Why organizational strategy matters. Top performing companies successfully leverage their organization more effectively than rivals and derive over 64% more profit per employee than next-tier performers. Few companies though look at their organization as strategically and holistically as they might - which is surprising considering the extent to which organization capabilities and performance drive business value today. Read more…

So what is organizational strategy anyway? Effective organizational strategy enables a company to develop an organization capable of delivering its strategy. Simply put, organizational strategy is a clear definition of how the organization needs to change – over time - in order to be able to deliver the strategy of the enterprise and an actionable plan of how to make the transformation. This requires both the thinking and analysis to compare current state to desired state and define the gap, and the execution capabilities to make the requisite changes happen. Read more…

Implementing effective organizational strategy. Despite the challenges of the current economy, taking the long view has never been so vital for business leaders; tomorrow’s competitive advantage will only be achieved and sustained if your organization is good enough; effective organizational strategy provides the framework and the means to build the requisite organizational capabilities. Read more...

Changing the way we change. We’ve all read the statistics - 41% of change projects fail and of the 59% that “succeed” only half meet the expectations of senior management. But we don’t need studies to tell us this. We have the scar-tissue; we know how hard it is to mobilize an organization to take a different path.The bottom line? We need to look at change differently. Read more...

What keeps CEOs up at night? “Leadership”, answered the President of one of India’s largest business conglomerates recently. “Do we have the right skills and capabilities to pull our strategy off,” reported a Global 500 CEO. “I worry that the current management team will not be able to take us where we need to go to next,” answered a third corporate leader. Most CEO’s are satisfied with their strategies. Many are less satisfied with their performance. Leadership capability development is increasingly a vital business priority. Read more...

Why new executives fail. Sixty four percent of new executives hired from the outside won’t make it in their current jobs. So says one recent study of executive transition. Forty percent will fail within the first 18 months, reports another. What seems to be causing the derailment of these leaders? Are there patterns? Why should your organization care? And, more importantly, what can it do to ensure the success of the newest members of its leadership team? Read more...

We recently co-authored a report for The Conference Board that examined the likely impact of the recent SEC policy reversal on CEO succession planning. In an early review, The Wall Street Transcript called it, “a must read for anyone interested in CEO succession and its implications for corporate governance and corporate performance.”

In its release the SEC reframes CEO succession as a risk management (and policy) issue and places its responsibility firmly in the boardroom. No longer can boards let management run CEO succession planning without tight oversight, including setting more specific standards and requirements, taking responsibility for results, and exercising discernable independence in the process. The policy change heralds a new wave of corporate governance scrutiny, as regulators and shareholders increasingly focus on CEO succession practices.

We invite you to download a complimentary copy and learn how to prepare for the inevitable governance and activist scrutiny ahead. We analyze the practical impact of the new SEC guidance, explain what shareholders need to know and why, and provide a straightforward guide on how to set up and manage CEO succession practices that satisfy stakeholder needs.

We hope that you find the paper of interest and value. Should you, or your colleagues, have an interest in discussing this subject further we'd be delighted to hear from you. As the governance landscape shifts on CEO succession planning, we advise Boards of Directors and company management how to best structure succession practices that mitigate risk, satisfy shareholder disclosure needs and prepare for planned and emergency CEO transition.