Strategic Minds

Are you tactical or strategic? Research shows that it’s the difference between bankruptcy and a Kevlar competitive advantage. In a world where bad strategy is the leading cause of business failure, and only one out of every four leaders are truly strategic, strategic fitness is the meta-skill of elite executives. On Strategic Minds, you’ll journey with New York Times & Wall Street Journal bestselling author Rich Horwath into conversations with extraordinary leaders and world-class experts to learn new ways to think, plan, and act strategically. You’ll discover game-changing insights, tips, and techniques to turbocharge your performance and position you as a true difference-maker in your arena.

Strategic Minds is a business podcast hosted by Rich Horwath, with 33 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Rich Horwath hosts Strategic Minds, a business show with 33 episodes published.

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  Episode #32

  Mastering Your Energy for Peak Performance

  Feb 9, 202657 minS0

  <p>Mental toughness isn’t something you’re born with, it’s a capacity you build. Rich Horwath sits down with Dr. Jim Loehr, widely regarded as the father of mental toughness, to explore what it truly takes to perform at your best under pressure. Drawing from decades of work with elite athletes, executives, military leaders, and physicians, Jim reframes performance as an energy challenge not a time problem.</p> <p>The conversation moves beyond mindset into the science of energy management, resilience, and recovery. Jim explains why tolerating failure is essential to growth, how pressure becomes a gift when proper...

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  Episode #31

  Methods of Highly Effective Managers

  Jan 26, 202654 minS0

  <p>Highly effective managers don’t rely on titles, tactics, or endless to-do lists. They lead with intention. Today, Rich Horwath is joined by Ashley Herd, former Chief People Officer, founder and author of The Manager Method, to unpack what truly drives managerial effectiveness in today’s complex workplace.</p> <p>Ashley introduces the idea of a “career quilt,” encouraging leaders to see diverse experiences as strategic assets rather than detours. She shares how stepping back from linear career thinking enables managers to make clearer decisions, build stronger relationships, and align daily work with long-term goals.</p> <p>The discussion centers...

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  Episode #30

  Train Your Brain to Play Offense

  Jan 12, 20261h 2mS0

  <p>Train Your Brain to Play Offense</p> <p>Elite performance doesn’t come from motivation: it comes from training. Rich Horwath sits down with Dr. Jason Selk, one of the world’s leading performance coaches, to explore how mental toughness is built, practiced, and sustained under pressure.</p> <p>Drawing from Selk’s work with championship teams and senior executives, the conversation reframes performance as a discipline rooted in high standards, preparation, and self-image. From his Midwest upbringing to his early test with the St. Louis Cardinals, Selk shares how readiness, not reassurance, separates top performers.</p> <p>The discus...

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  Episode #29

  10 Tips to be Strategic in 2026

  Dec 29, 202530 minS0

  <p>As the year comes to a close, Rich Horwath reflects on lessons learned from working with dozens of organizations and thousands of leaders in 2025. He re-centers the true meaning of strategic: possessing insight that leads to advantage. Rich states that strategy begins with curiosity, an explorer’s mindset focused on learning, reflection, and deliberate choice.</p> <p>Rich walks listeners through a practical year-in-review framework, balancing achievements with an honest assessment of what didn’t work. From identifying top learnings and priorities to establishing a rallying cry for the year ahead, the goal is clear: turn reflection into actionable insi...

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  Episode #28

  Using Nature to Nurture Innovation

  Dec 15, 202546 minS0

  <p>Nature has spent billions of years perfecting strategy, and those lessons can help leaders think more clearly about innovation. Rich Horwath sits down with Ines Garcia, author of Nature’s Blueprint for Business, in this episode of Strategic Minds Podcast to explore how ecosystem principles can strengthen the way organizations work and grow.</p> <p>She shows why leaders must stay attuned and responsive to their environment, just as ecosystems do when they face tension and change. Ideas like ecotones and “bending without breaking” highlight how the space between teams can spark the most innovation.</p> <p>Listeners gain a new...

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