CPO PLAYBOOK with Felicia Shakiba cover art

CPO PLAYBOOK with Felicia Shakiba

CPO PLAYBOOK with Felicia Shakiba

By: WRKdefined Podcast Network
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About this listen

 CPO PLAYBOOK isn’t your typical business podcast. Hosted by Felicia Shakiba—Korn Ferry executive coach and fixer of high-stakes people problems—we tackle the stuff that keeps founders, investors, and execs up at night. From leadership blind spots to messy M&As, scaling headaches to culture chaos—we don’t just talk about business, we solve it. Guests? Think PepsiCo, SoftBank, Harvard, Reddit, Valentino, Adidas, Stanford, and MCM Capital—aka the folks shaping global markets and billion-dollar bets. If you like your insights bold, your leadership sharper, and your strategy with a side of “why didn’t anyone tell me this sooner?”—hit subscribe. This is your competitive edge, one episode at a time.All rights reserved by WRKdefined Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • 84 Leaders Navigate Generative AI in Product Development

    84 Leaders Navigate Generative AI in Product Development
    Sep 9 2025
    Generative AI may be rewriting the rules, but Felicia Shakiba and Claurelle Rakipovic, Chief Product Officer at Pipe, break down what real product leadership looks like. From customer empathy to AI missteps, Claurelle shares sharp lessons on building products that can actually hold their ground. Chapters 00:00 Building Defensible Products in the Age of AI 01:50 Understanding Defensibility Beyond Automation 04:30 Learning from AI Missteps 09:26 Internal Testing and AI Adoption 14:39 New Competencies for Product Leaders 19:47 The Importance of Unique Data 23:49 Empathy in AI Product Development 27:39 Auditing AI for Value Delivery
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    35 mins
  • 83 How to Navigate M&A with Effective Leadership Integrations

    83 How to Navigate M&A with Effective Leadership Integrations
    Sep 2 2025
    In the world of private equity and high-stakes M&A, financials are only half the story. The real differentiator? Leadership. This episode explores what leadership qualities truly drive success in mergers and acquisitions, why most private equity due diligence efforts fall short on the people's front, and how to assess leaders before the deal is signed. Our guest is Cameron Bishop Partner and Managing Director at Raincatcher Investment Bankers. Chapters 00:00 The Importance of People in M&A Success 02:48 Cultural Missteps in Private Equity Acquisitions 05:44 Aligning Leadership Post-Acquisition 08:15 The Role of Communication in Corporate Culture 11:04 Integrating Multiple Cultures 13:37 Data-Driven Decision Making in M&A 16:06 Incentivizing Employees for Success 18:54 Identifying and Nurturing Talent 21:43 Achieving Alignment in Leadership 24:44 The Continuous Journey of Alignment
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    39 mins
  • 82 AI Transformation: When AI Takes Our Jobs

    82 AI Transformation: When AI Takes Our Jobs
    Aug 26 2025
    Matt Lewis unpacks the realities of AI transformation inside organizations — and what happens when AI takes our jobs. He shares stories of employees navigating the emotional fallout of AI, the role of leadership in reducing resistance, and how identity and self-worth shape the success of change initiatives. Listeners will walk away with practical strategies for guiding teams through AI-driven transformation with clarity and empathy. 00:00 Navigating Personal Challenges and Professional Growth 05:30 Real Stories of Emotional Fallout 11:42 Subtle Signs of Resistance 19:55 Communicating Change Effectively 27:32 Understanding Organizational Dynamics During Transformation 34:38 TransferMental: A New Approach to AI Transformation 40:24 Identity and Emotional Complexity in AI Disruption
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    49 mins
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