One of the most important paths I took as a business owner was joining a council of people who were in similar positions. You know: Feeling alone at the top.
But with the Virginia Council of CEOs, I know I’m not. This week, I’m in Williamsburg, Va. for golf, cocktails and closed-door roundtable discussions about work-life and life-life: anything pertaining to the trials and tribs of running a company. It’s the annual council retreat.
The theme at the council retreat this year is “The Resilient Company,” and we’ve brought in speaker Keith McFarland, author of national bestseller ”The Breakthrough Company.”
Given the overarching economy (if you’ve been following the news…), the topic is timely. Here’s an excerpt from a conference call the Council had with McFarland earlier this year. He said:
“Greatness is built into companies in the tough times, and not through the good times. If managed correctly, times of difficulty help firms discover hidden strengths, help them define latent capabilities, bring them down to fighting weight. The task of leadership is different during these times. It is important for leaders not to focus solely on getting through the challenges of the day. And that’s what a lot of people do. They hunker down and focus on getting through the challenges of the moment. If you do that, the kind of transformation that is possible during times of challenge will not happen.”
Read more at the Virginia Council of CEOs blog.
