Soft due diligence is not rocket science. I have spent a lifetime absorbed in the role of evaluating people’s fitness for senior office. It’s the first law of change management. Will these people or this person be able to take the business to the next level?
Can they operate successfully at the next level of functioning?
We are not so much interested in performance management; we are interested in how far a person can push their personal envelope and achieve outstanding outcomes. Is the question, do these people or persons have the capability to operate at a higher strategic level?
Mergers and Acquisitions
When I worked in mergers and acquisitions, the most important task was to assess where the current businesses were operating, and after the M&A, we would have people take the new entity to a higher level of performance.
M&A is a Fast-Paced Breaking News Story
Any M&A requires NDAs; otherwise, key people can become a serious flight risk or your competition is in a better position to out flank you. There is not much time to collect data, follow rabbit homes, and make decisions.
We worked on interviewing key people and their direct reports. We used psychometrics to assess potential resilience, strategic thinking, and team leadership. We occasionally used focus groups to gather opinions. I believe that we did a cracking job most of the time, with very few in the deadwood category getting through.
Assessing whether a German senior manager speaking in their native language could master the intricacies of multiple languages in a fast-growing, fast-breaking European market, and the nuances and quirks of their colleagues, was something we had to make a judgment on quickly, because our decisions had consequences for the acquirer and our continued employment.
We worked for a US company that acquired a new European partner or business every day, and they disposed of those companies that would not make it very quickly.
Business Restructuring
We also worked with businesses that wanted to grow quickly, right-size, and utilise their people’s talent in the right roles. This soft due diligence became a niche product, and I am glad to say I used it in Manufacturing, Plastics, Finance, Banking, Genetics, and myriad other sectors.
Due diligence works – listen to the right people
So it becomes a surprise to me that the latest political ‘cock up’ involves Keir Starmer making decisions about the appointment of Mandelson to the most important Ambassadorial role to the US without paying any attention to due diligence in its most sophisticated format.
Learning
It amazes me that the PM, who must be surrounded by the brightest and the best, and who has the background of behavioural geniuses in the Cabinet Office of the old Nudge Unit, would not get the best intelligence and draw up a scorecard of pros and cons before taking such a risk.
What works in fast-moving businesses can easily work in the public sector – but you need business experience to know the differences and apply the right tools. I guess lots of information will pour out of No1 0 in the next few days as further revelations come to light.
If you need any help Sir Keir about any other appointments you have my email address.
[email protected]
Can they operate successfully at the next level of functioning?
We are not so much interested in performance management; we are interested in how far a person can push their personal envelope and achieve outstanding outcomes. Is the question, do these people or persons have the capability to operate at a higher strategic level?
Mergers and Acquisitions
When I worked in mergers and acquisitions, the most important task was to assess where the current businesses were operating, and after the M&A, we would have people take the new entity to a higher level of performance.
M&A is a Fast-Paced Breaking News Story
Any M&A requires NDAs; otherwise, key people can become a serious flight risk or your competition is in a better position to out flank you. There is not much time to collect data, follow rabbit homes, and make decisions.
We worked on interviewing key people and their direct reports. We used psychometrics to assess potential resilience, strategic thinking, and team leadership. We occasionally used focus groups to gather opinions. I believe that we did a cracking job most of the time, with very few in the deadwood category getting through.
Assessing whether a German senior manager speaking in their native language could master the intricacies of multiple languages in a fast-growing, fast-breaking European market, and the nuances and quirks of their colleagues, was something we had to make a judgment on quickly, because our decisions had consequences for the acquirer and our continued employment.
We worked for a US company that acquired a new European partner or business every day, and they disposed of those companies that would not make it very quickly.
Business Restructuring
We also worked with businesses that wanted to grow quickly, right-size, and utilise their people’s talent in the right roles. This soft due diligence became a niche product, and I am glad to say I used it in Manufacturing, Plastics, Finance, Banking, Genetics, and myriad other sectors.
Due diligence works – listen to the right people
So it becomes a surprise to me that the latest political ‘cock up’ involves Keir Starmer making decisions about the appointment of Mandelson to the most important Ambassadorial role to the US without paying any attention to due diligence in its most sophisticated format.
Learning
It amazes me that the PM, who must be surrounded by the brightest and the best, and who has the background of behavioural geniuses in the Cabinet Office of the old Nudge Unit, would not get the best intelligence and draw up a scorecard of pros and cons before taking such a risk.
What works in fast-moving businesses can easily work in the public sector – but you need business experience to know the differences and apply the right tools. I guess lots of information will pour out of No1 0 in the next few days as further revelations come to light.
If you need any help Sir Keir about any other appointments you have my email address.
[email protected]
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