Published May, 2012 By, Stuart R. Levine Last month I participated as a panelist on a National Association of Corporate Directors webinar entitled, “Capitalism, Transparency and Ethics.” Following the global financial crisis, directors are increasingly concerned with how to effectively navigate the new environment.  Being held under greater scrutiny by the public, members and the […]

Lately in our business, I have observed a disturbing trend. Companies are on a shorter planning cycle, and long term planning and visionary thinking is difficult to achieve. However, visionary planning informs every future decision, including hiring the right talent on both your management team and board. Too few leaders spend time talking about these […]

This past month, I spent a day engaging in thought-provoking dialogue at the Deloitte Davos Experience. The issues discussed each year at the World Economic Forum provide a context for the most important challenges of our time. I’d like to share with you a few data points on water stewardship that was the starting point […]

Maximizing and ensuring shareholder value and performance requires an ongoing review of the depth of talent in an organization as well as the right complement of skills to lead effectively and navigate changing strategies.  As markets become more global and technology continues to play an even greater role in strategy, the criteria established for both […]

As we begin the new year, most CEOs and C-Suite executives are thinking about how to strengthen the leadership team and management to best execute on strategy. Some leaders may have the “gene” that inspires them to naturally keep learning about the world and how it will impact their business. But many don’t have that […]

By, Stuart R. Levine As we go deep into the fourth quarter of this year, I’d like to reflect upon lessons learned as well as thoughts for the new year and beyond.  This morning, after Thanksgiving day, I walked through my rose garden.  In some strange way, there were still roses in bloom, unlike most […]

By, Stuart R. Levine Successful leaders live by fundamental leadership principles with discipline and focus.  They commit to continuous learning and strive to have their behaviors serve as a reflection of their values — setting the standard and expectations for others in their organization. The CEO’s communication philosophy and actions sets the tone, whether it […]

By, Stuart R. Levine As I reflect on my travels to over 20 cities in 2011, I am struck by a conversation I’d like to share with you.  Upon arriving late one evening in Las Vegas to speak at a credit union conference, I asked the cab driver “how’s business?” I heard a profoundly sad […]

By, Stuart R. Levine Our firm recently facilitated the successful merger of two credit unions.  One of the fundamental issues that we focused on was the ability of the post merger team to quickly establish and maintain productive working relationships with employees and the people they serve. From the outset, it was critical to identify […]

Recently I moderated a webinar that is part of the National Association for Corporate Directors (NACD) Boardroom Excellence Series entitled, “Boards and CEOs:  Trust, Transparency and Constructive Tension.   The participants, Kenneth Daly, President and CEO, NACD and The Honorable Kenneth M. Duberstein, Lead Director, The Boeing Company and Director, The Travelers Companies and Conoco-Phillips shared […]