Boardroom Performance

•  A chairman complained, “The regulators have ordered the board to assess its own effectiveness and come up with recommendations for improvement. Our board doesn’t understand its role and accountabilities. Can you assess the board’s effectiveness within 30 days and really produce results?”

• The Chairman of a Danish parent company asked, “Can you assess our American CEO and board of directors to help us focus the turnaround?”

• We need to adjust to managed care. We used to own the market. Now we must compete. We have to become customer oriented and cost conscious. We need to develop new relationships, and technology. Can you assess my performance and the management team and help us become more competitive?” requested the President.

• “We tried everything-earnings improvement, strategic planning, team build and retreats. Nothing seems to work. We are not adjusting to the new challenges. Our board and management team needs better financial and management discipline yet we don’t want to lose our sales and entrepreneurial sprit. We’re not sure the CEO can make it happen. Can you help move us in the right direction and turn things around?” asked three frustrated board members and owners of an insurance holding company.

•  “Our company has outgrown the CEO and the board. We need new ideas, skills and energy. How do we transition without causing major turmoil? Can you help define the role of the new CEO and the criteria for directors?” asked the new Chairman.

• “We’ve lost our strategic focus, urgency and decisiveness. We have all kinds of consultants and programs, but we’re just going through the motions. We don’t want a six-month study. Can you help fire up us?” asked the CEO.

• A Chairman asked, “Our two boards are concerned. The joint venture is not working. Can you interview the key players and tell what we need to do to get back on track?”

• My client, the Chairman of the Board, wants to keep the CEO despite the pressures to replace him. Can you help him survive and help the bank improve its performance?” cautiously asked the outside legal counsel.

• “I want to cash out of the company within two years. Do I have the management talent to leave the company in good, hands, or should I be acquired, and how do I handle the succession?” asked a President.

• “I come from a major, aggressive financial services institution. Can you help transform 99 executives and managers from a “nice” to an aggressive financial services culture?” Asked the new CEO.

• “When we we’re founded a few years ago, our national board was cutting edge.  The founding CEO/directors handed off their directorships to subordinates; Can you help us overcome dysfunctionality, complacency, and weak director involvement so we can reenergize our association? Asked the Chief Executive Office and Chairman of a well regarded health industry association.

• “The regulators are concerned about our bank’s rapid growth and whether the board and management team are qualified to run a $3 billion bank. Can you assess our board and executive team and come up with recommendations to satisfy the regulators and help us move forward? Asked the Chairman and SVP of Risk Management.

• “The executive team and I want to move on to our next start up, Can help us transform and motivate our team so we can exit with maximum value in the next 3 years?” Asked the Chief Executive Officer of a private company”.

Stakeholders/Acquirers/Investors

•  The president of a financial holding company said, “We’ve made a number of acquisitions, but we’re not hitting our objectives. We think it has to do with management teams we are inheriting. We seem to lose the strong players. It takes a year to sort out. Can you assess the acquired executives and help us make this acquisition successful?

•  A Vice Chairman of a major financial services group asked, “’I’ve inherited three major business units as a result of the merger. Can you help me and the business unit heads select and motivate the best talent from 85 executives in 90 days?

• Partners at a major accounting firm asked,” We starting a project or a major client involved in acquisitions. We will handle all the operational and audit, issues, but he’s concerned about the quality of the acquired management and the CEO. Can you be part of our due diligence tam and assess the key executives?”

• “Before we invest another $5 million in this company, could you assess the management team, strategy and any other issues we should be concerned about”, asked the venture capital director.

• Shall we combine our profit making data center with a software group we acquired two years ago and who should run it? Asked the new CEO of the holding company.

• “We are a start up company looking for talent, credible contacts, funding and expertise. Can you help us move to the next level?” Asked the founder of a company with a proven product who was ready to launch.

• “We are an early stage company looking for funding. For stock, can you develop our message, bring in senior advisors, and recruit a celebrity CEO and board so we can attract investors?” Asked the founder/CEO with limited cash.

• “We have a great ministry with tremendous potential to evangelize the world through effective education of children. Can you help us motivate our board, craft a compelling message and stage a “road show” that will help us expand?” asked the CEO of a powerful Latin American ministry preparing for a global launch.

• “Can you help us convince a major client to outsource all external innovation to us?” Asked highly respected venture capitalist seeking to be a major player in the global innovation marketplace

• We need to create a strategic alliance with a major bank’s wealth management group, Can you arrange a meeting, develop the presentation and so we cancreate a profitable partnership with the bank?,” Asked the head a national independent marketing grout of 100 top life insurance producers.

• “We just spin off our health services consulting practice from a major accounting firm. Can you develop the plan and messaging, bring in a major search firm, helppromote the 30 company roll up in preparation for a major IPO campaign?,” asked the Chairman and CEO of a new organization.

• “To develop our national marketing program, we need a credible Advisory Board of senior retired executives for introductions to major corporations and a strategic alliance with a top CPA firm, can you help us create the plan and execute it?” Asked the Chairman of Financial Services marketing group.

• “Before we invest another $5 million in this company, could you assess the management team, strategy and any other issues we should be concerned about”, asked the venture capital director.

New Concepts, Strategic Alliances

• “We are growing rapidly. Can you help develop a recruiting program for our Consulting Group that focuses our efforts,, saves us valuable partner time, reduces our cost per hire and meets our urgent need for talent,” Asked the partner in charge of a 100 plus consulting practice for a major accounting firm

For Improved Boardroom Performance

• A chairman complained, “The regulators have ordered the board to assess its own effectiveness and come up with recommendations for improvement. Our board doesn’t understand its role and accountabilities. Can you assess the board’s effectiveness with in 30 days and really produce results?”

• “We tried everything-earnings improvement, strategic planning, team build and retreats. Nothing seems to work. We are not adjusting to the new challenges. Our board and management team needs better financial and management discipline yet we don’t want to lose our sales and entrepreneurial sprit. We’re not sure the CEO can make it happen. Can you help move us in the right direction and turn things around?” asked three frustrated board members and owners of an insurance holding company.

• “Our company has outgrown the CEO and the board. We need new ideas, skills and energy. How do we transition without causing major turmoil? Can you help define the role of the new CEO and the criteria for directors?” asked the new Chairman.

For Stakeholders/Acquirers/Investors

• The president of a financial holding company said, “We’ve made a number of acquisitions, but we’re not hitting our objectives. We think it has to do with management teams we are inheriting. We seem to lose the strong players. It takes a year to sort out. Can you assess the acquired executives and help us make this acquisition successful?
• A Vice Chairman of a major financial services group asked, “’I’ve inherited three major business units as a result of the merger. Can you help me and the business unit heads select and motivate the best talent from 85 executives in 90 days?
• “Before we invest another $5 million in this company, could you assess the management team, strategy and any other issues we should be concerned about”, asked the venture capital director.
• Shall we combine our profit making data center with a software group we acquired two years ago and who should run it? Asked the new CEO of the holding company.

For New Concepts, Strategic Alliances

• “We are a start up company looking for talent, credible contacts, funding and expertise. Can you help us move to the next level?” Asked the founder of a company with a proven product who was ready to launch.
• “We are an early stage company looking for funding. For stock, can you develop our message, bring in senior advisors, and recruit a celebrity CEO and board so we can attract investors?” Asked the founder/CEO with limited cash
• “We have a great ministry with tremendous potential to evangelize the world through effective education of children. Can you help us motivate our board, craft a compelling message and stage a “road show” that will help us expand?” asked the CEO of a powerful Latin American ministry preparing for a global launch.
• We need to create a strategic alliance with a major bank’s wealth management group, Can you arrange a meeting, develop the presentation and so we can create a profitable partnership with the bank?,” Asked the head a national independent marketing grout of 100 top life insurance producers.