The Most Important Part of Diligence that Nobody is Talking About
First published in PE Hub Copyright PEI Media Read original PE Hub piece The most important part of diligence that nobody is talking about | PE Hub 4/1/24, 12:20 PM Management team effectiveness remains the single most important factor determining the success of a private equity investment. The era of cheap capital is over. Now, […]
Executive Coaching ROI – Real Results from Financial Services Firms
Your investment professional needs development. You’re considering coaching. But before you commit, you want to know: What’s the ROI? Will coaching actually improve performance? How do you measure it? Most coaching conversations end with: “Coaching is great! Great for development! Great for retention!” But nobody talks about actual business impact. This article provides real coaching […]
Assessment-Informed Coaching – Why It Works
Your top investment professional needs coaching. But on what? In most firms, the answer is vague: “Leadership development” or “communication skills” or “we’ll figure it out.” So they go to a generic executive coach who works with everyone from startup founders to nonprofit directors. Coaching is generic too: “Let’s talk about your strengths.” “What’s your […]
Investment Committee Effectiveness – Data-Driven Approaches
Your IC spent 3.5 hours in a meeting. You discussed four deals. Three got unanimous approval. One you debated for 90 minutes before saying yes—despite concerns. Later, the unanimously-approved deal had issues. The debated deal? Performing well. This is the IC paradox: More discussion doesn’t mean better decisions. Sometimes it means groupthink. Dominant voices override […]
Succession Planning – Building Your Leadership Pipeline
Your best MD is 62 and retiring in 3 years. Your top originator just got recruited. Your COO is joining a board. If your firm has a systematic succession plan, you’re prepared. If not, you’re in crisis mode. Most PE firms DON’T have succession plans. They manage ad hoc when someone leaves. Consequences: disrupted deal […]
PE Firm Hiring – How to Assess Investment Team Capability
When hiring investment professionals, PE firms face a critical challenge: past deal success doesn’t guarantee future performance in a different role, at a different firm, or under different market conditions. Yet most PE firms rely on the same assessment methods they’ve used for decades: deal track records, partner interviews, reference calls, and unstructured conversations. This […]
Decision-Making Under Uncertainty – Executive Framework
You’re presenting a deal to your investment committee. You have financials, market analysis, team assessment. But questions remain: Will the market stay attractive? Can this team execute the plan? Will the business perform as projected? You don’t have certainty. You never will. Yet you have to decide: Invest or don’t? This is the core challenge […]
Building Executive Presence for Financial Services Leaders
You have credibility. You’ve done deals. You understand the market. You make good decisions. But in the boardroom with LPs, or presenting to the board, or leading your investment committee—something shifts. You’re less impactful than you should be. Your ideas don’t land the way they do in smaller meetings. People defer to others even though […]