For Generation X, born between the mid 60’s and late 70’s, blessed with the illusion of everlasting growth, and the succeeding Millennials, spoiled by the amenities of the modern information society, COVID was a hard stop from full throttle. When talking about startups, thoughts are with the young Bill Gates, smiling at a police camera […]
In professional sports, mental readiness is key for champions. This is highlighting the importance of being mentally balanced also for senior executives. The Non-Executive Board must observe and nurture the mental health of the firm’s top executives in addition to overseeing the firm and acting as the interface between shareholders and executive management, to create resilient and sustainable organizations. Executives are skilled, able, and well-meaning! Yet, in situations of rapid change, […]
Cash constraints and scarce liquidity are notorious in Distress and Turnaround situations and often characterize situations of rapid change for many companies. Maneuvering under these conditions is often a question of discipline and applying the right tools in a timely manner. Challenges are faced on many levels of the organization, but ultimately it comes down […]
COVID-19 has catapulted us to collaboration 2.0. The black swan event of a global pandemic has disrupted the work-environment. The urge to adapt is inevitably forced from the outside on companies, creating a situation of rapid change, where the dynamic of the transformation keeps accelerating. Companies are struggling to retain their operational integrity shaping the […]
High emotional engagement of the executive management can flaw the assessment of the situation of the firm and the decision, to discontinue an ineffective strategy. Yet, the lack of adaptability has been identified as a major reason for bankruptcy. This is intuitive, understanding, executives are maneuvering through vast uncertainties every day. In situations of rapid […]
“How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked. “Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually and then suddenly.” “What brought it on?” “Friends,” said Mike. “I had a lot of friends. False friends. Then I had creditors, too. Probably had more creditors than anybody in England.” Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises Entrepreneurs and executives with experience in […]
Bankruptcy rates are closely linked to GDP volatility. In OECD countries the regular insolvency rate is around 8%. Though dramatic for the individual firms, this is a healthy process for the economy, as part of economic Darwinism, selecting the weakest market participants. Companies, failing to adapt to changing market conditions as a result of inertia, […]
COVID-19 has quickly evolved from a far-away tragedy, to what is now also a large economic threat to businesses all around the world. Numerous companies are finding themselves, suddenly facing situations of rapid change, where the dynamics of the transformation process are forced from the external and keep accelerating. Due to globalization, supply-chain processes, and […]
Chief Executives carry the responsibility for shareholder returns, numerous jobs, and compliance of the firm on their shoulders. Workdays are never finished after 8 hours, and weekends are generally not off. Top leaders are assumed, to rely on a stable and supportive relationship, to emotionally balance for the responsibilities and stress levels associated with the everyday […]
CEOs are traded just one level below Batman. They are rock-star-cherished for success and condemned to eternity to corporate no-man-land, upon failure. To monitor, observe and discipline this league of its own, shareholders appoint Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) to the Board of Directors (BoD). A (subtle) tension is often observed between the NEDs and the CEO. […]
