who transitioned to writing and coaching after a pivotal season in his life. Lon shares his journey from feeling unfulfilled despite a successful career to finding purpose through helping others. Topics discussed include the emotional struggles of mid-career, the importance of finding one's voice, and balancing professional and personal life. Lon also recounts a poignant story about his daughter Grace, highlighting the need to be present for family amidst career pressures. The conversation emphasizes the value high performing employees place on autonomy and purpose over monetary success and provides insights for both employees and employers on creating fulfilling work environments.
1 hr 2 min
March 06, 2025 Skunk Works I: The Black Sheep of the Blue Chip
In this episode of ‘Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL’, Justin McMenamy kicks off a seven-episode mini-series focused on his experiences as a curator of a market disruptive technology division housed within a Fortune 500 company. Each episode in the series is built from the framework of Kelly Johnson’s 14 Rules of Management. This list, authored in 1954, is the cultural charter document for Skunk Works, the Advanced Development Programs division of Lockheed Martin and the designers of products like the SR71 Blackbird, the U2 spy plane, and the F-35 Lightning.

In the first episode of the series, McMenamy recounts early career disillusionment with corporate bureaucracy which led him to join Precision Planting, a start-up minded company with an anti-bureaucratic ethos. In light of Precision Planting being acquired by Monsanto in 2012 and later by AGCO in 2017, McMenemy explores the challenges of maintaining a startup culture within a large corporation. Building from Kelly Johnson's 1st rule of management, McMenamy highlights the significance of executive support for organizational autonomy from the broader company.

Across the arc of this series, McMenamy focuses on the complexities of sustaining an innovative culture within incumbent companies, along with proven techniques an organization can employ to forestall the logical and rational march into bureaucracy.
29 min
February 20, 2025 Leading with Authenticity w. Juan Roncoroni
In this episode of Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL, Justin McMenamy discusses leadership lessons with his friend and colleague, Juan Roncoroni. The conversation covers topics like authenticity, transparency, balancing chaos with structure, and the importance of personal relationships in leadership. Roncoroni shares amusing anecdotes, such as accidentally filling a gasoline rental car with diesel while on a business trip and the plights of snoring while sharing a hotel room with co-workers. The conversation also dives into Roncoroni's career transition from a large international corporation to the startup culture of Precision Planting. Additionally, they explore cultural nuances in leadership styles across different regions considering Roncoroni’s recent transition from South America to Europe. Amidst humor, the episode underscores the significance of empathy, flexibility, and genuine personal connections in effective leadership.
54 min
February 06, 2025 The Employee Opinion Survey
In this episode of 'Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL,' Justin McMenamy critiques the modern employee opinion survey by questioning the effectiveness of employing broadbrush survey results and anonymous free text feedback to gauge employee morale. McMenamy points out that such surveys often fall short of their aim due to participation coercion, the psychology of anonymous comments, and leadership's creativity in results interpretation. He argues for the need for face-to-face feedback and open communication as a replacement for the employee opinion survey.

“The Modern Employee Opinion Survey promotes a culture of secrecy and gossip, which is nothing but a hindrance to teamwork, candor, and rapid movement towards a goal. I have always believed that information flows fastest along relationship lines. The modern employee opinion survey largely acts as a relationship blocker between leaders and their organizations.”
43 min
January 23, 2025 Autonomy, Accountability & Agri-Marketing w. Bryce Baker
In this episode of 'Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL,' Justin McMenamy discusses leadership lessons with Bryce Baker, focusing on distinguishing principle from preference and integrating insights from different domains into your leadership approach. Bryce shares his journey from field sales representative to marketing manager at Precision Planting, emphasizing the importance of sales and marketing synergy along with the pros and cons of tailored marketing. The conversation also delves into the balance between autonomy and centralized control in decision-making, using an NFL quarterback analogy to illustrate the concept of 'loosely coupled' organizations. Additionally, they explore the significance of intelligent failure in fostering a culture that encourages innovation and learning. The conversation wraps up with reflections on the transition from leading individual contributors to leading leaders, highlighting the importance of humility, communication, and continuous learning.
56 min
January 09, 2025 A Bitter Brew
Justin McMenamy, host of Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL, shares his experience as a design engineer in a highly regulated and complacent company within the diesel engine industry. He discusses the aristocratic leadership style that stifled creativity, fostered fear, and led to a toxic workplace environment. Through personal stories and reflections, he details how this environment fostered bitterness among employees and led to significant mental strain, even hospitalizations. McMenamy offers insights on recognizing toxic corporate cultures, the importance of mentorship, and steps he took towards overcoming bitterness, emphasizing the need for proactive self-care and strategic career decisions.
41 min
December 26, 2024 Coconuts, Peaches & the Packers w. Benoît Blateyron
In this episode of 'Grody and UnPrOfEsSiOnAL,' host Justin McMenamy is joined by longtime friend and colleague Benoit Blateyron. Across the conversation, they discuss international business expansion, adapting strategies to different cultures, the significance of cultural understanding in team dynamics, and experiences working with diverse teams in Europe. The conversation delves into personal anecdotes, such as the impact of cultural practices like 'fika' and 'sauna' in Swedish work culture. The episode culminates in discussions on resilience and human-centric leadership amid challenges like the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The dialogue is peppered with humor and personal stories, making complex leadership and cultural concepts relatable and engaging.
53 min
December 12, 2024 Sabbatical
Justin McMenamy, the host of Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL, shares his journey of stepping down from a VP role at Precision Planting, part of a Fortune 500 company. He details his decision to take a season of unpaid leave in search of personal balance, and re-prioritization. McMenamy explains his career path from engineering to leadership, the evolving demands on leaders within growing businesses, and the challenges of balancing organizational growth with personal well-being. He uses the analogy of Generals Eisenhower and Patton to illustrate the need for different leadership styles at different organizational stages. Ultimately, his decision to step down was in search of prioritizing his health, family, and passions in this season.
28 min
November 28, 2024 High-Energy Humility w. Matt Morgan
In this episode of 'Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL' Justin McMenamy interviews Matt Morgan about leadership experiences accumulated across his wide ranging career. They discuss Matt's journey from joining Precision Planting, including a mishap with a security gate, to his hands-on leadership style likened to a submarine captain. Matt emphasizes the importance of leading from within the challenge and being present with the team, even in difficult environments. They also explore Matt's transition to a new industry and his approach to gaining credibility in a new organization. Additionally, Matt shares insights from his time leading in Argentina, including experiencing the importance of balancing action with relationship-building. The conversation also touches on Matt's pastoral leadership experience and the distinct challenges of leading in nonprofit contexts, highlighting the need for humility and adaptability across different environments.
55 min

About Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL

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Hello and welcome to Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL, my name is Justin McMenamy, and my mission is to share both profitable and painful leadership lessons I have acquired over a twenty-year career as a…