Insights

Do you have the right team to implement your strategy? What should that look like—and how do you get there from here? When embarking on a new strategic endeavor, I evaluate the ...

You’ve generated promising ideas. Now it’s time to evaluate them more deeply and build your implementation strategy. In the last post, we explored how to develop recovery and growth ideas based on ...

You’ve communicated clearly. You’ve stabilized your people and your cash. Now what? Now, you push forward. In this phase, the challenge is shifting from crisis management to reimagining what comes next. This ...

In a crisis, people always come first. Businesses are built and run by people. As a C-level leader, losing the trust and confidence of your people during a crisis can worsen the situation ...

Over the past eight posts, we’ve walked through the seven steps of a transformation model I’ve used in three very different companies: A large manufacturing company, transforming finance into a strategic partner A mid-size ...

You’ve set the vision, built the plan, rallied the team, implemented key changes, and measured progress. Now comes the hardest part: How do you make the transformation stick? Step 7 in our ...

Once people are engaged, and a plan is in place, the next challenge is this: Can you execute—and measure what matters? Step 6 in our framework combines two essential elements: implementing the transformation ...

Once the leadership team is aligned, the next challenge is scale: How do you bring the rest of the organization—and your stakeholders—into the transformation? Step 5 in our model is to communicate the ...

No transformation happens alone. Even with a clear vision, an honest assessment, and a solid plan—you need the right people around you. Step 4 in our transformation model is to build and support ...

Once we had a clear vision (Step 1) and a grounded understanding of our current state (Step 2), it was time to answer the next big question: How do we get from ...

Once the vision is set, the next step is less glamorous—but absolutely critical: Face the truth about where you are. Step 2 in our transformation model is to analyze the current situation and ...

Every transformation starts with a question: Where are we going—and why should anyone want to follow? Step 1 in the transformation model I’ve used across three successful turnarounds is to create a compelling ...

Technology, economics, geopolitics, generational thought processes, your customer’s needs, and your competitors’ offerings are all evolving faster than ever: Do you see foundational changes your organization needs to make to keep up ...

If you’ve ever led through a transformation, you know: the plan always looks clearer on the whiteboard than it does in real life. In our case, we didn’t move fast enough. We ...

Before becoming CEO, I had contributed to strategy from a functional seat. But now the responsibility was mine: not just to shape the strategy, but to lead it, sell it, and ensure ...

While tackling our sales challenges, we also needed to work on another hot fire: operations. We had just acquired a competitor on the other side of the country. On paper, it was ...

When I became CEO, I had no experience running a sales organization. But I quickly realized we had a serious problem: we were growing fast and losing money even faster. Sales had ...

Values are easy to talk about. Harder to live. When I stepped into the CEO role, I knew we needed more than a mission and vision. We needed to define how we ...

When I first sat down to write our company’s mission and vision, I realized something uncomfortable: I didn’t actually know the difference. Everyone seemed to have a different definition. Some used the ...

When I became CEO, I knew I would report to the board. What I didn’t realize was how many more "bosses" I was about to inherit. There were the obvious ones: customers, ...

By my second month as CEO, it was clear the problems weren’t just operational. They were existential. Yes, we had tough business challenges—unprofitable accounts, upset customers, a bleeding acquisition. But beneath all ...

I thought I was ready. After five years as CFO of an electronics manufacturing services company, I had helped lead a financial turnaround, revamped our reporting systems, and earned the trust of ...

At C-Level #2 is the second blog of an eight-part series following a first time CEO’s educational journey in a very challenging business environment, exploring global concepts in leadership theory and practice. ...

At C-Level #1 is the beginning of an eight-part blog series following a first time CEO’s educational journey in a very challenging business environment, exploring global concepts in leadership theory and practice.  ...

Do you have the right team to implement your strategy? What should that look like and how do you get there from here? When embarking on a new strategic endeavor, I evaluate ...

Moving from alternative evaluation to implementation strategy... In the prior article, you came up with ideas/alternatives for changing your business to help it stabilize, thrive and grow as it emerges from this ...

What to start pushing forward on as you think about emerging from this crisis. You do need to push forward! In the prior two articles, you learned about communicating openly and honestly ...

In addition to your people…the present and future of your business depend on CASH! Do you know how much cash you have immediately available in the bank for the business? Do you ...

PEOPLE always come first! Businesses are built and run by people. As a C-level leader, losing the trust and confidence of your people during a crisis can create additional serious challenges and ...