The pace of innovation is reshaping industries at an unprecedented speed, but technology alone is not a source of advantage. To compete in a rapidly evolving global landscape, organizations must move beyond isolated tech deployments and embrace end-to-end process transformation. The real question for 2026 is: how can leaders rewire their operations to capture the full value of what’s possible?

In this episode, host Daphne Luchtenberg speaks with McKinsey senior partners Dan Swan and Ruth Heuss, Global Co-Conveners of McKinsey’s Operations Practice, about what it takes to turn operational excellence into sustained competitive advantage, and the critical questions operations leaders should be asking now.

McKinsey Talks Operations offers more insights at the intersection of strategy and execution. Visit www.McKinseyTalksOperations.com to explore upcoming events and thought leadership from McKinsey’s Operations Practice and join the McKinsey Talks Operations community. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-operations. 

The pace of innovation is reshaping industries at an unprecedented speed, but technology alone is not a source of advantage. To compete in a rapidly evolving global landscape, organizations must move beyond isolated tech deployments and embrace end-to-end process transformation. The real question for 2026 is: how can leaders rewire their operations to capture the full value of what&rsquo;s possible?
In this episode, host Daphne Luchtenberg speaks with McKinsey senior partners Dan Swan and Ruth Heuss, Global Co-Conveners of McKinsey&rsquo;s Operations Practice, about what it takes to turn operational excellence into sustained competitive advantage, and the critical questions operations leaders should be asking now.
McKinsey Talks Operations offers more insights at the intersection of strategy and execution. Visit <a href="https://mckinseytalksoperations.com/">www.McKinseyTalksOperations.com</a> to explore upcoming events and thought leadership from McKinsey&rsquo;s Operations Practice and join the McKinsey Talks Operations community. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn at <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-operations/">www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-operations</a>.&nbsp;

The next normal demands resilience, flexibility, and agility.

Join us on www.McKinseyTalksOperations.com where the world’s C-Suite leaders and McKinsey experts cut through the noise to uncover how to create a new operational reality. Each episode considers the challenges companies and economies are facing, and the opportunities leaders can seize for competitive advantage. We’ll look at how to connect boardroom strategy to the frontlines, ways to increase performance, where and when to infuse operations with technology, and why empowering the workforce with skills and capabilities is key to success.

McKinsey Talks Operations has much more content to offer on the Operations topics that connect strategy with lasting success. Visit www.McKinseyTalksOperations.com to explore events and insights from McKinsey’s Operations Practice, and join the McKinsey Talks Operations community. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-operations

The next normal demands resilience, flexibility, and agility.
Join us on <a href="http://www.mckinseytalksoperations.com">www.McKinseyTalksOperations.com</a> where the world’s C-Suite leaders and McKinsey experts cut through the noise to uncover how to create a new operational reality. Each episode considers the challenges companies and economies are facing, and the opportunities leaders can seize for competitive advantage. We’ll look at how to connect boardroom strategy to the frontlines, ways to increase performance, where and when to infuse operations with technology, and why empowering the workforce with skills and capabilities is key to success.
McKinsey Talks Operations has much more content to offer on the Operations topics that connect strategy with lasting success. Visit <a href="http://www.mckinseytalksoperations.com">www.McKinseyTalksOperations.com</a> to explore events and insights from McKinsey’s Operations Practice, and join the McKinsey Talks Operations community. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn at <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-operations" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-operations&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1674896999531000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Sp0r3t_R1DWVeTui08BhV">www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-operations</a>

The next normal demands resilience, flexibility, and agility. McKinsey Talks Operations, brings together the world’s C-Suite leaders and McKinsey experts cut through the noise to uncover how to create a new operational reality.

McKinsey Talks Operations

The next normal demands resilience, flexibility, and agility. Join us on McKinsey Talks Operations, where the world’s C-Suite leaders and McKinsey experts cut through the noise to uncover how to create a new operational reality. Each episode considers the challenges companies and economies are facing, and the opportunities leaders can seize for competitive advantage. We’ll look at how to connect boardroom strategy to the frontlines, ways to increase performance, where and when to infuse operations with technology, and why empowering the workforce with skills and capabilities is key to success.