Slalom On Air: Recent Episodes
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One of Japan’s oldest construction companies, Takenaka, prides itself on the company mission to contribute to society and future generations as they construct world-renown buildings such as the Tokyo Tower, Suitengu-Shrine, and the Narita International Airport. Through a unique combination of historic cultural values and cutting-edge technology and design processes, Takenaka is enhancing the future as they elevate the present!
Story highlights:
- How does a 400-year-old company maintain traditional values while transforming the company culture to produce better outcomes?
- Why Slalom was so excited about Takenaka’s sustainable approach to customer-centric and purpose-driven value proposition.
- How focusing on the use of Agile in development is paving the way for the future of design and build in the construction industry.
- Why Takenaka now tells their customers, “Throw out what you don’t need” in their newly adopted Agile approach.
- What partnering with AWS to digitize data and enhance 3D modeling can do to productivity and efficiency.
Tags: Japan, Agile, Innovation, Construction, Data Driven Design, Digital Design, Cultural Transformation, 3DModeling, Sustainability, Tokyo.
Contact: Satoka Chibana
Slalom’s own Jalonni Weaver (Sr. Analyst, Talent Acquisition) brings her unique voice to this podcast series, inviting to the mic colleagues who (like herself) are participating in the Slalom Tours program.
Join host SeanKelly Anderson as she takes a unique turn and interviews Jalonni, creator and host of the "Tours with Jalonni" podcast. Prepare to be transported behind the scenes of the series and see what Jalonni's been up to.
Did you know that in the US, there are approximately 72 thousand new tech start-ups each year? If you are part of a large enterprise, you may not yet realize what these start-ups can do for your company’s mission and reach. According to Justin Cohen, Senior Director of Slalom Ventures, one of many amazing things about these budding start-ups is that they take academic research and turn them into truly valuable solutions for enterprises. Listen in as Justin shares what we all need to know about this exciting space!
Story highlights:
- How enabling technologies are changing the day-to-day experience for consumers across industries and sectors.
- What does voice isolation have in common with your favorite coffee shop.
- Why getting to 10x optimization and next generation products and services cannot be done from an island.
- How Slalom Ventures is bridging a critical gap for start-ups with enabling technologies and enterprise organizations with big visions.
Slalom Ventures is working with start-ups and large enterprises to bring new possibilities to businesses across the globe. Connect with us at Slalom.com to learn how we can help you reach for and realize your vision today!
Tags:
Related links: Slalom Ventures | Slalom
Contact: justin.cohen@slalom.com
Not surprisingly, most people have a cause or two that is very near and dear to their heart – the plight of economically challenged school systems, the need to bring literacy to life, or the care capacity of animal shelters, to name a few. What is surprising though is that most people are not actively engaged in the causes they care most about! Rob Acton, Founder of Cause Strategy Partners, has some valuable insights on how to move “from the sidelines to the center field” by combining our passions with our professional skills as nonprofit Board Members who can bring impact and outcomes to those in need.
Story highlights:
- What causes the gap between the desire to engage and actually engaging, and why it’s so important for each of us to bridge that gap.
- Why nonprofit boards seek professional talent in their efforts to meet their mission and engage their stakeholders.
- What unique challenges boards have faced over the past few years and the strategies they employed to overcome them.
- How to maximize any board’s effectiveness in utilizing key resources such as time, money, and networks!
Related link: Cause Strategy Partners
Contact: Rob Acton
Are your teams struggling to hit their productivity and revenue targets? Are you unsure of the best approach to upskill your teams, develop first-time leaders, and coach high-potential employees? Learn how Slalom experimented and won with the WIN Room program.
Episode Highlights:
· The WIN Room program leverages behavioral science and data analytics to uncover key insights into workforce motivation and engagement.
· Rethink how to build winning teams and cultures efficiently and effectively, at scale.
· Transform every member of your organization into a sales contributor, unlocking their untapped potential.
Contact: Jaime Diglio - jaime.diglio@slalom.com
Transformation with purpose-driven impact is top of mind for businesses around the world. Slalom UK&I President, Dave Williams, explains how to move the needle in the midst of rapid technological change and increasing demands for efficiency.
Story highlights:
· How does a purpose-driven consultancy help client organisations identify latent business opportunities and new applications in commerciality?
· Discover the ways Slalom is enhancing innovation efforts in the Energy sector as companies seek to address climate challenges.
· Hear the surprising things a football club and an automotive manufacturer discovered when Slalom brought them together for an innovative exchange of ideas.
· Curious about what Dave is excited about and what has got him feeling a bit nervous? Tune in to hear his take on ‘Black Swan’ events and how to navigate them.
Contacts:
Guest: Dave Williams email: dave.williams@slalom.com; LinkedIn profile
Host: Kim Taylor email: kimt@slalom.com: LinkedIn Profile
Search Tags: Strategy, Culture, Values, Manchester, United Kingdom, UK, Ireland, London, Dublin, Leaders.
Slalom’s own Jalonni Weaver (Sr. Analyst, Talent Acquisition) brings her unique voice to this podcast series, inviting to the mic colleagues who - like herself - are participating in the Slalom Tours program.
A new episode of "Tours with Jalonni" is up! Meet Rachel Simon, a powerhouse in talent acquisition turned marketing maven! From conferences to full-time marketing, Rachel shares her journey from manager to rocking the salesforce marketing team tour. Tune in for some career inspo!
To tune into more fiercely human stories about Slalom’s work, culture and our people, visit the Slalom On Air page.
Slalom’s own Jalonni Weaver (Sr. Analyst, Talent Acquisition) brings her unique voice to this podcast series, inviting to the mic colleagues who (like herself) are participating in the Slalom Tours program.
In this week's episode Mazvita Chikava, TA analyst turned marketing pro, discusses her journey into the world of marketing and the twists and turns that led her to this exciting career path.
To tune into more fiercely human stories about Slalom’s work, culture and our people, visit the Slalom On Air page.
Slalom’s own Jalonni Weaver (Sr. Analyst, Talent Acquisition) brings her unique voice to this podcast series, inviting to the mic colleagues who - like herself - are participating in the Slalom Tours program.
On our latest episode, talent acquisition manager Deanna Silvestri shares her journey from recruiting for a role to actually working in that role! She spills the tea on what it's really like to switch sides and provides valuable insights for both recruiters and candidates.
To tune into more fiercely human stories about Slalom’s work, culture and our people, visit the Slalom On Air page.
Slalom’s own Jalonni Weaver (Sr. Analyst, Talent Acquisition) brings her unique voice to this new podcast series, inviting to the mic colleagues who - like herself - are participating in the Slalom Tours program.
This week we chat with talent acquisition analyst Christiaan Van De Stadt who's making waves in talent management through his passion for project management and transferrable skills.
To tune into more fiercely human stories about Slalom’s work, culture and our people, visit the Slalom On Air page.
We are excited to introduce our new Slalom On Air series, Tours with Jalonni. This series was created to showcase what TA professionals participating in the Tours program have been working on and how their skills have been utilized/grown as we thrive in turbulence.
In this series, hosted by Sr. Analyst, Talent Acquisition Jalonni Weaver, you’ll hear directly from Tour participants about their experiences, why they raised their hands to participate, and more! Each Friday for the next six weeks, look for a newly released episode in your inbox.
What is a tour you ask? Tune in to this week’s episode “Welcome to Slalom Tours” (insert podcast URL) featuring Senior Talent Analyst SeanKelly Anderson as she spills all the beans.
To tune into more fiercely human stories about Slalom’s work, culture and our people, visit the Slalom On Air page.
* Please be aware: the topic of this podcast may be triggering for some.
Many people would be shocked to learn that sexual assault kits—a critical element in criminal cases—can sometimes be mishandled, misplaced, or even lost due to insufficient resources, procedures, and processes within our medical and criminal systems overall. To solve this critical problem with potentially severe consequences, Georgia’s Criminal Justice Coordination Council (CJCC) partnered with Slalom’s Public & Social Impact industry group to develop a statewide tracking system victims are empowered to use as they pursue justice in the legal system.
Story highlights:
- What is the CJCC and how do they help and support victims of violent crime?
- What happened when 1500 sexual assault kits were found in a hospital storage room?
- How did Slalom gather up key stakeholder groups, including leaders in nursing, law enforcement, advocacy groups, and many others, across the state to collaborate on the creation of an effective solution?
- How is this critically important work paving the way for other states to initiate similar programs for the benefit of their communities?
Tags:
Process, community collaboration, helping survivors, transparency, accountability, data tracking, stakeholder engagement, and values.
Related links: Georgia CJCC case study
Curious to find out more about Slalom’s public & social impact? Slalom public & social impact
Featured Guest: Mike McKinney
We’ve all been there…heading down a career path only to realize it’s just not quite right for us. Sharon Lynch had this experience and managed to undertake a pivotal shift in her career trajectory. Listen in as she sheds light on how a career in technology and consulting absolutely fulfills her love of problem solving and her desire to help people at the same time! As a General Manager in Slalom’s innovative _build practice and one of the executive sponsors for Slalom Women, Sharon is leading the charge to strengthen our technology solutions by bringing more diverse voices into the room. The result is nothing but astounding in how we show up and partner when it matters most!
A few highlights:
- The innovative technology solutions that Slalom _build uses to delight its customers and accelerate business strategies
- Hear how Slalom is growing our "women in technology" initiatives and creating a “force to be reckoned with” in our capabilities and solutions.
- The power of collaboration, empathy, and listening to all the voices in the room
Tags: Agile; _build; Career; Consulting; Curiosity; Empathy; Employee resource groups; ERGs; Engineering; Impactful work; Inclusion, diversity and equity; Problem-solving; Team; Technology; Voice; Women; Women’s Executive Board; Women in Technology; WIT; Women's Leadership Network; WLN
After a “career mid-life crisis,” Cindy Tam found her true purpose: supporting organizations on their ESG (environmental, social, and governance) journeys. Tune in for an informal chat between Cindy and Slalom’s head of R&D, Dave Uhler. They share their personal connections to sustainability, discuss the thorny question of measurement, and reflect on how simple, small changes can lead to bigger impacts.
Featured guest: Cindy Tam, Director, Global ESG
Host: Dave Uhler, Head of Research and Development
Episode Highlights:
- Globally, organizations are ramping up their ESG efforts to grow new capabilities and responsibly manage resources to foster their triple top and bottom lines: people, planet, and profit. In this episode of Slalom On Air, we hear directly from the Slalom team members supporting them.
- What happens when our head of research and development gets together with a global ESG director to look at this topic? Real talk! Two Slalom leaders share what sparked their interest in sustainability. They’re also candid about the small changes they’re making in their personal lives: Cindy is exploring more plant-based eating, Dave is looking to curtailing business travel.
- Cindy and Dave unpack what sustainability and the bigger ESG equation can mean for business leaders. Get Cindy’s perspective on why ESG is a tool, not an outcome, and learn why Dave is a big fan of starting with ‘I don’t know.’
Related LINKS:
Curious to find out more about Slalom’s ESG work? Go to: https://www.slalom.com/index.php/esg-acceleration
Tags:
Sustainability, ESG, career change, environment, governance, data, measurement, management consulting, technology consulting, ESG consulting, climate change, net zero, zero waste, carbon offsetting, carbon neutral, energy efficiency, green business, sustainable business, sustainable company, ESG acceleration, fiercely human consulting, better tomorrows, innovation.
Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides (LFCDG) empowers Canadians with disabilities by providing service animals at no cost. But can you imagine how hard it is to rely on pen and paper records for that important work?
Tune in to discover how Slalom helped the organization implement Salesforce to create a single source of truth for its data. You’ll also hear heart-warming success stories about clients and their animals and get your pressing questions about dog guides answered. (Spoiler: You shouldn’t pet one!)
To learn more, please visit: https://www.dogguides.com/
Tune into a fireside chat with the 16th Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) Michael Grinston. SMA Grinston has served over 35 years in the military, been awarded multiple service medals, and served in multiple combat tours. Listen in to hear him discuss leadership, diversity in the workplace, and mentorship. Chris Springer, St. Louis Senior Director, and Los Angeles GM Karl Mehu joined us as moderators.
Fun fact: Chris Springer served with SMA Grinston from 1998-2001 in the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy.
Multiple Olympic gold medals, the speed of the velodrome, and cross-country BMX thrills! Everyone knows the UK’s cyclists are among the best in the world. But how does British Cycling, the UK’s governing body for cycle sport, inspire young people to get on their bikes and become tomorrow’s elite athletes?
Tune in to hear how British Cycling is using design thinking and why it’s helping boost customer experience for youth and community programs.
Contact: Sally Barker sally.barker@slalom.com
How can we begin to address the complex challenges facing our communities?
Tune in to hear Randy Tan, US sales director for Slalom public & social impact, talk about Slalom’s partnerships with our government, education, and non-profit clients like the City of Chicago, Seattle University, and Feeding America. Find out how we’re helping fuel system-wide change and why we’re so excited to bring a new global focus to this work. Connect with Randy Tan at randyt@slalom.com
In honor of Military Appreciation Month, host Kim Taylor sits down with Jon, a former Active-Duty Air Force Officer who now serves as a Major in the Army Reserves.
As someone that has spent over 50% of his life in the military, Jon’s split identity as a veteran and a civilian gives him a unique insight on solving problems in both business and civil service. Kim and Jon discuss balancing a business career at Slalom with his military career, the struggles of leaving his family for service, and the lessons learned while serving the needs of local communities around the world.
In this episode of Raising Your Voice, talent acquisition analyst Jalonni Weaver and senior consultant Leslie Dill get candid about their recent neurodivergent and disability diagnoses. Hear how they are working to break stigmas and navigate their new lens on life at Slalom and beyond.
Host: Jeremy Grundza
One platform, 173M lbs. of produce & 110M meals for people facing hunger. Sourcing more food at scale is just one of the results from Slalom’s multiyear partnership with Feeding America.
Tune in to learn more about how we’re transforming the fight to end hunger. Engagement lead Alex Zinicola talks about using Salesforce, Microsoft, and Tableau to amplify the dedication and skill of Feeding America’s employees and volunteers, and empower them on the ground.
Can your greatest strengths be overused?
This question comes from Dr. Sandi Scheinbaum, health psychologist, former teacher, founder and CEO of the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy (FMCA)—and self-described “renegade.”
Slalom is partnering with Dr. Sandi on a health coaching pilot to explore ways of better supporting our team members. In this episode, she discusses the benefits of health coaching, behavior change, and evaluating your “why” when you’re working to the point of fatigue. We all know why taking a break is good, but what about incorporating creativity into your routine and understanding your other lifestyle factors? Tune in!
In a lively conversation with Brian Turner, Executive President of the Americas, hear his perspective on the value he places on Slalom's ability to take care of our people and why he says, "This is the best job - the most challenging and the most meaningful..."
Combined with stories about how we create value through bringing the best of Slalom culture to each engagement including leveraging a learner mindset, forging deep relationships, and doubling down on empathy and listening as we collaborate to create amazing outcomes, this conversation promises to keep you engaged.
Bonus: Tune in to hear what advice Brian would give a candidate interested in joining Slalom, how he is growing as a leader, and so much more!
Tags: Aligned leadership, Strategy, Culture, Values, Attract and retain talent, Leaders
From reluctant consultant to general manager for Global Data & Analytics, this powerhouse leader and her team are moving the needle in D&A. Listen in to hear about Hilary Feier's love of data, how leading edge platforms are having a positive impact on communities, and their efforts to intentionally grow and develop women leaders.
Contact: Hilary Feier
Tags: Data & Analytics, D&A, Women in Technology, Machine learning, ML.
Designing an intuitive, poolside application that led to 6 gold medals
When a key piece of technology broke, Swimming Australia partnered with Slalom Build to help implement a new relay application less than a month before the 2020 Tokyo Games. In this episode, Michelle Oh from the Australia market details the ins and outs of new data-driven application and shares valuable insights on what it was like to leverage machine learning and artificial intelligence to inform competitive race strategies. In this near real-time decision making app, the accuracy of data in a coach's hand is crucial - even being off by .1 of a millisecond could put a gold medal at risk.
Contact: Michelle Oh
Tags: Build, UI, machine learning, ML, AI, swimming, Olympics, data, analytics, Australia, race, gold medals, PEM, product engineering, AWS, application modernization, experience design, AWS Serverless Data Lake Framework (SDLF)
With a genuine love for other people's stories, this dynamic individual in our Talent Acquisition group finds her value in her personalized learning journey here at Slalom. In an unexpected discovery, Andrea McCabe realized that Slalom's unique culture which values people for showing up as their true selves has helped overcome operating from a place of fear. Treating fear as part of her drive, she considers it her fire to work harder, be better, show up for her team, and it helps her uncover other people's why and their motivations.
Contact: Andrea McCabe
Tags: Unidos, Latinx, ID&E, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, #loveyourfuture, #I'mwithSlalom, Denver
Today, we celebrate and honor the T in LGBTQ+. In recognition of Pride Month, we‘re bringing you a vulnerable discussion between host Avery Green and three Slalom leaders who are trans women.
They share deep and honest accounts of their journeys to finally feeling alive as their true selves. From early childhood coping and the pressure "to pass," to making the decision to transition and navigating a new path, these women can serve as inspirations for young trans people.
Featured: Audrey Jensen, Jenn McCullough and Rhea Shimabukuro
Host: Avery Green
Tags: Inclusion, diversity, equity, celebrate authenticity, I&D, ID&E, trans women, being trans, LGBTQ+
In the next episode of our short series that highlights how Slalomers bring passion and expertise to the table in ways that inspire positive change, we're speaking with associate consultant Jesus Juarez. Listen in to hear more about growing up in a nomadic immigrant family, Slalom's LGBTQ+ community, and recruiting the next generation of Latinx professionals.
Contact: Jesus Juarez
Tags: Unidos, LGBTQ+, Latinx, ID&E, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, Houston
With Slalom actively partnering with Hiring Our Heroes, the outcome brings a whirlwind of excitement to our new hire, Kayla Greer.
French teacher turned certified technology consultant, this military spouse shares her experiences and the opportunities to join a diversified workforce. Tune in to hear more about her experience and visit www.hiringourheroes.org to learn more about the programs available today.
Contact: Kayla Greer
Tags: Hiring Our Heroes, military, veterans, military spouse, Navy, career change, pivot, Salesforce, Salesforce fellowship, ID&E, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity
At Slalom, we put people first and we're making big investments in understanding what it takes to foster happiness. Our goal is to make LOVE YOUR FUTURE real by paving the way for today and future generations to come.
This week, we're highlighting the tangible experiments that are aiming to equip and engage our teams around the world. Learn about six experiments, performed for our people and by our people, that explore connection, spaces, the neuroscience of teaming and more.
Invest Time in Yourself Every Day (featuring Kim Taylor)
Kim Taylor, Business Advisory Services leader asks how often do you take time for yourself both before and after work. She shares her tips on creating productivity rituals, and resetting what “work-life integration” looks like.
Join us in reflecting on how we live our values, every day, where ever we are in the world.
The Importance of Creating Connections (featuring Tyler Shada)
Tyler Shada, Slalom's Talent Acquisition Leader never slows down, or does he? Explore how being present in virtual meetings and staying connected while on the move keeps him energized.
Listen in on how creating connection and living our values happens in many usual places.
Be Intentional About Reaching Out (featuring Michele Bleser)
Michele Bleser, Slalom’s Vice President of Technology never expected that her new role during Covid could be called "fun-maker". Leading global innovation initiatives can be a daunting activity, and it adds complexity when you host a nanny share in the next room.
Hear how we celebrate authenticity and live our values as we are exploring the unusual places and ways Slalomers work.
Lucy Hur learned the value of kindness and compassion early. Tasked with stewarding our purpose of helping every individual love their work and life, our Chief People Officer asks how refreshing is it to find an organization with a purpose not defined by numbers on a spreadsheet?
Slalom is shining in our culture and rooted in our core values. But are these values lived? They sure are! Slalom attracts people who are invested in each other's success. Join us to hear Lucy discuss intentional evolution and the preservation of our culture and values during global expansion.
What's the connection between Slalom and Dan Levy's iconic character? Lots of sweaters, as it turns out.
When is it “data” and when is it “just information?” In our latest episode, research and development leader Dave Uhler interviews data experience lead Hunter Barrett about Schitt’s Creek and how a self-imposed analytical challenge turned into 15 minutes of fame. Tune in to learn more about David Rose’s “sweater timeline” and the importance of data in supporting complex narratives.
Contact: Hunter Barrett
Tags: Netflix, XD, Experience Design, data, analytics, data storytelling, data analysis, data experience, media, entertainment, M&E, LGBTQ+
Slalom’s values are the core of who we are and how we have created our success. Professionals from all walks of life join our ranks because of our culture. Learn from our very own Troy Johnson how Slalom’s connection to our local communities and our desire to live culture rather than describe it, have led to phenomenal growth, allowed for amazing personal and professional journeys, and continue to inspire passion and adventure with our people and clients!
Real, targeted outcomes, purpose driven values, great corporate athletes… words one of the original founders, John Tobin, uses to describe Slalom. Curious to know about the early vision for the company and how that vision was grounded in both employee and client needs? We’ve got you! We recently caught up with John to hear the story of what values drove the creation and ongoing success of Slalom as it has grown from one office to offices around the globe.