Beating The Family Business Odds
May 13, 2025
UPenn’s Wharton School offers CEOs an Innovation Matrix—a blueprint of action steps that business leaders can follow to drive innovative thinking in their organizations. For Wharton’s four action steps, click here.
Inc. magazine offers five ideas for fostering innovation in your firm:
For more detailed information on Inc.’s five ideas, click here.
3. Thomas Koulopoulos, author of The Innovation Zone, says that every company should have a designated “Innovation Zone” where ideas are identified, evaluated, protected, nurtured and developed. These don’t necessarily have to be new product ideas, he says, but can and more often are about process improvements. Kouloplous suggests that all good ideas should be rewarded. To purchase a copy of The Innovation Zone, click here.
4. Is your idea stuck and unable to move forward? The Haas School of Business’ Garwood Center for Corporate Innovation (at UC Berkeley) maintains Haas@Work, a program which employs teams of student consultants who develop innovative solutions to business problems. In addition, the Project on Business Model Innovation offers grants for research that focuses on solving challenges associated with new business models. Read more on the school’s website here.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to your employees for new ideas and problem-solving, too. Their perspective may be just what is needed to find that next great product or service.
Chief Executive Group exists to improve the performance of U.S. CEOs, senior executives and public-company directors, helping you grow your companies, build your communities and strengthen society. Learn more at chiefexecutivegroup.com.
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
