What if the biggest mistake leadership teams are making with AI isn’t about the technology at all?

In this episode of the Strategy & Leadership Podcast, Anthony Taylor speaks with Jeroen De Flander, international expert in AI Strategy and Strategy Execution, keynote speaker, and co-founder of The Performance Factory.

Jeroen has worked with more than 500 companies worldwide and has spent decades helping organizations close the gap between strategy and execution. In this conversation, he breaks down a simple but powerful framework for thinking about AI inside your organization: Augment, Automate, Aspire.

Anthony and Jeroen explore why most leadership teams are still focused on the wrong level of AI adoption, how strategy is ultimately about making clear choices, including what not to do, and why delegating AI decisions to IT is one of the biggest risks in today’s boardrooms.

They also discuss how AI should be treated as a strategic capability, not just a tool, how leaders can use it to improve processes and create new value for customers, and why the real opportunity lies in rethinking business models entirely.

• Why strategy is fundamentally about making clear choices that last
• The importance of defining what your organization will not do
• Jeroen’s 3 A framework: Augment, Automate, Aspire
• Why most companies are stuck at the lowest level of AI adoption
• How AI can improve both internal processes and customer value
• Why leadership teams must own AI strategy instead of delegating it
• How AI is reshaping business models and long-term competitive advantage

Jeroen De Flander is an international expert in AI Strategy and Strategy Execution, and a keynote speaker who has inspired audiences in more than 45 countries.

He is a professor at TIAS School for Business and Society and Academic Director for both the Strategy Execution Master and the AI Strategy Program. Jeroen is the bestselling author of several books, including Strategy Execution Heroes, The Execution Shortcut, and The Art of Performance, and creator of The 8 Model.

As co-founder of The Performance Factory, he supports organizations in developing practical AI strategies and achieving stronger execution results. He has worked with more than 500 companies worldwide and contributes to the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council.

His current work focuses on how AI reshapes strategic thinking and execution inside organizations.

Connect with Jeroen:
Website: https://www.jeroen-de-flander.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeroendeflander/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jeroendeflander1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeroendeflander/
X: https://x.com/JeroenDeFlander

The Strategy & Leadership Podcast is hosted by Anthony Taylor, a strategic advisor who works with mid-market leadership teams ($30M–$300M) across North America.

For more than 15 years, Anthony has been in the room with leadership teams navigating growth, transitions, and the alignment challenges that come with scaling complex organizations.

On this show, he interviews CEOs, founders, and senior leaders about what actually works when strategy has to survive execution.

If you lead a team and want to get better at it, subscribe.

Download the Strategic Alignment Toolkit
https://www.smestrategy.net/toolkit

Book a Strategic Alignment Review
https://www.smestrategy.net/contact

Learn more about SME Strategy
https://www.smestrategy.net

Connect with Anthony Taylor on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/

https://www.rednyne.com

What happens when success itself starts pulling your company away from its mission?

In this episode of the Strategy & Leadership Podcast, Anthony Taylor speaks with Eric Ries, entrepreneur and author of Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad… and How Great Companies Stay Great.

Eric is best known for The Lean Startup, a book that reshaped how modern companies are built. In this conversation, he expands on that foundation and challenges one of the most deeply held assumptions in business: that corruption and failure are the result of bad actors rather than flawed systems.

Anthony and Eric explore why even well-intentioned leaders and organizations drift toward short-term thinking, how “financial gravity” pulls companies away from their purpose, and what it takes to design organizations that can scale without losing their mission.

They also discuss the role of governance as a strategic advantage, why trust is one of the most valuable assets a company can build, and how leaders can rethink profit, accountability, and long-term value creation in a way that aligns performance with purpose.

What You Will Learn in This Episode

• Why good companies go bad even with strong leadership
• How structural design, not morality, drives long-term outcomes
• What “financial gravity” is and how it impacts decision-making
• Why governance should be treated as a strategic function, not compliance
• How to build organizations that scale without losing their mission

About Eric Ries

Eric Ries is an entrepreneur, author, and creator of the Lean Startup methodology, which has influenced how a generation of companies approach innovation and growth. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Lean Startup, as well as The Startup Way and The Leader’s Guide.

Over the past two decades, Eric has worked with founders, executives, and investors to rethink how organizations are built and governed. He is the founder of the Long-Term Stock Exchange and has launched multiple companies, including IMVU and Answer.AI.

His latest book, Incorruptible, explores how organizations can be designed to resist short-term pressures, build trust, and create long-term value without losing their core mission.

About the Strategy & Leadership Podcast

The Strategy & Leadership Podcast is hosted by Anthony Taylor, a strategic advisor who works with mid-market leadership teams ($30M–$300M) across North America.

For more than 15 years, Anthony has been in the room with leadership teams navigating growth, transitions, and the alignment challenges that come with scaling complex organizations.

On this show, he interviews CEOs, founders, and senior leaders about what actually works when strategy has to survive execution.

If you lead a team and want to get better at it, subscribe.

Strategy Resources for Leaders

Download the Strategic Alignment Toolkit
https://www.smestrategy.net/toolkit

Book a Strategic Alignment Review
https://www.smestrategy.net/contact

Learn more about SME Strategy
https://www.smestrategy.net

Connect with Anthony Taylor on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/

Produced by Rednyne Productions
https://www.rednyne.com

Why Your Leadership Team Isn’t Aligned on What Actually Drives Value with Lee Benson

What happens when a leadership team can’t agree on what actually drives value?

In this episode of the Strategy & Leadership Podcast, Anthony Taylor speaks with Lee Benson, a multi-exit CEO who has built and sold companies ranging from seven to nine figures and developed a practical methodology for aligning teams around what matters most.

Lee has spent decades working with leadership teams across organizations of all sizes, helping them close the gap between strategy and execution by focusing on one critical idea: every team must be aligned around a single Most Important Number that reflects the value they are designed to create.

In this conversation, Anthony and Lee explore why most leadership teams struggle to clearly define what drives value, how misalignment shows up across departments, and why measuring the wrong things creates friction, slows execution, and limits growth.

They also discuss the role of the CEO in driving value, how to cascade priorities across an organization, and why avoiding hard conversations around performance is one of the biggest barriers to alignment and results.

What You Will Learn in This Episode

• Why most leadership teams are not aligned on what actually drives value
• How to define the Most Important Number for your organization and teams
• The hidden cost of measuring the wrong metrics across departments
• Why misalignment creates execution gaps and slows growth
• How strong leaders handle performance and accountability conversations

About Lee Benson

Lee Benson is a multi-exit CEO, founder, and leadership advisor.

He is the CEO of Execute to Win and the creator of the MIND Methodology (Most Important Number and Drivers), a framework designed to help organizations align teams, improve execution, and increase business value over time. Over the past 25 years, Lee has founded multiple companies with exits ranging from seven to nine figures and has worked with hundreds of leadership teams to accelerate value creation.

About the Strategy & Leadership Podcast

The Strategy & Leadership Podcast is hosted by Anthony Taylor, a strategic advisor who works with mid-market leadership teams ($30M–$300M) across North America.

For more than 15 years, Anthony has been in the room with leadership teams navigating growth, transitions, and the alignment challenges that come with scaling complex organizations.

On this show, he interviews CEOs, founders, and senior leaders about what actually works when strategy has to survive execution.

If you lead a team and want to get better at it, subscribe.

Strategy Resources for Leaders

Download the Strategic Alignment Toolkit
https://www.smestrategy.net/toolkit

Book a Strategic Alignment Review
https://www.smestrategy.net/contact

Learn more about SME Strategy
https://www.smestrategy.net

Connect with Anthony Taylor on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/

Produced by Rednyne Productions
https://www.rednyne.com

The Creator Economy Is Just Getting Started with Greg Selkoe of XSET

What happens when culture, gaming, media, and entrepreneurship converge?

In this episode of the Strategy & Leadership Podcast, Anthony Taylor speaks with Greg Selkoe, a serial entrepreneur who has spent his career building culture-driven companies at the intersection of media, commerce, and community.

Greg is the Co-Founder and CEO of XSET, a gaming lifestyle brand operating at the intersection of esports, content creation, music, fashion, and digital media. Prior to launching XSET, Greg founded Karmaloop, one of the earliest and most influential streetwear e-commerce platforms, which grew to more than $180 million in annual revenue, and later served as the first President and CEO of FaZe Clan, helping scale one of the most recognizable brands in gaming.

In this conversation, Anthony and Greg explore how the creator economy is reshaping modern business, why community has become the most valuable asset for brands, and how gaming culture has evolved into one of the largest entertainment ecosystems in the world.

They also discuss what traditional organizations can learn from creator-led brands, how companies can authentically reach younger audiences, and why the next generation of media companies will be built around people, personalities, and communities.

What You Will Learn in This Episode

• Why community has become the foundation of modern business models
• How the creator economy is transforming media, marketing, and brand building
• What established companies misunderstand about Gen Z audiences
• Strategic lessons from building Karmaloop, FaZe Clan, and XSET
• Why personalities and creators increasingly drive brand growth

About Greg Selkoe

Greg Selkoe is a serial entrepreneur and culture-focused business leader.

He is the Co-Founder and CEO of XSET, a gaming lifestyle brand designed to bring together esports, creators, fashion, music, and digital media into a next-generation media platform. He previously founded Karmaloop, a pioneering streetwear platform that reached more than $180 million in annual revenue, and later served as President and CEO of FaZe Clan, helping scale one of the most recognized organizations in gaming.

Throughout his career, Greg has built companies centered on community, culture, and digital media innovation.

About the Strategy & Leadership Podcast

The Strategy & Leadership Podcast is hosted by Anthony Taylor, a strategic advisor who works with mid-market leadership teams ($30M–$300M) across North America.

For more than 15 years, Anthony has been in the room with leadership teams navigating growth, transitions, and the alignment challenges that come with scaling complex organizations.

On this show, he interviews CEOs, founders, and senior leaders about what actually works when strategy has to survive execution.

If you lead a team and want to get better at it, subscribe.

Strategy Resources for Leaders

Download the Strategic Alignment Toolkit
https://www.smestrategy.net/toolkit

Book a Strategic Alignment Review
https://www.smestrategy.net/contact

Learn more about SME Strategy
https://www.smestrategy.net

Connect with Anthony Taylor on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/

Produced by Rednyne Productions

https://www.rednyne.com

Many organizations focus heavily on strategy, but the real differentiator inside high-performing organizations is culture. While strategy sets direction, culture determines whether teams can collaborate, innovate, and execute consistently over time.

In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, host Anthony C. Taylor sits down with Chris Deaver, culture architect, leadership coach, and co-author of Brave Together. Chris is the co-founder of BraveCore and has worked inside some of the world’s most innovative organizations, including Apple, Disney, VMware, and Roblox, helping leaders build cultures that enable creativity, trust, and sustained performance.

Chris shares why culture should be viewed as the operating system of strategy rather than a secondary initiative led by HR. Drawing from his experience working with leaders inside Apple and Disney, he explains how culture shapes decision-making, collaboration, and the ability of organizations to innovate under pressure.

Anthony and Chris explore how leaders can intentionally design culture to unlock the full potential of their teams. The conversation highlights why most organizations only access a fraction of their team’s potential energy, how fear limits creativity and performance, and why teams that learn to co-create often outperform groups of individual high performers.

The discussion also explores the future of leadership in a world shaped by AI and automation. Chris explains why technical expertise alone will not be enough for leaders and professionals going forward, and why the ability to collaborate, build trust, and create shared ownership will become a critical differentiator.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why culture should be treated as the operating system of strategy
• How leaders can intentionally design cultures that unlock innovation
• Why most organizations only tap into a small percentage of their team’s potential
• How fear inside organizations limits creativity and performance
• Why collaborative teams often outperform groups of individual high performers
• How leaders can build cultures where people do the best work of their lives

Enroll in our strategic thinking training today for $0!

https://courses.smestrategy.net/courses/Strategic-Leadership-Toolkit

If you want your team’s execution to be smoother, faster, and easier, your team needs the right tools and coaching. Enroll in the Strategy Leadership Accelerator and level up your leadership team.

https://courses.smestrategy.net/courses/Leading-Strategy-Execution

Connect with Chris Deaver

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-deaver/
Website: https://www.bravecore.co

About the Host

Anthony Taylor is the CEO and Founder of SME Strategy and a trusted expert in organizational alignment and strategy execution. With more than 15 years of experience facilitating strategic planning sessions and helping leadership teams execute their strategies, Anthony works with organizations around the world to build clarity, alignment, and accountability.

Connect with Anthony:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/

About SME Strategy

SME Strategy is a management consulting firm specializing in strategic planning and implementation. They help organizations align their teams around a shared vision so they can focus on what truly drives results.

Learn more: https://www.smestrategy.net

Podcast produced by:
https://www.rednyne.com

Applying AI Responsibly Without Overengineering or Chasing Hype with Daniel Hindi, CEO of NOEM.ai

Many organizations are rushing to adopt artificial intelligence, but leaders often struggle with where to start and how to apply it responsibly. While AI promises efficiency and automation, the real challenge is using it strategically without overengineering systems, chasing hype, or creating unnecessary fear within teams.

In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, host Anthony C. Taylor sits down with Daniel Hindi, CEO of NOEM.ai, founder, software engineer, and operator with more than 25 years of experience building SaaS companies and leading technology innovation. Daniel has founded multiple companies and achieved several successful exits, giving him a practical perspective on how emerging technologies should be integrated into real organizations.

Daniel shares how leaders can approach AI adoption in a thoughtful and strategic way. Rather than starting with tools, he explains why organizations should begin with the problems they are trying to solve. The conversation explores how AI can eliminate repetitive, shallow work, improve communication inside organizations, and help teams reconnect with the deeper purpose behind their roles.

Anthony and Daniel also discuss why fear is often the first barrier to AI adoption, how prompt engineering reflects leadership communication, and how businesses can deploy AI in practical ways that improve customer support, lead conversion, and operational efficiency.

The discussion highlights a key leadership insight: AI is most powerful when it enhances human work rather than replacing it. When implemented well, it removes low-value tasks and allows teams to focus on deeper thinking, better decisions, and stronger customer outcomes.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why many organizations approach AI adoption the wrong way
• How leaders can reduce fear and resistance when introducing AI tools
• Why removing shallow work helps teams reconnect with meaningful work
• How prompt engineering reflects leadership clarity and communication
• Practical examples of using AI to improve customer support and lead conversion
• Why responsible AI implementation begins with solving real business problems

Enroll in our strategic thinking training today for $0!

https://courses.smestrategy.net/courses/Strategic-Leadership-Toolkit

If you want your team’s execution to be smoother, faster, and easier, your team needs the right tools and coaching. Enroll in the Strategy Leadership Accelerator and level up your leadership team.

https://courses.smestrategy.net/courses/Leading-Strategy-Execution

Connect with Daniel Hindi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielhindi/
Website: https://noem.ai

About the Host

Anthony Taylor is the CEO and Founder of SME Strategy and a trusted expert in organizational alignment and strategy execution. With more than 15 years of experience facilitating strategic planning sessions and helping leadership teams execute their strategies, Anthony works with organizations around the world to build clarity, alignment, and accountability.

Connect with Anthony:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/

About SME Strategy

SME Strategy is a management consulting firm specializing in strategic planning and implementation. They help organizations align their teams around a shared vision so they can focus on what truly drives results.

Learn more: https://www.smestrategy.net

Podcast produced by:
https://www.rednyne.com

Most leaders believe success comes from better tools, better strategies, or better tactics. But under real pressure, those things rarely determine the outcome. What actually matters is the operator behind them—and whether they can stay focused, disciplined, and effective when conditions aren’t ideal.

In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, host Anthony Taylor sits down with Simon Jeffries, former UK Special Forces operator, Royal Marines Commando, and founder of The Natural Edge. After completing Special Forces selection and serving three combat tours, Simon transitioned into entrepreneurship and performance coaching, where he now works with founders and senior leaders to build the capacity to perform consistently under pressure.

Simon shares the key lessons he learned moving from elite military environments into the world of business. While many entrepreneurs focus on tactics, productivity hacks, or motivation, Simon explains that elite performers train something different: performance itself. Without systems for focus, discipline, and emotional control, leaders often fall into boom-bust cycles where short bursts of effort are followed by burnout, distraction, or inconsistency.

The conversation explores how high-performing environments like Special Forces and professional sports deliberately train performance capacity, while most organizations expect people to simply show up and perform without that preparation. Simon breaks down the three pillars of performance—hardware, software, and habits—and explains how leaders can build systems that make high performance repeatable rather than dependent on motivation.

Anthony and Simon also discuss the role of environment in shaping performance, the importance of reducing friction in decision-making, and why preparation and structure allow leaders to stay calm and effective even when pressure increases.

The episode closes with a simple challenge for listeners: choose one habit in your physical health, one mindset practice, and one structural routine—and test them consistently for seven days to see how much your performance improves.

Enroll in our strategic thinking training today for $0!
https://courses.smestrategy.net/courses/Strategic-Leadership-Toolkit

If you want your team’s execution to be smoother, faster, and easier, your team needs the right tools and coaching. Enroll in the Strategy Leadership Accelerator and level up your leadership team.
https://courses.smestrategy.net/courses/Leading-Strategy-Execution

In this episode, you will learn:

• How elite environments train performance instead of relying on motivation
• Why entrepreneurs often fall into boom-bust cycles under pressure
• The three pillars of performance: hardware, software, and habits
• How leaders can build systems that make success the path of least resistance
• Why environment and structure matter more than willpower
• How small daily habits compound into consistent high performance

Connect with Simon Jeffries
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonjeffries
Website: https://thenaturaledge.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenaturaledge

About the Host

Anthony Taylor is the CEO and Founder of SME Strategy and a trusted expert in organizational alignment and strategy execution. With over 15 years of experience facilitating strategic planning and leadership development, he helps organizations align their people, accelerate execution, and achieve their biggest goals.

Connect with Anthony: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604

About SME Strategy

SME Strategy is a management consulting firm specializing in strategic planning and implementation. We help organizations align their teams around a shared vision so they can focus on what truly drives results.

Learn more: https://www.smestrategy.net
Podcast produced by: https://www.rednyne.com