Rethinking Leadership: How to Pivot, Disrupt, and Transform with Marcia Daszko
Release Date: 11/11/2025
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info_outlineThe first step to transformation is to stop doing what no longer works.” – Marcia Daszko
On this episode of On the Brink with Andi Simon, I sat down with Marcia Daszko, a visionary leadership consultant and author of Pivot, Disrupt, Transform: How Leaders Beat the Odds and Survive. Marcia’s journey—from being “excruciatingly shy” to mentoring leaders at Apple, Boeing, and the U.S. Navy—reveals a rare combination of courage, curiosity, and clarity. Her lessons, rooted in the teachings of Dr. W. Edwards Deming, challenge leaders to abandon outdated management practices and embrace a deeper, systems-based way of thinking.
From Management Fads to Meaningful Leadership
Marcia began her career in marketing before being mentored by Dr. Perry Gluckman, a close associate of Dr. Deming, who revolutionized management thinking through systems theory and continuous improvement. What she learned was not just what to do, but how to think.
Too often, organizations chase the latest management fad—Six Sigma, Lean, “best practices”—without understanding the systems that create real success. Marcia calls these “tragedies” because they add complexity without meaning. She estimates that 50 to 80 percent of organizational waste comes from such misguided efforts.
Her process begins with a bold question: “What do we need to stop doing?”
Once leaders remove what’s not working, they can open the flow of communication, creativity, and collaboration—what Marcia calls the “system of profound knowledge.” When systems make sense, people thrive.
Watch the podcast here:
Learning to See Differently
Like many of my guests, Marcia helps organizations “see, feel, and think” in new ways. She starts by asking questions that uncover hidden assumptions and systemic barriers. Employees usually know what’s wrong, she says, but no one listens.
When she leads workshops, she doesn’t rely on PowerPoint slides. Instead, she creates experiences—conversations, simulations, and reflections—that shift perspectives. “I don’t get resistance,” she explains, “because the exercises take care of that.”
It’s an anthropologist’s insight wrapped in a strategist’s toolkit: people don’t change because they’re told to—they change because they experience a new way of being together.
The Strategic Compass for an Uncertain Future
In today’s world of disruption, Marcia argues that leaders don’t need a roadmap—they need a compass. The future can’t be predicted; it must be navigated through exploration, experimentation, and learning. Her Strategic Compass helps executives pivot as they encounter new “rivers and mountains” in their business landscape.
Leadership, she reminds us, is not about control but curiosity. The most powerful organizations foster environments where everyone can learn, question, and contribute. Her three “legs of the stool” are:
- Innovation as a business strategy
- Continuous improvement as a business strategy
- Quality as a business strategy
Sadly, she says, quality and customer service—once foundational to success—have too often been forgotten.
Building a Culture of Trust and Curiosity
Both Marcia and I share a passion for culture change. She emphasizes that great leaders reduce fear and build trust. When people feel safe, they can be curious and collaborative. It’s not enough to post company values on a wall; leaders must define the behaviors that bring those values to life.
Her workshops often transform even the most rigid workplaces. In one session, an employee of 15 years said it was the first time he had felt truly appreciated and engaged. That’s the power of inclusion, curiosity, and respect in action.
Leading in the Age of AI
As we discussed the rise of artificial intelligence, Marcia was unequivocal: “If you’re afraid of AI, you’ll be left behind.” She sees AI not as a threat but as a tool for learning and transformation. The challenge, she warns, is to build guardrails—policies and ethics that guide its use responsibly.
In an age when consulting firms can generate proposals in minutes, leaders must rethink how people create value. The winners will be those who empower their teams to use new tools, think critically, and continuously learn.
Key Takeaways
- Stop before you start. Identify and eliminate wasteful management practices that add complexity without results.
- Think in systems. Every part of your organization is interconnected. Problems are rarely isolated.
- Create flow. Open channels for communication, creativity, and collaboration.
- Replace fear with trust. People thrive when they feel safe to contribute.
- Stay curious. Learning is not a phase—it’s a way of life.
- Use AI wisely. Embrace new tools, but balance innovation with ethical governance.
What You Can Do Next
- Run a “Stop Doing” audit. Gather your team and list processes or habits that no longer serve your mission. Eliminate one per quarter.
- Host a curiosity circle. Ask open-ended questions like, “What assumptions are we making?” or “What would our customers say if they were in this room?”
- Map your system. Visualize how information, decisions, and accountability flow. Look for bottlenecks or blind spots.
- Pair technology with humanity. Use AI or analytics to inform—not replace—human judgment.
- Model the behavior you want to see. As Marcia says, leadership begins when everyone sees themselves as a leader.
Marcia Daszko’s work reminds us that transformation is not about new tools—it’s about new thinking. If you’re ready to pivot from managing the past to creating the future, this episode will show you how.
To learn more about Marcia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marciadaszko/
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