<![CDATA[Commercial Excellence with Jesse Hopps]]>https://commercialexcellence.podbean.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Mon, 25 May 2026 09:56:38 GMTWed, 06 May 2026 16:36:39 GMT60Jesse HoppsLearn how large B2B enterprises are building capabilities and achieving Commercial Excellence.serialJesse Hoppsjesse@demandmetric.comno<![CDATA[Implementing Learning Programs That Drive Growth]]>The discussion revolved around unlocking growth through learning, focusing on how to equip employees with the right mindset, skill set, and tool set to drive meaningful business impact. Topics included corporate transformation, resilience (AQ), grit, learning effectiveness, and motivation.

 

Watch the video version:

 

The discussion revolved around unlocking growth through learning, focusing on how to equip employees with the right mindset, skill set, and tool set to drive meaningful business impact. Topics included corporate transformation, resilience (AQ), grit, learning effectiveness, and motivation.

🎤 Summary of Points by Each Speaker Ron Denoo

Former Chief Strategy Officer, Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials

  • 30+ years in chemicals, plastics, and composites—ranging from project engineer to CEO
  • Specialized in business turnarounds and corporate transformation
  • Led global transformation for a chemical company with 70,000 employees across 32 countries
  • Now runs a portfolio of musical instrument companies, merging business strategy with passion

Key Discussion Points

  • Corporate Transformation Failure
    • 70–80% of transformations fail due to:
      • Superficial strategy (e.g., bonuses without structural change)
      • A sprint mindset—short-term focus instead of long-term capability building
      • Ignoring people—transformation is behavioral, not just procedural
  • Best Practices
    • Put employee growth first, not just business metrics
    • Support change with intrinsic motivation, structured learning, and behavior design
Dr. Paul Stoltz

Resilience & AQ Expert, Founder of Peak Learning

  • 38+ years studying Adversity Quotient (AQ)
  • Trained 5M+ people in 137 countries, including the U.S. Olympic team
  • Faculty at Harvard, Stanford, INSEAD, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, and Princeton

Key Discussion Points

  • Why Transformations Fail
    • Change is framed as resistance, rather than opportunity
    • Traditional models falsely assume performance dips before recovery
    • Employees must be trained to thrive in change, not just react to it
  • Power of AQ
    • AQ predicts:
      • Resilience
      • Innovation
      • Leadership
      • Problem-solving
    • Employees with high AQ:
      • Are more adaptable and productive
      • Overcome adversity faster
      • Show lower attrition and higher engagement
    • AQ > IQ or EQ in adversity
    • AQ enables EQ—especially in emotional regulation and trust under stress
Kurt Friedman

Strategic Sales & Coaching Expert

  • 20+ years in revenue growth, learning, and customer experience
  • Co-founded 6 startups—4 successfully acquired
  • Advised 500+ founders and students

Key Discussion Points

  • The Forgetting Curve
    • 90% of learning is forgotten in 1 week without reinforcement
    • Traditional methods (e.g., lectures, e-learning) are not sticky
  • Retention Strategies
    • Learning by doing: 75% retention
    • Teaching others: 90% retention
    • Use spaced learning, coaching, and real application
  • Guided Discovery
    • Ask questions instead of prescribing answers
    • Encourages ownership and reflects real-world decision making
Jesse Hopps

Founder of Demand Metric, Behavioral Science Advocate

  • Background in psychology, learning science, and motivation
  • Partnered with Dr. Stoltz to apply AQ and grit to growth strategies

Key Discussion Points

  • Traditional Training Falls Short
    • The issue isn’t lack of tools—it’s lack of motivation
    • Most training ignores intrinsic drivers
  • Self-Determination Theory (SDT)
    • People learn best when they feel:
      • Autonomy – freedom to choose their path
      • Competence – confidence and ability
      • Relatedness – personal relevance and connection
  • Real-World Learning Models
    • Inspired by Montessori and Fontan methods
    • Emphasizes project-based, self-driven learning over rote memorization
    • Businesses should adopt guided discovery and problem-solving approaches
🔑 Key Takeaways
  1. Corporate transformations fail when they ignore mindset and motivation
  2. Resilience (AQ) is the most powerful predictor of innovation and performance
  3. Interactive, applied, and reinforced learning methods outperform traditional training
  4. Guided discovery and intrinsic motivation create deeper engagement
  5. Organizations must shift from “change management” to “harnessing adversity”

“This fireside chat offered a fresh perspective on growth, transformation, and learning—placing resilience and intrinsic motivation at the center of employee development.”

]]>https://commercialexcellence.podbean.com/e/building-commercial-capabilities-with-on-the-job-coaching-growth-projects/commercialexcellence.podbean.com/38801c8a-423e-3ee0-b423-6e0e4f719a99Thu, 10 Apr 2025 20:25:40 GMT<p>The discussion revolved around unlocking growth through learning, focusing on how to equip employees with the right mindset, skill set, and tool set to drive meaningful business impact. Topics included corporate transformation, resilience (AQ), grit, learning effectiveness, and motivation.</p> <p> </p> <p>Watch the video version:</p> <p><a href="https://demandmetric.wistia.com/medias/0c5452c9wu?wvideo=0c5452c9wu&amp;wemail=%7B%7BRecipient.Email%7D%7D" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"></a></p> <p> </p> <p>The discussion revolved around unlocking growth through learning, focusing on how to equip employees with the right mindset, skill set, and tool set to drive meaningful business impact. Topics included corporate transformation, resilience (AQ), grit, learning effectiveness, and motivation.</p> 🎤 Summary of Points by Each Speaker Ron Denoo <p>Former Chief Strategy Officer, Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials</p> <ul> <li>30+ years in chemicals, plastics, and composites—ranging from project engineer to CEO</li> <li>Specialized in business turnarounds and corporate transformation</li> <li>Led global transformation for a chemical company with 70,000 employees across 32 countries</li> <li>Now runs a portfolio of musical instrument companies, merging business strategy with passion</li> </ul> <p>Key Discussion Points</p> <ul> <li>Corporate Transformation Failure <ul> <li>70–80% of transformations fail due to: <ul> <li>Superficial strategy (e.g., bonuses without structural change)</li> <li>A sprint mindset—short-term focus instead of long-term capability building</li> <li>Ignoring people—transformation is behavioral, not just procedural</li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li>Best Practices <ul> <li>Put employee growth first, not just business metrics</li> <li>Support change with intrinsic motivation, structured learning, and behavior design</li> </ul> </li> </ul> Dr. Paul Stoltz <p>Resilience &amp; AQ Expert, Founder of Peak Learning</p> <ul> <li>38+ years studying Adversity Quotient (AQ)</li> <li>Trained 5M+ people in 137 countries, including the U.S. Olympic team</li> <li>Faculty at Harvard, Stanford, INSEAD, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, and Princeton</li> </ul> <p>Key Discussion Points</p> <ul> <li>Why Transformations Fail <ul> <li>Change is framed as resistance, rather than opportunity</li> <li>Traditional models falsely assume performance dips before recovery</li> <li>Employees must be trained to thrive in change, not just react to it</li> </ul> </li> <li>Power of AQ <ul> <li>AQ predicts: <ul> <li>Resilience</li> <li>Innovation</li> <li>Leadership</li> <li>Problem-solving</li> </ul> </li> <li>Employees with high AQ: <ul> <li>Are more adaptable and productive</li> <li>Overcome adversity faster</li> <li>Show lower attrition and higher engagement</li> </ul> </li> <li>AQ &gt; IQ or EQ in adversity</li> <li>AQ enables EQ—especially in emotional regulation and trust under stress</li> </ul> </li> </ul> Kurt Friedman <p>Strategic Sales &amp; Coaching Expert</p> <ul> <li>20+ years in revenue growth, learning, and customer experience</li> <li>Co-founded 6 startups—4 successfully acquired</li> <li>Advised 500+ founders and students</li> </ul> <p>Key Discussion Points</p> <ul> <li>The Forgetting Curve <ul> <li>90% of learning is forgotten in 1 week without reinforcement</li> <li>Traditional methods (e.g., lectures, e-learning) are not sticky</li> </ul> </li> <li>Retention Strategies <ul> <li>Learning by doing: 75% retention</li> <li>Teaching others: 90% retention</li> <li>Use spaced learning, coaching, and real application</li> </ul> </li> <li>Guided Discovery <ul> <li>Ask questions instead of prescribing answers</li> <li>Encourages ownership and reflects real-world decision making</li> </ul> </li> </ul> Jesse Hopps <p>Founder of Demand Metric, Behavioral Science Advocate</p> <ul> <li>Background in psychology, learning science, and motivation</li> <li>Partnered with Dr. Stoltz to apply AQ and grit to growth strategies</li> </ul> <p>Key Discussion Points</p> <ul> <li>Traditional Training Falls Short <ul> <li>The issue isn’t lack of tools—it’s lack of motivation</li> <li>Most training ignores intrinsic drivers</li> </ul> </li> <li>Self-Determination Theory (SDT) <ul> <li>People learn best when they feel: <ul> <li>Autonomy – freedom to choose their path</li> <li>Competence – confidence and ability</li> <li>Relatedness – personal relevance and connection</li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li>Real-World Learning Models <ul> <li>Inspired by Montessori and Fontan methods</li> <li>Emphasizes project-based, self-driven learning over rote memorization</li> <li>Businesses should adopt guided discovery and problem-solving approaches</li> </ul> </li> </ul> 🔑 Key Takeaways <ol> <li>Corporate transformations fail when they ignore mindset and motivation</li> <li>Resilience (AQ) is the most powerful predictor of innovation and performance</li> <li>Interactive, applied, and reinforced learning methods outperform traditional training</li> <li>Guided discovery and intrinsic motivation create deeper engagement</li> <li>Organizations must shift from “change management” to “harnessing adversity”</li> </ol> <p>“This fireside chat offered a fresh perspective on growth, transformation, and learning—placing resilience and intrinsic motivation at the center of employee development.”</p> no01:15:1112Implementing Learning Programs That Drive Growthfull<![CDATA[From Idea to 7,000+ Clients]]>Hear how Demand Metric got started and how we've evolved since 2006.

]]>https://commercialexcellence.podbean.com/e/from-idea-to-7000-clients/commercialexcellence.podbean.com/022ee7cd-9e28-3a7c-b4fa-be1e5f07dbb4Fri, 11 Apr 2025 10:04:42 GMT<p>Hear how Demand Metric got started and how we've evolved since 2006.</p> no00:40:0613From Idea to 7,000+ Clientsfull<![CDATA[Why Strategy Consulting is ripe for disruption]]>Listen to Jesse Hopps as he shares his POV on why the traditional strategy consulting paradigm, dominated by the big 4, is broken.

]]>https://commercialexcellence.podbean.com/e/why-strategy-consulting-is-ripe-for-disruption/commercialexcellence.podbean.com/80026d0f-6a26-3f07-8b2f-f045c0772d8dFri, 11 Apr 2025 10:12:58 GMT<p>Listen to Jesse Hopps as he shares his POV on why the traditional strategy consulting paradigm, dominated by the big 4, is broken.</p> no00:36:1316Why Strategy Consulting is ripe for disruptionfull<![CDATA[How to build a more resilient, adaptable workforce and 'harness' adversity with Dr. Paul Stoltz]]>Listen to this interview with Dr. Paul Stoltz, the world's leading expert on human resilience and GRIT.  Dr. Paul is a master coach for the US Olympic team and his Adversity Quotient (AQ) method for assessing and permanently improving how people respond to adversity is used by Harvard's MBA program, MIT's entrepreneurship program, INSEAD, Stanford, Cornell, Princeton, and Fortune 500s like Apple, Amazon, AT&T, Fedex, and many more.

]]>https://commercialexcellence.podbean.com/e/how-to-build-a-more-resilient-adaptable-workforce-who-harness-adversity-with-dr-paul-stoltz/commercialexcellence.podbean.com/cdba4323-b824-3c52-b8fa-9ac43ab48a1cFri, 11 Apr 2025 10:36:54 GMT<p>Listen to this interview with Dr. Paul Stoltz, the world's leading expert on human resilience and GRIT.  Dr. Paul is a master coach for the US Olympic team and his Adversity Quotient (AQ) method for assessing and permanently improving how people respond to adversity is used by Harvard's MBA program, MIT's entrepreneurship program, INSEAD, Stanford, Cornell, Princeton, and Fortune 500s like Apple, Amazon, AT&amp;T, Fedex, and many more.</p> no01:09:5830How to build a more resilient, adaptable workforce and 'harness' adversity with Dr. Paul Stoltzfull<![CDATA[Commercial Excellence Capability Building: Pitfalls to Avoid & Best Practices]]>In this episode, Jesse discusses the challenges related to building commercial capabilities at scale, and shares 6 best practices to up-skill your people.

 

Watch the video version below:

]]>https://commercialexcellence.podbean.com/e/commercial-excellence-capability-building-pitfalls-to-avoid-best-practices/commercialexcellence.podbean.com/e097dda3-71c9-395b-9a73-48872bb78bddFri, 11 Apr 2025 10:33:38 GMT<p>In this episode, Jesse discusses the challenges related to building commercial capabilities at scale, and shares 6 best practices to up-skill your people.</p> <p> </p> <p>Watch the video version below:</p> <p><a href="https://demandmetric.wistia.com/medias/k38qzs2bc8?wvideo=k38qzs2bc8&amp;wemail=%7B%7BRecipient.Email%7D%7D" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"></a></p> no00:48:2429Commercial Excellence Capability Building: Pitfalls to Avoid & Best Practicesfull<![CDATA[Eliminating Resistance with Roy van Griensven]]>Roy Van Griensven, Head of Commercial Excellence at LANXESS, discusses his innovative approach to organizational transformation that challenges traditional change management methodologies. He explains how conventional consulting-led transformations often fail because they rely on top-down mandates and extrinsic motivation, leading to passive resistance from employees. Instead, Roy advocates for a servant leadership approach that focuses on intrinsic motivation through structured autonomy, psychological safety, and bottom-up engagement. His method involves inspiring people with possibilities, creating safe environments for reflection on challenges, and then supporting employee-driven projects that align with business objectives. The conversation covers the importance of adaptive capacity as a leading indicator, the shift from managing change to changing management approaches, and how to create sustainable behavioral change by involving people in designing solutions rather than imposing them. Roy emphasizes that people don't resist change itself, but rather the feeling of being changed by others, and argues that leaders should take accountability for transformation failures rather than blaming employee resistance.

]]>https://commercialexcellence.podbean.com/e/eliminating-resistance-with-roy-van-griensven/commercialexcellence.podbean.com/e2689c71-8673-37ff-a102-0d7a0e6d514cMon, 09 Mar 2026 12:44:32 GMT<p>Roy Van Griensven, Head of Commercial Excellence at LANXESS, discusses his innovative approach to organizational transformation that challenges traditional change management methodologies. He explains how conventional consulting-led transformations often fail because they rely on top-down mandates and extrinsic motivation, leading to passive resistance from employees. Instead, Roy advocates for a servant leadership approach that focuses on intrinsic motivation through structured autonomy, psychological safety, and bottom-up engagement. His method involves inspiring people with possibilities, creating safe environments for reflection on challenges, and then supporting employee-driven projects that align with business objectives. The conversation covers the importance of adaptive capacity as a leading indicator, the shift from managing change to changing management approaches, and how to create sustainable behavioral change by involving people in designing solutions rather than imposing them. Roy emphasizes that people don't resist change itself, but rather the feeling of being changed by others, and argues that leaders should take accountability for transformation failures rather than blaming employee resistance.</p> no01:10:4231Eliminating Resistance with Roy van Griensvenfull