Ep 176 - One of the World's Top 10 Business Thinkers Explains the End of Competitive Advantage

Today, we’re speaking with Rita McGrath, a renowned Columbia Business School professor and premier expert on innovation, entrepreneurship, and growth strategies during times of uncertainty. The pandemic is forcing every business regardless of industry to reevaluate their operations and to stay relevant while also staying on top of strategic inflection points. According to Rita McGrath, the pandemic is offering businesses an opportunity to grow, or to stay as they are. Her new book, Seeing Around Corners, helps leaders recognize the inflection points that could lead to innovation and success. The pivotal changes taking place in business environments today are a wake-up call for leaders to not only define their cultural values, but to stay ahead of the tech game and get closer to the customer experience. There's no substitute for the knowledge and expertise this week’s guest has to offer. Please welcome Rita McGrath to the Escape Your Limits podcast. For more information visit https://escapefitness.com/podcast Video version - https://youtu.be/T2M2c3s4eT0   Rita McGrath is a best-selling author, a sought-after speaker, and a longtime professor at Columbia Business School. She is known as The Entrepreneurial Strategist and a globally recognized champion of harnessing disruptive influences for competitive advantage. Rita McGrath is widely recognized as a premier expert on leading innovation and growth during times of uncertainty.  As a consultant to CEOs, her work has had a lasting impact on the strategy and growth programs of Fortune 500 companies worldwide. Rita is also the founder of Valize, an innovation platform whose mission is to help organizations build lasting innovation capability as the basis for long term shared prosperity. Visit www.ritamcgrath.com to learn more about this Entrepreneurial Strategist and discover how to see business environment changes as opportunities.   Episode highlights - Keep focused on your customers’ end state You need to create something other people can’t copy Treat your employees like human beings, not robots Employee satisfaction leads to greater customer satisfaction As a brand, focus on what’s true for you Inflection points provide opportunities for innovation The pandemic’s impact on the fitness industry Arenas vs. industries Staying on top of new technologies and changing lives Three kinds of competitors to watch out for Observations on leadership   Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Rita McGrath.