Unexpected events -- surprises, whether good or bad -- can make or break your business.
Your company's ability to recognize and react to these events is key to both its growth -- and survival. According to an Institute for Corporate Productivity of St. Petersburg, FL survey of 1,400 global executives, 40 percent of the respondents said their organizations experienced a shock or surprise within the past year that was severe enough to disrupt core operations, strategy or mission, and even threaten business viability.
According to a series of surveys by The Center for Board Leadership, the research arm of the Washington-based National Association of Corporate Directors, in collaboration with Mercer Delta Consulting, CEO succession was increasingly important to corporate boards of directors. Yet, about 50% of board members consider themselves less than effective in the area of CEO succession.
In addition, about one-quarter of those board members believe their boards fall into "below acceptable" levels of CEO succession planning. Such findings come despite directors identifying CEO succession as among the leading concerns facing their companies. Strategic planning and corporate performance were also among the highest concerns for boards.
Source: HR Executive, February 2007
