Avoiding Conflicts: Corporate Culture vs. Local Culture

Corporate and local cultures consist of several dimensions, and this is not limited to any of our global headquarters, which, like many global firms, can experience challenges aligning with foreign branches. Even our headquarters in the Netherlands, which have domestic offices, face challenges in maintaining consistency in their operations. Ernst Gleijm, Senior Partner at N2Growth, notes that…

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In the Boardroom: Strategies for Effective Board of Directors Coaching

The Importance of Board of Directors Coaching In today's fast-paced and complex business landscape, the role of the board of directors has never been more critical. These individuals are entrusted with making strategic decisions that drive the success and sustainability of organizations. However, navigating the intricate dynamics of the boardroom can be challenging, even for seasoned directors.…

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Annual Board Evaluations: A Gateway to Sustained Board Effectiveness

The Importance of Regular Board Assessments In today's fast-paced and competitive business landscape, organizations must have a strong and effective board of directors. Boards are crucial in guiding and overseeing critical strategic decisions, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and driving overall organizational performance. Regular board evaluations and assessments are vital tools…

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Virtual Visionaries: Harnessing Virtual Executive Coaching for Modern Leaders

Understanding the Benefits of Virtual Executive Coaching for Modern Leaders Virtual executive coaching has emerged as a valuable tool for modern leaders, providing numerous benefits. One key advantage is its flexibility, allowing leaders to participate in coaching sessions anywhere worldwide. This eliminates the need for travel, making it an efficient and time-saving option. Additionally, virtual…

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F1 Racing and the Insurance and Finance Industry: A Comparison of Trends and Challenges

I’ve never had a strong interest in F1 racing, mainly because I didn’t know much about it. Recently, NETFLIX released its sixth season of the popular streaming series Formula 1, Drive to Survive. I began watching the series and immediately got hooked. My appetite for fast cars driving around city streets and oval-shaped tracks has since changed, and in many ways, I saw clear parallels between the…

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How Startups Can Revamp Their Executive Leadership Talent for Growth

Organizations, particularly startups, require changes in executive leadership talent in the business lifecycle to capitalize on growth potential. Sometimes CEOs are late to make the necessary executive team changes, which comes at a cost. Today, I’d like to share some examples and critical considerations for companies that fit in this category. NerdWallet is an example of when the rapidly growing…

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The Benefits of a Chief Transformation Officer for Growth

As executive search consultants, we focus on understanding and optimizing businesses’ intended transformations and how they are shaping strategic responses to industry-level changes. While our clients focus on strategic planning, we place a great deal of our focus on the board advisory and strategic alignment with the execution of their needs. Especially implementation challenges of…

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Doing Well By Doing Good With Darrin Williams, CEO Southern Bancorp

Darrin Williams, CEO of Southern Bancorp, may have been a little surprised when a world-class business school professor came knocking at his door.  He wasn’t used to that kind of attention deep in the heart of Arkansas. Yet, he could no longer fly under the radar. Professor Rebecca Henderson, an esteemed professor of management at Harvard Business School and a world-leading expert in reimagining…

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What Sid Meier’s Civilization Game Taught Me About Business

Since childhood, I have played video games, and one of my all-time favorites is Sid Meier’s Civilization. The turn-based strategy game appeared in the early ’90s, and the game has evolved significantly since its debut, each version has new challenges for players to solve. As the title of this article suggests, I'd like to share what Sid Meier's Civilization game has taught me about business and…

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Failing Forward: Brad Smith, Board Chair of Intuit Shares His Perspective

Let's face it; we all fail from time to time.  But how come some people seem to "fail forward" even when times are tough?  Brad D. Smith has a unique perspective. During one of the most turbulent times in Silicon Valley history, Brad D. Smith was the steady-handed, innovative, and always resilient President and CEO of Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU).  During his decade long tenure, the stock price…

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Here’s How Luka Doncic Won Over Mark Cuban

Why does Mark Cuban love Luka Doncic? The easy answer is that Luka is a bonafide star for the Dallas Mavericks. Luka is only 21 years old and already an All-Star He’s a permanent fixture on ESPN’s Top-10 list Maverick's season ticket demand has gone through the roof The economic value of the Dallas Mavericks continues to skyrocket since acquiring Luka But what really resonates with Mark…

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Private Equity and Operational Value Creation Through Human Capital

Unprecedented growth of the Private Equity industry over the last decade made it stronger and better resourced, whereas an increased focus on improving the operating capabilities of portfolio companies is continuously impacting its value drivers. Operational value creation models in Private Equity have been historically focusing on the following levers: sales and margins’ improvement, cost…

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Help – It’s Not a Dirty Word!

With a new year staring us right in the face, I thought I'd dust off an old post as a useful reminder for leaders planning the year ahead -  "help" is not a dirty word. I have always believed asking for help is a sign of maturity as a leader. I think John Lennon said it best: "I get by with a little help from my friends." So my question is this - are you easy to help? Think about it...do you…

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The Difference Between Great Leaders And Posers

What is the difference between great leaders and posers? This may sound harsh, but the truth is I’ve witnessed far too many people in positions of leadership that wouldn’t recognize an opportunity if it hit them squarely in the face. If you cannot recognize, attract, and acquire opportunities you should not be in a leadership position. Just this week I’ve observed people in leadership roles who…

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Success Depends on You Asking the Right Questions

As a team leader, it may be uncomfortable for you to ask the right questions. After all, the people you lead expect you to have answers. While it may give you pause to develop a list of questions for success, a Harvard Business School study indicates it is a really good idea. Consider the following: Are you asking yourself and your team the right questions? Will those questions propel you to…

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Why Corporations Have a Talent Problem

The reason most corporations are broken when it comes to talent acquisition is they are simply looking for the wrong things through the wrong lens. Their hiring models are built for the old economy. They are looking for conformity rather than a non-conformity. They look to protect the status quo rather than disrupt it. They are hiring for the present and not for the future- corporations have a…

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