FOR KIDS: ROOM TO READ

Christy Glick
Robertson Lowstuter, Inc.

Literacy has always been close to my heart.  Even before I could write a sentence, I am told that I filled line after line on pages of notebooks with “scribble scrabble,” my very own version of words.  As I grew older, you could find me hiding underneath the covers of my bed, reading to the illumination of a flashlight.

Illumination.  There is something enlightening about the ability to read and to write.  And something even more illuminating about having the resources to do so—freely having the paper, the pens, the books, the space in which to engage in the world of words.

For much of the world, scarcity of resources is a true roadblock to literacy.  Yet there are organizations that work to tear down the roadblocks to literacy for many people.  One such organization is Room to Read.

Founded in 2000, Room to Read is an organization that endeavors to educate children around the world by providing a variety of resources to make literacy happen.  Room to Read estimates that the opportunity to be educated in reading and writing is lacking for more than 300 million children worldwide!

The question is, how does Room to Read address such a daunting problem?  Very practically, with what they call their “Four core programs.”

• The Reading Room program creates libraries by providing books and the space in which to house and read them.
• The School Room program addresses the need for primary and secondary schools by building them in communities where there are none.
• The Local Language Publishing program utilizes the gifts of writers around the world to create reading materials that are relevant to the new readers themselves!
• And finally, the Girls’ Education program focuses on educating girls – providing equal access to the resources and support that tend to be more readily available to boys.

What is unique about this organization is its focus on “empowering communities.”  Room to Read is committed to encouraging local engagement in the projects so that they can contribute to the long-term development and growth that continues to be relevant in the local community.

It takes more than local community involvement, however, for Room to Read to accomplish its work.  From attending events to giving donations to initiating fundraising campaigns, people thousands of miles away participate, too!  And their efforts are essential to the growth of Room to Read’s programs.

Literacy certainly isn’t an end in and of itself.  Rather, it opens the door (and illuminates the path, so to speak) for children to excel in leadership and development in their countries, and gives them the possibility to engage with the world around them in new ways.

This is the kind of possibility that begins with scribbles on the page!

____________________

To learn more about Room to Read, or to participate in their mission, check out their website and blog at www.RoomToRead.org.

MICROFINANCE, FROM POVERTY TO HOPE

Cynthia Greenwood
Consultant
Opportunity International

Microfinance is one of the great success stories in the developing world in the last 30 years.  Simply put, it is the provision of financial services such as loans, savings, insurance, and training to people living in extreme poverty. Microfinance is widely recognized as a just and sustainable solution in alleviating global poverty.

The industry began by providing small loans to emerging entrepreneurs to start or expand businesses. Opportunity International was one of the first nonprofit organizations to recognize the benefits of providing capital to people struggling to work their way out of poverty. Over the years, with Opportunity leading the way, the microfinance sector has expanded its financial service offerings to better meet client needs. Along with providing more flexible loan products and business and personal development training, Opportunity offers savings and insurance to help clients effectively navigate the daily hardships they face. Without these services, clients are continually at risk of slipping back into poverty because of unforeseen circumstances.

Microfinance organizations make it a priority to serve the particular needs of women. That’s because a staggering 70 percent of all those living in extreme poverty are female. Women are often excluded from education and the workplace, from owning property, and from equal participation in politics. They produce one half of the world’s food, but own just one percent of its farmland. Opportunity believes the most effective way to interrupt cycles of extreme poverty comes from microfinance programs that target female entrepreneurs. Nearly 85 percent of Opportunity’s loan clients are women. When women improve their circumstances, they also improve the lives of their children. They invest in nutrition and education, helping to create a better future for their children.

For example, look at the life of Opportunity client, Grace Msowoya. In Blantyre, Malawi, she and her business partner, Betty Louhana, stand out from all the dozens of women who sell potatoes in the marketplace. Frustrated by their small profit margins, they became the first women to take the bold move of becoming distributors themselves. Every two weeks, they withdraw money from their Opportunity savings account to rent a truck. They hire a driver and spend several days on the road to get potatoes directly from farmers, which they then sell to other vendors. 

Before Grace became an Opportunity client in 2007, she kept her hard-earned money in her home. Now, she and Betty are earning interest on nearly $2,000 in a joint savings account. With her biometric-enabled card, she can safely deposit and easily access her money at the Opportunity banking kiosk, just 100 meters from her business.

Grace and Betty’s courage has paid off. They have dramatically increased profits and redefined the place of women in the local market. And Grace has already made great strides in a short time as an Opportunity client. She has earned enough money to move her family from two small rooms to a two-bedroom home and to send all three of her children to school.

Despite the success of life-transforming microfinance services, the World Bank says that the industry is not close to meeting the demand. Five hundred million people living in poverty could benefit from a small business loan and only one-third of the world’s population has access to any kind of bank account. The lack of access is particularly severe in sub-Saharan Africa where the World Bank estimates that microfinance is reaching only a small percentage of the economically active population. In the region’s poorest countries, less than 10 percent of the population has an account with a financial institution. In response, Opportunity has committed to building scalable, sustainable, and accessible banks throughout the developing world to provide loans, training, savings, and insurance products tailored to each country’s specific needs.

Opportunity believes that microfinance can help create a world in which the poor have fair access to economic opportunities and the hope to move beyond poverty. For more information on how you can get involved in the microfinance movement, visit http://www.opportunity.org/.

FROM PUPPIES TO PALS

By Dan Barber
Senior Vice President
Robertson Lowstuter, Inc.

Over the past fourteen years, my wife, Jane, and I have traveled ten times from our home in Libertyville, IL to Milwaukee’s Mitchell Field airport cargo facility, eagerly awaiting the arrival of yet another fuzzy little eight-week old puppy delivered to us by the North Central Regional Center of CCI – Canine Companions for Independence.

We’re volunteer puppy raisers for CCI!

CCI is a national nonprofit organization, and since 1975 has been training dogs to assist and enhance the lives of persons with physical and developmental disabilities.

Dogs that eventually “graduate” from CCI’s year-long puppy-raising experience and rigorous six-month advanced training program are trained to more than 50 specialized commands and become physical extensions of their disabled partners by performing a variety of tasks. Whether it is picking up dropped keys, delivering a credit card to a cashier, turning lights on or off, or retrieving items for a person in a wheelchair – or alerting someone who is deaf to a fire alarm or ringing doorbell – a Canine Companion helps a person with a disability live more independently.  The list of tasks these dogs can do to help provide independence is incredible!

Recipients of our graduate dogs have also told us that their assistance dogs provide significant social and psychological support as well.  A dog is a natural ice-breaker, and can bridge the gap between the isolation or rejection a wheelchair bound or otherwise disabled person may feel in numerous social, school, and other public settings.  After all, who can possibly resist a beautiful, perfectly trained dog?

Our most recent puppy, “Flash,” is nine months old, and is a beautiful Golden/Labrador retriever cross.  Our role is to socialize and instruct him in basic “good manners’ and required CCI commands.  Assisting is our now 14-year old black lab “Gordon,” our first CCI puppy who failed to graduate and came back to live with us.  He gladly assumes responsibility for puppy discipline.  Jane is the principal trainer and has guided Flash through obedience training classes and introductions to a variety of environments.

Once the puppies are at least six months old and have demonstrated reliable conduct, they accompany Jane everywhere she goes – to the doctor and dentist, the shopping center, grocery store, church, restaurants – anywhere in public that a person with a service or assistance dog will typically go.  For the past few years, our puppies have been seated with Jane in the disabled section of all University of Wisconsin home football games, courtesy of the UW Athletic Department.

Jane contributes as a volunteer fundraiser and public awareness proponent for CCI, and she and Flash routinely conduct educational and informational demonstrations for Chicago-area schools, service clubs, and charitable organizations.

Our role as puppy raisers concludes in two phases.  When the puppies are about 15 months old, they are ready for advanced training and we return them to CCI’s Delaware, Ohio regional training center for an additional six months of intensified advanced training.  Once they have successfully “graduated” from this training, we are then invited to return to Delaware to participate in an amazing, emotional public graduation ceremony.  There we have the opportunity to meet our now adult dog’s new partner and proudly – but sadly – turn over the leash.

Persons interested in learning more about – or contributing to – the Canine Companions for Independence organization and volunteer programs can connect with CCI at www.cci.org or info@cci.org, or by calling 1-800-572-bark (2275).

***Next Up in the Charitable Giving Series: Microfinance on December 15th.***

How to Prolong a Recession

By Dale F. Elliott
President & CEO, FCM Advisory Group, Ltd.

Why would anyone want to know how to prolong a recession? The answer is that very few would, aside from the short sellers out there, but if you are not careful how you operate your business in a recessionary environment you can make the situation worse and delay your recovery. Many times this is a result of doing what conventional wisdom says you must do. Let’s explore this in a bit more detail.

So how do most business people react to a recession? It really depends on how prepared you are for that eventuality. Some firms have a robust planning process that recognizes market downturns, while others do not. It is always much easier and faster to modify an existing plan to address the reality of the situation than it is to start from scratch under mounting pressure for action. But it appears that many have not prepared well for this eventuality and early action can spell the difference between success and failure. Not having a plan before the downturn is the first contributor to prolonging a recession.

It has been my experience that the role of strategic planning in general and contingency planning in particular does not carry the priority in organizations today as it once did. Perhaps this is due to what we call the “90 Day Rule”, which forces organizations to focus only on the short term at the expense of all else. Looking at the growth profile of the last few years one can possibly understand this omission, but it does not reduce the negative impact poor preparation can have, especially when faced with as rapid deterioration as we have just witnessed.

Unfortunately, having a plan does not preclude making mistakes that can postpone the recovery for your business. Elements that can define a good plan are many, but a few critical ones are:

• Knowing what value you add to your customer, what is critical to them
• Understanding the growth profile of the market and your competitive position
• Your level of financial strength and flexibility going into the period
• Detailed cost profile for critical operating processes
• Contingency action plans ready for implementation

Let’s look at these points individually. A common mistake is that many times managers do not really understand the value they provide to the customer. If you do not understand the value you add, the normal reaction to difficult times is to do what you have always done, but faster. This does not work when volume begins to drop. Why is this important? Because if what adds value is not clear to an organization, then how are you to allocate resources? Lacking this understanding, many organizations fall prey to the conventional wisdom of across-the-board cuts in spending. This is one of the largest contributors to extending the after effects of a recession. Why? Because in many cases you leave in place processes or programs that are not adding value at the expense of those that are. In effect, a double mistake.

This can have even more impact when you do not have a clear understanding of your competitive position. Say one of the across-the-board cutbacks is in new product development and you have been lagging in that area. When the market recovers and customers are looking for something new and exciting, what will you have to sell? The key here is knowing your cost structure and what is really important to the business, the must haves vs. the nice to haves. Reallocating resources to what adds value separates those who emerge from difficult periods ready to grow again and those who continue to suffer. These and the other factors unique to your business must go into the equation in order to understand, plan, and prepare for an economic downturn. For example, whether your business is publically traded or privately held can have a great bearing on how you work through a downturn.

The last area that can prolong a recovery is the implementation of the plan itself. Many times people fall prey to the approach where planning is an exercise and not a living document. This is even more critical in a recession. Key managers, and eventually everyone in the organization, need to understand and be a part of the development and execution of the plan. While this is not an easy process, it is critical to ensure that you are maximizing input and buy-in to the plan. This may entail pain for many who must give up or modify their priorities, but without being fully engaged in the process, efficiency and effectiveness of action will suffer. This takes time, all the more reason to start early and keep the process fresh and relevant.

Once developed, you must communicate the plan to the entire organization in a manner that ensures understanding of the rationale behind any changes and their role in the execution of the individual action plans. In most cases, you cannot over-communicate and every manager must know and be able to explain what the plan is to their people. It is a time to pull the organization together and focus on what is important to the customer, while taking the often difficult steps to maintain a viable business for the future. Lastly, do not forget the importance of follow-up in any plan. Things change and a good plan is one that is flexible enough to follow uncertain market conditions.

So how do you prolong a recession? By not having a robust planning process that recognizes the need for a recessionary contingency. By not knowing the value drivers of your business and what it costs to support them. And by not executing your plans in a timely fashion with each and every employee aware of their role in executing them. As the saying goes, “These are the times that test men’s souls”, but the journey can be made easier to bear with a solid plan and a strong focus on execution.

Leveraging Executive Transition with Pre-Boarding

A Cook Associates Trend by Mary Kier, Vice Chairman

In the fast-paced C-suite world of high rises and corner offices, executives entering into new leadership positions need to hit the ground running. Unfortunately, no matter how talented new executives may be, they need help transitioning into their new environment. As more executives express dissatisfaction with current On-Boarding practices, a new process known as Pre-Boarding is being recommended by Cook Associates Executive Search as a complementary method.

According to Mary Kier, Vice Chairman for Cook Associates Inc., “The likelihood of success when transitioning to a new work environment is enhanced when an executive makes use of what we call Pre-Boarding. This is the time from the interview stage – when a candidate is really under serious consideration – until the day they officially begin. During this time they should proactively build relationships, before the first day in the office, as it greatly increases chances of success in their new role.”

Kier goes on to say, “According to The Right Leader by Nat Stoddard, nearly 40 percent of all new leaders fail in their first 18 months. That failure is a result of critical mistakes made even before the person enters the job.”

For executives seeking a smooth transition into a new role, Cook Associates has created a guide to the secrets of Pre-Boarding success.

THE INTERVIEW
Make a Powerful First Impression
Early momentum is critical to success and the demeanor of the potential new executive during each round of interviews is crucial. Overall, determine what goals are to be met, and communicate how you can add value to that initiative.

“It is true, and I have seen it, that better people have more preparation in their search efforts,” says Maureen Ausura, the Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Lowe’s Companies, Inc. “It’s a good thing to read the proxy and the analyst reports. And I firmly agree that through the interview process a candidate should have numerous conversations and pro-actively reach out to those on their team. It affords a much easier transition into the new role. The most successful people help themselves be On-Boarded.”

THE FIT
Gauge Corporate Culture
Understand the implicit – and often unspoken – rules and beliefs held by people in the organization that influence how things really are accomplished. Failing to understand and adapt to the culture can cause derailing at any point during the integration process. Through due diligence, you must make sure the position, culture, new boss, and team fit your strengths and even your weaknesses. Moreover, be certain to understand your role, its relationship to others in the organization, and how success is measured.

Carey Cuddeback, Senior Vice President of Product Development at Wal-Mart International says, “I think people overlook the importance of ‘self-onboarding’. No matter what else you do, at the very least get on the phone with all your direct reports and also grab as much time as you can with your direct boss before you start. When you are told – ‘it is a strong culture here’- that statement should be explored. Ask questions. It all comes down to having the tools in your toolbox that are appropriate to the culture of the company to really effect change.”

THE WAIT
Turn Key Stakeholders Into Allies
While going through the waiting process identify key stakeholders, often peers, or those who indirectly affect your position. Take the initiative and concept of Pre-Boarding to task and meet with these people, as it is critical to success in the role. Suggest meeting key stakeholders if they are not part of the formal interview process. If they are part of your interview team, ask permission to follow-up with a telephone call to pose any questions after the interview. This leaves the door open to schedule an appointment for an additional meeting over breakfast, coffee, or lunch.

Jeff Lombardo, Group Vice President of Food Service Sales for Heinz weighed in as well on how to make the most of the Pre-Boarding process, “Find out what the core issues are, what the challenges are going forward, and together construct your 30/60/90 day plan. You will have a more robust first ninety days.”

THE OFFER
Build Loyalty & Trust With Early Wins
Before your first day in the office, research backgrounds of peers and learn as much about them as you are able. When you meet them, probe about their goals and aspirations at the company. They will appreciate your interest and jumpstarting the relationship will be vital to success. You can prepare yourself for potential pitfalls and issues ahead of time with this type of due diligence.

AFTER ACCEPTANCE
Jumpstart The Relationship
Congratulations! You have a brand new position and your start date is two or more weeks away. Call your new Executive Assistant and schedule a lunch. Find out special details and determine how you can best work together. Probe to find out if there are key employees or peers you met during the interview process with whom you should socialize. If you knit yourself into the fabric of their lives ahead of time it will send a powerful signal – that you care about being proactive, engaged, and are willing to learn from them. By engaging in Pre-Boarding practices, you will become a trusted friend and colleague by day one.

Mary Kier is Vice Chairman of Cook Associates, Inc. and a senior consultant within the executive search division. With 25 years of experience delivering exceptional search services in consumer related markets, Mary is well-positioned to comment on industry trends. She can be reached at 312.755.5614 or via email at mkier@cookassociates.com.

Cook Associates, Inc., is a retained Executive Search and M&A Advisory Services firm.

Rising Franchises in a Down Economy

By Brian Hutchinson 
Principal, GC Franchise Consulting

As a former McDonald’s franchisee, I know the value of a good franchise.   It sets you up for success and enables you to build personal wealth with greater independence.  Today, I am a franchise broker, helping others to navigate the thousands of franchise opportunities to find the right fit for them.
 

You might be asking yourself, “Who would want to start a business in this type of economic environment?”  And the answer I would give:  “Lots of smart people who pick the right business.”  Think about it.  The fewer people starting their own business, the less competition there is.  Also, if a business can help you do things ‘faster, cheaper, better’…..well, Walmart, and Costco seem to be doing just fine right now.
 

So, what are the franchise opportunities that stand out in today’s economic environment?  Here is a sampling of what is catching people’s attention and why:
 

Home Repair / Home Improvement
With fewer home sales and less relocations, people are staying longer in their homes.  As a result, normal wear and tear is increasing the demand for cost-effective home repairs.  In fact, over $150 billion is being spent on home repair and improvements. The alternative to expensive contractors is the return of the Handyman/Handywoman  (www.Mr.Handyman.com and www.HandyManMatters.com) who have far less overhead and can address projects that range from home improvement to home repair in a fast, cost-effective way.
 

Helping Small Businesses Thrive
The recent U.S. Stimulus plan missed the most robust job creation segment of the economy:  small business. A Small Business Administration (SBA) economist estimates that in 2008 alone there were 1.7 million new non-employee (i.e., single-person) businesses created.  And when they need services to help build their own business, they purchase them. 
 

Three interesting value-added small business services are: 1) Turnkey Internet services (www.wsicorporate.com); 2) Short-term working capital loans to bridge the gap that banks’ new lending policies are creating (www.interfacefinancial.com); and 3) Freeing up working capital with the purchase/factoring of receivables (www.liquidcapital.com).
 

Senior Care
How many of you, or one of your close friends, have an aging parent that needs help at home?  And whether we like it or not, the Baby Boomer generation will be no exception:  the ability to stay in your own home as you grow older is a very powerful force.  Senior home care delivers that ability with a wide variety of services ranging from cooking and cleaning to medical care (www.comfortkeepersfranchise.com & www.seniorhelpers.com).   If there is one trend you can count on, it’s getting older and wanting to live in our own homes. 
 

With a plan, passion, and your previous career knowledge, you could be on the way to owning and operating your own business.  For a free exploration of a franchise opportunity that is right for you, visit us at www.gcfranchisingconsulting.com.

Trend Surfing as a Business Model

By Mark Karnes
                                     Global Sales & Marketing Executive

A few years ago I was walking down the beach in California when I came upon the local high school surfing team doing their “training.” While I watched, I became curious as to why the surfers did not stay with the wave until it reached the beach.  I eventually spotted the Surf Coach and asked him why this was so.  The answer he gave me was so Zen-like it has stuck with me to this day:

 “I teach the surfers that if you ride the wave until it reaches the beach and ends, you will wear yourself out and waste tournament time constantly swimming all the way back out and not score as many points.  The goal is to only ride the wave until it peaks and then move to catch another as fast as possible.  In that way your effort is always dedicated to being on top of the wave.” 

Wow, I thought to myself, this is the secret to driving a successful business or marketing campaign.  How ironic that of all the business seminars I have participated in the most insightful advice came from a High School Surfing coach!

How to apply this in real life?  Let’s start with the two main factors—Waves and Surfers—or applied to a business, trends and products/solutions.  If you consider yourself a wave maker, you are either delusional or you are Steve Jobs or Bill Gates, so most likely you are a surfer or hope to be a surfer.  The trick is to ride the wave (or trend) just long enough to maximize profits and know when to move onto the next good looking wave and avoid being ‘beached.’ 

Using my personal experience, a few years ago I was hired by Shure, a professional audio company, to start up a new business division.  They had created a wireless personal monitor system for stage performers that allowed the artist to hear his music mix at a reasonable level without having to be directly in front of a floor monitor.  You will notice today that almost all performers have earphones stuck in their ears as they deliver their art.  These are sound isolating earphones and are the perfect combination to the portable music player.   The product management team saw sales of the earphone of this system zooming well beyond the sales of the wireless pack and asked the customer, ‘Why?’ 

What they found out was that the performers were using the earphones with their portable DVD players and the new Apple iPods.    When I came to Shure they had already spotted the wave (Apple’s iPod) and needed help in building their business applications to ride this specialized product innovation.  My job was to enable Shure to be a great surfer riding Apple’s innovation wave.

By closely aligning with the Apple iPod, Shure went on to double sales of the earphones for 4 straight years.  Shure is now one of the most respected headphone companies in the world because of a simple business model called the “Attachment Strategy”.  The “Attachment Strategy” had one main principle:  Apple makes the waves, Shure surfs those waves.

Wherever iPods were sold, Shure profitably surfed that trend with its new earphone products.  And when Apple signaled its next big wave, the iPhone, Shure was first to add microphones to its earphones.  As a result, we got a first-mover advantage and quickly picked up market share.

 What about the iPod earphone sales?  The ‘business surfer’ in me realized that the iPod was the ‘old wave’; sales have declined, the market has matured, with commodity earphone replacements taking over.  On the other hand, Apple’s new 3G iPhone is selling millions a week and consumers are looking for attachments that enhance their experience. Even though there is still a lucrative earphone business for the iPod, Apple is making much bigger waves with the iPhone.

So, there is a very lucrative and sustainable business model for those who can identify trends and successfully surf them.  And most importantly, once a trend, or wave, has reached its full potential, quickly reposition your business for the next wave to maintain your momentum, market competitiveness, and profitability.  Surfs up!

The R|L Summer Party: “Jazz in the Garden”

On August 6, 2009, R|L hosted it’s Summer party at Clyde and Carolyn Lowstuter’s Lake Forest home.  The weather was perfect, the food was sumptuous, and the jazz was live.  It was a celebration and thank you to those who have referred business to us and who have partnered with us to make our business possible.  As a signature event, it recognized our milestone of 28 years of “Creating Uncommon Results!”®

The event started at the front door with our valet service.  If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the years, it’s make it easy to park! 

The Jazz in the Garden theme was smoothly delivered by Tony Rankin and his group, ‘Rankinfyle,’ a well-known jazz ensemble.  From popular to classic music, Rankinfyle delivered throughout the night.  As you can see below, they were literally in the garden next to the pool.  Also included is a picture of Clyde with Tony himself.

                                                 

What would a party be without a free drawing for a prize?  The lucky winner for the Apple iTouch was Ms. Mary Kay McMahon of Wolters Kluwer.  Congratulations, Mary Kay! 

Whether it was hors d’oeuvres delivered to you, you visiting the buffet, or indulging your sweet tooth at our dessert bar, there was something for everyone. 

 

 

 

 

 

 
For those of you who were able to attend, “Thank You” from the entire R|L team, for making this a fun, wonderful evening. 

   

 

   

 

 

  

For those of you who were unable to join us, we are sorry you were not able to make it; we look forward to working with you and hope to see you next year!

All the best,

Clyde & Carolyn Lowstuter and the entire R|L Team

How To Integrate an Acquisition…Successfully!

Karen Blair
Principal
Blair Consulting Group
        

Growth through acquisition is commonplace in today’s global economy. There have been a plethora of articles written about the business development aspects of acquisition including strategy, due diligence, deal negotiations, financing, etc. However, despite all that we know about acquisitions, 50% of these fail or fall considerably short of expectations. Why? The focus has been on the excitement around the deal leading up to the announcement and not enough on the work ensuring a successful integration.

A successful integration begins with an acquisition that is strategically sound. It must be clear why the acquisition is taking place and the business case must support the acquisition. Further, both organizations (the acquiring company and the acquisition) must be aligned with “the vision” and have a clear understanding as to how the acquisition will be successful. The management of both companies should embrace and communicate this shared vision to their organizations, generating buy-in and excitement.

One of the first steps in the formal integration process is to appoint an integration leader. Ideally, this should be done prior to the acquisition announcement. To be successful, an integration leader should be a senior leader within the acquiring company who can “make things happen” and “hold people accountable.” To support the integration leader in their efforts, a steering committee is formed to gain access to senior management. The integration leader can then work with cross-functional leadership across both companies to assemble an integration team. It is important that each team member can commit a significant part of their time and be dedicated to completing the integration successfully and meeting its goals.

From a personal vantage point, often I would arrive at the company being acquired thinking that I was going to have a pretty light schedule. Within 20 minutes of walking through the door, my schedule was full! Being empathetic will also enhance the leader’s success. I have joked that the best training for this role is being a mother. You need to be able to resolve issues fairly, i.e., break up fights, and remind people to respect one another. In other words, play nice. Last but not least, the individual taking this role needs to be willing to take a career risk. The integration leader will be asked to step out of their current role to lead the integration. While there is risk that there will not be the right role available when the formal integration is completed, it is a rare and tremendously rewarding experience for the right individual.

The formal integration process should generally be completed within 6 to 12 months. Early in the process, non-negotiable items should be addressed upfront. The non-negotiable items will likely vary by situation (e.g., employee benefit plans, regulatory requirements, etc.). The integration leader should establish goals for the overall integration and determine the degree of integration for specific functions. While some functions need to be integrated into corporate, other functions might need to stay with the acquired business. From this point on, the functional team members can establish the integration goals by function, and then specific task, time-based workplans can be completed in support of the integration goals.

Communication is critical across all integration team members and both organizations. It should be frequent and regular to assure everyone of your progress and to dispel any rumors. Weekly meetings discuss progress on workplans and timelines, and raise any issues that may delay the integration or require senior management involvement. In addition to weekly team communication, monthly steering committee meetings keep senior managers apprised of your efforts.

One critical aspect of communication that has surprised me is the importance of visibility to flush out and resolve issues. This can only be done by communicating frequently and informally with the many stakeholders in the integration process, also known as “Management by Walking Around.” As commitments are met and integration goals are achieved, the formal process of integration will draw to a close.

Once the formal integration has been completed, the process is far from over. In the normal course of ongoing business, the senior leadership will need to assess business and organizational roadblocks. The question should be asked, “Would further integration enable the business to be more successful?” If the answer is yes, then further integration should take place.

And that brings up my last point: Speed. If I were to value one key success factor above all else for a successful integration, it would be this element. Speed reduces the uncertainty and anxiety across both companies. Speed ensures that decision-making is timely and operational issues are quickly resolved. When customers experience a change in their service immediately after an acquisition, they can be quite forgiving. If they can’t make a logical time connection as to why their service has changed, many customers switch to a competitor, diminishing the value of the acquisition. In essence, speed in the integration process benefits employees and customers of both organizations.

Take Control of Your Online Brand

By:    Stephen Axel
SVP, Robertson Lowstuter

                                    
When was the last time you Googled yourself?  And when you did, were the results positive? Negative? Or maybe you didn’t find anything about yourself.  In all of these situations, you can make it better but first let’s discuss ‘why’ it matters.

Whether you like it or not, your personal brand exists both offline and online.  In the real world, your interaction and encounters with others builds your ‘offline’ brand, literally one person at a time.  For the most part you get to choose who you build that relationship with and how.  However, in the online world, it is a totally different story.

Search engines and their technology ‘spider’ assistants are very indiscriminate.  They track and index everything that is posted on the World Wide Web to make vast amounts of information usable. Once your name is typed into that search box by a prospective employer or an executive search firm, the search engine will display anything it can find related to your name.  It doesn’t matter if the article is 5-years old and completely inaccurate, your personal brand gets immediately tarnished.  So, how do you know what your online brand identity is?
  
Start Here
First of all, establish a baseline.  Google and Yahoo yourself and see what you find.  (These two search engines delivered 89% of all web searches through March, 2009).  Click all the links that reference you and find out it if they are accurate.  If the information is out-of-date and you posted it, fix it.  If you find something blatantly false, contact that site and tell them you need to correct their record(s).  Remember, what you found, others will find, too.
  

So, now that you know what is out there (or not) about you, here is a list of strategies to take greater control of our online brand identity:
   

Business Networking Sites
From LinkedIn to Plaxo, these business-focused networking sites are extremely well tracked by the search engines due to the richness of information that is aligned with a name.  LinkedIn is the defacto standard in business networking with 35 million+ members and Plaxo is associated with Simply Hired, a job aggregating web site.  You owe it to yourself to have your profile listed at one (or more) of the professional networking and have ALL of the information up-to-date. Talk about control…you can tell your story exactly how you want it told and even put your best picture with it, to boot!  (Yes, I think having your picture is very important as it immediately differentiates you from someone else’s page of pure text.)  In regards to LinkedIn, definitely create your own unique URL using your name (linkedin.com/in/yourfullname or if that is taken, add a descriptor in it like ‘johnsmithCFO’).  This will help the search engines find your profile, as well.
    

Social Networking Sites 
It’s fine to have a Facebook or MySpace page, but just remember EVERYONE gets to see it.  This isn’t ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’, it is more like ‘what happens in Vegas ends up on Facebook,’  and that can be a scary thought.  In researching this article, I decided to search for my picture using Google Images (http://images.google.com).  To my surprise, my Facebook picture came up 1st out of 556,000 hits!  What didn’t surprise me was it was my coat and tie picture.  Similarly, don’t get caught by surprise on what you have posted on these social networking sites and make sure everything is ready for prime time viewing.
   

ZoomInfo.com
This web site is a cross between a LinkedIn and a search engine that recruiters love to use.  Knowing that search firms like to use this search engine gives you an advantage.  Why not populate this search engine with your own information and picture?  This way you at least have relevant, up-to-date material in case search firms are trying to find out information about you.  No charge, it’s free.
   

Write an Amazon Book Review
If you like to read, this is an easy one.  Once you finish a book (and I suggest it be one that you want people to know you read), take a look at the existing book reviews.  What are they missing or is there a more interesting way to say it?  Click on ‘Write a Review’ and set up your personal profile along with your picture.  Make sure to add ‘key words’ or tags to your review to enable easier search engine notice.  Once again, you are taking control over what the search engines can find out about you.  In fact, Google has a very tight relationship with Amazon so there is an increased chance that your name/book review will be picked up when people are searching on your name. 

Contributing to a Blog
A blog is an article, or a series of articles, related to any topic.  Interestingly, people who actively contribute to blogs can find themselves being interviewed by the press and journalists given their topic of expertise.  Why?  1)  Blogs are text intense and search engines love to track and index their content; and 2) When journalists are writing new stories/looking for a new story angles, they will search blogs to see who-knows-what.  When Robertson Lowstuter decided to do its own Executive Blog, we decided to use the standard blogging site WordPress.com.  Why WordPress?  They are owned by Google.  To prove the point:  If you search on Google for  ‘Bill Colaianni blog’, the top 3 out of 4 links are Bill’s R|L blog.  
   

Given the rapidly expanding digital world we live in—YouTube, Twitter, Flickr, etc—be constantly vigilant about your online brand identity.  Practice Googling/Yahooing yourself on a routine basis and proactively managing your online brand identity.  It’s yours to control.