Bringing a new product or service to market is a great challenge. One which is not always successful. It requires not only the inspiration and drive of the founders. It requires expertise about how to run a business.
The ‘Top Team’ usually consists of the founding owners and maybe a couple of the key people who are building the business and are appointed as Directors.
This Top Team will hold meetings and call them ‘Board Meetings’. And yet in my experience that is seldom what happens in reality.
And yet it is common that the meetings are not Board Meetings at all – they are Senior Management meetings.
With guidance, newly appointed directors can learn what differentiates a worthwhile Board meeting from a Senior Management meeting.
As an effective Chairman, Nick provides guidance about what the organisation should focus on next. What strategies and projects should run alongside the product & market development that is key to financial success.
Chairing a Board meeting can make or break the Top Team. It can educate and inspire as well as provide safeguards for investors.
Read the 17 aspects of a Good Chairperson
Before each engagement Nick conducts ‘pre-engagement’ process which includes a questionnaire for Directors and an interview. This enables him to understand what are the strengths and weaknesses of the company and the aspirations, drivers and fears of the key people.
From this he can prepare a programme to build the capability of the Top Team and create the foundations to safeguard their investment.
Before acting in his capacity as Chair, Nick will conduct interviews with the owners.
The first step is a review of the shareholders. The founders in particular are key to forming the culture, the drive, the ambitions and expectations.
This ‘Coffee Cup Review for Shareholders’ takes 5 minutes and reveals a great deal about the fundamental expectations of the team that will create success or failure.
This ‘Coffee Cup Review’ forms a basis for a conversation with Nick (in confidence if preferred) so that a plan for developing the ownership team can be developed.
For a free copy of the Coffee Cup Review for Shareholders, contact Nick Winton.
Nick Winton, 07776 238 967
Nick@NicktheNonExec.com