Nuggets from Behind Closed Doors

Inside every private Alliance meeting, there are hundreds of years of experience. While keeping confidentiality of the member who provided the challenge to their group, we’ve captured (with permission) just some of the insightful comments from a handful of members. Read what these members had to say to get a glimpse of what it is like to be an Alliance member.

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Leadership - Search Results (61)

Member Erin Mendez Speaks: Involve (All) Your People in Strategic Decisions

Whenever major changes occur within a company, there is a risk that employees won’t jump on board with the new plan. Erin Mendez, President and CEO of Patelco Credit Union, shares her insights into the benefits of involving every level of the company when executing major strategic changes.

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Insight categories include: Culture   Leadership   Strategy & Planning   

Member Peter Koshland Speaks: Share Fears, Empathize and Negotiate

Navigating a fifty-fifty percent ownership structure is difficult, and perhaps even impossible. Alliance member Peter Koshland, Founder of Koshland Pharm, describes the inherent difficulties in this arrangement and strategizes approaches to mitigate dysfunction.

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Insight categories include: Leadership   Organizational Design   Strategy & Planning   

Member Paul White Speaks: Instead of Diving In, Consider Zooming Out

More often than not, CEOs are hyper focused on the here and now. Paul White, Founder and CEO of Muir Services, advises that while it is hard to step outside and look down upon a business holistically, doing so can reveal transformational opportunities.

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Insight categories include: Entrepreneurship   Leadership   Operations   Sales   Strategy & Planning   

Member Sheeroy Desai Speaks: Don’t Forget The Troops. They Win The War.

CEOs spend a lot of time in the C-suite and sometimes that warps perspective on strategic priorities. Alliance member Sheeroy Desai, Co-Founder and former CEO of Gild, suggests paying more attention to employees on the ground as the company ramps up for serious growth.

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Insight categories include: Leadership   Operations   Organizational Design   Sales   Strategy & Planning   Technology   

Member Katy Spink Speaks: Turn the Battleship by Planting Seeds

Proposing a major alteration to strategy is tricky business. Alliance member Katy Spink of Asterias Biotherapeutics suggests a measured and gradual approach to changing minds.

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Insight categories include: Leadership   Strategy & Planning   

Member Everett Harper Speaks: Exit Patterned Thinking

Companies inevitably arrive at critical strategic crossroads as they strive to manifest themselves in the business world. Alliance member Everett Harper, CEO and Founder of Truss, elaborates on an inclusive, structured process to identify options and evaluate the optimal path forward.

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Insight categories include: Leadership   Strategy & Planning   

Member Raj Raman Speaks: How to Find Superstar Employees in Your Backyard.

Executives often search the firmament to hire superstar employees that can deliver outsized results. Alliance member Raj Raman of Minjar suggests an alternative path to success if your dream team isn’t forthcoming.

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Insight categories include: Culture   Human Resources   Leadership   Strategy & Planning   

Member Jason Petralia Speaks: You’re Sitting on a Gold Mine. Mine It!

CEOs are under constant pressure to increase revenue and profitability. Alliance member Jason Petralia of Raizlabs suggests that an established company could dramatically increase its revenue by prioritizing current accounts rather than finding new ones.

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Insight categories include: Leadership   Sales   Strategy & Planning   Technology   

Member Gil Ben-Dov Speaks: Optimize Yourself Holistically

CEOs can lose touch with the needs and responsibilities beyond work, in areas like family, community and self. Alliance member Gil Ben-Dov, CEO of Total Phase, shares a simple framework in which to holistically evaluate and manage top-line priorities to achieve greater balance and overall effectiveness.

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Insight categories include: Leadership   Work/Life Balance   

Member Rob Stump Speaks: Falling Behind? Disrupt Back!

For market leaders, disruption can lurk on the periphery and threaten company profits and market share. Alliance member Rob Stump, CEO of ANI, advocates an honest approach to “disrupting back” and retaining dominance in the market.

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Insight categories include: Leadership   Strategy & Planning   

Member Jeff Cleland Speaks: How About a Win-Win-Win Situation?

Clever corporate actions of spin-off and licensing can create optimized arrangements where all parties win and future value is maximized. Jeff Cleland, President and CEO of Graybug Vision, suggests a tried-and-true maneuver that eschews acquisition in favor of equity swaps and licensing deals.

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Insight categories include: Finance   Leadership   Organizational Design   Strategy & Planning   

Member Jorge Titinger Speaks: You are the CEO. Time to Turn up the Heat.

Boardroom pressures can derail a CEO’s agenda to the detriment of the company’s ultimate performance. Jorge Titinger, former CEO of SGI, walks through a few strategies to regain control and deliver shareholder value, rather than appease problematic board members.

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Insight categories include: Boards   Finance   Leadership   M&A   Strategy & Planning   

Member Craig Sardella Speaks: You’ve Been Promoted to Chief Dreaming Officer

Regardless of a company’s niche, primary competitive advantage is gained by ceaseless innovation. Craig Sardella of Guild Mortgage Company lays out his vision of how a CEO can make all the difference — by dreaming.

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Insight categories include: Entrepreneurship   Executive Development   Leadership   Strategy & Planning   

Member John Dicconson Speaks: Get Beyond ROI with Your Investors

Strategic alignment between a CEO and his or her board is a primary driver of overall business success. John Dicconson, President of Tech Care Now Associates, lays out a vision that values operational success in addition to return on investment.

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Insight categories include: Boards   Executive Development   Finance   Leadership   Sales   

Member Paul White Speaks: Take that Downturn and Flip it Upside-Down

Your company’s in great shape - now use your financial and competitive strength as a strategic advantage should a downturn materialize. Paul White, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Muir Equity, advocates capitalizing on strategic preparation as a competitive advantage to better position your company during and after the storm.

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Insight categories include: Entrepreneurship   Finance   Leadership   M&A   Operations   Sales   Strategy & Planning   Trends   

Member Menko Deroos Speaks: Want fresh direction? Get some fresh air.

Though a CEO may know the best direction to take, it is often another matter to align company employees and a board of directors behind the decision. Menko Deroos, CEO & Co-Founder of Xicato, explains his tried and true strategy to create a path forward.

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Insight categories include: Boards   International Business   Leadership   Strategy & Planning   

Member Nadim Maluf Speaks: Civilized Discourse is Mandatory

Dysfunction at the board level is a potent catalyst for company failure. Nadim Maluf, CEO of Qnovo, gives some proactive guidelines to keep peace and promote company success.

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Insight categories include: Boards   Leadership   

Member Andy Barrons Speaks: Instead of a New Team, Consider a New Division

To seriously engage an emerging market, substantial upfront investment is needed to ensure the potential of success. Andy Barrons of Navis urges establishing process for real institutional buy-in.

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Insight categories include: Leadership   Organizational Design   Strategy & Planning   

Member Ebbe Altberg Speaks: Before You “Scale Up,” You Have Some Answering To Do

Scaling a business requires clear strategic vision. Ebbe Altberg, CEO of Linden Lab, asks some hard, but necessary, questions for the CEO that seeks radical growth.

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Insight categories include: Entrepreneurship   Leadership   M&A   Organizational Design   Sales   Strategy & Planning   Technology   

Member Matt Patterson Speaks: Regroup, Prioritize, Execute

Often the business vision that is sold to investors encounters setbacks. Matt Patterson, President & CEO of Audentes Therapeutics, shares his insights on navigating troubled waters with clear prioritization.

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Insight categories include: Finance   Leadership   Strategy & Planning