John Powers, former CIO and Chief Transformation Officer at Deloitte and now Executive in Residence at Mod Op, shares practical ways to turn AI, data strategy, and governance into a real competitive advantage. He explains why smaller, more nimble companies can finally “punch above their weight,” how to spot the fastest wins, and where custom, company-specific AI beats off-the-shelf tools. You’ll hear how John partnered with Mod Op to stand up data leadership, why engineering the way you communicate makes AI dramatically more effective, and how to rethink work so teams spend less time on administrative tasks and more time on growth. If you’re done “checking the AI box” and ready to drive measurable outcomes, this conversation gives you a clear path forward.
This week’s episode of All-volunteer, All Heart from Binky Patrol is a message about community support during difficult times. When a grieving grandmother in our sewing group asked if she could skip painful ornament memories with a pink Christmas tree, we didn’t just give permission – we gave her new ornaments handmade with love. Kind of a binky for this grandma – just different shapes. Still a reminder that we care. As we enter December and Binky Patrol’s 30th year, founder, Susan Finch is challenging you to find your own way to make a difference. Whether it’s supporting neighbors during government shutdowns, turning family gift exchanges into charity donations, or organizing blanket-making gatherings, there’s always a way to help.
CEOs are often laser-focused on destinations—quarterly targets, market share goals, and exit strategies. But what if the true measure of leadership lies in valuing the journey as much as the endpoint? This insight comes from a recent conversation with Bob Roda, CEO of Hemasonics, who emphasizes the fulfillment of embracing daily experiences. As someone who regularly engages with CEOs, I’ve observed a common fixation on end results. However, reflecting on my own career and those of successful leaders, it’s clear that real value often emerges from the collective moments of triumph, failure, and growth along the way. This commentary explores the power of balancing destination-driven goals with an appreciation for the journey, offering a fresh perspective on leadership and organizational success that resonates in today’s dynamic business landscape.
The earliest civilizations on Earth developed between 4000 and 3000 BC, when the rise of agriculture and trade enabled people to produce surplus food and achieve economic stability. Many people no longer had to practice farming, allowing a diverse array of professions and interests to flourish in a relatively confined geographic area. The use of fire, the advent of the wheel, learning to domesticate animals, and coming up with this cool thing to record progress called writing, all of these became milestones as we climbed the “civilization tree. Later, in the colonial rush in the mid 16th century, the Western Europeans brought even newer technologies, ideas, plants, and animals that were new to the Americas and would transform peoples’ lives – some not necessarily for the better: Things such as guns, iron tools, and weapons; But also Christianity and Roman law; sugarcane and wheat; horses and cattle all became hallmarks of a “civilized” society.
But what about our sales profession? Can you say that Sales has tracked at the same arc as the rest of civilization’s trademarks? After all, one can argue that our craft of sales hasn’t changed much in the past few thousand years. As our Market Dominance Sales historian, Chris Beall, is fond of reminding us, Sales used to be an interaction between strangers at the crossroads, people who likely would never see each other again. One may get miles away from the city after interacting with a salesperson, only to realize that the thing that they purchased doesn’t do what the salesperson said it would. So in this week’s episode of the Market Dominance Guys, we learn why we’re at the cusp of true importance for the role of sales in society today, and need to understand that the “game” has to move on from being a mere primitive game and instead becomes a sincere set of human-intentioned actions based on universal principles. And the most universal of these is that somebody has to actually be part of the conversation at the point of fear. And if you can generate trust out of this fear, then you win as long as you don’t blow it. So grab your Rosetta Stone, your flint, and welcome to this week’s episode of Market Dominance Guys, The Rise and Fall of the Sales Empire.
We hope you enjoy this playlist of our favorite episodes of the week.
