September 2006

Greetings Members and Friends

Perhaps it is from all those years of associating September with a return to school that at this time of year I tend to begin to feel a renewed enthusiasm for work, and, especially, to start new projects. This is fortunate: for the hard work on an important GAMA Canada project is about to begin.

In September, the GAMA Canada Board of Directors will convene in Toronto to begin strategic planning activities in support of next year’s exciting LAMP 2007. This is the annual conference organized by GAMA International for the benefit of its members, with delegates from around the globe in attendance.

For the first time since its inception, the conference will be held outside of the United States. LAMP 2007 will be held in Toronto! This is an amazing opportunity for all of us to show off a great country and a great city; but, as with any large event, considerable planning, organization and support will be required. During this next board meeting, therefore, the Directors will be addressing the issue of how to support those organizing the conference.

One of the more important aspects of support will be volunteerism during the conference. This is an excellent opportunity for our Canadian members and friends (yes, you) to become involved in GAMA Canada. Please take a moment to learn about how you can participate in the conference by contacting Joe Flynn, joe.flynn@freedom55financial.com, and see the links (left) to learn more about LAMP.

Fortunately for GAMA Canada’s board, we are blessed with resources to help us with the planning of LAMP 2007.  For example: Susan Hanson, President of Vero Group Inc., one of GAMA Canada’s educational partners, provides a timely article below on how to execute a strategic plan. Be sure to take the “Leadership Quiz” at the end of the article!

Good luck!

Rod Burylo,
Editor and Director of Communications

Executive Excellence

By Susan Hanson, President Vero Group Inc.

“When CEO’s fail, it’s rarely for lack of smarts or vision. Most unsuccessful CEO’s stumble because of one simple, fatal shortcoming.”
Fortune, June, 1999.

What are the real reasons that would cause a CEO, or a leader at any level, to fail within a company? According to Fortune, it is “bad execution, not getting things done, being indecisive, and not delivering on commitments”. In a nutshell, it is as a result of not executing the strategic plan. The root issue lies around the fact that leaders are not successful by themselves. Their success lies within their ability to empower their people to commit to excellence and execute the plan. There a number of key factors involved. Let’s look at the most critical ones on three different levels.

Corporate:

1. The vision and mission have not been clearly communicated throughout all levels of the organization.
   This is the acid test of communication in your organization. To test this factor in your organization, ask a front line staff member what the vision and mission are, what they mean to them, and what their role is in accomplishing them as set out by the strategic plan.

2. Executive and management staff are not aligned with corporate objectives and are not working as a team.
   This scenario is very common for a number of reasons. When a number of acquisitions and mergers or re-structuring take place, the team is comprised of members from mixed cultures, divisions, or regions. Rarely do companies take the time to allow their new teams (or “old” teams that have been through tremendous changes) to regroup and build the trust factor back into their relationships. The value this provides is so far-reaching, it is difficult to place a monetary value upon it, other than to say that to have the leaders aligned would fulfill corporate objectives in a more efficient, timely and professional manner. This benefit has been the most consistent feedback we receive after an Executive Excellence Retreat. They are experiencing fear for their careers, creating a culture of personal agendas and low trust. If this is the scenario at the top of your organization, how does that reflect down into your organization at the front line level, and how does that affect the company’s ability to perform at the end of the day?

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