Innovation Junkies Podcast

Tune in to hear from innovative leaders sharing their expertise on driving organizations forward

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Four Simple Ways to Stand Out Among Your Competition

The Jeffs are back with a new season! In this first episode of season two, they chat about The Unique Value Proposition and why it’s important, discovering your target market, & four simple things you can do to help your business stand out.

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July 11, 2022

Dr. Thomas Graham on Mission-Driven Innovation

Dr. Thomas Graham, Chief Innovation Officer of Kettering Health, joins the Jeffs to share insights about building a culture of innovation in organizations, clinical-driven innovation vs. research-driven innovation, and the future of innovation in the medical industry.

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June 20, 2022

When Your Team Loses Top Talent

The Jeffs address how to handle the departure of an “A” player from your team. They discuss prospecting for talent, how to ensure a smooth transition, & the importance of caring for the person, not their role.

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June 6, 2022

Great Leaders Are Great Coaches

The Jeffs talk about characteristics of good leaders & coaches. They chat about constructive criticism and feedback, training up future leaders, & the importance of individualized coaching.

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May 30, 2022

Ben Pryor on Innovation in Hospitality

Ben Pryor, of SpotOn joins Jeff Standridge to discuss the democratization of technology in the hospitality industry. They discuss how SpotOn helps small & mid-sized companies grow, innovating the employee & customer experience, and the future of innovation in hospitality.

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May 23, 2022

Lucinda Foss on Innovating the Consumer Experience

Lucinda Foss of Narvar joins the Jeffs to discuss streamlining consumers’ journey through problem solving & innovation. They discuss meeting consumers’ needs, staying curious in your problem solving, & reverse logistics & how to streamline the process.

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May 16, 2022

Dr. Laborie on Optimization in Critical Industries

Dr. Francois Laborie of Cognite shares his expertise on innovating business models to optimize production processes. He and the Jeffs discuss cybersecurity in critical industries, the role of data in sustainability practices, & autonomy & the future of heavy industries.

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May 9, 2022

BONUS: Strategic Planning with Balanced Scorecards

The Jeffs chat about strategic growth planning & using the balanced scorecard to improve your business. They dive into the four pillars of the balanced scorecard, key performance indicators (KPIs) & how to identify them for your organization, & measuring growth & efficiency in your business.

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May 5, 2022

HR Sucks But It Doesn’t Have To, With Annissa Desphande

Annissa Deshpande talks about the importance of HR in leading businesses & organizations. She & the Jeffs chat about how to find & keep talent in the workplace, modernizing HR departments & why you should do it, & the importance of a strong & healthy workplace culture.

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May 2, 2022

Matt Waller on Organizational Values

Matt Waller, of the University of Arkansas, joins the Jeffs to talk about relationship, strategy, & culture within organizations. They dive into the importance of core values for organizational health, developing strategy & its effect on culture, & the enrollment cliff & how to keep students interested & involved in higher-ed.

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April 25, 2022

Feedback Without Fallout

Jeff S. shares an experience that transformed the way he approaches hard conversations. He talks about a framework for giving feedback, the importance of using “I” or “me” messages instead of “you” and owning your observations.

November 28, 2022

Building Supportive Teams

In part two of their conversation, Jeff S. & Glenn Crockett talk about teamwork they discuss why you need core values, the importance of being outward focused and making sure you have the right people in the right seats.

November 21, 2022

Seven Characteristics of High Performance Teams

The Jeffs talk about how to ensure your people are working together to produce the best outcomes for your customers. They discuss practices & attitudes of world-class team leaders, the importance of a common mission and how to foster communication, respect, and encouragement.

November 14, 2022

Submission Over Assertion

Jeff S & Glenn Crockett discuss leadership effectiveness. They dive into traits of true leadership, the importance of accountability and staying connected in your business.

November 7, 2022

KPIs & Scorecards

The Jeffs talk about how to assess the fuel that powers your economic engine. They discuss Key Performance Indicators and how to use them, the importance of focusing on the vital few over the insignificant many and establishing systems and eliminating guesswork in your leadership.

October 31, 2022

Five Questions You Should Be Asking About Your Business

The Jeffs talk about core business processes. They dive into why you need clear documentation of all critical processes, the importance of having systems for onboarding new clients or customers & establishing clarity on the limit of authority for team-members.

October 24, 2022

Systems for Customer & Employee Feedback

The Jeffs talk about increased turnover rates in customers and employees. They discuss how to create systems to get consistent customer & employee feedback, the importance of action plans following feedback, leadership by walking around & regular one-on-ones.

October 17, 2022

Critical & Consistent Channels of Communication

The Jeffs discuss the importance of prioritizing communication. They talk about avoiding common failures linked to poor meeting practices, establishing weekly standup meetings to go over projects and needs, the importance of celebrating & recognizing wins in an organization.

October 10, 2022

Right People, Right Place, Right Priorities

The Jeffs talk about organizational effectiveness. They dive into getting the right people in the right seats. How to motivate your team to pursue excellence & The importance of having clear priorities.

October 3, 2022

The Three “Who” Questions of Organizational Structure

The Jeffs talk about best practices of organizational structure. They discuss the importance of having a clearly defined reporting hierarchy, not forcing high performers into unqualified or ill-fitting leadership roles, & what it means to be empowered vs. autonomous.

September 26, 2022

Five Key Focuses to Keep Your Business On Track

The Jeffs talk about five practices that will keep your business focused. They dive into the importance of discipline & how to avoid the “squirrel” mindset, developing your message to target the right people, & creating a clear mission, vision, & set of values.

September 19, 2022

Five Factors That Fuel Culture

The Jeffs talk about the necessity of having a healthy workplace culture. They discuss identifying & understanding your organization’s culture, what causes cultural shifts within an organization, & the importance of defining & adhering to core values.

September 12, 2022

Four Building Blocks That Drive Individual High Performance

The Jeffs talk about expectations & how to drive high performance in your organization. They chat about individual competency measured against clearly defined & accepted roles, defining performance standards & setting expectations, & implementing accountability across an organization.

September 5, 2022

Four Practices to Streamline Decision-Making in Your Organization

The Jeffs talk about what it takes to improve the decision-making process in your organization. They dive into having a culture of empowerment instead of a culture of autonomy, minimizing unnecessary policies & procedures, and the Four Cs of decision-making & how to apply them to your business.

August 29, 2022

Three Critical Measures That Will Bring Your Vision to Fruition

“In this episode, the Jeffs talk about organizational targets and goals and how they relate to your mission, vision, and values. They discuss the foundation of sustainable, strategic growth, long-term targets vs. short-term goals and why they matter, and how to make your goals and targets measurable.

August 22, 2022

Four Things You Need for Organizational Unity

In this episode, the Jeffs talk about what it takes to keep everyone in your organization rowing in the same direction. They discuss the difference between your mission & your vision, how to get buy-in from everyone in your organization, and the importance of defined core values.

August 15, 2022

Four Keys to Creating a Client-Focused Sales Culture

“In this episode, the Jeffs talk about four keys to creating a client-focused sales culture. They dive into establishing a process and a regular cadence to review sales performance, defining and refining the culture of your organization, and how to address and swiftly correct recurring issues.

August 8, 2022

Seven Critical Practices of a High Performance Sales Team

In this episode, the Jeffs deep-dive into what it takes to be a successful salesperson. They talk about how to deliver a compelling presentation, conditioning your clients to generate referrals, and the seven critical practices of a high performance sales team.

August 1, 2022

Four Ways to Get the Most From Your Marketing

In this episode, the Jeffs talk about target markets & why they matter. They discuss the importance of knowing your ideal customer, utilizing third-party data to inform your messaging, and four things you must do to get the most from your marketing investments.

July 25, 2022

Three Steps to Improve Client Engagement

The Jeffs talk about the client engagement process and how to refine it in your business. They discuss maximizing lifetime value and enhancing the customer journey, the importance of developing a documented engagement process, & three steps you can do to improve client engagement with your business.

July 18, 2022

Four Simple Ways to Stand Out Among Your Competition

July 11, 2022

Dr. Thomas Graham on Mission-Driven Innovation

June 20, 2022

When Your Team Loses Top Talent

June 6, 2022

Great Leaders Are Great Coaches

The Jeffs talk about characteristics of good leaders & coaches. They chat about constructive criticism and feedback, training up future leaders, & the importance of individualized coaching.

May 30, 2022

Ben Pryor on Innovation in Hospitality

May 23, 2022

Lucinda Foss on Innovating the Consumer Experience

May 16, 2022

Dr. Laborie on Optimization in Critical Industries

May 9, 2022

BONUS: Strategic Planning with Balanced Scorecards

May 5, 2022

HR Sucks But It Doesn’t Have To, With Annissa Desphande

May 2, 2022

Matt Waller on Organizational Values

April 25, 2022

Chandos Quill on Strategy and Development in a New Organization

Chandos Quill of Adstra Data, shares her knowledge of strategy and development. She and the Jeffs dive into acclimating to a new organization, how to get brutal honesty from members of your organization, and working relationships in a virtual workforce.

April 18, 2022

BONUS: The Power of Innovation Junkie

The Jeffs reflect on specific ways Innovation Junkie has helped clients. They share how to stay in line with more advanced companies, why organizations should harvest their intellectual property & commercialize it, and what clients can expect from Innovation Junkie in the future.

April 14, 2022

Mike Vermillion on Prioritizing Customer Experience

Mike Vermillion of J.D. Power and Associates joins the Jeffs to talk about the importance of customer experience and Net Promoter Score (NPS). They unpack what NPS is and how organizations can deploy it, the connection between company culture and customer experience, and innovations that will change the customer journey.

April 11, 2022

Erika Andersen’s Change Arc

Erika Andersen, author & founding partner of Proteus International, joins the Jeffs to share her model for helping organizations go through change. You’ll hear what people experience during change, how to challenge self-talk and make your organization more adaptable to change, and when and how to change the culture of an organization.

April 4, 2022

Houston Davis on Transformative Leadership in Higher Education

Houston Davis, President of UCA, joins the Jeffs to discuss the vitality of transformative leadership in higher education. They dive into the role universities play in economy and workforce development, how to get people in your organization on board with change, and impediments to innovation in an organization.

March 28, 2022

BONUS: Inflation Tactics

The Jeffs discuss practical business strategies for dealing with inflation. They dig into how businesses should look at inflation, why constraints lead to innovation and how companies should assess their competitive position.

March 24, 2022

Tim Creasey on the Workplace of the Future

The Jeffs chat with Tim Creasey, Chief Innovation Officer at Prosci. They discuss the digital transformation of the workplace, finding the right balance between working in-person and virtually, and forced prioritization and resilience brought on by the pandemic.

March 21, 2022

Stacy Sherman on Customer Experience

Stacy Sherman, the founder of DoingCXRight, joins the Jeffs to share her knowledge on customer experience. They explore the “moment of truth” in customer experience, how you can add value to your business through CX, and the differences in CX between B2C and B2B companies.

March 14, 2022

Paul LeBlanc on How Innovation Leads to Growth in Higher Education

Paul LeBlanc, President of SNHU and author of Students First: Access, Equity, and Opportunity in Higher Education, joins the Jeffs to discuss how innovation led to significant growth at SNHU. Topics Include: providing students with social mobility and economic opportunity, why Innovation and Leadership are Inseparable for universities, changes that traditional academic leaders should consider.

March 7, 2022

BONUS: The Russian Effect & Your Business

The Jeffs talk about preparing your business for geo-political instability based on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They dig into why events like this are relevant to innovation and strategic planning, their predictions on how this event will impact businesses of all sizes, and actions business owners should prepare to take.

March 2, 2022

BONUS: 2022 Business Outlook

The Jeffs discuss their outlook for innovation in 2022. Topics include: pandemic-accelerated trends, categories for predicted innovations, and behind-the-Scenes Innovations.

February 21, 2022

Leo Barella on Pharma Innovation

Leo Barella, CTO of Takeda, highlights innovation occurring in the pharma industry. He and the Jeffs dive into the connection between technology & pharma innovation, the transition in commercializing academic research, and how to get innovation to stick in a large organization.

February 14, 2022

BONUS: OMG Omicron

The Jeffs chat about the Omicron Variant. They share their predictions for the future of the pandemic, the impact Omicron may have on businesses, and why antibody tests should be more accessible.

February 7, 2022

Michael Lee on Hidden, Everyday Innovations

Michael Lee, SVP of Innovation Minds, joins the Jeffs to discuss the process of an innovation sprint, creating a safe environment for innovation, and the intersection between innovation and employee engagement.

January 31, 2022

Charlie Oliver on the Power of Technology

Charlie Oliver, CEO of Tech 2025, joins the Jeffs to talk about how companies can harness the power of technology. They discuss creating a culture of innovation across a company, post-pandemic innovation, and trends that will come between now and 2025.

January 24, 2022

Tim Houlne on Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience

Tim Houlne, CEO of Humach, and the Jeffs discuss how embracing AI and automation can help companies grow. They share benefits of AI for businesses in different industries, the Intersection between technology and customer experience, and how Implementing AI can increase employee productivity.

January 17, 2022

BONUS: Black Swan or Gray Rhino?

The Jeffs compare Michele Wucker’s concept of The Gray Rhino and Nassim Taleb’s concept of The Black Swan. They explore: what Black Swan & Gray Rhino events are, past & current Gray Rhino crises in the U.S. and how leaders can handle Gray Rhino or Black Swan events in their organization

December 13, 2021

Roy Sharples on the Power of Creativity

The Jeffs hear from author and CEO of Unkown Origins, Roy Sharples. You’ll learn: how to make your vision or mission a reality, why ridicule is nothing to be scared of, and how creativity can be run through a process.

December 6, 2021

Scott Kirsner on Innovation that Grows Businesses

The Jeffs hear from Scott Kirsner, CEO of Innovation Leader. They dig into how to disrupt the status quo and make innovation stick, why organizations should take risks and invest in innovation, the need for innovation in Higher Education.

November 22, 2021

BONUS: Cycling and Trail Running

The Jeffs talk about how biking, road cycling, and trail running apply to how they think about business & leadership. You’ll hear how cycling benefits leadership, innovation, and strategic thinking, the importance of a collective effort & group dynamic, and why you need mindfulness and solitude

November 18, 2021