Ola Robert Hassan, Founder of Ola’s Exotic Coffee and Tea, discovered that people who feel like owners tend to work harder for less. He has used this to great advantage in building a motivated team. But there are risks involved in giving the wrong candidates too much equity too early.
Stepping down to a lower level and actually doing the job is not glamorous, nor is it the best use of a top executive’s time over the long haul. But Jim MacDonald, CEO of RF MacDonald Co., found out how incredibly powerful this tactic can be.
Consultants of various kinds can be of great benefit to a business. Pamela Kan, President of Bishop Wisecarver, had a consultant save her neck then outstay their welcome. Knowing when to let consultants go is as crucial as knowing when to bring them on board.
Top teams don’t just happen by accident. Dan Warmenhoven, Former Chairman & CEO of NetApp, recruits the best, eliminates the rest, and reveals the CEO’s ultimate purpose: to render themselves “jobless.”
Leaders at all levels in growing companies need to make every minute count. Meetings can be a great way to make decisions and draw upon the collective wisdom of a team. They can also be colossal time wasters if run poorly. If you are concerned that your company’s meetings are not as productive as they should be, try to adopt this bill of rights for meetings. Feel free to adapt it to the needs of your organization.
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).