White & Gale Consulting Inc.’s Post

I saw a recent post from an executive (a former CEO) who had received a couple of different lifetime achievement awards from the industry he spent his career in. The executive said he was honored and rightfully gave credit to the employees of the companies he led. That’s all well and good but making sure those people are recognized at every opportunity is more important. I know someone who traveled all over the world for several years accomplishing major goals for their company. Their EVP even accepted an award overseas for all that work at a major industry event. Great, right? Well, except for the part where he came back to the office, showed off the award to his staff and said, “Does anyone know what this award was for?”. Don’t be THAT executive. The one who doesn’t have a clue about major projects your teams are working on and how long and how hard they’ve been working on them. Likewise, don’t be a direct report to that executive who fails to make sure they know what their people are doing and how it’s contributing to the company. There are things that separate the great bosses — the ones employees all want to work for — from the ones that make people want to work somewhere else. Recognizing the accomplishments of the people who work for you as they’re happening and being openly thankful for the way those accomplishments reflect on you is at or near the top of the list.

At the top of every CFO’s career to-do list is the critical work of mastering engagement with a board of directors and, potentially, joining a board one day. But for far too many of us, the boardroom remains a bit of a mystery. What do directors really want out of a CFO? How do you best communicate with them? What are the key issues that are top of mind for boards right now and how can CFOs help? How do you develop a real, trusting relationship? And how do you put yourself in a place where you can join a board? We’ll dive into all of this and more, with the help of CFOLC’s sister organization, Corporate Board Member, one of the nation’s most influential and well-regarded institutions serving the needs of public company directors. Register Here: https://lnkd.in/g3tghmiU

Curious about what a board director’s day really looks like? 🤔 We caught up with Robert Fry's, one of our board directors, to give you an inside look into his busy day. 📊 From high-level strategy meetings to critical decision-making, his role is full of challenges and excitement. 👀 Stay tuned for a further peek into Rob’s day-to-day at Morgan Hunt! #DayInTheLife #BoardDirector #LeadershipInsights

Successor CEOs must have the courage to find their unique voice and approach, both honoring what the founder built and guiding the management team, board, employees and other stakeholders to look to the future. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gWygKHA7

Great conversation and insights from C.E. Rhodes today on key traits and insights he has gained from his career into how to be a leader.

The IEL Leadership Class was fortunate to be joined by C.E. Rhodes, who serves as Group Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Cullen Frost Bankers/Inc. and Frost Bank. Some of the guidance provided by C.E. is included below. (1) The importance of authenticity and ownership as a leader, stating that one must own the entire organization's results, both good and bad. (2) The need for strategic thinking and considering how one's department contributes to the organization's overall goals and objectives. (3) A leader needs an insatiable appetite for information and should to focus on emotional intelligence and active listening. He stressed that a leader's role is not to have all the answers, but to ask the right questions to gather the necessary information for decision-making. (4) The importance of learning and understanding the business to provide the best advice as a lawyer. (5) The importance of relationship building in one's career. (6) The need to be the CEO of your own career and to have your own board of directors that you can turn to for advice and assistance. 

Analysis from Heidrick & Struggles found that 72% of current Fortune 100 CFOs were appointed to their roles as first-time CFOs. As the C-suite continues to expand, companies are tapping independent talent for executive mentorship and support for new placements. Learn more about strategic engagements to support new leaders: https://lnkd.in/eefZYQuf  

Spencer Stuart’s North American Board Practice recently convened a series of breakfast discussions with board directors about the challenges facing boards today. Take a look at some of the leading trends for board directors in 2024:

Derwent welcomed more than 100 aspiring board members and guests to our Pathway to the Boardroom series with experienced Directors Joe Pollard and Debra Singh. Despite taking different pathways to secure their first board roles, both speakers emphasised the importance of building out executive experience and breadth before marking the transition to non-executive positions. There was also an emphasis on staying connected to the people who will keep you across the right board opportunities, which can be vastly different to executive networks. In exploring the journey to the boardroom, Joe and Debra uncovered some key tips and tricks including: - Understanding your passions and value add  - Being a Board Director is not a part-time role - Be comfortable with rejection - The art of asking a good question For further detail, be sure to click the below link.

What sets the best board members apart? In our work with Corporate Board Member magazine, we found that the best predictor of success was not tenure, committee roles, or even deep industry experience. The biggest differentiator turns out to be how board members collaborate with management and each other. Digging deeper into our work with exemplary directors, we found a repeatable approach that helps board members maximize their value to the companies and boards they serve. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/d2yK6hcx