The Forward Thinking Podcast, Powered by FCCS

How, when, and where we buy has changed dramatically in recent years. Winning companies in today's competitive marketplace are the ones that are fast and easy to do business with. In this episode of The Forward Thinking podcast, host Stephanie Barton, VP of Marketing and Communications at FCCS welcomes back author, speaker, and customer experience consultant and expert David Avrin for a conversati...

Successful leaders continually learn, reinvent themselves, and stay open to new and different ways of doing things. In this episode of The Forward Thinking podcast, host Stephanie Barton, VP of Marketing and Communications at FCCS, is joined by Michele Padilla, Director, and Senior Leadership Consultant for FCCS and instructor and facilitator for the FCCS Leading Self and Leading Leaders Journeys....

In this special edition episode of The Forward Thinking podcast, host Jean Cantey Segal, Chief Learning Officer, FCCS welcomes Jay Lux, Vice President of Leadership & Organizational Development for FCCS, Leslie Hilton, Vice President of Governance and Board Development, and Angie Coleman, Organizational Development Consultant with FCCS.  In a roundtable format, they discuss their insights on merge...

In this episode of The Forward Thinking podcast, host Stephanie Barton is joined by Joe Somers, Director of Consulting in Agribusiness, Chris Varvares, VP and Co-head of US Economics and Paul Bingham, Director, Transportation Consulting all with IHS Markit, now a part of S&P Global. They have come together for a conversation about three critical topics in the US economy - agriculture transportatio...

In this episode of The Forward Thinking podcast, host Jean Cantey Segal, Chief Learning Officer, FCCS, is joined by Scott Klososky, Founding Partner, FPOV and Annette Klososky,  Founding Partner, Senior C-Suite and Executive Leadership Consultant, FPOV.  Together Scott and Annette lead a leading technology strategy firm that focuses on helping organizations transform and leverage and transform the...

 In this episode of The Forward Thinking podcast, host Stephanie Barton, VP of Marketing and Communications at FCCS welcomes Steve Curtin. Steve has 20 years of experience between hotel operations, sales and marketing, training and development, and customer service roles. He's the author of Delight Your Customers , and his most recent book coming out May 31 , The Revelation Conversation. Steve exp...

A connected leader is one who is present, vulnerable, and inspiring, and today's digitally distracted and emotionally burnt out teams are looking to their leaders for purpose, authenticity, and connection.  In this episode of The Forward Thinking podcast, host Stephanie Barton, VP Marketing and Communications, FCCS at FCCS welcomes human behavior expert Collete Carlson, for a conversation about le...

Regardless of your position in your organization, you are in sales.  As a representative of your company's brand and a customer service representative in projects and processes, you are in sales and relationship management. In this episode of The Forward Thinking podcast, host Stephanie Barton, VP Marketing and Communications, FCCS at FCCS is joined by Aaron Tigert, Regional Vice President of Core...

With an average of 120 emails received by employees every day, the ability to share information and ideas in an effective way is critical. But what makes an effective email, and how can you know if your writing style needs a little tweaking? In today's episode of The Forward Thinking podcast, host Heather Sang is joined by author and founder of KDVM Communications Karen McDonald for a conversation...

The FCCS Accelerator of the Year Award is presented to a forward thinking leader who is working to make a difference in their organization by accelerating them beyond the norm and into the future. The award recipient focuses on growth and development within their organization and within the community at large. In this episode of The Forward Thinking podcast, host Jay Lux, VP of Organizational Deve...

With four generations in the workforce, a talent pool that has been shrinking for over 30 years, and over two years of uncertainty and increased stress, it is no surprise that today's employers are having to alter their one-size-fits-all approach to recruiting and retention. In this episode of The Forward Thinking podcast, host Stephanie Barton, VP Marketing and Communications, FCCS is joined by L...

It's been two years since the pandemic required a complete transition to online work, and the benefits and lessons learned from this shift have been expansive and long-lasting. But what does it take to be an effective leader in today's remote and hybrid environment? In today's episode of The Forward Thinking podcast, host Stephanie Barton, VP Marketing and Communications, FCCS is joined by Brian C...

It's that time of year again. Performance reviews are upon us, and without the proper preparation, even the best leaders can miss this valuable opportunity to make meaningful connections with their team members. In today's episode of The Forward Thinking podcast, host Stephanie Barton, VP Marketing and Communications, FCCS is joined by Jeannie Clinkenbeard, Director and Senior Leadership Consultan...

  All that has really changed recently is everything. 2022 is a year of new opportunities, and it's all about pressing forward to the future.  On today's episode of The Forward Thinking podcast, host Jean Cantey Segal welcomes Leslie Hilton, Jay Lux, and Lisa Cavanaugh to introduce the consultants from the FCCS Consulting Network and kick off the new year. In a fireside chat format, together they...

The last ten years has seen rapid changes to processes, projects and positions.  And as essential as it is to keep up with change, it's even more essential to ensure that your team is on board with you.  People care about how change is going to impact them personally, and leaders need the tools and strategies that will help them and their team navigate change.  On today's episode of The Forward Th...

The future of digital transformation is the future of business, the workforce, and the world.  Today's host FCCS Chief Learning Officer Jean Cantey Segal welcomes Future Point of View thought leader and speaker Scott Klososky, for a conversation about the future of digital transformation over the next five to ten years. Scott works to help companies understand how technology can be harnessed to cr...

Surrounding yourself with wise mentors and a strong network can be the key to a successful career. But how can you develop these relationships?  Today's host John Regentin, Senior Consultant at FCCS is joined by the 14th President of Gettysburg College, faculty of Women of Distinction at Gettysburg Janet Riggs for a conversation about the power of networks and mentors. Janet is a featured speaker...

  Conversations — whether you love them or hate them, we all have to participate in them. What feels like a gift to some can be torture for others, but it doesn't have to be that way. Our guest today believes that anyone can learn how to be an exceptional conversationalist. Today our new host Michele Padilla, Director & Senior Leadership Consultant at FCCS is joined by Debra Fine, conference keyno...

  Is customer loyalty dead?  With constant disruptions in today's marketplace, companies have to work smarter than ever before to maintain loyalties and meet the expectations of today's customers, clients, and staff. Our guest today understands how forward thinking companies make this happen.  David Avrin is one of the most in-demand Customer Experience and Marketing speakers and consultants in th...

How we communicate is how we operate. What does your communication style say about you? Returning to the podcast, our guest Ryan Avery is here to discuss THE communication strategies that make great leaders. Ryan Avery is THE Keynote Speaker, and he has continued to partner with FCCS for the Go From A Leader to THE Leader Online Strategic Communications Program and is THE Keynote Speaker at many o...

Courageous leaders are in greater demand today than ever before, but what exactly does such a powerful leader look like? What do they say and how do they interact with their team? On this episode of The Forward Thinking Podcast FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications, Stephanie Barton welcomes Mike Stavers, executive leadership coach, author of Leadership Isn't for Cowards and speaker at the upcom...

An overly agreeable board of directors may sound nice, but it is exactly the opposite of what a forward thinking company wants in their boardroom. To help explain what the board of directors should be striving toward instead, on this episode of The Forward Thinking Podcast FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton is joined by Jay Lux, VP of Organizational Development at FCCS. Toget...

The pandemic has impacted every facet of the US economy, leaving economists wondering what exactly the long-term impacts might be. To answer some of the most pressing economic questions, this episode of The Forward Thinking Podcast joins FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and Joel Prakken, Chief US Economist, IHS Markit, for a discussion about the current state and realistic...

Over the past year, the pandemic required that nearly every aspect of life be put on hold, but the time has come for forward thinking leaders to resume looking to the future. On this episode of The Forward Thinking Podcast, FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications, Stephanie Barton and the Futurist and founder of The Foresight Academy, Jared Nichols delve into what it takes to take control of your...

What are you doing in 2021 to accelerate the success and growth of your organization? Effective leaders have a win-win mindset that shows in every aspect of their work, and today's guest has proven that this mindset makes all the difference. On this episode of The Forward Thinking Podcast, FCCS CEO Chad Moller is joined by Byron Enix, former CEO of American AgCredit, key leader and recipient of th...