Unpacking organizations: the practitioner's podcast

Shradha and Rupert are joined by Brandon Curry, CEO of WorkArts and a practitioner who has led org design from the shop floor to the C-suite. Drawing on years of experience in manufacturing, performance improvement, and HR leadership, Brandon shares how real org impact comes from centering the customer, not the spreadsheet. They explore: Why designing around spans and layers often leads to “averag...

In this episode, Shradha and Rupert are joined by Janet Sherlock, former Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Ralph Lauren and now founder and CEO of OrgWorks, to explore why clarity, structure, and leadership design are central to organizational performance in today’s complex world. Janet brings fresh insight into the human and business cost of org confusion, backed by her research and executi...

In this episode, Shradha Prakash and Rupert Morrison sit down with Garth Andrus, author of The Technology Fallacy, and global leader in org and AI transformation at Andersen Consulting, to explore how AI is fundamentally reshaping the way we design and lead organizations. Together, they dive into: 🔹 Why AI disrupts more than just workflows—it changes governance, talent, and decision rights 🔹 Wha...

Shradha and Rupert are joined by Nathan Lavoie, Global Head of Organizational Change Management and Readiness at Sanofi. Drawing from his experience at Sanofi, CVS Health, Accenture, and Deloitte, Nate unpacks what it really takes to lead sustainable change—from strategy through to execution. The trio explores: How to create a compelling change narrative that cascades with consistency Why operatin...

Hosts Shradha Prakash and Rupert Morrison are joined by Chelsea Jennings, a seasoned leader in organizational effectiveness at a major global bank. With a background that spans engineering, consulting, and executive coaching, Chelsea shares her unconventional path into org design and her experience building internal org effectiveness capabilities from the ground up. The conversation covers: How to...

In this episode of Unpacking Organizations, Shradha Prakash and Rupert Morrison sit down with Paul Krasilnick, Global Lead of OD and People Analytics at Baringa, for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of organization design. From breaking free of "boxes and lines" to embracing agile thinking, they discuss how leaders can use data, design guardrails, and strategic storytelling to shape more...

What does it take to make organization design work in the real world? In this conversation, hosts Shradha and Rupert are joined by Jodie Goulden and Richard Lucas from Orgdesign Works to discuss what it takes for successful org transformation. They talk about when to say no to rushed structure changes, how to build internal capability, and why wide and deep engagement beats speed every time. This...

Shradha and Rupert sit down with Kent McMillan, Managing Director at Accenture and author of Rethinking Operating Models. Together, they dive into how organizations can evolve in the face of rapid technological change, especially with the rise of AI. Kent shares powerful insights from decades of experience in operating model design—highlighting the importance of systems thinking, adaptive strategy...

Rupert and Shradha sit down with Michael Griffiths, Deloitte US Organization, Workforce & Change Consulting Leader, to examine the shifting dynamics of organizational change, with a particular emphasis on skills-based organizations. They explore the practical challenges of adopting skills-based frameworks, the cultural transformations required for effective performance management, and the crit...

Rupert and Shradha are joined by Badr Ait Ahmed, a seasoned expert in workforce planning and people analytics. The conversation explores the critical differences between headcount planning and workforce planning, emphasizing the need for a multidisciplinary approach that includes finance, HR, and other departments. Badr shares insights on the importance of embedding workforce planning into busines...

Cole Napper, VP at Lightcast, joins Rupert and Shradha to explore the intricacies of workforce planning and analytics. They discuss the importance of integrating internal and external data, the impact of demographic changes on talent availability, and the evolving landscape of AI skills. Cole shares insights on how to influence organizational mindsets with data, the significance of aligning workfo...

Shradha and Rupert delve into Mark McAleer’s journey into organizational design, unpacking the intricacies of change management. The discussion highlights the critical role of addressing the human aspects of organizational change, the significance of engaging stakeholders effectively, and the obstacles encountered in driving successful transformation. Mark offers valuable perspectives on the impor...

Hosts Rupert and Shradha are joined by Sam Spurlin, a consultant at The Ready, to explore the evolving landscape of organizational design and the future of work. They discuss the importance of understanding work as a continuous process, the need for modern organizational operating systems, and the significance of embracing complexity over oversimplification. The conversation delves into practical...

In this episode, hosts Shradha and Rupert chat with Alan Susi, VP and Global Head of Organizational Planning and Analytics at S&P Global. Alan shares his journey from Fannie Mae to S&P, discussing the evolution of workforce planning and the importance of integrating various functions within organizations. The conversation delves into the challenges and successes of navigating mergers, the...

In this episode, hosts Shradha and Rupert engage with guest Jordan Pettman to explore the significance of Integrated Business Planning (IBP) in organizations. Jordan shares his extensive professional journey, emphasizing the need for a cohesive approach to organizational strategy that integrates finance, HR, and operational planning. The conversation delves into the cultural prerequisites for succ...

Rupert and Shradha engage with Hardeep Kaur, who shares her extensive experience in organizational change and leadership. Hardeep discusses her journey from manufacturing to change management, emphasizing the importance of curiosity, effective communication, and the role of sponsors and stakeholders in driving successful transformations. The conversation highlights the nuances of change versus tra...

In this engaging conversation, Rupert and Shradha welcome Julian Chender, an expert in organization design, to discuss his journey from corporate consulting to social impact work. Julian shares insights on the importance of culture in organizations, particularly how it relates to their products and services. He reflects on his experiences at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease...

On this episode, Rupert and Shradha interview Don Miller from Deloitte about the concept of digital twin and its relevance in organizations. A digital twin is a replicated scenario or live model of certain elements in a system, allowing organizations to explore and make decisions without affecting the actual people and systems. Don emphasizes the importance of using digital twins to scenario model...

In this episode, Jade Christie, Director of Workforce Planning at Lululemon, discusses the importance of workforce planning in a rapidly growing organization. She emphasizes the need for a strong partnership between workforce planning and financial planning and analysis (FP&A) to ensure accurate and actionable data. Jade also highlights the value of seeking to be approximately right rather tha...

On this episode Rupert and Shradha interview Sharon Dye Yates, an org development and org design professional. Sharon shares her journey into the field of organizational development and discusses her three passions: culture, change integration, and organizational design. She emphasizes the importance of establishing tangible and measurable culture and for a robust change integration approach to en...

Jules Siegel-Hawley, a clinical social worker and organization design transformation expert, shares her journey and insights into the world of organization design and job architecture. Jules emphasizes the importance of clear communication, meticulous project management and involving people managers in overall change. Jules also highlights the need for a comprehensive social, legal, and risk asses...

Shradha and Rupert are joined by Otto Pretorius to discuss job architecture and its importance in organizations. They explore the evolution of job architecture, the role of data in job design, and the connection between job architecture and skills-based approaches. Otto emphasizes the need for a structured and sustainable approach to job architecture, highlighting the importance of building what i...

Himanshu Tambe, an adjunct faculty in Indian School of Business and Singapore Business University, emphasizes how organizations of the future are shifting from traditional hierarchical models to networked fluid models. He highlights the need for the CEO to take the ownership of org design aligning it to the strategy and business objectives. Himanshu called out the importance of technology, such as...

In this episode, Rupert and Shradha discuss the connection between understanding the work and the value chain of a business. They explain that the value chain is the process of transforming inputs into outputs that generate revenue, and it varies across industries. They also introduce the concept of the hedgehog concept from Jim Collins, which involves being the best in the world at something, bei...

This conversation explores the concept of the gig economy and how organizations should approach designing for it. It discusses the challenges of incorporating gig workers into organizational design and the need to understand the work and the role of gig workers. The conversation also touches on the importance of considering the ego and biases in decision-making, as well as the practical aspects of...