Tag: Business

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Farm & Family Business Succession: A Personal Reflection

Succession in a family business isn’t a transaction. It’s a test of leadership, patience, and values.

For our family, it was a journey that took more than a decade—from the first conversations with Mum in 2012 to final settlement in May 2025, just months after she passed.

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Mum with one of her Angus Bulls.

It began with a shared intent: keep the family farm in the family. But living that intent took time, courage, and compromise.

My brother had returned home post-earthquake and was working alongside Mum. I knew I didn’t want to farm it full time—but I did want a clear plan that honoured our family’s legacy and I did want to retain a connection with the land.

We engaged advisors. Ran workshops. Explored different options. At times, the conversations broke down. Progress was slow. Emotions & frustrations at times ran high.

Eventually, we explored a buyout option, and after 8 months of negotiation, we agreed: he would retain the farm, stock, and plant; I would retain a small bush block; and we would settle with a cash component.

Then, just weeks later, and before we could action a formal contractual agreement, Mum passed away quite suddenly.

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Mum: A registered nurse before 40 years farming – always a farmer at heart.

It was a powerful reminder that succession planning must account for the unexpected. Without a plan, we would have faced increased financial risk, a lengthy process, and family strain—right in the middle of personal grief. We had to navigate a funeral and the probate process which added complexity.

Thankfully, we had a foundation plan in place. Not perfect. But one that we could implement with minor amendments.

What I’ve personally learned:

  • Create a clear pathway. One that gradually leads to an agreed and aligned plan—don’t leave it to chance.
  • Start early. Succession is a process, not an event. It takes far longer than you might think.
  • Expect the unexpected. Illness, death, or external pressure can shift everything and quite suddenly.
  • Know the role. For several years prior to her death I had the financial power of attorney for Mum and the responsibility and governance that brings. It added unexpected complexity and conflicts that were hard to balance. The requirement to do the right thing on Mums behalf (business and care) whilst balancing the interests of my brother & my self as we explored the options for farm transition.
  • Fair ≠ equal. Seek outcomes that are pragmatic, fair and respected, not just based on accounting numbers. It comes back to being clear what each party wants and managing expectations.
  • Anchor to shared intent. Our north star was Mum’s wish to keep the farm in the family. We were able to return to this when it got hard and it brought us back on track.
  • Use trusted external advisers. They really help you to work through the conflicts that arise. They bring logic, neutrality, experience and structure to difficult conversations. Pay for the best advice and use it.
  • Learn from others who’ve done it well. Hearing the experience of others shortens the journey and protects relationships. Every situation is very different but there are many common issues – consider this lived experience and adapt it and apply it.
  • Stay connected as a family. Through birthdays, shared meals, and simple check-ins—relationships need their own care. So many families lose their way and relationships never recover.
  • Stay invested. I chose to leave funds in the farm to support my brother and his family’s success. That decision honoured our mother’s intent and legacy—and my own values. I will always love the farm, the land and my family and as such will always be supportive and want it to remain a family jewel.

Succession is the ultimate long game. It’s not about control—it’s about stewardship. Not about what’s fair today—but what’s sustainable and sets up future generations.

If you’re on this path: take your time, talk openly, and build a plan before you need one.

You will need courage and guidance to navigate many options and decisions.

I say trust the process. Inaction is not an option because we all have to face it.

Because when succession is done well, it strengthens more than a business. It strengthens a family. If done poorly it can destroy the bonds of any family and sadly, after a lifetime of success and achievement a lasting legacy will be about how you exit and the way the remaining family feels.

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If you’re navigating succession in a family business, I’m always happy to connect, share, or listen. #SuccessionPlanning #FamilyBusiness #Leadership #Governance #Legacy #Agribusiness

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Leading With Intent

“Leaders are not paid to make the inevitable happen.”

This year has been a reminder that leadership is never static. For many people and organisations across New Zealand and Australia, 2025 has been demanding. Economic pressure, talent shortages, and persistent productivity challenges have been constant themes. Within that context, Pivot & Pace continued to evolve—stretching how we work, embracing AI-enabled processes, and ultimately delivering our strongest financial results to date. That outcome belongs to our entire team.

Greg has been instrumental in our ongoing success. His diligence, capability as a speaker and consultant, relentless work ethic, good humour and steady guidance anchor our business. Marie has continued to be the backbone of our client support and internal business operations, particularly as our service model and tools have evolved significantly. This year we reshaped our support team and welcomed Lisa, who has already strengthened our rhythm and capacity in her Associate and Executive Support role.

Our board also experienced important renewal. We farewelled two outstanding contributors, Denis Snelgar and Stuart Chrisp, whose wisdom and governance stewardship have shaped the firm’s journey. We also welcomed Mark Revis, who brings fresh energy, property and governance experience as we look to our next horizon. What has got us here won’t get us to where we are going!

As a firm, we continued to build on strong strategic partnerships with John Spence, the University of Canterbury, and through our third year sponsoring the Canterbury Civil Contractors’ Annual Awards and fourth year as a key sponsor of the Canterbury Institute of Directors. These relationships, alongside other professional services partnerships, have contributed to our learning, resilience, market insight and, importantly, enduring professional friendships. It also our way of giving back to those who support us.

Alongside the organisational story sits the personal one. Losing Mum in early January brought the year into sharp focus. Acting as executor alongside my brother was challenging but meaningful, and it also enabled us to complete our family farm succession—transitioning it after 110 years to my brother. That is something I am really proud of. It took compromise, challenging conversations and time to achieve my mothers intent & legacy.

This year marked my 21st year of self-employment, our 19th year of marriage (thanks to my wife for the endless support), and Pivot & Pace’s seventh year as a branded entity. I taught two postgraduate university courses, spent 36 days working in Australia across five trips, and managed seven weeks of leave. Our eldest daughter graduated with her Bachelor of Commerce, made the Dean’s List, and earned a scholarship to continue developing her tech start-up (very proud Dad) & our youngest two thrived at school and sport. The death of a good Army mate (who did some work for us at P&P) was tough reminder of how quickly life shifts and its fragility. In April I was awarded the ED by the NZ Army and made the decision to leave the Army on 1 December, concluding 34 years of service.

The data from the year reinforces my ongoing commitment to discipline and wellbeing—something that is a constant challenge. This years numbers include:

• 145 alcohol-free days – started tracking this year: scary

• 10,008 average daily steps – nailed the 10k

• 89 weights sessions and 133 cardio sessions – whew they hurt!

• 467.7 km fast-walked in dedicated workouts – Infantry knees hanging in there!

• 43 minutes of exercise per day on average (up from 34 in 2024) – Yay

• Average sleep of 7 hours 19 minutes – zzzzz need it!

• Cardio fitness above average – LOL I’ll take that as a win thanks Apple watch!

• 78 flights and 46 nights away from home working – It felt a big travel year & was.

• 31 business and biography books read – most things in the world have already been done….learn from others!

We are lucky enough to work closely with many of New Zealand’s admired businesses as they seek to improve, navigate change and implement their strategic goals. The learning is continuous, the expectations are high and the relationships are ones requiring high trust. I am grateful for the opportunities this presents and am constantly amazed at the international, national, industry and regional awards many of our clients have achieved.

It has also been a tough year for all leaders and businesses. Change has been constant. There have been really tough decisions, many courageous conversations and all have worked hard. Some industries have struggled while others have thrived. Through it all there has been a need to exercise judgement and to support key decisions – leadership is never easy.

From a client delivery perspective—relating to my own client work— annual highlights included:

• 26 executives coached individually within our Executive Leadership Programme

• Working closely as a strategist and advisor contracted to 18 different senior leadership teams and a number of Boards.

• 43 board meetings in a formal governance (chairing 34) including my first Australian board chair role.

• 41 strategic implementation planning sessions

• Four keynotes delivered and a black-tie dinner hosted

Across all of this, these key leadership lessons/reflections were my top 5;

  1. When we don’t reflect, we repeat. Reflection, self-awareness and understanding how we are perceived remain such underdeveloped skills in many senior leaders. Without reflection, mistakes recur, opportunities are missed and agility is lost. At a national level, persistent low productivity reflects this gap. Reflection is not a luxury—it is foundational to resilient leadership and building high-performing organisations.
  2. Leaders who avoid the frontline lose relevance. Tied in to point 1, absence at the frontline means leaders are not situationally aware. This erodes customer insight, safety awareness, operational understanding and credibility. Worse than that the opportunity to influence and motivate is lost. Teams acutely feel the absence of their invisible leaders. Leaders who are visible, curious and connected make better decisions—because they are grounded in reality, not assumptions.
  3. A three-year strategy without a long-term vision creates risk. Too many organisations anchor themselves to short-cycle planning that masquerades as strategy. Without a 10-year (or longer) vision and a clear mid-term strategy, companies drift into lists of operational preferences. Long-term intent forces discipline, prioritisation and investment thinking; without it, businesses default to being transactional, constantly needing to react & decline.
  4. Succession remains one of leadership’s biggest failures. Weak talent pipelines, unclear pathways and avoided conversations create disengagement among the very people organisations most need to keep. Boards who have directors with no clear tenure and no succession create the same in their management teams. This year I have seen banks seeking reassurance about board and CEO succession before lending—a signal of how material this risk has become. Succession is not an event; it is an ongoing critical process that requires strong leadership and courage.
  5. Exploitation dominates while exploration is neglected. Many organisations optimise relentlessly for today while underinvesting in exploration. This imbalance increases mid-term risk and erodes long-term value. The leaders who will win the next decade are those who rebalance intentionally and very few organisations invest in the processes to allow both activities to occur concurrently.

Leading with intent does not mean getting everything right. It means owning the learnings, staying connected to people, and intentionally committing to disciplined improvement.

It has been a full year—one I look back on with a mix of satisfaction and pride. Reflection highlighted to me just how much happens over twelve months: the mistakes, the learning & growth, the moments of overwhelm, and of course the wins! It is so easy to forget the great stuff that happens! Being able to laugh, take time out, work as a team and confide in like minded professionals keeps things real and grounded.

A long summer break now beckons. I look forward to returning in 2026 to review & challenge our own business vision and strategy implementation plan – live what we teach! Then to continue the journey alongside the leaders and organisations we are privileged to support as they work to “get it done” amid the complexity of modern business.

What have you learnt in 2025?

Click here to read: My personal family farm succession journey & reflections

Click here to watch a short video outlining what we do and how we do it.

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2023: A Year in Leadership – Reflections and Learnings

Heraclitus, an ancient Greek philosopher, once said, “Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters…Ah, but the one, one is a warrior.”

This last year I have been very fortunate to support so many of these “warriors”…..the professional leaders charged with the future success of their organisations.

The clarity of a full year of experiences often comes only with some distance. In the thick of the daily grind, time rushes by, filled with daily challenges and tasks. As my 19th year of self employment year ends, an extended break creates that valuable opportunity to pause and reflect.

At Pivot & Pace, we’ve had a dynamic year, providing comprehensive support to diverse & market leading companies. Our focus has remained on helping these organisations to define, adapt, and implement their strategies in the face of ongoing market fluctuations, change and disruption. We’ve seen our Executive and Operational Leader Programmes thrive, catering to the evolving needs of our clients. Our commitment to enhancing governance and succession planning has been ongoing.

In terms of expansion, we’ve broadened our horizons to Auckland and Queenstown, not just with a presence but also in strategic alliances. These partnerships, formed with academic, professional, and commercial entities, are guided by a crucial question: “How do we appear where our future clients are?” This philosophy has streamlined our approach to building trusted relationships and facilitating high value niche services alongside like minded partners.

The year wasn’t without its challenges, marked by highs and lows that are part and parcel of navigating a growing business in a competitive industry. Leadership, to me, is a never-ending journey of personal growth, a constant balance of self-awareness, decision-making, professional judgement and learning to thrive in ambiguity.

As a tradition, I like to reflect on my leadership roles – as Managing Partner, Board Chair, director, father, coach, and strategist – and to identify my key learnings. Here are my significant ones from 2023, in no particular order:

  1. Competition happens at the bottom. Those leading any industry are collaborating together. This year we have focussed on continuing to build on & formalise our strong strategic partnerships. When there is trust, alignment of shared values and mutual respect, this is a game changer in terms of making an impact to clients. Strategic partnerships take time, focused effort, resources and most critically they require the exchange of genuine value & goodwill between all parties involved.
  2. To have a diverse team you need to set them up to succeed. We all know the benefits of having diverse thinkers at the table (different cultures, ages, genders, experiences, education, industry expertise) but in order for them to make an impact and thrive some real consideration is needed to ensure the structures, behaviours and norms evolve to leverage this impact. Too often those who bring much needed different thinking don’t stay because they feel they don’t fit and can’t make an impact. If nothing changes, nothing changes.
  3. Giving time to help others has been some of my most fulfilling work in 2023. Each year I give back to others through some unpaid work. I have coached startup entrepreneurs, emerging directors, post graduate students and others who have who have simply needed a bit of support just to help them through a tough spot. I have personally learnt a lot from these people and they have helped me to explore different thinking and to be more empathetic. The giving works both ways!
  4. “The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding”. Often we gravitate to the work we know, love and get energy from by default. But innovative thinking and the exploration & development of new ideas gets parked simply because of the energy needed and the time to prioritise it. This year I have been encouraged by several mentors to take reflection, listening, curiosity and questioning to another level. This has allowed better insights and has helped me to prioritise what I should be doing for future success.
  5. Real talent is exceptionally hard to find. Our business thrives on talented individuals who are all rounders – they can navigate complex client relationships and deliver strategic insights with impact. Identifying and nurturing such talent remains a key focus & challenge as we move into 2024.
  6. The “sandwich” generation is tricky. 2023 was such a full one year professionally and also personally. Juggling professional demands with personal responsibilities in a year filled with significant family milestones, young children and elderly parents challenges, has been a leadership learning curve in itself.
Our Purpose: “To make an Intentional Impact”

My own key personal achievements this year include:

  1. Wrote the content of a masters level ‘self leadership” paper. This is one of the papers on the University of Canterbury Online Post Graduate Diploma of Strategic Leadership and was a good challenge.
  2. Presented a University of Canterbury MBA & Executive Education Masterclass.
  3. In November 0f 2023 I completed the Institute of Directors “Advanced Directors” Course in Wellington. This was an amazing leadership course alongside a cohort of very experienced directors and with input from some of New Zealand’s most prominent professional directors. I learnt a vast amount about governance, myself and how to navigate complexity and ambiguity in the board room and CEO environment.
  4. Building (with help) a wooden fence around the garden. Sounds simple but over 6 days, 54 post holes (Concreted) with gates and wooden railings this was one of my most satisfying achievements of 2023.
  5. Spoke as the guest speaker at my hometown civic ANZAC service. In fact undertook a number of keynotes and panel events throughout 2023.
  6. Organised a joint 80th birthday party to celebrate both of my parents in November. This was a such a fun experience with 90 family and friends.
  7. Attended my brothers wedding in April which was an awesome farm & family celebration.
  8. Attended the 35th anniversary weekend of my Army Officer Graduating class. This was a great reconnection with good friends who undertook 12 months of leadership training together in a challenging environment.

Some key measured personal metrics of 2023:

  • Facilitated 47 strategic planning sessions.
  • Conducted 218 one on one executive coaching sessions.
  • Attended 60 board meetings as in my capacity as a director (Chairing 28 of them).
  • Advised 14 Boards of Directors.
  • Worked with 19 different Executive Leadership Teams.
  • Consulted to 32 different organisations internationally.
  • Attended 36 networking events.
  • Completed 5 CEO annual appraisals and reviews.
  • Led 20 customised leadership workshops.
  • Travelled on 73 flights, including international.
  • Completed an Oxford University Masterclass and the Advanced Directors Course.
  • Took 8 weeks of annual leave to recharge.
  • 17th year of marriage, 19th year of self employment.
  • 3 healthy children who are all growing, exploring, learning and active.
  • Contracted a clever virtual EA to support my practice.
  • Read 56 books (business and biography).
  • Maintained over the 12 months an average of 7 hours 37 minutes of sleep per night, 30 minutes of exercise each day, and daily average steps of 8625 (7.1km).

2023 was a busy and fulfilling year, one I look back on a think – that was hard but a lot happened! It was a year of post covid normalisation (a new normal), one of constant hustle and one that required a lot of energy.

Luke, Greg, Me: Dec 23

I love what I do and the people I get to share our mission with. I want to acknowledge my business partner Greg Allnutt, MNZM for his endless hard work, laser focus and professional expertise. Complementary skills allow both of us to play to our strengths and this is definitely the leadership & implementation (Combat) multiplier that drives our business success. I also want to thank our team and our independent directors at Pivot and Pace for their hard work and the positive impact they have each day.

To our strategic partners and our valued clients. Thank you, thank you for the opportunity to work with you and to be a small part of your business and leadership success. John Spence, our strategic partner in the USA – you rock!

We have big plans and some great initiatives planned for 2024 and I look forward to starting that journey soon…..maybe after another week or two recharging.

What are your reflections of 2023? What did you learn? What did you achieve?

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2021: Leadership Lessons I have Learnt

2021 has been a very fulfilling year personally and professionally. It has roared by, filled with challenging work, fun times and great people. Not many days go by without reflecting on the fact that I love what I do and the people I get to work with.

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With Greg Allnutt

Covid again dominated the year as businesses navigated shut downs, global supply chain melt downs, closed borders, vaccination roll outs and significant geopolitical change. Overall the global and NZ economy has performed well but 2022 looks to be equally full of change and uncertainty.

2021 Personal milestones;

  • Much more work from home including a 3-week total lock down. Nice to be able to mix work & home life.
  • Our children turned 20, 4 and 3. My eldest daughter studied at AUT in Auckland until August and then finished the academic year online from Christchurch.
  • We continued to develop our home, section and garden which has been a fun project.
  • A Labrador pup joined the family in May adding (chaos) to a busy family.
  • My father had several operations relating to cancer and has regained his health as he turned 78. He continues to live with us.
  • Over the last 12 months (according to my Apple watch) I averaged 9318 steps per day, exercised on average 31 minutes per day, completed 315 workouts and slept on average 7 hours and 26 minutes per night. Pretty happy with that!
  • I was awarded my “Infantry Bayonet” for 25 years service in the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. I was really humbled to receive this and it came out of the blue after an invite to a 2/4 Battalion formal dinner. This award from the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment means a lot to me and my 28 years of military service is something I really am proud of.
  • I took 4 weeks off at Christmas and 3 one week breaks during the year. We had a camper van holiday at Easter, took time at the family farm and holidayed in Twizel. It was a chance to explore with the kids, do some hunting, rest, read and catch up with family
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2021 Business & Consulting Milestones

  • My 17th year of self employment.
  • Our company (Pivot and Pace) grew by 25% in both top and bottomline revenues and 7 new people joined our team in both consulting and support roles. Our team now sits at 12 and growing.
  • We appointed a General Manager to run the business day to day and a second independent director to our board. This is part of our succession planning as we look to scale our business.
  • Our Executive Leadership Coaching services grew by 30% and I personally delivered 307 one on one sessions working with 45 executive leaders. (Across NZ, Australia, the UK, the USA and India). This is now our biggest growth area in the business with the demand for sustainability strategy being a close second.
  • I personally facilitated 38 strategic planning sessions, 19 customised leadership team workshops, worked with 22 senior leadership teams, attended 55 board meetings (chairing 30 of them), completed 13 webinar training sessions as a student, delivered 5 key note speeches & took 40 domestic flights.
  • We moved offices in May and fitted them out.
  • I attended the NZ High Tech Business Awards in my role as Chair of Link Engine Management Ltd as finalists in the “Company of the Year” category. Whilst we did not win the top award, we were proud to be alongside some of the countries most admired brands.
  • We hosted a Black Tie Leadership dinner for 25 business leaders at the Christchurch Club with Shaun Maloney sharing his journey as CEO of Seequent after being successfully sold to Bentley for $1.05Bn USD.
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With Shaun Maloney
  • I took on an independent directorship with Groundline Engineering as Board Chair. Groundline are a specialist, privately held NZ power engineering company delivering services across New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom.
  • After facilitating the new Vision & Strategy for the Board of Angus NZ, I accepted a role as their first independent director. Angus NZ is the largest NZ breed association and I really enjoy working with farmers and agri-business leaders. My grandfather was a Angus NZ breeder in the 1960’s and my Uncle was a former Chair and life member. Growing up around black cattle on our family farm I have enjoyed reconnecting with the industry.
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The Board of Angus NZ 2021
  • We completed our first year as a sponsor of the Canterbury Institute of Directors and have recommitted for 2022 & 2023.
  • Our relationship with NZTE continued to grow as we engaged with NZ export companies seeking Strategy and Strategy Execution services.
  • John Spence remains a key strategic partner in our business and our regular zoom meetings keep us connected with US based businesses and trends.
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  • Our network of formal strategic & collaborative partnerships has continued to grow to 9 (including our long standing partnership with John Spence LLC in the USA).

I have learnt a lot and there are some interesting patterns we are seeing across business and the leaders we work with. I think the next 5 years and beyond will continue to be the most challenging ever for businesses looking to grow and scale. With that in mind it is important to reflect on the lessons learnt.

What valuable leadership lessons did I learn in 2021?

  1. Talented employees are leaving their mediocre bosses/leaders. Referred to as “the great resign” this pattern is being put down to people reassessing life priorities and leaving good jobs despite not having secured their next role. Personally I think much of this relates to the mediocre leaders that they work for. Leaders who don’t inspire, can’t connect, won’t adapt and look at new ways of leading just won’t be tolerated in a tight labour market where there are many options. Research shows over 50% of the NZ workforce is looking to move jobs in the next 12 month!
  2. Burn out is high. The pace of change is relentless. Everyone is tired and working hard and constant change/uncertainty adds to the stress. Managing tempo and ensuring everyone takes time off is critical to manage this. No organisation can be a maximum capacity all the time. Resilience levels across the board are low which won’t bode well if 2023 throws a big curveball or three!
  3. Many business models are failing to deliver what is currently needed. Out of date constitutions and business models that were designed for the 20th century are being challenged at present. Some create barriers to growth, succession and acquisition. Some of these things should have been addressed years ago. This will continue to be a big challenge and in some cases will be a catalyst for failure. Certainly we see national and local government struggling to keep pace with things, infrastructure is groaning, climate change is hitting home and the stage is set for some real disruption in the near future.
  4. Most Leaders don’t/can’t or won’t change their style. Those leaders who cannot flex or adapt their style of leadership are finding it really hard to lead succession, younger generations, change and to execute strategically. New skills and ways of engaging people are needed. 19% of the workforce in NZ and Australia is actively engaged. This is the outcome of poor leadership. On top of that our productivity is low despite working long hours.
  5. Many Boards suck at Strategic Thinking in Governance. This year, more than ever before, we have been involved in restructuring Board of Directors. Some companies have removed all their independent directors and recruited a totally new board. Board Chairs have been found wanting and there is a real shortage of skilled directors to take on Chair roles. With the pace of change boards need to work harder and be more adaptable to keep up with the pace of change that management teams are operating in. To think strategically and to stay ahead of the future challenges of the company requires more director development, more external advisers to the board and more strategic input.
  6. Trust the process. In times of constant change and uncertainty it is hugely valuable to have a framework and process within which to operate. Regular reviews, lessons learnt, professional development, intentional culture, speed of execution, data informed decision making and clarity on priorities mean there is a need for robust processes. Certainly I have found our strategic framework has never failed to deliver the outcomes needed. That said there have been times that we have just needed to trust the process and push forward.
  7. Opportunities abound. Never has there been more opportunity, nor a more exciting time to be leading in business. With any change there is opportunity and in constant change this is magnified if leaders can keep a clear head, create the space to explore the market and can execute. Exciting times indeed!

As you reflect on the year what were your milestones? What did you learn as a leader?

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The Fog of (War) Business

Out of Chaos comes Clarity

On the battle field the fog of war refers to the fact that it can be very hard to see the full picture of what is happening let alone how you are progressing your part of it. Smoke, dust, noise, reactions of the enemy, weather, other friendly forces in the area all contribute to a situation that can be hard to navigate, easy for clear communication to fail & difficult to make clear decisions amongst.

So too in the current business environment. How do you as a leader get the clarity and confidence needed to make good solid decisions when the future seems full of uncertainty, technology change, economic disruption, challenged supply chains and changes that require rapid responses?

A few proven big ideas to consider;

  1. Invest in your team. Continually building trust, close relationships and digging deeper in the “self” awareness and “other” awareness space builds support and empathy. Teams who have each others back can have robust discussions, align and then roll their sleeves up and get the mahi (work) done. Now is a very good time to invest in your team collectively and individually. Little bits regularly on an ongoing basis creates confidence and helps with alignment & effective communication.
  2. Bring the outside in. It can be too easy to be inwardly focussed within your own business and this increases your risk profile. Share insights, information and seek to understand the bigger picture across the market. By taking a much broader approach it will allow you to make better informed and timely decisions. Engage broadly with trusted advisers, collaborate with like minded professionals & constantly ask your clients for feedback. There has never been more collaboration between organisations including competitors.
  3. Schedule and prioritise regular reviews, strategic updates and industry scans. If things are moving fast increase your meeting rhythm. This means scheduling more reviews (not less) and opportunities to pause, take stock of the situation, make clear decisions, review previous decisions and execute change in an aligned and coordinated way. It can be too easy to cancel these important reviews and become consumed by immediate challenges. Sadly this creates confusion, increases the workload, levels of frustration and chaos. Plan, plan and plan.
  4. Make good clear decisions with the best data and information available but be prepared to adapt and iterate the plan as things change. It is important to execute through a series of reviews and decision points. Data wins arguments and moves a discussion away from strong opinions so it is always worth looking at the key numbers and the patterns that are emerging.
  5. Bank the valuable lessons learnt. Reflect regularly on what is working, what isn’t and ensure the same mistakes are not made time and time again. Success breeds more success and confidence.
  6. Take regular breaks, have fun and celebrate the wins. Keep across your team and ensure they take time out, look after their family and recharge. This period of change will be ongoing and a marathon (rather than a sprint). Teams who make it a priority to celebrate the key wins regularly have a sense that hard work is paying dividends. It is just as important to acknowledge what is going right than to constantly focus on what isn’t. Celebrations don’t have to be huge in fact most don’t need anything more than setting aside some time to acknowledge people and achievements.
  7. Ask for Help. Seek help from those in your team, your mentors, coaches, members of your board, others in your peer group. You don’t need to know & in fact can’t have all the answers, rather seek to build a network around you from whom you can seek expertise, experience and information.

Without a doubt the current environment an exciting time to be leading in business. As professional leaders we owe it to those within our team, company and their wider families to be at the top of our game. The fog of (war) business can be challenging and even overwhelming at times and we can all learn from how others approach it.

How are you leading in times of uncertainty?

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Anyone Can Lead in Good Times

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Anyone can lead in good times, it’s when things are tough that you really see the best leaders in action. At present we are seeing decades worth of change occurring in days as the economic, social & health impacts of Covid-19 reshape whole industries, relationships between countries and the purchasing habits of people globally.

Without a doubt what is setting those businesses with a real future apart from those who are dead in the water are the people leading them. The strategic & proactive boards of directors, the inspiring CEO’s and the tight leadership teams supporting them to deliver change & business outcomes. The great news is that even in constant change some things never change but they are now even more important;

  • Inspiring a vision for the future: Leaders must be able to show a brightness of future by articulating a Vision for success. The road leading there might have pivots and turns but being able to quickly paint the future and to sell it to those you lead is the basis of inspiration. People want to be inspired & well lead. Keep the Purpose of the Company at the forefront of all you do and live the values.
  • Team first: Your team composition, sense of tightness, professional skills, engagement and focus will ensure your clients are well looked after. Your team always comes before clients. This means team meetings, one on ones and planning sessions are priority number one. Have fun, live the values, over communicate & ensure the tough conversations are on the table.
  • Being close to your clients: Know what is going on with them, what they need, what they value & how you can help them. Call them, video them, survey them and focus on their success and wellbeing. There has never been a time that this is more important. Solve their problems by knowing what keeps them awake at night.
  • Partnerships: Partner with the best suppliers & collaborate with competitors & other like minded organisations within your supply chain. Long term & win/win solutions that keep clients at the centre of all you do add massive value to your business ecosystem.
  • Plan, Plan & Plan: Contingency planning, involving the collective skills of your Board of Directors, Advisory Board, external Advisors and leadership team often and regularly keeps you ahead of the curve. Having had difficult discussions and having modelled financial scenarios allows a fast transition as the situation evolves. Bank the lessons learnt and constantly challenge the status quo – reimagine what is needed to deliver success in the future. Make good clear decisions & iterate them as the situation changes.
  • Ask for Help: Seek Support & Coaching: Any leader at the top of their game needs an eco-system of people around them whom they can ask advice, share reflections with and in many cases share ideas. Some of these are coaches you pay for but most are peers and people in your network whose advice you value. Hang out with them often and shoot the breeze. You can’t get it all right but with a good network it is hard to get the big stuff totally wrong.
  • Invest in yourself: Keep fit, sleep lots, hang out with family/friends & find time to read, watch videos and learn. Reflect in writing and revisit these ideas and reflections often as you plan.

In tough times those who can adapt, learn, inspire others and who take action early will have the resilience to succeed.

“Anyone can lead in good times” – You earn your money as a leader when times are tough.

 

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Reflections on the Last Two weeks: USA & NZ/Australia

I caught up with John Spence today & we reflected on a busy two weeks since we last spoke. A lot has changed in both the USA & in our part of the world here in NZ & Australia. Whilst each country faces a different situation there are some common emerging patterns & challenges that leaders are facing across industries as they lean into the Covid-19 impact.

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Leadership Insights: Massive & Sudden Change

Today John Spence & I spent some time reflecting on the impact of the the Covid-19 lockdowns and how it has impacted business and leaders in both NZ & the USA as we work hard to support their teams.

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What We are Seeing from CEO’s in Lockdown

He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. 

What is the food of the leader? It is knowledge. It is communication

It is an amazing time to be leading people and leading a business. Since lock down we have been working closely with CEO’s across New Zealand, several in Australia & also in the USA. Work at present consists of keeping our team connected whilst we work had to anticipate what our clients will need so as to stay ahead of them. We have just run a webinar & panel which was well attended entitled “Leading in Lockdown”and you can download the video here. There is also a useful panel discussion at the end of it.

Many times a day I am asked how others are dealing with it, what am I seeing across industries. This morning we spent some time as a team reflecting on what we are seeing from our clients across a range of industries. In no particular order here is what we are seeing so far;

  1. Some are reflecting that they are glad this has happened now and not two years ago, before they invested in their exec team and strategy. Their culture of action is holding them in good stead to quickly pivot.
  2. Having tight exec team and clarity (team rules/norms) on how they operate is valuable.
  3. All are wanting to know how others are coping and dealing with the issues. There has been massive value in sharing ideas and connecting people.
  4. CEO’s value someone to talk to and just bounce ideas. It is a lonely space & they want to make sure they have not missed anything.
  5. All have quickly responded to the crisis and now are re-orientating to the future and how they will lead through the restart. The restart scenarios are slowly becoming clear and teams are starting to work through and model what this might look like.
  6. Many reflect that they won’t go back to the way they operated. The world has changed and there is more understanding of virtual tools for meetings, learning, training and less travel. Even the tech dinosaurs have had to change & adapt!
  7. Some CEO’s reflect that this has been a great catalyst for advancing culture change & structuring work productivity in new ways. Prior to this there was resistance and now it just “roll up the sleeves & crack on”.
  8. No one has lead in this situation before despite what the “experts” may portray. Therefore there has been real value in reflecting on the Global Financial Crisis & for Canterbury based businesses the lessons learnt from the earthquakes. This has provided confidence and allowed them to understand their business is resilient and they can lead through it.
  9. Some industries are really doing it tough: Hospitality, accommodation, retail, travel etc. They are feeling for their staff and are working hard to find options.
  10. Some CEO’s who have previously delayed hard calls around succession or structures are now faced with some really tough situations and decisions what will impact a lot of their people and in some cases the viability of their business.
  11. Those leading are empathetic and genuinely seeking to look after people in the first instance. They want to do the right thing.
  12. Sharing good & timely practical information has been valued as they work through the challenges they face. Using video updates, live all of team calls, e-mails etc has been really valued by staff. Just checking in on them and their families means a lot.

It is a time to over communicate via the platforms available and to communicate directly with staff. As we now reorientate to the future there will be opportunities and different challenges. It is a time to lead and inspire those we lead but remember as a leader you make the impact. You must look after yourself, keep fit, worry only about what you can control, connect with family, friends and mentors often & have some fun.

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