During a recent monthly business review meeting with an executive team of a privately held company we were working through a number of important issues, one of which was succession planning for the firm, a topic people had been deferring for sometime, thinking it was important but not urgent. One of the partners looked around the [...]
A client of ours had done a great job of building a succession ladder for his small company. He got the idea that there would be no successess without succession. All key positions were covered in case of a death or disability, and an emergency action plan was in place. Long-term development plans were also [...]
In my work with Jim Horan, founder and chief architect of The One Page Business Plan (tm), I have become enamored with his question, "Who does the best thinking in your organization?" This question not only makes leaders think, but often act very differently. Good leaders recognize that if they are the best thinkers then [...]
About two years ago I was asked to evaluate some up and coming executives for a client. One of the people was destined to be international sales manager on a fast track. After meeting with individual and discovering her background and career aspirations we completed a more formal assessment process including personality and intellectual testing [...]
For many employees, seeking higher rungs on the corporate ladder is a strong goal. The perceived control of being a manager and a leader however is often not well thought through. Today I interviewed a young woman who was in hot pursuit of her bosses job. However, upon using a personality test and carefully interviewing [...]
Can you hear the clock ticking? By the time you finish reading this sentence, a baby boomer business owner will have turned 65. By the time you finish reading this column, five more will have reached the traditional age of retirement. Those business owners probably have big dreams for retirement, such as moving to a [...]
Leadership is lifting a person's vision to higher sights, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations. ~ Peter F. Drucker When a team outgrows individual performance and learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality. ~ Joe Paterno Last month I took aim at [...]
The mess our politicians are making of our economy through their inability to lead together is a great reminder for business leaders. "Leader" is more than a title, it is a massive responsibility to those who you expect to follow you. Good leaders are "servant leaders." Great leaders... Have a clear and actionable vision Communicate [...]
I am frequently impressed with the fuzzy thinking present in many companies. The lack of clarity as to what they are trying to accomplish in their business is usually reflected in fuzzy strategic goals, lack of alignment between senior management and fuzzy, imprecise execution. Unless leaders are clear (think measurable) about what they are trying to [...]
Having recently been with a company that is doing a major plant expansion, I have been thinking about one of the differentiators between market leaders and market laggards. I am wondering if the leaders, in addition to the slow and steady incremental changes necessary of any long-lived company, also focus on doing big things and [...]