The Unexpected Role of the Strategy Office

The Chief Strategy Officer Podcast

How Southern Glazer's Office of Strategic Management Built an Enduring Strategic Advantage
Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits is the largest wine and spirits distributor in the United States, serving over 240,000 customers across 44 states and the District of Columbia. It is also one of the largest family-owned business in the US. Their strategy office is doing remarkable things that push the boundaries that define most strategy offices. In this podcast episode, we hear first hand from their head of strategy and two of the leaders of their “Office of Strategic Management” or OSM.
Stephen Von Oehsen is the Senior Vice President, of the Office of Strategic Management, as well as a Professor and Member or Dean's Executive Advisory Board at Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management.
Sascha Rubin is a VP in the OSM.
Kyle Weiss is a Senior Manager in the OSM.
In this episode we cover:

• The surprising roles that their OSM plays including why and how they became a lightening rod for talent and the unexpected benefits of taking on this role
• How Southern Glazer thinks about managing the culture of the OSM and how the culture differs from typical strategy offices and consulting firms
• The phases through which this strategy office evolved, why it evolved, and what it took to adapt and expand its impact
• Why they decided to launch what they call Extended Enterprise Strategic Services, through which they consult not just to the company but to partners, and how they manage this activity
• How to both hold onto the unique consulting toolkit and way of thinking that the company needs the strategy officer to bring while, at the same time, blending with the language and norms and culture of the company

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