In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Victor Grizzle, CEO and Executive Chairman of Armstrong Industries, to speak candidly about the massive transformation he led at Armstrong, inspired by McGrath’s work on growth outliers.
0:00 Introduction
0:46 Victor Grizzle's Career Journey to Armstrong
5:31 The Growth Outliers Research
7:23 Separating the Flooring and Ceilings Businesses
10:42 Finding a Burning Platform for Growth
14:37 Divesting the International Business
17:03 Driving a Growth Mindset Shift
25:46 Building an Innovation Engine
30:46 Embracing Intelligent Failure
35:07 Balancing Stability with Entrepreneurial Acquisitions
42:41 Advice for the Next Generation
48:39 Culture, Teamwork, and Consistency
50:42 Looking Ahead: AI and the Future of Armstrong
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