Make Your Meetings Count
“We already have too many meetings around here and they are a waste of my time.” This was the proclamation of one member of a newly formed leadership team as he entered the room just before the start of our first meeting. From the expressions and body language of those already around the table, it […]
The Three Pillars of Succession Planning
In his recent blog, my partner, Roger North, shared about our three-year journey of developing and executing an ownership succession plan for North Group. He aptly noted that this process “took time, energy, and a few engaging disagreements.” Roger is right – it required time. Not just blocks of time here and there, but also “seasons […]
Somebody Knows
I recently had the privilege of facilitating a conference for family business owners from the United States and Canada. Most of the attendees desired to transition the leadership and ownership of their business to next generation family members. Yet most of them acknowledged that they are “stuck” – even paralyzed – in developing and implementing […]
Four Questions Leaders Ask
One leadership team I have the privilege of working with routinely asks each other and members of their teams the following four questions: How are you doing? I recently heard two managers described this way: One manager asks, “WHAT are you doing,” while the other asks, “HOW are you doing?” It should not surprise anyone […]
How Long Is Your List?
We live in an age of lists. We have our “to do” lists, and more recently it has become fashionable to accomplish items on a “bucket list.” But there is one list that is rarely discussed—the list of issues we find most difficult, or even impossible, to talk about. Yet that list is perhaps the […]
Desire is Never Enough
July 7, 2014 Desire is Never Enough by Brian Black Over the years, our family planted a vegetable and flower garden. Each winter, I mapped out a plan for a lush and productive garden. I had dreams of people adding to their “bucket list” a trip to gaze upon our garden. Despite my desire, our […]