Facing Down Strategy Execution Roadblocks

More from End-to-End Strategy Execution All episodes →

1. 

   S1 · E13 · 8 Apr 2026 · 49 min

   The Cognitive Vision: The Light at the End of the Tunnel

   In this episode, William Ulrich and Charles Bowman outline the "cognitive vision", something that appears to be lacking as organizations struggle to articulate a strategic direction on AI, even as they spend millions of dollars annually pursuing its benefits. The episode charts a path forward that defines the role of cognitive computing in streamlining strategy execution while concurrently making progress towards the cognitive operating environment. The discussion provides examples of cognitive operating model focal points, common practices to avoid, and a streamlined path towards deploying…

2. 

   S1 · E12 · 1 Apr 2026 · 54 min

   The Role of AI in Corporate Strategy

   In this week's episode, William Ulrich and Charles Bowman welcome Seth Earley, author of "The AI-Powered Enterprise", for which he received the Axiom Silver Medal for AI and Business. Seth's work covers artificial intelligence, cognitive computing, knowledge engineering, data management systems, taxonomy, ontology, and metadata governance. The discussion examines the role of AI in corporate strategy, the importance of architecture, formal design paradigms, and high-quality data, the concept of synthetic stakeholders, and ways in which organizations can maximize their AI investments.

3. 

   S1 · E11 · 25 Mar 2026 · 51 min

   The Reality of Building & Deploying Software Solutions

   This episode features an interview with Joe Cerasani, a senior solution architect and development lead. Our discussion breaks down a topic that most business professionals and even IT professionals see as a black box. Topics include the ideal team setup, the role of business, data, and related architecture perspectives in software service design and development, and best practices that support the viability and scalability of the deployed solutions. A key topic involves the importance of event-driven, state-based solutions and the value of the state machine as a key component of these…

4. 

   S1 · E10 · 19 Mar 2026 · 58 min

   Solution Deployment: Breaking Down What it Takes to Succeed

   Solution deployment has traditionally been characterized by development teams parachuting into an ill-defined project that lacks clear goals and objectives, defined scope, formal architecture and design targets, and an optimized deployment roadmap. In this episode, William Ulrich and Charles Bowman discuss how systematically traversing the strategy execution framework ensures that solution deployment is based on well-defined goals and objectives, a rigorous impact assessment, clear architecture and design targets, and highly optimized initiatives along a synchronized roadmap. Topics include…

5. 

   S1 · E9 · 11 Mar 2026 · 53 min

   A Metrics-Based Approach to Strategic Transformation Planning

   Business and technology transformation planning is based on rigorously defined metrics, with the culmination of those metric-based assessments resulting in a business and technical debt assessment. The debt assessment, in conjunction with impact assessments and target state architectures and designs, lays the foundation for crafting a formally defined transformation roadmap. Tune into this episode as William Ulrich and Charles Bowman define the key ingredients to transformation road mapping. In addition to metrics-based planning, topics include breaking down transformation initiatives into…

6. 

   S1 · E7 · 25 Feb 2026 · 52 min

   Strategy Execution and The Business Knowledgebase

   In William Ulrich and Charles Bowman's latest book, they cite Jim Rohn's quote that "discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment". They go on to highlight three essential elements of discipline; the ability to maintain rigor, continuity, and interconnectedness from an end-to-end perspective. In this episode of their strategy execution podcast, they highlight the concept of the business knowledgebase and, coupled with business architecture, the role it plays in maintaining discipline as strategy execution efforts deploy and scale up. The business knowledgebase ensures that…

7. 

   S1 · E6 · 18 Feb 2026 · 52 min

   Solution Architecture: What is It and Why It Matters?

   Organizations that ignore, sidestep, or underfund solution architecture are missing the glue that binds the architecture perspectives that lead to successful initiative outcomes and strategy deployments. In this episode of the End-to-End Strategy Execution podcast, William Ulrich and Charles Bowman welcome guest, Dr. Michael Bardash, practicing senior solution architect with unique insights into the topic. This episode focuses on the makeup of solution architecture, attributes of the ideal solution architect, the role of the solution architect in relation to planning and execution, and how…

8. 

   S1 · E5 · 11 Feb 2026 · 58 min

   Data: The Weak Link in the Strategy Execution Chain

   In their recently published book, End-to-End Strategy Execution, William Ulrich and Charles Bowman said that problematic data is one of the seven deadly patterns undermining strategy execution. In this podcast episode, they interview distinguished guests, John Bottega, President of EDMA, and Professor Peter Aiken, President of DAMA – the two leading global associations focused on data. Join the podcast as they help listeners understand and address the mounting data challenges presented by poorly architected, incomplete, redundant, and low-quality data. With data being critical to business…

9. 

   S1 · E4 · 4 Feb 2026 · 51 min

   Architecting & Designing the Future State

   A deteriorating business ecosystem is like an aging house, with inhabiting customers, partners, and business stakeholders abandoning it as the situation degrades. Deteriorating architecture, whether it applies to a building, a bridge, or a business ecosystem, is systemic and can't be addressed by short-term thinking and patchwork solutions. In chapter 6 of their book, End-to-End Strategy Execution, William Ulrich and Charles Bowman identify best practices for justifying, funding, and formalizing business and IT architecture and design, which in turn form the basis for initiative planning,…

10. 

    S1 · E3 · 28 Jan 2026 · 51 min

    The Strategy Impact Assessment: The Essential Nature of Feedback Loops

    Chapter 5 of our recently published book, End-to-End Strategy Execution, states that the omission of a comprehensive, well-articulated impact assessment is a major factor undermining successful strategy execution. Impact assessments serve as the focal point for dissecting, validating, and synchronizing business goals, objectives, and related courses of action. Specifically, the episode discusses why and how organizations should prioritize, justify, and fund business-first impact assessments by incorporating them into annual planning cycles that leverage built-in feedback loops. Topics…