Welcome to Business Excellence for Managers Podcast, where we explore ideas, strategies, and leaders shaping the future of business.

Today’s guest is John Rossman — a powerhouse in digital transformation, leadership, and operational strategy. John is best known for his pivotal role at Amazon, where he was instrumental in launching and scaling the Amazon Marketplace, one of the company’s most game-changing platforms.

He’s also served as a trusted advisor to global organizations like T-Mobile, helping leaders tackle complex challenges in an increasingly digital world. Beyond consulting, John is a keynote speaker, delivering insights on innovation and transformation to audiences worldwide.

He’s the bestselling author of four books, including The Amazon Way,Think Like Amazon, and his latest, Big Bet Leadership, where he lays out a practical playbook for making bold, high-impact decisions in times of change.

In our conversation, John unpacks what it means to lead in today’s hyper digital era—discussing the balance between innovation and operational excellence, the dangers of mediocrity in successful companies, and the mindset future leaders must adopt to thrive.

Get ready for a deep, stimulating dive with one of the sharpest minds in modern business, John Rossman.

Time stamps:

03:10 Introduction to John Rossman.

06:15 John's Journey and Amazon Experience.

09:00 Big Bet Leadership and Transformation Playbook.

12:00 Motivating Teams for Transformation.

13:25 The Importance of Clear Communication.

17:55 John’s Free E-book.

16:01 Operational Excellence and Lean Six Sigma.

22:00 Strengths and Weaknesses of Amazon.

24:25 The Role of Builders vs. Bureaucrats.

29:15 Raising the Leaders of Tomorrow.

35:00 Services Offered by John Rossman.

36:15 Defining Business Excellence.

John’s Books:

“The Amazon Way on IoT: 10 Principles for Every Leader from the World's Leading Internet of Things Strategies“

“Think Like Amazon: 50 1/2 Ideas to Become a Digital Leader“

“Big Bet Leadership: Your Transformation Playbook for Winning in the Hyper-Digital Era“

“The Amazon Way: Amazon's 14 Leadership Principles“

Free E-book: “The Pig, the Lipstick and the Playbook of Champions; How to Reclaim Your Business and Win” available on John’s website.

Where to find John Rossman:

Website: www.rossmanpartners.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-rossman/

Twitter: https://x.com/johnerossman

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rossmanpartners

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%2F%40johnrossman4914

Email: john@rossmanpartners.com

Where to find Juan and Wave Business Excellence Footprint:

Website Wave BEF: www.wave-bef.com

Website: Health, Happiness & Planet: https://www.wave-bef.com/health-happiness-planet

LinkedIn Juan Steigerwald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-eduardo-steigerwald-01710b1/

YouTube WAVE BEF: https://www.youtube.com/@wavebusinessexcellencefoot1034

Instagram: Health, Happiness & Planet: https://www.instagram.com/health_happiness_planet/

Feel free to contact Wave team at any time.

If the links are not clickable on your platform, please access them directly from our website at www.wave-bef.comunder the 'Podcasts' category.

Check out our courses for PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL GROWTH:

For Employees: https://www.wave-bef.com/courses-for-employees

For Managers: https://www.wave-bef.com/courses-for-managers

Are you struggling to get your team on board with change?

With constant change, we must manage transitions effectively while minimizing employee resistance. Whether implementing new standards, restructuring teams, or launching initiatives, change management techniques make the process smoother.

In this episode, I’ll walk you through five key elements of successful change management. You’ll also get a chance to self-evaluate and understand the risks of neglecting these principles.

This is a modified version of a previous discussion—let’s dive in!

Where to find Juan and Wave Business Excellence Footprint:

Wave Business Excellence Footprint - website

Juan Eduardo Steigerwald - LinkedIn

WAVE Business Excellence Footprint - LinkedIn

WAVE Business Excellence Footprint - YouTube

WAVE Business Excellence Footprint - Instagram

⁠Courses For Employees⁠

⁠Courses For Managers⁠

Feel free to contact Wave team at any time.

Have you ever wondered how to master the magic of creating empowered and happy organizations?

In today's episode I speak with Jack Skeels, a former RAND senior analyst, and currently CEO of AgencyAgile, an Agile transformation and coaching firm that helps agencies, consultancies, and other complex service organizations go better, faster, and happier.

His career includes leading Sapient’s 105-person Los Angeles office and founding and executive roles in multiple startups. He is a coach to executives, a thought-leader, and wakes every day driven to create a revolution in leadership and management practices, optimal organization design, and delivery excellence.

Jack shares his personal journey, underscoring the pivotal moments that shaped his understanding of effective management practices. Highlighting the importance of supporting weaker employees, Jack stresses the significance of promoting a positive work environment to drive organizational growth and employee satisfaction.

He discusses the substantial impact of employee happiness on overall organizational performance, shedding light on its often underestimated significance.

Concluding the conversation, Jack shares insights into the skills and traits essential for effective management, touching upon the concept of situational leadership.

Join us as we share the secrets to creating empowered and happy organizations with Jack Skeels, a thought leader and advocate for revolutionizing leadership and management practices.

Timestamps:

[03:10] Jack Skeels' Journey and Passion.

[09:53] “Unmanaged – Master the Magic of Creating Empowered and Happy Organizations.” Summary of the Book.

[12:35] The Importance of Developing Weaker Employees.

[16:05] Measuring Employee Happiness.

[20:52] Root Causes of Ineffective Managers.

[27:05] The Hidden Cost of Project Contagion.

[30:03] The Importance of Celebrating Project Endings.

[32:30] The Concept of Productive Flow.

[34:45] Addressing the Meeting Culture.

[41:33] Key Challenges and Opportunities Faced by Leaders Today.

[43:10] The Layer Cake Organization.

[48:05] What Makes a Good Manager.

[50:53] Managing by Method.

[53:30] Actionable Advice for Managers.

[55:18] Situational Leadership.

[58:00] Services Offered by Jack and Where to Find Him.

Books mentioned in the podcast:

Henry Mintzberg “Managers Not MBAs”.

Edgar Schein “Humble Inquiry”.

If the links are not clickable on your platform, please access them directly from our website at www.wave-bef.com under the 'Podcasts' category.

Where to find Jack Skeels:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackaskeels/

Website: https://agencyagile.com/

Book: Jack Skeels “Unmanaged: Master the Magic of Creating Empowered and Happy Organizations”

Where to find WAVE-Business Excellence Footprint:

Website: www.wave-bef.com

LinkedIn Juan Steigerwald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-eduardo-steigerwald-01710b1/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wavebusinessexcellencefoo 1034

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wave.bef/

Check out the Lean Six Sigma for Managers (LSSfM) Course in this 1.5 minute video

Feel free to contact Wave team at any time.

Check out our courses for PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL GROWTH:

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For Employees: https://www.wave-bef.com/courses-for-employees

For Managers: https://www.wave-bef.com/courses-for-manage

Have you ever wondered about the profound connection between achieving business excellence and ensuring environmental sustainability? Well, today's episode is all about that connection.

We speak about the importance of sustainability in business, particularly for small businesses, sharing a success story of a local coffee shop.

Joining us is a prominent guest, Kumar Vijayendra, an accomplished author and speaker recognized for his expertise in Sustainable Operations Management. With an international perspective and nearly two decades of experience in driving operational excellence, Kumar is on a mission to guide businesses towards strategies grounded in the 4Ps of Sustainability - People, Planet, Profit, and Purpose.

Kumar's thought-provoking articles have been featured in leading trade journals and respected research publications. His newly released book, "The Sustainable Entrepreneur", provides invaluable insights on leveraging sustainability for enhanced environmental impact and profitability.

As President of Footsteps and serving on various boards, Kumar's expertise is recognized across industries. He has been invited as a member of the Forbes Business Council in recognition of his thought leadership and contribution to small business sustainability.

Kumar holds an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh with a certification in Sustainability. He is a certified Six Sigma Green belt, a Certified Scrum Master, and a certified executive coach.

I am thrilled to introduce you to my amazing guest, Kumar :-)

Timestamps:

[03:50] Kumar’s Journey Highlights and Discovering and Nurturing His Passion.

[08:45] A dive Into Kumar’s Recently Published Book, "The Sustainable Entrepreneur."

[15:20] The Four Ps: People, Planet, Profit, and Purpose.

[22:15] Attracting People Resonating with Your Purpose and Objectives.

[24:40] Small Business Challenges.

[27:45] Inspiring Success Story from a Community Oriented Local Coffee Shop.

[34:103] Kumar's Services and Contact Information.

If the links are not clickable on your platform, please access them directly from our website at www.wave-bef.com under the 'Podcasts' category.

Where to find Kumar Vijayendra:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Kumar-Vijayendra/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamkumar_v/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090709182026

Website: https://iamkumarv.com/

Book: Amazon.com: The Sustainable Entrepreneur: How to Build a Profitable Business and Save the Planet eBook : Vijayendra, Kumar : Kindle Store

Where to find WAVE-Business Excellence Footprint: Website: www.wave-bef.com

LinkedIn Juan Steigerwald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-eduardo-steigerwald-01710b1/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wavebusinessexcellencefoot1034

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wave.bef/

Feel free to contact Wave team at any time.

If the links are not clickable on your platform, please access them directly from our website at www.wave-bef.com under the 'Podcasts' category.

Check out our courses for PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL GROWTH:

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For Employees: https://www.wave-bef.com/courses-for-employees

For Managers: https://www.wave-bef.com/courses-for-managers

In today's episode, we explore the power of networking for achieving career goals.

Our guest, Matt Sitter, who lives in San Francisco, is the CEO of AFN (Advantage Foundry Network), which is a global CEO Network dedicated to finding opportunity in change. In this role, Matt enables the collective and diverse wisdom of AFN’s membership to help Leaders deal with challenges, from dealing with their board to aligning their teams to driving their products into new markets.

He eagerly embraces his vocation, building great relationships, teams, organizations, and networks. He is also the Founder and Principal of Kinetic Path, offering executive coaching, leadership development programs, and analysis of team effectiveness.

Matt has created tools for communication assessment, leader prioritization, and meeting optimization, advising leaders across diverse industries such as Technology, Private Equity, Hedge Funds, Defense, Real Estate, Healthcare, and more.

With a background in optimizing performance as a senior leader at organizations like the McChrystal Group, Matt's philosophy is shaped by collaborations with industry leaders, the military, and the public sector.

I am thrilled to introduce you to this amazing guest, Matt :-)

Timestamps:

[02:23] Explore our guest's business trajectory and passion.

[05:15] Delve into the role of networking for managerial and senior leaders' business success.

[08:05] The significance of growing and nurturing managers' networks.

[12:10] Qualities of an outstanding networker.

[14:50] A well-known figure with exceptional networking skills.

[16:30] About AFN (Advantage Foundry Network) and its offerings.

[20:40] Insights on what CEOs worldwide are sharing about their current challenges today.

[22:13] Actionable tools and techniques for managers post podcast.

[26:08] Where to connect with Matt.

If the links are not clickable on your platform, please access them directly from our website at www.wave-bef.com under the 'Podcasts' category.

Where to find Matt Sitter:

Matt Sitter - Twitter

Advantage Foundry Network - Website

Kinetic Path LLC (thekineticpath.com) - Website

Matt Sitter - LinkedIn

Recommended courses:

Courses For Employees

Courses For Managers

Check out the Lean Six Sigma for Managers (LSSfM) Course in this 1.5 minute video

Where to find Wave Business Excellence Footprint:

Juan Eduardo Steigerwald - LinkedIn

Wave Business Excellence Footprint - Website

WAVE Business Excellence Footprint - YouTube

WAVE Business Excellence Footprint - Instagram

Feel free to contact Wave team at any time.

In today's episode we are going to speak about optimizing leadership skills, company culture and boosting “Mojovation”, which is a word used frequently by Joe Apfelbaum.

I have the pleasure of introducing you to Joe. He is the CEO and founder of Ajax Union, a B2B digital marketing agency in Brooklyn, NY. He’s a business strategist, LinkedIn expert, and Certified Google Trainer.

He enjoys speaking and writing about digital marketing, professional networking, and personal development in his seminars, webinars, and articles.

Joe is an author of various books. He has built several multi million dollar businesses. I am personally inspired by Joe’s high energy and positivity.

He is on a mission to help 1,000 hungry entrepreneurs go from frustration to ‘Mojovation’ via his online courses, books, and speaking engagements.

I am thrilled to introduce you to my amazing guest, Joe.

Timestamps:

[02:40] Joe’s path to passion.

[05:35] “Mojovation”: a deep dive into joe Apfelbaum's motivational world.

[07:52] Joe’s insights on traits of a good leader.

[10:15] Skillful leadership: Joe’s personal journey of growth.

[12:10] Joe on identifying and nurturing team leaders.

[14:45] Cultivating company culture.

[18:15] Joe shares insights on modern leadership challenges.

[19:40] Joe Apfelbaum’s do's and don'ts of strengthening your brand.

[22:40] Author spotlight: exploring Joe’s books on leadership and growth.

[26:40] Joe’s services and where to find him.

If the links are not clickable on your platform, please access them directly from our website at www.wave-bef.com under the 'Podcasts' category.

Where to find Joe Apfelbaum, his products and services:

Joe Apfelbaum - Instagram

Ajaxunion.com - Website

Joe Apfelbaum - Website

EvyAI - Website

Evyrgreen - Website

Joe Apfelbaum - LinkedIn

Evyrgreen Networking: Overview - LinkedIn

Joe Apfelbaum - Twitter

Joe Apfelbaum - Facebook

Recommended WAVE courses:

Courses For Employees

Courses For Managers

Check out the Lean Six Sigma for Managers (LSSfM) Course in this 1.5 minute video

Where to find WAVE-Business Excellence Footprint:

Juan Eduardo Steigerwald - LinkedIn

Wave Business Excellence Footprint - website

WAVE Business Excellence Footprint - LinkedIn

WAVE Business Excellence Footprint - YouTube

WAVE Business Excellence Footprint - Instagram

Feel free to contact Wave team at any time.