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O P I N I O N
M uch of our recent work has been in assisting A/E/P firms in the creation of effective ownership transition plans that allow the variety of tiers to assume management and operations of the firm. In many cases, senior leaders have created and guided their firms for most of their careers, some spanning generations. Leadership transition Letting go is hard to do, so when the time comes for a changing of the guard, it helps if the second tier is groomed, confident, and empowered.
Much like those of us who have raised children and watched them turn into teenagers and then into young adults, the successful first tier leaders are able guide the second tier, allow them to learn and to fail, and finally, to help them step into leadership roles with confidence. Most importantly, both parents and leaders alike recognize that without letting go, the ownership transition will not be successful. Often ownership transition is less about the financial model than it is about the second- and even third-tier leaders who are stepping into somewhat uncharted territory. If you have been “The cultivation of a culture of trust is fundamental to the organization.”
honored to mentor these folks, you see their frustration with failure. Sometimes that feeling of failure comes with a fear of moving forward, since trying to do so would just lead to more failure. So we draw on the greater wisdom from Yoda: “Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.” The cultivation of a culture of trust is fundamental to the organization. As the second- and third-tier leaders take ownership of their new roles, they must have a network that has their back at all times. Lessons and the way they’re learned can have either a positive or a negative impact. It’s all in how the senior leaders carry the code of conduct, and how they foster interest in the roles of these new leaders. Failure is a perception that can be modified by the gentle guidance of the leadership team. Without that guidance, you as a See TED MAZIEJKA, page 12
THE ZWEIG LETTER June 6, 2016, ISSUE 1155
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