Organizations often struggle to adapt to change, whether technological, economic, or geopolitical. Yet change is inevitable, especially as technology evolves. This week, we are joined by retired Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan, who, from 2013 to 2017, transformed the agency’s organizational structure to better meet its full potential. John spoke with Megan McConnell, a partner based in our Washington D.C office who assists large, complex institutions in transforming how they run their organizations.



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Organizations often struggle to adapt to change, whether technological, economic, or geopolitical. Yet change is inevitable, especially as technology evolves. This week, we are joined by retired Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan, who, from 2013 to 2017, transformed the agency’s organizational structure to better meet its full potential. John spoke with <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/megan-mcconnell">Megan McConnell, </a>a partner based in our Washington D.C office who assists large, complex institutions in transforming how they run their organizations.
<hr>
 
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<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/defining-your-true-north-a-road-map-to-successful-transformation">Defining your ‘true north’: A road map to successful transformation</a>
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We talk with McKinsey partners and corporate executives on the challenges they face creating lasting strategies in a fast-changing world. We also examine the different ways these executives approach these challenges and the new and innovative ways they think of creating a vision for their enterprises.

What does it take to survive in a world of constant change? More than ever, enterprises need to create strategies that can meet current needs but also adapt to future demand. A regular series of interviews with McKinsey partners and corporate executives.

Inside the Strategy Room

We all know the world is moving faster. We also know that as upheaval becomes the norm, vast business opportunities will be within the grasp of the extraordinary few.  But it takes bold people and courageous approaches to seize those opportunities and create value.

In each episode of our weekly podcast, we sit down with the world’s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allows their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them. 

We all know the world is moving faster. We also know that as upheaval becomes the norm, vast business opportunities will be within the grasp of the extraordinary few.  But it takes bold people and courageous approaches to seize those opportunities and create value.
In each episode of our weekly podcast, we sit down with the world’s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allows their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them.

227. Retired CIA Director John Brennan: Why modernization is ‘never over’

Corporate boards face increased complexity today, with heightened geopolitical risk key among the concerns they must consider as they guide the companies they serve. In this episode, three experts on boards and geopolitics discuss how boards can best adapt to this new normal. Dominic Barton is board chair for the metals and mining company Rio Tinto, and also for the impact investment firm Leapfrog investments. He's also a senior advisor and partner at the AI investment firm Radical Ventures. Previously, Dom served as Canada’s ambassador to China. And before that he was a McKinsey senior partner who served as our global managing partner for three terms. Frithjof Lund is a senior partner who leads our Board Services Practice as well as our Norway office. He helps boards of directors improve corporate governance. Ziad Haider is a partner and our global director of geopolitical risk. He is based in our Singapore office, and counsels CXOs and boards on how to build out their capabilities to better understand, monitor, and mitigate geopolitical risk.

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McKinsey Geopolitics

Corporate boards face increased complexity today, with heightened geopolitical risk key among the concerns they must consider as they guide the companies they serve.&nbsp;In this episode, three experts on boards and geopolitics discuss how boards can best adapt to this new normal.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.riotinto.com/en/about/board-of-directors/dominic-barton">Dominic Barton</a> is board chair for the metals and mining company Rio Tinto, and also for the impact investment firm Leapfrog investments. He's also a senior advisor and partner at the AI investment firm Radical Ventures. Previously, Dom served as Canada&rsquo;s ambassador to China. And before that he was a McKinsey senior partner who served as our global managing partner for three terms. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/frithjof-lund">Frithjof Lund </a>is a senior partner who leads our Board Services Practice as well as our Norway office. He helps boards of directors improve corporate governance. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/ziad-haider">Ziad Haider</a> is a partner and our global director of geopolitical risk. He is based in our Singapore office, and counsels CXOs and boards on how to build out their capabilities to better understand, monitor, and mitigate geopolitical risk. 
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<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/building-geopolitical-resilience-the-people-agenda">Building geopolitical resilience: The people agenda</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/risk-and-resilience/our-insights/geopolitical-risk-navigating-a-world-in-flux">Geopolitical risk: Navigating a world in flux</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/helping-boards-manage-geopolitical-risk-with-jon-huntsman-jr">Helping boards manage geopolitical risk with Jon Huntsman Jr.</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/risk-and-resilience/our-insights/how-global-companies-can-manage-geopolitical-risk">How global companies can manage geopolitical risk</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/risk-and-resilience/our-insights/how-three-global-companies-navigate-geopolitical-risk-to-build-resilience">How three global companies navigate geopolitical risk to build resilience</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/can-your-company-remain-global-and-if-so-how">Can your company remain global and if so, how?</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/risk-and-resilience/our-insights/black-swans-gray-rhinos-and-silver-linings-anticipating-geopolitical-risks-and-openings">Black swans, gray rhinos, and silver linings: Anticipating geopolitical risks (and openings)</a>
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<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/geopolitics/our-insights">McKinsey Geopolitics</a><a></a>

230. How  boards can tackle geopolitical risk

Too often, business transformation is treated as a short-term exercise or financial goal. In this episode, three of our transformation experts share the core elements of a sustained transformation, in which mindsets shift, expectations change, and new heights are reached.

Stephan Görner is a senior partner and the global co-leader of our Transformation Practice. He was joined by senior partner Michael Bucy and associate partner Rachel McKlindon.

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Sustaining the momentum of a transformation

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To deliver a transformation’s full potential, put the front line first

The powerful role financial incentives can play in a transformation

How many people are really needed in a transformation?

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Too often, business transformation is treated as a short-term exercise or financial goal. In this episode, three of our transformation experts share the core elements of a sustained transformation, in which mindsets shift, expectations change, and new heights are reached. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/rts/our-people" data-attrib-id="link-200dacb8-2a34-416d-9f14-b04e6e0a3bf5">Stephan G&ouml;rner</a> is a senior partner and the global co-leader of our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights">Transformation Practice</a>. He was joined by senior partner <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/michael-bucy" data-attrib-id="link-a3bcd792-e6e5-49f9-94e3-b11ddc0b3210">Michael Bucy</a> and associate partner <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-mcklindon-3b03a653/" data-attrib-id="link-08818834-1ba7-4be4-9ca0-6f03847f697c">Rachel McKlindon</a>.
<hr>
<a></a>Related insights
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/rts/our-insights/sustaining-the-momentum-of-a-transformation">Sustaining the momentum of a transformation</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/why-isnt-your-transformation-showing-up-in-the-bottom-line">Why isn&rsquo;t your transformation showing up in the bottom line?</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-business-transformation">What is business transformation?</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/successful-transformations">Losing from day one: Why even successful transformations fall short</a>
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<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/the-powerful-role-financial-incentives-can-play-in-a-transformation">The powerful role financial incentives can play in a transformation</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/how-many-people-are-really-needed-in-a-transformation">How many people are really needed in a transformation?</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights">McKinsey Insights on Transformation</a>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-transformation/">McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

229. How to sustain transformation success

Sourcing and retaining talent is an evergreen challenge for companies, and it is even more important to realizing value creation goals in private capital backed companies. In this episode we hear from two of our experts on the subject. Marla Capozzi is a partner in our Boston office and a leader and founder of CEO Alpha, our initiative to deliver outperformance for private company CEOs and future leaders. At the time of recording, Dr. Claudy Jules was a partner in our Washington, DC, office and a leader in our private capital practice. He has since left our firm. 

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Sourcing and retaining talent is an evergreen challenge for companies, and it is even more important to realizing value creation goals in private capital backed companies. In this episode we hear from two of our experts on the subject. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/marla-capozzi">Marla Capozzi</a> is a partner in our Boston office and a leader and founder of CEO Alpha, our initiative to deliver outperformance for private company CEOs and future leaders. At the time of recording, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudyjules">Dr. Claudy Jules</a> was a partner in our Washington, DC, office and a leader in our private capital practice. He has since left our firm. 
<hr>
Related Insights 
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<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/achieving-hypergrowth-its-all-about-the-people">Achieving hypergrowth: It’s all about the people</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/chief-performance-officers-can-be-a-secret-ingredient-for-private-equity-success-heres-why">Chief performance officers can be a secret ingredient for private equity success. Here’s why</a>
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227. Retired CIA Director John Brennan: Why modernization is ‘never over’

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