Imagine being 34 years of age, addressing not just your coworkers and associates, but an entire nation, and setting that nation on a strategic course. On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave not only his fellow citizens, but also the world, a view of what could be. Leaders aspiring to understand what strategic thinking looks like from a practical standpoint and apply those lessons can view that speech as they ponder what it means to think strategically. More…

Small business engages a plethora of challenges to graduate to a larger business. Those who successfully craft a sustainable, growing business model often attract the attention of private equity investors. This is a complimentary attestation to an echelon of achievement. However, if a subsequent investment relationship is consummated between a company and a private equity firm, a planning and execution rigor transforms from optional to necessary. For those leaders who have operated without formal planning, the transition may be daunting. The purpose of this article is to present a simple model that has enjoyed some traction in middle market private equity. The model also has practical utility outside of private equity. More…

Social custom teaches us not to be critical of gifts. In the non-profit world, this is even more important as, in the midst of limited budgets, value seems to be even more elevated in a gift. Gifts are something for nothing. Yet, ethical leadership provides a key consideration in the receipt of gifts: the Other. Gifts ought not to be received uncritically, then, because of this emphasis on the Other and the responsibility of the leader. Ethical leadership provides four key questions when reflecting on receiving gifts. More…