The Silver Lining (aka “Good News” for those bold enough to grab it)

As the U.S. economy begins recovering from months of extraordinary, pandemic-generated circumstances, active and clear-headed leadership is more vital than ever!  Leaders will, in large measure, determine which businesses (1) wither or evaporate, (2) merely survive with unchanged competitiveness, or (3) truly leverage this unexpected opportunity to sharpen their team and business model with enhanced future growth and success in mind.  In many ways, our shared interruption of “normal” gives company CEOs and owners a chance to benefit from the kind of decisive opportunity that many desperate, underperforming firms have necessarily taken under re-energized leadership operating with “burning platform” urgency to pursue not just a financial turn-around, but a strategically-enhanced future that leverages updated processes and even a refined business and organizational model to build momentum toward a worthy vision of the future.  Now is the perfect time to objectively re-examine how you conduct business and to pursue ways to do it with greater impact for all your stakeholders.  

 The unique constraints related to our current COVID19 trial and its social distancing has helped sensitize many of us to realities that may be challenging our old operating habits and assumptions.  Some us this obviously relates to leveraging remote digital methods and e-commerce in “conventional” businesses.  Some of it relates to a renewed appreciation for the importance of cash flow management (including finding a way to compress both response time and trapped working capital).  Some may have a newfound comprehension of “gaps” in team unity, cross-trained bench strength, depth of commitment and drive, and organizational resilience, and now realize their inadequate readiness to compete in the future as a market leader.     

You’ve no doubt heard the familiar truisms, “nothing changes unless something changes” and “continuing to do what got you here won’t get you there.”  You probably also buy into the notion that organizations only rise to the level that their leadership expects, models, and actively encourages.  Well-known CEO (Max DePree of Herman Miller Furniture) memorably echoed this truth:

“…we cannot become what we need to be, by remaining what we are.” 

“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you.” 

Does such talk seem too “pie-in-the-sky” to you?  As those who have been involved in previous turn-arounds and the strategic reposturing of organizations of all sizes to ensure a brighter future, Integrity CEO Advisors brings a set of proven skills, tools, and experiences to help you to achieve invaluable focus and clarity in precisely this way… ideal “for such a time as this”!  Our FreshLook assessment engages your senior team and takes an objective expert look at your team’s blind spots and opportunities. Using brief interviews, a survey of your management reports, our proprietary 9-dimension general management assessment tool, and first-hand expert observations we generate valuable, actionable ideas for you and your senior team. 

This is the perfect time to be challenged and inspired by ICA’s FreshLook assessment… a highly cost-effective and laser-focused look by a proven general management expert peer that has led several category leadership companies ranging from $20M to $2+B in annual revenue, and coached many owners and CEOs of firms ranging from $5M to $4B to highlight ways to sharpen short-term operating processes consistent with a robust strategic vision based on today’s market dynamics.  Let us help you with identify practical steps toward achieving a brighter future based on pursuing incremental growth, improved performance/return, long-term organization development and succession planning, and healthy board governance.  Schedule a quick chat with Integrity CEO Advisors’ Principal, Don Barefoot, for a pro bono 15-minute consultation to further check-out this highly practical and cost-effective possibility.  Also, be sure to look for our next two related messages, intended to further bring into focus the vital importance of seeing clearly and leading your staff well at this particular point in time to enhance the future of your company and organization.

Get A Fresh Look and Schedule a Free 15 Minute Chat Today!

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