The Strategy Gap

Who’s actually accountable in your strategic plan? If your answer includes more than one name… that might be the root of your execution problems. In this episode of The Strategy Gap, hosts Jonathan Morgan (SVP of Operations at AchieveIt) and Joe Krause (SVP of Strategy Consulting) tackle one of the most misunderstood pillars of execution: accountability. From the danger of group-think to the power...

Collaboration isn’t just a buzzword — it’s the backbone of strategy execution. In this episode of The Strategy Gap, hosts Jonathan Morgan (SVP of Operations) and Joe Krause (SVP of Strategy Consulting) dig into why so many organizations say they value collaboration but still fail to practice it. From breaking down silos to running meetings that don’t suck, they share real-world lessons (and hard t...

In this episode of The Strategy Gap, we dive into the first pillar of the 2025 State of Strategy Execution Report: Alignment and Leadership. Hosts Jonathan Morgan, SVP of Operations at AchieveIt, and Joe Krause, SVP of Strategy Consulting, break down why so many strategic plans crumble at the top—and what leaders can do to reverse course. From lackluster vision statements to inconsistent communica...

Are you actually executing your strategy—or just making plans that collect dust? In this episode of The Strategy Gap, we dive into the key findings from the 2025 State of Strategy Execution report and break down what separates high-performing organizations from the rest. Hosting the conversation are Jonathan Morgan, SVP of Operations at AchieveIt, and Joe Krause, SVP of Strategy Consulting, two of...

How do you transition from commodities trading to leading strategy at a global mental health company? Mark Muston, Head of Business Operations & Strategy at Modern Health, shares how he made the leap, why hiring for potential matters more than a perfect resume, and how to pitch leadership like a startup founder. If you’re in strategy, operations, or just trying to build a team that actually ge...

Can a startup stay agile while scaling—and still innovate? In this episode of The Strategy Gap, we're joined by Dave McMullin, Chief Strategy Officer at Anumana, to dive into the balancing act of startup strategy. With experience spanning biotech giants and high-growth startups, Dave shares his insights on aligning long-term vision with short-term wins, keeping innovation alive while building stru...

Ready to uncover the secrets to true organizational alignment and long-term strategic success? In this episode of The Strategy Gap, we’re joined by Ken Sagendorf, Chief Strategy Officer at True Alignment and host of the True Alignment Podcast. With decades of experience as a strategic leader, innovator, and educator, Ken brings unparalleled insights into bridging the gap between strategy creation...

What does it take to turn strategy into real, actionable results? In this episode of The Strategy Gap, Jonathan Morgan and Joe Krause sit down with Dave Parker, Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at Evergreen Life Services. With decades of experience in both for-profit and nonprofit sectors, Dave shares his unique insights on blending innovation, collaboration, and strategic clarity. From his...

In this episode of The Strategy Gap, hosts Jonathan Morgan and Joe Krause sit down with Tonjia Coverdale , Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for Operations and Technology at Associated Bank. With over 25 years of experience in technology and strategic leadership, Tonjia brings a unique perspective on how organizations can elevate technology from a back-office function to a powerful...

What makes a business thrive in a constantly evolving world? According to Victor André Gamas Mayer, Managing Partner of Gamas Group, the answer lies in mindset, culture, and values. As the leader of a fourth-generation family business, Victor brings a unique perspective on balancing tradition with innovation. In this episode of The Strategy Gap , hosts Jonathan Morgan and Joe Krause explore how Ga...

In this episode of The Strategy Gap , hosts Jonathan Morgan and Joe Krause are joined by Tino Mantella, a seasoned executive with vast experience across industries including nonprofits, technology, and government. Tino shares his insights on the critical elements of strategic planning, the power of conscious capitalism, and the importance of aligning organizational culture with leadership goals. F...

In this episode of The Strategy Gap, hosts Jonathan Morgan and Joe Krause interview Abhay Jain, VP of Strategy and Business Development at A+E Networks. They explore strategy creation, innovation, and execution in various organizations, emphasizing the importance of solving real problems to attract the right talent for startups. Abhay shares insights on commercial real estate, focusing on lifestyl...

In Episode 31 of The Strategy Gap, hosts Jonathan Morgan and Joe Krause speak with with Eric Schurr, Chief Strategy Officer at Sunrise Banks. Eric brings over two decades of experience leading financial services organizations through transformational change and has extensive expertise in fintech, digital banking, strategy development, and leadership. Together, they look at how Eric's extensive exp...

In this episode of The Strategy Gap, Jonathan Morgan and Joe Krause sit down with Isha Dhar, a talented leader currently heading Global Sales Strategy and Operations for Netflix's new ads platform. With over 15 years of experience in sales operations, business development, and analytics at big names like Meta Platforms and Dell Technologies, Isha offers a treasure trove of insights. She’s got an M...

Jonathan and Joe sit down with Cheryl Farr, founder of Signal Brand Innovation, for a powerful deep dive into what makes or breaks a brand. Drawing from her work with giants like Nike and Coca-Cola, Cheryl reveals why true brand leadership goes far beyond logos and slogans—it’s about staying authentic to your core values.   From Minnetonka Moccasins’ rebranding success to Allbirds’ missteps, and a...

In this episode of "The Strategy Gap", hosts Jonathan Morgan and Joe Krause engage in a robust conversation with Marc Mertz, the Chief Strategy Officer at Kaweah Health. Marc, who has over 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry, delves into the significant role of a Chief Strategy Officer (CSO). He explains that a CSO is pivotal in leading the development of the strategic plan, engaging...

Curious about how universities are navigating the fast-changing landscape of higher education? In this episode of The Strategy Gap, Jonathan Morgan and Joe Krause welcome Shawn Daley, the Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer at George Fox University, for a deep dive into the challenges and innovations shaping the future of academia. Discover how higher ed institutions are borrowing stra...

In today’s episode, Joe and Jonathan speak with Strategy & Revenue Operations Leader Lester Ang about the crucial balance between big-picture strategy and detailed work in strategy and revenue operations. A seasoned strategy and revenue operations advisor with a robust background in global teams and growth transformation, Lester brings no shortage of insights when it comes to effective leaders...

When it comes to navigating turbulence and developing strategy in the face of challenges, few industries are more weathered than education. With how quickly education standards and practices are evolving—and how many stakeholders are involved—it’s hard to think of many areas that have more lessons to offer to all manner of strategists. This week, Larkin Briley , Assistant Vice President of Strateg...

For humans, the fear of change is so real and pervasive that there’s a word for it: metathesiophobia. Even if you didn’t know about this clinical term until now, you’re probably aware that organizations and teams of all types suffer from a fear of change—especially because there’s no shortage of examples of change being implemented ineffectively due to poor strategy or leadership. In today’s episo...

This week, hosts Joe Krause (SVP of Strategy Consulting at AchieveIt) and Jonathan Martin (VP of Revenue Operations and Head of Marketing at AchieveIt) have a wide-ranging conversation on how to integrate brainstorming into the strategy process. From dos and don’ts to challenges and benefits, Joe and Jonathan cover how all manner of organizations—especially those looking to pivot or shake things u...

If you want outside-the-box thinking, it pays to spend some time living outside the box that is conventional strategy and corporate structure. This week’s guest, Daniel Keene, Director of Strategy & Operations, has taken an unconventional route to his current role in healthcare overseeing the operations and strategy of large patient support systems—with stops along the way in aerospace enginee...

When we think about strategy, we usually picture two groups: those who come up with high-level vision, and those who execute that vision through a strategy. But how do we actually get from ideation to execution? And who’s responsible for seeing that through? Shobhna Upadhyaya, BizOps & Strategy Leader, joins the podcast to talk about business operations (aka BizOps), which she explains as the...

Given how dynamic and complex our world is, there’s no place for rigid and siloed approaches to strategy. This week, Michael Olaye, SVP and Managing Director of Strategy and Innovation at R/GA, shares his thoughts on developing strategy from a starting-point of flexibility and collaboration. While internal processes and expertise play a vital role in achieving an organization’s goals, too often te...

Sometimes a strategy fails because it’s a poor strategy. But sometimes it fails because it’s not really a strategy at all. So what are the attributes of a strategy—and how does it differ from other measures implemented to help an organization achieve its goals? Joining us to answer this question (and many others) is Dr. Alok Tewari, Vice President of Operations Strategy and Execution. Alok has lev...