2D AGO

Why Your Five-Year Plan Is Obsolete: The Case for Emergent Strategy in a Complex World | Pete Compo

Why do sophisticated five-year plans so often fail the moment they hit real-world complexity? In this conversation, Pete Compo—author of The Emergent Approach to Strategy and former corporate director at DuPont—argues that traditional planning isn't just ineffective in today's world, it's actively dangerous. Most leadership teams operate with LAMO tools (linear, anthropocentric, mechanistic, ordered) whilst the world demands VUCA fluency (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous). The arrival of AI has made this mismatch impossible to ignore. In this episode, Pete and Mark explore: Why five-year plans were never useful—but we can say with certainty they're useless todayThe LAMO trap: why we treat organisations like high-precision clocks when they behave like murmurations of starlingsThe five disqualifiers of flabby strategy: how to test whether you've got real strategy or just goals masquerading as oneNested strategy frameworks: cascading logic and interaction, not goalsThe central rule: a rigorous, simple rule designed to bust through your organisation's primary bottleneckDistal CEOs: empowering people at the edge to develop strategies based on simple rulesWhy cascading goals create silos: manufacturing optimises for efficiency, marketing for revenue—everyone hits their numbers whilst the organisation failsThe four-station dashboard: foundational feedback, adherence, progress, and bottom lineWhy AI makes the emergent approach urgent: traditional planning is like flying a modern aircraft using steam-age instrumentsKey Quote: "It's not somebody's job to just have a piece of the goal. It's everybody's job to have a strategy framework on how they're going to do their part of the whole." About Pete Compo: Pete Compo is the author of The Emergent Approach to Strategy and a former corporate director at DuPont, where he spent decades witnessing firsthand why traditional strategy and planning often collapse the moment they hit real-world complexity. His work focuses on helping organisations develop strategy frameworks that actually function in complex, uncertain environments. Resources mentioned: emergentapproach.com – free downloadable resources, examples, and task setsPeterCompo.com – Pete's personal websitePete Compo on LinkedIn – regular posts on strategy, complexity, and adaptive systemsSend your thoughts to Arkaro Connect with Arkaro: 🔗 Follow us on LinkedIn: Arkaro Company Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkaro Mark Blackwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrblackwell/ Newsletter - Arkaro Insights: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/arkaro-insights-6924308904973631488/ 🌐 Visit our website: www.arkaro.com 📺 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@arkaro Audio Podcast: https://arkaroinsights.buzzsprout.com 📧 For business enquiries: mark@arkaro.com

56 min

FEB 11

From Dance Floor to Boardroom: Human-Centric Supply Chain Leadership | Karen-Marie Katholm

Former Akzo Nobel supply chain chief Karen-Marie Katholm on leading 14,000 people through transformation—why soft skills beat technical expertise when navigating complexity. How do you transform 13 separate supply chains into one integrated operation across 130 manufacturing sites and 14,000 employees? Karen-Marie Katholm has done exactly that. As former Chief Integrated Supply Chain Officer at Akzo Nobel—and now Chief Supply Chain Officer at Orkla Foods—she's learned that technical expertise is merely the price of entry. The real differentiator is human-centric leadership. In this episode, Karen-Marie and Mark Blackwell explore: The Balcony and the Dance Floor Why leaders must understand operations without getting lost in them—and how the Heifetz leadership metaphor transformed her approach Three Dimensions of Excellence Processes, systems, and capabilities—why most organisations underinvest in the third, and why that's where transformations stall From S&OP to Integrated Business Management The five-step monthly rhythm that connects supply chain to strategy execution—lessons from DuPont that Karen-Marie has carried throughout her career Differentiated Supply Chains Why one size doesn't fit all—agile supply chains for demanding customers require different approaches from cost-focused commodity flows Soft Skills Aren't Soft Gemba walks, listening, and clear narrative—why these matter more than technical prowess when leading global teams Diversity Drives Innovation How fresh perspectives from engineering trainees surface the questions experienced leaders have stopped asking Karen-Marie's career spans iconic operations at Lego, the cooperative complexities of Arla Foods, global leadership at DuPont, and executive committee membership at Akzo Nobel. An engineer by training with an Executive MBA in Change Management, she proves that the most powerful tools for supply chain leadership aren't technical—they're empathy, authentic confidence, and the ability to drive transformation through people. This episode is essential listening for supply chain leaders, operations executives, and anyone navigating large-scale organisational change. Karen-Marie Katholm is the incoming Chief Supply Chain Officer and Management Team member at Orkla Foods (effective March 1, 2026), joining from AkzoNobel where she served as Chief Integrated Supply Chain Officer. Leading a global organization of 14,000 employees across 130 manufacturing sites, she spearheaded the consolidation of 13 fragmented supply chains into a single, synergistic end-to-end unit. With over 20 years of leadership at giants like DuPont, Arla Foods, and LEGO, Karen-Marie is a recognized expert in large-scale transformation and digital innovation. Named one of the "Top 10 Women in Supply Chain 2024," she is a champion for human-centric leadership, emphasizing that empathy and transparency are critical tools for industrial excellence. She serves on the boards of Corbion, Uhrenholt and Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker. Send your thoughts to Arkaro Connect with Arkaro: 🔗 Follow us on LinkedIn: Arkaro Company Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkaro Mark Blackwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrblackwell/ Newsletter - Arkaro Insights: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/arkaro-insights-6924308904973631488/ 🌐 Visit our website: www.arkaro.com 📺 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@arkaro Audio Podcast: https://arkaroinsights.buzzsprout.com 📧 For business enquiries: mark@arkaro.com

37 min

FEB 2

Why Constraints Make You More Creative, Not Less | Dr. Catrinel Tromp

We're told to think outside the box. But what if the box is your greatest creative asset? Dr. Catrinel Tromp explains the cognitive science behind why constraints drive innovation — and why the most dangerous barriers are the ones you've stopped questioning. Think outside the box. Blue sky thinking. Start with a blank canvas. It's advice we hear constantly — but what if it's wrong? Dr. Catrinel Tromp, professor of psychology at Rider University and specialist in the cognitive science of creativity, argues that creativity doesn't flourish despite constraints — it flourishes because of them. Her research, which began at Princeton and was tested in Manhattan's hedge fund world, reveals something counterintuitive: when you narrow the search space, you actually expand the possibilities. In this conversation, Catrinel shares: The Green Eggs and Ham Hypothesis — Dr. Seuss wrote a bestseller using just 50 words. Catrinel's own experiments show that everyday people produce more creative results when given random constraints than when given total freedom. Fixed vs Faux Fixed Constraints — Most of the barriers organisations treat as immovable are nothing of the sort. "That's just how our industry works" is rarely a fact — it's an unchallenged assumption. The best leaders distinguish between genuine boundaries and inherited habits. The Carryover Effect — People who practise working under constraints don't just perform better in the moment. The creative benefit persists even after the constraints are removed. The skill transfers. The White Bear Effect — Framing constraints as "don'ts" triggers avoidance and self-monitoring. Framing them as "dos" provides direction and a starting point. Leaders who understand this difference unlock more creative teams. Constraint Fluency — The best organisations don't wait for a crisis to practise working with constraints. They embed constraint experimentation into daily operations, building the creative muscle before it's needed. Catrinel also explores why water scarcity produced premium tomatoes and drip irrigation, how the black pearl market was created by reframing a "defect," and why AI prompt engineering is essentially constraint mastery. About our guest: Dr. Catrinel Tromp earned her PhD from Princeton University and spent years in Manhattan working at a major hedge fund and co-owning a recruiting firm. She is a professor of psychology at Rider University, where she specialises in the cognitive science of creativity and innovation. Her research has been featured by the BBC, the New York Times and leading scientific journals. She is also an abstract oil painter. Other Arkaro Insights guests referenced in this episode: Stephen Wunker — The Playground ParadoxVlad Glaveanu — Possibility studies and Slow AIDr. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle — Creativity researchScott Anthony — Epic Disruptions and the Bethlehem Steel storySend your thoughts to Arkaro Connect with Arkaro: 🔗 Follow us on LinkedIn: Arkaro Company Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkaro Mark Blackwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrblackwell/ Newsletter - Arkaro Insights: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/arkaro-insights-6924308904973631488/ 🌐 Visit our website: www.arkaro.com 📺 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@arkaro Audio Podcast: https://arkaroinsights.buzzsprout.com 📧 For business enquiries: mark@arkaro.com

41 min

JAN 16

The Mother Rule: Why Your Strategy Should Be Simple Enough for Mum | James Michael Lafferty

Jim Lafferty spent 30 years leading in some of the world's most volatile markets. His secret weapon? A test so simple your mother could apply it. What if the smartest person to pressure-test your strategy isn't a consultant or an MBA — but your mum? Jim Lafferty didn't follow the traditional path to Fortune 500 leadership. He started as a fitness instructor, built his career across Nigeria, the Philippines, Poland and beyond, and learned that in volatile, uncertain markets, simplicity beats sophistication every time. In this conversation, Jim shares: The Mother Rule — If your strategy is so intellectual that the person buying the diapers doesn't understand it, you don't have a strategy. You have muddled thinking. The Bumblebee Principle — You can coach almost any skill, but you cannot coach desire. Jim explains why he'd rather hire someone who shouldn't fly but does than a polished graduate who lacks fire. A Principle Isn't a Principle Until It Costs You Something — Jim recounts the night he was offered a $7 million bribe, and why saying no hurt more than he expected. The Church Sampling Story — How Jim secured Vatican approval to distribute products at 3,500 Polish church services — and grew the business 35% in a single year. Getting Fired with Dignity — What it means to leave standing on your feet, not on your knees. This is leadership without the polish — raw, practical, and forged in markets where complexity isn't a theory but a daily reality. Connect with James: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-michael-lafferty-2737071/ Website: https://jamesmichaellafferty.com/ Send your thoughts to Arkaro Connect with Arkaro: 🔗 Follow us on LinkedIn: Arkaro Company Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkaro Mark Blackwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrblackwell/ Newsletter - Arkaro Insights: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/arkaro-insights-6924308904973631488/ 🌐 Visit our website: www.arkaro.com 📺 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@arkaro Audio Podcast: https://arkaroinsights.buzzsprout.com 📧 For business enquiries: mark@arkaro.com

45 min

JAN 14

Rewire or Retire: Why AI is a Leadership Issue, Not a Technology Problem | Marco Ryan

You cannot just be a leader that takes a can of digital paint and paints over the analogue cracks of your business. It will not survive the disruption that's coming. In this episode, Marco Ryan, former Chief Digital Officer at BP and co-author of Rewire or Retire: AI for Leaders, challenges us to rethink how we lead in an AI-driven world. Marco argues that AI isn't fundamentally a technology issue—it's a leadership issue. And the choice facing every leader is clear: rewire your approach or retire gracefully to let others lead. We explore why most executives are "nearsighted" when it comes to AI, how to find the AI whisperers already in your organisation, and why wisdom and judgment don't always sit at the top of the table. Marco shares practical advice on using AI as a "strategy buddy" and explains why digital curiosity—asking "what if?"—matters more than technical expertise. Whether you're overwhelmed by AI or just getting started, this conversation offers a clear-eyed look at what leadership demands in the age of artificial intelligence. If this conversation pushed your thinking, subscribe, share it with a colleague who’s wrestling with AI strategy, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Then tell us on LinkedIn: where will you rewire first? Marco Ryan is a Non-Executive Director, author, and former Chief Digital Officer at BP with over 30 years of experience in digital transformation and board-level leadership. He has held senior roles at Wärtsilä, Thomas Cook, and Accenture, and is currently Cyber Leader in Residence at Lancaster University Management School. Marco is the co-author (with Alastair Lechler) of Rewire or Retire: AI for Leaders and 51 Essential AI Terms for Leaders. Links & Resources Marco's website: marcoryan.comBook: Rewire or Retire: AI for Leaders – available on AmazonSend your thoughts to Arkaro Connect with Arkaro: 🔗 Follow us on LinkedIn: Arkaro Company Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkaro Mark Blackwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrblackwell/ Newsletter - Arkaro Insights: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/arkaro-insights-6924308904973631488/ 🌐 Visit our website: www.arkaro.com 📺 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@arkaro Audio Podcast: https://arkaroinsights.buzzsprout.com 📧 For business enquiries: mark@arkaro.com

46 min

JAN 5

From Technical Fixes to Adaptive Solutions: How Arkaro’s Approach Transforms Technical Problem-Solving Cultures (AI voices Arkaro content)

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery. Full article: From Technical Fixes to Adaptive Solutions: How Arkaro's Approach Transforms Technical Problem-Solving Cultures The greatest obstacle to transformation often hides in plain sight. For technically brilliant B2B organizations—especially in agriculture, food, and chemicals—it's not technical capability that stalls strategic initiatives, but the failure to recognize when you're facing an adaptive challenge rather than a technical problem. Drawing on insights from Mark Blackwell at Arkaro, we explore this critical distinction that determines success or failure in organizational change. Technical problems exist in what systems thinker Dave Snowden calls the "complicated domain"—where cause and effect relationships can be discovered through expert analysis. These challenges respond to the sense-analyze-respond approach that engineering cultures excel at. Adaptive challenges, however, live in the "complex domain" where solutions can't be predetermined but must emerge through experimentation and learning—requiring a probe-sense-respond mindset. The consequences of misapplying technical approaches to adaptive challenges appear everywhere: strategy implementations falter despite solid analysis (with only 28% of executives able to list three strategic priorities), Integrated Business Planning systems struggle despite perfect process design, innovation initiatives stall despite structured methodologies, and customer-centricity programs fail to change organizational behavior despite comprehensive market research. The root cause? Technical leaders trying to solve adaptive challenges requiring cultural shifts and behavior changes using the same toolkit that made them successful with technical problems. Arkaro's four-step methodology offers a path forward: Understanding (moving beyond problem definition to challenge recognition), Co-creating (shifting from expert solutions to collective learning), Enabling (building adaptive capabilities alongside technical skills), and Sustaining (embedding these capabilities for future challenges). Through their "do-it-with-you" approach, Arkaro works alongside organizations to build internal capability while solving immediate challenges—creating a bridge between technical excellence and adaptive leadership. Take an honest look at your organization today. Where might your established technical expertise actually be hindering your ability to adapt to complex, ambi Send your thoughts to Arkaro Connect with Arkaro: 🔗 Follow us on LinkedIn: Arkaro Company Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkaro Mark Blackwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrblackwell/ Newsletter - Arkaro Insights: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/arkaro-insights-6924308904973631488/ 🌐 Visit our website: www.arkaro.com 📺 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@arkaro Audio Podcast: https://arkaroinsights.buzzsprout.com 📧 For business enquiries: mark@arkaro.com

21 min

JAN 1

Niels van Hove on Human-AI Collaboration in S&OE, S&OP & IBP

Niels van Hove joins Mark Blackwell to explore how AI is transforming S&OP and IBP from bureaucratic box-ticking to decision-centric planning. Discover why planners waste 50% of their time on low-value tasks, how automation and augmentation differ, and Niels's bold vision for AI-powered "decision avatars" that could revolutionise executive decision-making. ____ Is your S&OP process more painful than productive — a "monthly trip to the dentist" as our guest puts it? Niels van Hove, globally recognised thought leader in integrated business planning and human-AI collaboration, joins Mark Blackwell to discuss how AI is reshaping supply chain planning. Niels has defined the current era as the "third wave" of supply chain planning technology, and he argues that the competitive advantage lies not in technology alone, but in creating a culture of human-AI collaboration. In this conversation, we explore: - Why planners spend 50% of their time on data crunching and low-value work — and how AI can free them to focus on what matters - The critical distinction between automation (handling repetitive tasks) and augmentation (advising on decisions) - Explainability versus trust — Niels's contrarian view on whether we really need to understand AI to use it effectively - Decision avatars: a vision for AI-powered executive teams that can debate scenarios and recommend options at unprecedented speed - Practical advice for CEOs looking to modernise deteriorating S&OP processes Key insight: "Anything that can be automated will be automated. The competitive difference will be in human-AI collaboration." Niels challenges listeners to take personal accountability for learning with AI rather than sitting back and demanding explainability. As he puts it: "AI is here to stay and will only get better. You can't sit back and say, show me how it works, without showing any interest yourself." About our guest: Niels van Hove is an expert in IBP, S&OP, and the emerging field of human-AI collaboration in supply chain planning. He advocates for decision-centric IBP — working backwards from decisions rather than focusing solely on forecast accuracy. His work emphasises that future planners must adapt to collaborate with AI or self-select out of the role. Resources mentioned: "The New Machine" by Nada Sanders Roger Moser's work on decision intelligence Dick Ling's foundational work on S&OP Send your thoughts to Arkaro Connect with Arkaro: 🔗 Follow us on LinkedIn: Arkaro Company Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkaro Mark Blackwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrblackwell/ Newsletter - Arkaro Insights: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/arkaro-insights-6924308904973631488/ 🌐 Visit our website: www.arkaro.com 📺 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@arkaro Audio Podcast: https://arkaroinsights.buzzsprout.com 📧 For business enquiries: mark@arkaro.com

43 min

12/19/2025

How to Use AI Without It Going Wrong | Ray Eitel-Porter, Author of Governing the Machine

How can your organisation use AI without it going wrong? With 95% of organisations failing to see a return on their AI investments, this question has never been more pressing for business leaders. In this episode of Arkaro Insights, I'm joined by Ray Eitel-Porter, co-author of "Governing the Machine: How to Navigate the Risks of AI and Unlock Its True Potential". Ray has spent over eight years helping companies implement AI responsibly. He previously led Accenture's global responsible AI practice and currently advises multinational companies and the public sector. He is also a Senior Research Associate at the Intellectual Forum, Jesus College, Cambridge. There's a common misconception that AI governance blocks innovation. Ray challenges this view head-on. For him, AI governance is precisely what allows organisations to innovate confidently – the framework that helps you scale AI whilst knowing the right questions have been asked and the right safeguards are in place. We explore the striking gap between executive ambition and workforce reality: 80% of executives believe AI is core to their strategy, yet only 15% of employees share that belief. Ray shares practical examples of how organisations have closed this gap, including a UK public sector body that transformed workforce trust in AI from 25% to over 90% through effective training. Ray brings the discussion to life with case studies from PepsiCo, Nestlé, and Shell, showing how AI governance can reinforce brand values and enable responsible scaling across global operations. We also tackle the shadow AI challenge – up to 90% of employees using personal ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini accounts for work – and why technical controls alone cannot solve this problem. Looking ahead, Ray explains why AI agents represent the next frontier of governance risk, and why automation bias – our tendency to over-trust accurate AI – may be the most counterintuitive danger of all. A key message: AI governance isn't just for large corporates. The principles scale down to SMEs. Where a multinational needs sophisticated platforms, a smaller business might achieve the same ends with clear ownership and an Excel spreadsheet. About the guest Ray Eitel-Porter is co-author of "Governing the Machine: How to Navigate the Risks of AI and Unlock Its True Potential", available from Amazon. Connect with Ray on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/rayeitelporter/ About Arkaro Insights Arkaro Insights is the podcast for B2B executives seeking tools and techniques to thrive in a complex world. We cover change management, innovation, and commercial excellence – with particular expertise in the agriculture, food, and chemicals industries. Visit www.arkaro.com or connect with us on LinkedIn. Send your thoughts to Arkaro Connect with Arkaro: 🔗 Follow us on LinkedIn: Arkaro Company Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkaro Mark Blackwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrblackwell/ Newsletter - Arkaro Insights: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/arkaro-insights-6924308904973631488/ 🌐 Visit our website: www.arkaro.com 📺 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@arkaro Audio Podcast: https://arkaroinsights.buzzsprout.com 📧 For business enquiries: mark@arkaro.com

45 min

Arkaro Insights

Why Your Five-Year Plan Is Obsolete: The Case for Emergent Strategy in a Complex World | Pete Compo

From Dance Floor to Boardroom: Human-Centric Supply Chain Leadership | Karen-Marie Katholm

Why Constraints Make You More Creative, Not Less | Dr. Catrinel Tromp

The Mother Rule: Why Your Strategy Should Be Simple Enough for Mum | James Michael Lafferty

Rewire or Retire: Why AI is a Leadership Issue, Not a Technology Problem | Marco Ryan

From Technical Fixes to Adaptive Solutions: How Arkaro’s Approach Transforms Technical Problem-Solving Cultures (AI voices Arkaro content)

Niels van Hove on Human-AI Collaboration in S&OE, S&OP & IBP

How to Use AI Without It Going Wrong | Ray Eitel-Porter, Author of Governing the Machine

Ratings & Reviews

Interesting, insightful and useful

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Arkaro Insights

Episodes

Why Your Five-Year Plan Is Obsolete: The Case for Emergent Strategy in a Complex World | Pete Compo

From Dance Floor to Boardroom: Human-Centric Supply Chain Leadership | Karen-Marie Katholm

Why Constraints Make You More Creative, Not Less | Dr. Catrinel Tromp

The Mother Rule: Why Your Strategy Should Be Simple Enough for Mum | James Michael Lafferty

Rewire or Retire: Why AI is a Leadership Issue, Not a Technology Problem | Marco Ryan

From Technical Fixes to Adaptive Solutions: How Arkaro’s Approach Transforms Technical Problem-Solving Cultures (AI voices Arkaro content)

Niels van Hove on Human-AI Collaboration in S&OE, S&OP & IBP

How to Use AI Without It Going Wrong | Ray Eitel-Porter, Author of Governing the Machine

Ratings & Reviews

About

Information