The Strategy Skills Podcast: Strategy | Leadership | Critical Thinking | Problem-Solving

Owen Fitzpatrick has spent years studying propaganda, belief systems, and decision-making in places such as North Korea, Rwanda, Afghanistan, and Iran. In this conversation, he explains why the same psychological mechanisms that shape societies also shape the decisions of executives, leaders, and entrepreneurs.
The central insight is that the greatest influence often comes from within. As Owen explains, "What really convinces us is the way in which we convince ourselves." He adds, "Our ability to persuade ourselves of certain things is actually the dominant force that determines whether or not a person will be open to ideas."
Owen shares the deeply personal experience that began this journey: at age fourteen, while writing a suicide note, a single question interrupted the story he was telling himself and completely changed the direction of his life. That moment became the foundation of what he now calls inner propaganda—the internal process through which attention, emotion, and identity create certainty.
The discussion explores why evidence alone rarely changes minds. Instead, people change when a question shifts how they feel about a belief and how that belief fits their identity. Owen introduces practical tools including the Belief Audit, evaluating whether a belief is useful rather than simply true, and rating certainty on a 0–100 scale instead of treating opinions as absolute facts. He also explains why negative emotions are valuable clues—provided we ask whether they're helping us or harming us in a given situation.
One of the most practical moments addresses the belief, "I'm not good enough." Owen argues that the statement is impossible to evaluate because it lacks any clear standard. Rather than judging ourselves, he recommends asking: Where am I now? Where do I want to be? What do I need to do to get there? Turning self-criticism into an action plan is far more productive than chasing an undefined idea of "good enough."
The conversation closes with a powerful lesson for leaders. "Being right is not enough." "What really works is changing the way in which people feel." And, "If you want to be able to influence somebody… you have to start with how they feel."
This episode offers practical strategies for questioning assumptions, making better decisions, and leading more effectively by understanding the stories we use to persuade ourselves.
Get Owen's book, Inner Propaganda, here: https://tinyurl.com/mu96f9ph
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Learn the immigrant success mindset and how to build resilience. See how specific challenges foster growth for anyone. 
 
Many assume the immigrant experience is only defined by hardship, but these challenges often build a unique toolkit for success. In this video, I break down the specific traits that allow people to thrive after moving to a new country. Whether you are an immigrant yourself or looking to develop stronger grit, you can apply these principles to your own life.
 
I have immigrated three times, and I have seen firsthand how the struggle creates a competitive advantage. This video explains how to leverage those difficult experiences to your benefit. Understanding the immigrant success mindset is about more than just surviving; it is about learning how to adapt and capitalize on change. We discuss how to cultivate this resilience even if you have never left your home country.
 
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I had a coaching call this month where my client could not put his thinking together. He said to me that he wished he had ChatGPT right now. He could do this before. I have watched him do it.
My view is that people are losing the ability, because they have outsourced the work of getting to the core of what they are trying to say. Michael's view is that the ability is still there and the enthusiasm to use it has gone.
In this clip we work through what it actually costs. Michael defines productivity, and the input almost nobody counts.
We also cover the rule we hold our contractors to, what most people don't take into account when using AI, and the new formula for being average.
This is 5+ minutes on this topic from a longer walk with Michael.
The full conversation will be linked below once it is posted.
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Most teams don't lose because of poor strategy. They lose because they abandoned the fundamentals. The World Cup proves it — and so does your business or career. In this walking masterclass, we break down why foundational skills are the actual differentiator in football and in business strategy. The three-pronged framework that separates sustainable winners from one-season outliers: economics, strategy, and fundamentals. And we address the most dangerous trap in the AI era — using productivity tools before you've mastered the basics they're supposed to amplify. What you'll learn:
- Why teams and organizations that skip fundamentals resort to "pot shots" — low-probability, desperate tactics
- The three conditions that determine long-term success in any competitive field
- Why AI makes critical thinking skills MORE critical, not less — and what happens when you let it erode your foundational skills
- The single rule governing when to use AI: never use it on something you haven't mastered yourself
- What the Messi vs. LeBron debate reveals about how we evaluate success in business strategy
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For this episode, let's revisit a strategy skills classic interview with the author of MoneyZen: The Secret to Finding Your "Enough", Manisha Thakor. In this book, Manisha shares her candid journey out of the Cult of Never Enough—a painful mindset that tells you the money you earn, accomplishments you achieve, and praise you receive are always insufficient.
 
Manisha Thakor has worked in financial services for more than thirty years, with an emphasis on women's economic empowerment and financial wellbeing. A nationally recognized thought-leader in this space, Thakor has been featured in a wide range of publications including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, NPR, PBS, CNN, Real Simple, and Women's Health. Prior to writing MoneyZen, Thakor co-authored two personal finance books for women in their twenties and thirties. Today her work focuses on helping people of all ages to balance financial health and emotional wealth. Thakor earned her MBA from Harvard Business School, her BA from Wellesley College and is both a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP). She splits her time between Portland, Oregon and rural Maine. Her website is MoneyZen.com.


Get Manisha's Book here: https://rb.gy/od9zz
MoneyZen: The Secret to Finding Your "Enough"
 
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