August 4, 2020
Boards of directors commonly ask for my assistance to address CEO performance. In most cases, it is not achievement of the company goals that is the issue, it is CEO behaviour...
July 14, 2020
Historically, incumbent CEOs anointed their successors, but that all changed in the post-Sarbanes-Oxley environment that required the consideration of the entire board. Now the CEO’s job involves preparing one or two strong internal candidates—ensuring leadership continuity and the CEO’s legacy. However, selecting the right person from among internal and external candidates remains the single most critical task the board has.
July 1, 2020
The business news is filled with stories of failed mergers or acquisitions. Yet companies still have an appetite for growth through mergers or acquisitions. Why?
June 4, 2020
Most boards conduct a strategy session or board retreat on an annual basis. A well planned and executed strategy session is a boon for the management team.
How do I recognize when I have participated in a great board retreat?
May 19, 2020
When the Vietnam Conflict ended in 1973, 566 military prisoners of war returned from captivity in North Vietnam. Statistics from previous wars suggested this group would suffer Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. But they didn’t. In fact, they...
May 6, 2020
Boeing and The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) do not appear to have much in common but they do; each has seriously damaged the trust they once enjoyed. Though their circumstances are different, each has succumbed to big, but invisible leadership traps that do not restore trust...
April 14, 2020
Whatever the industry, boards have a crucial role to play as management teams navigate this global crisis. By now, most companies are past the initial stage of reacting and have taken action too. Depending on the nature of your business, responsive actions will vary considerably.
March 30, 2020
Boards have always considered CEO succession one of their prime responsibilities—and it is...
March 13, 2020
Businesses leaders are often sure about what they need; sometimes they are right. The best leaders have ways to check themselves and especially, their assumptions. They know that ignoring risks, even those that are vague, seem small or unlikely to cause harm, can be deadly.
