Focus on Growth - Sage Insights is a concise, power-packed podcast by Sage Partners. Tailored for leaders and aspiring leaders of companies ranging from burgeoning startups to the established, each episode offers actionable insights and advice to help you accelerate growth. Each episode is 15-20 minutes - designed to fit into the busy schedules of C-suite leaders and decision-makers. At the core of this series is the exploration of growth strategies and their impact on creating value for all stakeholders. Sage Partners brings their extensive experience and expertise to these conversations.
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July 28, 202631 min
Create The Future with Rick Williams | Navigating The Fog of Change™
The future isn’t something that simply happens to us—it is something we can help create.In this episode, Rick Williams, author of Create the Future, shares a practical playbook for leading through disruption and uncertainty. Together, we explore how his framework aligns with the principles of Navigating the Fog of Change™ and what it means for today’s leaders. Using lessons from our own careers and life experiences, we discuss how leaders can move from reacting to change to shaping what comes next.If you’re determined to lead with confidence in uncertain times, this conversation is for you.Rick Williams is based in Boston, Massachusetts. He is a Harvard Business School graduate and a physics graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.Rick brings a unique combination of professional and life experiences to his work with leaders who want their organizations to be successful and want to be more successful leaders themselves. Rick brings a clarity of purpose, realistic options, meaningful context, risk assessment, and a view from off the boat. He helps clarify the issues to be addressed, define the decisions to be made, create realistic options, and evaluate the execution risks. He communicates clearly in both public and private settings and encourages others to discover, for themselves, their best path forward.To learn more about Rick, visit: https://rickwilliamsleadership.comNavigating The Fog of Change™ is presented by Sage Partners. This podcast is hosted by Tom Doorley and edited and produced by Rei Haycraft.To learn more about Sage Partners, visit: https://www.sagepartners.net/
July 14, 202629 min
MedTech: Navigating the Fog of Change™ with Glenn Snyder and Bernie Haffey
MedTech: Navigating the Fog of Change™ Few industries are experiencing more rapid and consequential change than healthcare. Advances in AI, robotics, diagnostics, personalized medicine, regulation, and reimbursement are reshaping the MedTech landscape at unprecedented speed. In this episode of Navigating the Fog of Change™, we explore how MedTech leaders can thrive in this environment rather than simply react to it. My guests are Glenn Snyder, founder and former leader of Deloitte Consulting’s MedTech practice and a board member of LarmorBio, and Bernie Haffey, who led NCO Surgical, IntraLase, and Summit through successful exits exceeding $1 billion and now serves on the boards of Medevise and On Target Laboratories. Together, they are partners at HSMG Advisors. Our conversation focuses on two critical leadership challenges: • How AI is becoming a powerful accelerator of MedTech innovation. • How boards can create greater value by providing insight—not just oversight as companies navigate continuous change. • The lessons extend well beyond healthcare. They offer a roadmap for every leader seeking to navigate today’s Fog of Change. Navigating The Fog of Change™ is presented by Sage Partners. This podcast is hosted by Tom Doorley and edited and produced by Rei Haycraft.To learn more about Sage Partners, visit: https://www.sagepartners.net/
June 30, 2026Episode 3728 min
Insight, Not Just Oversight with John Donovan | Navigating The Fog of Change™
Your Board Should Be an Asset In today’s environment of massive, fast, and continuous change, boards can no longer be satisfied operating in its traditional role. Oversight remains essential—but it is no longer enough.In this episode, I sit down with former AT&T CEO John Donovan, who now serves on the boards of Palo Alto Networks, Lockheed Martin, and U.S. Steel. Drawing on his unique perspective as both a CEO and board director, John explains how the best boards are shifting from compliance and monitoring to helping management see around corners.We discuss why today’s directors must provide Insight—not just Oversight by bringing informed perspectives on strategy, technology, cyber risk, AI, geopolitics, and the forces reshaping every industry. John shares practical advice on how boards can challenge management constructively, ask better questions, and become true strategic partners while maintaining their governance responsibilities.Your board is navigating today’s Fog of Change™. This conversation offers a powerful blueprint for becoming more informed, more engaged, and more valuable.Because in the fog, great boards don’t just oversee—they provide insight.Navigating The Fog of Change™ is presented by Sage Partners. This podcast is hosted by Tom Doorley and edited and produced by Rei Haycraft.To learn more about Sage Partners, visit: https://www.sagepartners.net/
June 2, 202628 min
Seeing Through the Fog: Our Progress Navigating The Fog of Change™ with Pete Hart
Over the past year, we have explored the reality that leaders face today:• Change is massive, rapid, and permanent.• Traditional strategic planning models no longer work.• Leaders need a Change Agenda to provide direction when certainty is impossible.But understanding the challenge is only the beginning.To lead successful change, leaders must:• Make the Case for "Why"—and "Why Now"• Assess whether the organization is truly ready for changeThese are heavy lifts. Without urgency and readiness, even the best strategies fail.To explore these critical leadership challenges, I am joined by Alex “Pete” Hart, former CEO and later Chair of Mastercard International and former Chair of Silicon Valley Bank. Drawing upon decades of leadership experience, Pete and I identify the next steps leaders must take to move our organizations forward.Because in the midst of the Chaos, we must continue to press forward—and help others see through the fog.Navigating The Fog of Change™ is presented by Sage Partners. This podcast is hosted by Tom Doorley and edited and produced by Rei Haycraft.To learn more about Sage Partners, visit: https://www.sagepartners.net/
May 18, 202615 min
Your Change Readiness Fitness Test with John Hansen | Navigating The Fog of Change™
To face off against the powerful forces of change pummeling us all, ask yourself this question: Do you have your enterprise ready for change? Really?If so, don’t waste your time on this podcast. But if not, and in our experience, most of you are not, then:You need this. Really!Sage Partner John Hansen and I describe the process you’ll need to ensure your enterprise can handle the stress of change.Navigating The Fog of Change™ is presented by Sage Partners. This podcast is hosted by Tom Doorley and edited and produced by Rei Haycraft.To learn more about Sage Partners, visit: https://www.sagepartners.net/
April 28, 2026Episode 3322 min
Realizing Value From Volatility with Barry Winer | Navigating The Fog of Change™
Most leaders hesitate in uncertainty. The winners act. For the third year, Barry Winer , Deloitte’s Head of M&A Research, joins me to explore how disruption in M&A is creating real opportunity—for those prepared to move. Drawing on Deloitte Consulting’s deep experience and Sage Partners’ perspective, we cut through the fog to show how leaders can identify, evaluate, and execute deals in uncertain times. The takeaway: Done wisely, M&A—across both large and small transactions—remains one of the most powerful engines of value-creating growth. In the Fog of Change™, winners don’t wait for clarity. They move before others do. To learn more about Barry and his work, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrywiner Navigating The Fog of Change™ is presented by Sage Partners. This podcast is hosted by Tom Doorley and edited and produced by Rei Haycraft. To connect with Tom, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomdoorley https://www.sagepartners.net/thomas-doorley To learn more about Sage Partners, visit: https://www.sagepartners.net/
April 1, 2026Episode 3219 min
The Leader's Change Agenda with Larry Bennigson | Navigating The Fog of Change™
In times of massive, fast-moving change, leaders are expected to provide direction—but the old model of fixed plans no longer works.In the fog, certainty is elusive. What matters most is not just about being right—it’s more about being ready.In this episode, I’m joined by Sage Partner Larry Bennigson to explore how leaders can create a Change Agenda—a clear, adaptable framework that sets direction, builds alignment, and signals the need to learn and adjust in real time.This is how leaders steady their organizations when the path ahead is unclear.Watch now to learn how to lead when you can’t see the road ahead.Navigating The Fog of Change™ is presented by Sage Partners. This podcast is hosted by Tom Doorley and edited and produced by Rei Haycraft.To learn more about Sage Partners, visit: https://www.sagepartners.net/
March 4, 202613 min
The Leader's Playbook with Larry Bennigson, John Hansen, and Robert Kueppers | Navigating The Fog of Change™
After a year of exploring the turbulence reshaping our world — technological disruption, geopolitical instability, cultural shifts and economic uncertainty — we believe it’s time to move to action in new deliberative ways. In this pivotal episode of Navigating the Fog of Change™, I’m joined by three of my Sage Partners to introduce a practical approach for leading through chaos. Drawing on our decades of experience at the front lines of strategy, leadership, culture, and governance, we outline four essential initiatives to help leaders cut through confusion, align their organizations, and move forward with clarity and confidence. This episode sets the foundation. In the weeks ahead, we’ll take a series of deep dives into each initiative — translating insight into execution.If you’ve been asking, “What do we actually do now?” — this is where we begin. Thank you to our guests, Larry Bennigson, John Hansen, and Robert Kueppers. To learn more about them and connect, visit: Larry Bennigson https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrybennigson/ John Hansen https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-l-hansen-200b5/ Robert Kueppers https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-j-kueppers-1218a228/ Navigating The Fog of Change™ is presented by Sage Partners. This podcast is hosted by Tom Doorley and edited and produced by Rei Haycraft.To learn more about Sage Partners, visit: https://www.sagepartners.net/
January 20, 202612 min
Navigating the Fog of Change™: Lessons from 2025 to Leadership in 2026
Navigating the Fog of Change™: Lessons from 2025 to Leadership in 2026 We’re not lacking information—we’re overwhelmed by it. In this special episode of Focus on Growth: Navigating the Fog of Change™ , Tom Doorley looks back on the most important insights from his 2025 conversations with CEOs, founders, board members, and change leaders—and asks a critical question: How do we lead effectively in 2026 when uncertainty isn’t going away? The fog of change—driven by AI, geopolitics, demographics, and media—is not temporary. It is massive, fast, and permanent . Traditional long-range planning no longer works. In this episode, Tom shares a practical leadership framework for this new reality, including: · Why strategy today is about being ready , not right · How to build a focused Leader’s Change Agenda · The importance of “lookouts” to sense danger and “scouts” to seek opportunity · Why trust and belief—not compliance—determine whether change succeeds · How boards and advisors can move from oversight to real insight The takeaway is simple but powerful: We can’t eliminate uncertainty, but we can create the trust and clarity needed to decide, act, and adapt. If you lead an organization through constant change, this episode will help you navigate the fog—and make 2026 a year of progress, not paralysis. Thank you to all of our esteemed guests this past year, your insights and conversations were incredibly valuable. Seeing Through the Fog: Why Citizen Knowledge Matters with Jeff Jacoby Guest: Jeff Jacoby | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-jacoby-76616929 From Oversight to Insight—or Irrelevance: The Board’s Challenge Guest: Dave Rosenblum | https://www.linkedin.com/in/drosenblum1 Guest: Bob Kueppers | https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-j-kueppers-1218a228 A Conversation With A Change Master with Rick MaurerGuest: Rick Maurer | https://www.linkedin.com/in/rimaurer How a Small Company Fights Its Dragons Guests: Tom and Monica Rogan | https://goodnowfarms.com Making AI Work with John DonovanGuest: John Donovan | https://www.linkedin.com/in/johndonovanatt Cascading The Message To The Front Lines with George YoungGuest: George Young | https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgehyoung The Board As Your Compass with Dr. Peter Crow Guest: Dr. Peter Crow | www.petercrow.com The Founder's Shift From Builder To Leader with Don PlumleyGuest: Don Plumley | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dplumleyLeadership Is Personal with Jennifer Barron Guest: Jennifer Barron | Executive Coach and Advisorhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferjbarron/ A Call For Leadership with Cordell Bennigson Guest: Cordell Bennigson | https://www.linkedin.com/in/cordellbennigson Navigating The Fog of Change: Massive, Fast, Forever—Now What? Hosted by Tom Doorley | https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomdoorley Leadership, Growth, & Building Great Teams — with Kate Morgan Guest: Kate Morgan | https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-morgan-62793576 Navigating M&A: Time To Pivot — with Barry WinerGuest: Barry Winer | https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrywiner Gambling On Innovation — with Darrell VelegolGuest: Darrell Velegol | https://www.knowlecular.com Navigating Your Strategy Roadblocks — with Gregg Makuch Guest: Gregg Makuch | https://www.linkedin.com/in/greggmakuch Empowering a High-Performance Sales Team — with Doug C. BrownGuest: Doug C. Brown | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougbrown123 Assembling Tomorrow: Navigating The Fog of Change with Scott Doorley and Carissa Carter Guest: Scott Doorley | https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottdoorley Guest: Carissa Carter | https://www.linkedin.com/in/carissalcarter Spirit of America: Entrepreneurship With Purpose with Jim HakeGuest: Jim Hake | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-hake-50297435 Navigating The Fog of Change™ is presented by Sage Partners. This podcast is hosted by Tom Doorley and edited and produced by Rei Haycraft.To learn more about Sage Partners, visit: https://www.sagepartners.net
December 16, 202535 min
Seeing Through the Fog: Why Citizen Knowledge Matters w/ Jeff Jacoby | Navigating The Fog of Change
Seeing Through the Fog: Why Citizen Knowledge Matters “In proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened.” — George Washington In this episode of Navigating the Fog of Change™, I’m joined by Jeff Jacoby, veteran columnist for The Boston Globe and author of the influential Arguable column. Together we dive into a core challenge facing American democracy today: citizens who vote, speak, and form opinions without truly knowing the facts. Jeff and I explore why an informed citizenry is not just a civic virtue — it’s a survival skill in times of massive, fast, and continuous change. In an era when social media, sound bites, and partisan messaging drown out nuance, the responsibility to dig deeper falls squarely on all of us. We discuss how political narratives can mislead even well-intentioned voters. One striking case: during the 1992 presidential election, strategist James Carville framed the race around a single line — “It’s the economy, stupid!” A brilliant and winning slogan. But wrong. The recession was over. The economy had already begun to rebound. When messaging eclipses reality, citizens make poor decisions — and democracy pays the price. In this conversation, we examine: · Why popular media often oversimplifies complex truths · How voters can discipline themselves to look beyond headlines · The danger of letting emotion replace evidence · Practical steps for becoming the “enlightened public opinion” Washington saw as essential If leadership is the light that cuts through the Fog of Change™, then informed citizens are the fuel that keeps that light burning. To get Jeff's Globe columns by email, sign up here: https://jeffjacoby.com/list_subscribe.php To subscribe to the Arguable newsletter, go here: https://bit.ly/ArguableNewsletter To email Jeff directly, the address is jeff.jacoby@globe.com Navigating The Fog of Change™ is presented by Sage Partners. This podcast is hosted by Tom Doorley and edited and produced by Rei Haycraft. To learn more about Sage Partners, visit: https://www.sagepartners.net/
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