Summary: A private equity firm brings in a seasoned CEO to dramatically accelerate the growth of a stable, conservative company. The CEO carefully controls his own on-boarding process designed to identify and retain great talent and create momentum company-wide for high growth. This case study details his technique. ...Read More
Forum Categories: Human Resources | Leadership
Keeping Your Team Focused on your Value-Creation Strategy
Summary: A high growth CEO builds value by being first to the market with hot new products and technologies. But that means moving faster than is comfortable for all his teams as his organization grows. The case talks about minimizing risk on new product introductions and managing the teams that must do the work. ...Read More
Forum Categories: Human Resources | Leadership | Strategy & Planning
Summary: CEOs are too tolerant of executives that aren’t top performers and that don’t behave according to the values that the organization holds dear. CEO Jim Pouliot of CSAA talks to the Alliance about his experiences cleaning up executive teams. This essay explores why CEOs continually struggle with this issue, and what they can do about it. ...Read More
Forum Categories: Human Resources | Leadership
Don't Let Success Destroy your Culture
Summary: This firm's success brought in so much business that it wasn't as much fun as it used to, and that endangered the quality of the work being performed. The CEO identified a customer in particular that was causing most of the problems and resigned the account, allowing her culture of fun and originality to survive. ...Read More
Forum Categories: Human Resources | Leadership
Shifting Gears from Startup to Scaled Enterprise
Summary: Every successful startup goes from an entrepreneurial stage to a professional enterprise. Learn how the entrepreneur also successfully made the crossing point without hitting the wall. ...Read More
Forum Categories: Human Resources | Leadership | Operations
Recruiting through Mutual Respect
Summary: Sometimes the best teammates are the ones that worked before. A CEO digs through past connections to forge a “dream team” of talent. The challenges and benefits are examined. ...Read More
Forum Categories: Human Resources
Summary: Innovation leads to powerful results. A CEO fosters a rich culture of innovation by getting the most out of his top team. ...Read More
Forum Categories: Human Resources | Leadership
Managing Young Employees Yields Insights for All
Summary: Showing genuine concern for your employees is good for business. The founders buy a troubled business with young, troubled employees, and turn it around by deeply engaging and tapping the potential in each employee. ...Read More
Forum Categories: Human Resources | Leadership
Summary: An incoming CEO fires the most senior technical expert because he won’t embrace the new values that must take hold for the firm to survive. The bold move works without significant damage. ...Read More
Forum Categories: Human Resources | Leadership | Operations
Summary: A company finds an excellent way of managing off-shoring, taking advantage of the positives while avoiding the pitfalls. Blending the efforts of on-shoring with off-shoring and a commitment to close management are key. ...Read More
Forum Categories: Human Resources | International Business | Operations
Sharing the Dream of Success Brings Top Talent for Less
Summary: Engineer turned entrepreneur bootstraps his company, but can’t afford the talent he needs. Through careful sharing of equity, he builds a great team who bring results amazingly fast. ...Read More
Forum Categories: Human Resources | Strategy & Planning
Summary: A consultant provides great value and mentors the President, who being grateful, grants a three year contract, but then regrets it. Clients must always remain in control of consultants. ...Read More
Forum Categories: Human Resources | Leadership
Summary: A retail chain has incredible training program, which instills corporate values in new hires and teaches product knowledge as well as systems and customer interface protocols. After the initial training, they weave training into the company’s routine. ...Read More
Forum Categories: Human Resources | Leadership | Operations
Compensation Systems: Giving and Getting
Summary: Read about an executive compensation system that really worked. By generously sharing the bottom line, the owner quadrupled his take home. The concept is laid out, and critical elements to successful implementation are detailed. ...Read More
Forum Categories: Human Resources | Leadership
Summary: Your customers want to know that your firm can satisfy their needs. At K/P Corp, it’s the people on staff that deliver, with the help of equipment. When Rich Barbee was appointed CEO he found that the equipment was being marketed, not the people. That was fixed, with excellent results. ...Read More
Forum Categories: Human Resources | Marketing
Summary: New CEO steps in ready to ramp up, but discovers serious product problems and has to re-engineer and refinance to save the firm. Read how to avoid these kinds of surprises. ...Read More
Forum Categories: Human Resources | Leadership | Operations
"I can't imagine being a CEO without having the Alliance as part of my CEO tool kit."
John Rule, CEOApplied Aerospace StructuresAlliance Member since 2000