Morten Hansen’s book Great at Work is a must-read for all who strive to be just that, great at work. The research-based, compelling narrative delves into nine “secrets of performance.” In this blog I want to use two of them as a springboard to share my own observations and add a third. So, what does it take to be great at work?

For the past 12 years, I have been teaching in the Directors Education Program (DEP) at business schools across Canada. In more than one hundred sessions, I have asked the same question: “What is the most important responsibility of a public company board?” Typical answers include assuming stewardship of the corporation, adopting a strategic plan, identifying the principal risks of the business, and holding management accountable. These are critical tasks indeed, but the board's most important job is this: to make sure the corporation has the right chief executive officer. Governance expert extraordinaire, David Beatty OBE, calls it the “sacred duty of the board.” David’s pronouncement is seconded by investment legend Warren Buffett. “The bedrock challenge for directors remains constant,” he writes. “Find and retain a talented CEO …”

What is the new normal, and how do we adapt? A White Paper on implementing a successful work from home model in any industry.

By Jaye Cabreros*

You may remember our previous article discussing the benefits of implementing a WHF policy at your workplace. 11 months into the pandemic, and with more data on our hands, we are able to address the major barriers to WFH and how to overcome them. Jaye Cabreros is a research consultant for Jenoir® International and has analyzed the factors required for a successful WFH model in the blog below, as well as the attached full White Paper.

With the global pandemic showing no signs of reversal, any significant quality of life improvement is unlikely to arise until a sizeable majority of the world's population is vaccinated. It is also unlikely, then, that the global workforce will see any wholesale regressions towards a pre-pandemic work arrangement any time soon.

When it comes to national embarrassments, one would be hard pressed to do better than Berlin Brandenburg Airport (FBB), or known by its IATA airport code BER. The “new” international airport of Germany’s national capital opened, on the down-low so to speak, on November 1st, 2020. The quietness of the affair had good reason: BER started operations 9 years late and billions over budget; plans for the airport had actually begun as early as 1990, the year of German reunification making this a, no typo, 30-year airport building project.

Six Questions that Will Help You Manage/Lead Better While Working from Anywhere

By Dirk Schlimm

The world is changing and so must managers and leaders. In fact, the “you must change'' mantra has reached somewhat of a fever pitch as the COVID pandemic is wearing on. But is managing really that different in the “new normal” of working from home?

Jenoir Client Spotlight: Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association – IC20 Online Master Class

By Dirk Schlimm

I have yet to meet an executive at mid-life who wouldn’t at some point have asked the question whether their company is still the right place for them.