The Leadership Infrastructure That Enables Startups to Grow Up
October 4, 2013. Stanford, CA. Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
Successful entrepreneurs either see opportunities others don’t see or are faster to seize those that others have recognized. They use the bureaucracy of the big firms against them. But at some point, the fast-growing startup must grow up —
– i.e., install the processes, systems and leaders necessary to take it from proven concept (with or without revenue) to smoothly operating, high-growth and profitable business. Robert Sher refers to these mechanisms as “leadership infrastructure,” and he’ll explain how entrepreneurs can institute them without bureaucratizing their ventures. Read more on infrastructure here. See the slides from Rob’s teaching time here.
Robert Sher is founding principal of CEO to CEO, a consulting firm of former chief executives that improves the leadership infrastructure of midsized companies seeking to accelerate their performance. He was chief executive of Bentley Publishing Group from 1984 to 2006 and steered the firm to become a leading player in its industry (decorative art publishing).