Moving from ‘Craft’ to ‘Enterprise’
The starting point for most of the workshops that we as Sirdar run with family-owned and privately-held businesses of all sizes, is to help them…
The environment, stupid
James Carville, a political strategist who worked for 42nd US President Bill Clinton, came up with what has often been quoted as “It’s the economy…
Lost in Translation: Navigating the Labyrinth of Corporate Governance
In the intricate realm of corporate governance, TLAs (Three-Letter Acronyms) serve as indispensable tools, streamlining communication and encapsulating complex concepts into succinct abbreviations. However, for…
How Good Governance Supports Scalability
Good governance is a universally applicable principle. One of the key misconceptions that we come across frequently is that governance training in Africa is not…
Four Board Culture Red Flags
Billy Connolly (Scottish Comedian) once described parliament as “a beautiful building where great ideas go in, then get bashed about by a few and then…
Globalise your Boardroom Skills
As the media attention starts to shift to France for the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, I am reminded of Casablanca, a well-known Hollywood film.…
No Unbearable Lightness of Being a Director
People are going deaf because music is played louder and louder, but because they’re going deaf, it has to be played louder still. I used…
The Brutal Truth: Your Intellectual Property and Brand Assets Are Being Ignored
In a recent board meeting, amidst discussions about assets and liabilities, a startling realisation emerged: Typical responses like “our people,” “our financial resources,” and “our…
A Strategic Blueprint for Strengthening Governance in Family Businesses in Africa
Family-owned enterprises are not only the backbone of Africa’s economy, contributing significantly to both GDP and employment, but they also uphold and transmit cultural and…
Decision-Making in the Visionary Boardroom
In my experience in dealing with boards, very few decisions are actually made. All too often the focus is on the minutes, matters arising and…