Tag Archives: Foundation

How Do You Refocus on Growth? Four Points of Emphasis

Situation: A CEO wants to refocus his company on growth following a difficult two years. Employee absences and stress due to the pandemic have had a significant effect on performance. The objective is to rally the team and excite them about future prospects. How do you refocus on growth?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • Focus on the top goals for the company: revenue, customer satisfaction, product quality and delivery, and strategic positioning.
    • These have been company strengths in the past and will form the foundation for new growth and opportunities.
    • This is the time to be the head cheerleader. The company has a strong past and will be even stronger in the future.
  • Key points of communication to the company:
    • We have a strong Good News/Good News story – the company has survived the last two years, has an aggressive plan and a strong future, and will do even better as conditions return to normal.
    • The company is focused on an important and growing sector and is positioned for strong growth as customers refocus their companies.
    • Start this aspect of the communication this week – then keep on repeating it to reinforce optimism as the company repositions itself for new opportunities.
  • Communications to customers to support the strategy:
    • Tell clients that the company is healthy and well positioned to continue to meet their needs better than any other alternatives available to them.
  • Allow a few months for employees to regroup.
    • Staff will be exhausted, physically and emotionally, following the last two years – give them time to regroup and refocus.

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How Do You Balance the Demands of Work and Family? Five Views

Situation: A CEO struggles to balance time and responsibility commitments to his business with demands of his family. This is not an uncommon struggle for executives. The question is: what strategies are effective to address the needs of both. How do you balance the demands of work and family?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • One Member: It takes a plan to find a solution.
    • Decide what you want and write a business plan to get there.
    • What relationship do you want with your soul mate? Make this part of the plan.
    • Have a conversation and test whether your and your spouse’s long-term visions are complimentary.
    • Don’t take on additional work – this is good both for family relationships and the role as CEO.
  • Another Member: My spouse and I talk about this a lot – particularly around time.
    • We have agreed on how the week is carved out – family time/work time.
    • We agree to honor each other as we are – not how we want the other to be.
    • Watch work commitments because – long-term – your spouse and children more important and more lasting than work.
  • Another Member: I’ve lived through the same issues.
    • I probably erred on side of family vs. career. The benefit is that now, I can’t get enough time to play with my kids. It’s great!
    • Attention to children is very important during the early years. While infants are not as capable of communicating as they will be later, the basic emotional and learning patterns – as well as affection patterns – are created early in life. It’s like the foundation of a building – not much to look at from the street, but it allows the whole building to stand.
  • The same mind that developed your business can solve this.
    • Stay open to solutions.
    • Make a choice.
    • This is uncomfortable, but not bad. The struggle proves that you care.
  • View your spouse as somebody who cares enough about herself so that she thinks she deserves a class act from her mate. Isn’t this what you want in a mate?

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