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Vantage Voices
Our podcasts encourage listeners to think differently. Act differently. Uncover non-obvious solutions, and get in front of change. Listen in on spirited exchanges as Vantage’s leading thinkers and fellow practitioners get to the heart of the timely challenges that business leaders and their people face.
All Episodes
Why Well-Designed Commercial Strategies Fall Short
In this episode of Vantage Voices, I sit down with Stu Kleiman, co-founder of Vantage Partners, to explore why even the most well-designed commercial strategies often fall short. With over 30 years of experience in developing strategies for B2B companies, I've seen firsthand the challenges of implementation. Stu and I delve into the critical role of execution and the necessity of building an organizational capability to support strategy. We discuss the importance of aligning leadership, processes, and tools, and how effective training can transform a strategy from paper to practice. We also examine the complexities faced by sales teams and the significance of negotiation skills in driving success. Join us as we uncover the keys to turning strategic plans into tangible results.Emotion, Negotiation, and the 'Great Resignation'
How can a tool for managing emotions during negotiations also help retain valued employees amidst “The Great Resignation”? As David Olsen explains in the latest episode of the Vantage Voices podcast series, “People want to feel appreciated. … They want clarity with regard to what their role is. And they want to feel as though their role is important in relation to the company.” David — a veteran energy industry negotiator, now chairman and senior advisor at QPC Fiber Optic in Laguna Niguel, Calif. — joins Vantage Partner Danny Ertel to discuss the versatile “Five Core Concerns” framework and how it has helped David build QPC’s culture even as the company navigated significant COVID-related challenges. Sharing their advice to early career professionals, Danny and David underscore why it’s so critical, whether in a negotiation or a workplace, to treat every counterpart “like a valued human being.”The Inquisitive Negotiator
The best tool in the negotiator’s toolbox is the question mark. And all too often, it’s the least used,” Kip Gary explains in the latest episode of the Vantage Voices podcast series. Vantage Partner Carol Bonett digs into Kip’s storied career and the lessons he’s learned. From his first deal, at age 23, to lease a 500-foot radio tower in west Texas to eventually leading largescale, multiparty negotiations for ExxonMobil, Kip shares a lifetime of lessons about what makes negotiators effective. He provides advice on how to avoid making the same negotiation mistakes, and why it pays to be well-trained, thoroughly prepared, and, most of all, relentlessly curious in the negotiation process.Leading Through Change
Each installment of the Vantage Voices podcast explores how professionals from diverse industries and contexts navigate seemingly intractable business challenges. In this episode, Partner Jon Hughes sits down with Dr. Jonathan Jefferson to discuss his experience leading through the immense transformation of the last 18 months and the lessons he learned along the way. Dr. Jefferson’s unique background spans consulting, the business world, and higher education administration.