Category Archives: Manage to Lead

Managed to Lead posts are organized into the categories below and are about what can be managed in order to be a better leader. There is a category for each of seven actions motivated by seven simple truths about leaders and organizations which, if followed, can help you change the world.

Get Clear, Operations

Before You Build, Get Clear

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Before You Build, Get Clear

AI makes it easier than ever to build, prototype, and automate. It does not make it any less important to think. When the cost of building drops, the cost of building the wrong thing rises. Remember Peter Drucker’s aphorism that ends wtih “… are you doing the right thing?”

That is why a Business System Concept still matters. It helps a team get clear on how the work happens today, what should change and why, which parts of the current process still deserve to exist, and what future-state model is actually worth building toward.

In the latest IntelliVen Insight, we use a simple construction example to illustrate the difference between NOW and NEXT. A descriptive model shows how the organization works today. A normative model defines how it must work to fulfill the mandate. Without both, initiatives multiply but performance does not improve.

Read the full piece here.

Get Clear. Align. Grow.

Governance, Manage to Lead, Operations

Finding the CEO for What Comes Next

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An IntelliVen Insight by Eric Palmer.
AI is not a feature cycle.
It is a reset of SaaS economics.

Eric Palmer, a highly successful Senior Operating Partner with more than 30 years of experience leading private, public, private equity-owned, and venture-backed companies, recently shared what he is seeing across  software businesses.

Eric uses and has contributed to the development of the Manage to Lead Executive Alignment System for Operations and Governance.

His perspective comes from inside boardrooms, executive searches, and portfolio performance reviews. It is direct.

Act 1: What Is Happening Inside PE-Backed SaaS Companies

Across portfolios, three pressures are converging.

Reinvention as AI-first, not AI-augmented

  • Many companies are using AI to optimize what already exists. That feels safe. It preserves roadmaps. It protects org structures.
  • It is not enough.
  • The companies gaining ground are redesigning around AI economics. That requires discontinuous change, not incremental improvement.

Pricing and economic disruption

  • Seat counts are declining. Usage-based economics are rising. AI inclusion without pricing discipline can destroy margin.
  • CFOs want predictability. Customers resist variability. Boards want growth and protection of uFCF.
  • The old SaaS model is under stress.

Bookings uncertainty

  • Buyers are hesitating. Some are delaying category decisions altogether, assuming today’s leaders may not be tomorrow’s.
  • Expansion is harder. Contraction is visible.
  • Incrementalism does not solve this.

Act 2: The CEO This Moment Demands

The traditional SaaS CEO profile is now necessary but insufficient.

Operational excellence. Team building. Customer focus.

All still required.

But the differentiator now is the ability to lead discontinuous change under pressure.

Eric identifies eight characteristics that matter most:

  • Conviction to lead transformation, not manage transition
  • Audacious goals that reorient behavior before the roadmap is complete
  • Ruthless resource reallocation, even mid-cycle
  • Willingness to reconfigure strong legacy leaders
  • AI fluency that reshapes economics, org design, and personal workflow
  • Commercial ownership of the seam between Product and GTM
  • Resilience under sustained, ambiguous pressure
  • Ability to move at board velocity in a PE environment

In his words, some CEOs optimize what is working.

The ones that win are willing to discontinue what is working in order to win what is next.

Eric also points out that AI-first professionals entering the workforce understand the technology. They have urgency. They have ambition.

What most lack are the leadership and management disciplines required to:

  • Align an executive team
  • Govern resource allocation
  • Make hard priority decisions
  • Integrate Product and GTM
  • Drive change across a fully formed organization

Technology fluency alone does not create durable enterprise value.

The missing ingredient is not more AI capability. It is executive alignment around Purpose, priorities, and resource allocation. That is the problem the Manage to Lead Executive Alignment System was built to solve.

AI capability without executive alignment produces motion.
AI capability with alignment produces performance.

The Question for Boards and Investors

  • Are we selecting for transformation or comfort?
  • Is our CEO AI fluent or AI enthusiastic?
  • Can our executive team reallocate resources without waiting for the next planning cycle?
  • Do we have alignment equal to our technical ambition?

The Variable That Determines Value Creation

Valuations are under pressure.

The path back is not cost cutting alone.

It is radical AI-oriented change that:

  • Accelerates productivity and uFCF
  • Increases RPE at unprecedented speed
  • Reinvests gains into top-line expansion

Those that are audacious and aligned will capture disproportionate share.

Some will.

Many will not.

The CEO is the variable.

Read Eric Palmer’s full article:
“Finding the CEO for What Comes Next.”

Grow, People Matters

The Architecture of Resilience: How Early Labor Silences Fear in High-Stakes Leadership

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By: Richard Block

From a very early age, working was a given. It was simply what you did. In reflecting on these early experiences and contrasting them with the lives of my children and grandchildren, I see a significant divide. The loss isn’t just in the paycheck; it is in the “patterns of behavior” that only develop when a young person is forced to confront intensity.

I’ve realized that these jobs did something more than teach me skills…they removed the damaging power of fear. Because I had already faced the “worst” of manual labor and high-pressure environments, I was able to function at a higher level in later life. When intense situations arose, the anxiety that paralyzes others simply wasn’t present.

The Patterns of Performance

  • Systems Thinking (The Paper Route): I learned that a moment of calm preparation prevents hours of frantic, low-quality effort. By rubber-banding my papers before I started, I cut my delivery time in half.
  • The Courage to Pivot (Sorting Eggs): Clearing “crap” off a conveyor belt taught me the visceral feeling of being in the wrong place. This gave me the courage to jump out of the window—literally—and walk away from situations that offered no growth.
  • The Power of Staying (The Dairy Farm): When 17 out of 20 coworkers quit a grueling 3:30 AM milking job, I stayed. I learned that intensity is temporary, and there is a quiet, powerful authority that comes to those who refuse to quit.
  • Negotiating for Value (The Hot Dog Ring): I refused to play football without a scholarship. I held my ground and negotiated a “Presidential Honor Grant” and a hot dog concession. That concession paid for my wife Freya’s wedding ring—we still call it “The Hot Dog Ring.”

Conclusion: The Absence of Fear

Looking back in my 80s, the most valuable product of these jobs wasn’t the money. It was the psychological foundation. By the time I reached the intense stages of my professional career, I was operating with a distinct advantage: a damaging amount of fear simply was not present. When you have already hand-milked cows in the dark or stood on a derrick in a Texas oil field, you don’t panic when the stakes get high. You simply function. These early jobs didn’t just teach me how to work; they taught me how to be calm when the world is in a rush.

Author Bio

With a career spanning over six decades, Richard Block has navigated the complexities of business and leadership by applying the grit and resilience he forged in the oil fields and farms of his youth.  New York-based investor and mentor and former President and Chairman of MeadWestvaco Corp.’s consumer packaging division.  Previously Founder and CEO of Impac and AGI, Inc., an international packaging company. Pioneer of employee empowerment, open office culture, and true transparency.

Featured on the cover of Inc. magazine for his leadership and development of AGI’s corporate culture.

Currently on the Board of Directors of the non-profits Phoenix House, Getting Out and Staying Out, and STEM for Harlem and actively engaged in multiple nonprofits. Richard has a motivation to help individuals (e.g. has visited Rikers Island over 100 times).

Get Aligned, Operations

When there’s no right answer: get input, get commitment, then decide

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Calls about who the team counts on for what are hard. Leaders worry about making valued people feel overlooked or diminished. Direct reports mostly want clarity, fair reasoning, and as much scope and recognition as they can reasonably earn. This post offers a way to handle those tensions: get input one-on-one, secure commitment to support the outcome, then decide and lead alignment.

Before you decide on a consequential call about who the team counts on for what, check in one-on-one with those who will be most impacted. Use these 1x1s to get their best thinking and secure an explicit commitment to support the outcome, whichever way you go. Then decide, own it, and lead everyone to align and execute. Remember: there is no single “right” organization. What works is what your team commits to make work. Don’t chase the perfect answer; make a sound call and then make the call right.

Start each 1×1 by setting context. Explain the decision you have to make and why it matters now. Ask them to set aside self‑interest and give you their best view of what to do and why. Probe for what you may be missing, the main risks, and how they would mitigate them. Listen hard. You are not asking them to decide for you; you are gathering the input you need to make the decision you are accountable to make.

Close every 1×1 with a clear ask for commitment to support whatever you decide. Say plainly that it is your job to decide and that, when you do, you expect full support either way. Make sure they know that support means words and deeds, in the room and outside the room. If they hesitate, stay with it. Surface concerns now, while you can still use them. If after a real conversation they cannot commit, that is useful data about whether they are on this team for this next phase.

After you decide, announce the decision and the reasoning at a level that lets reasonable people understand how you got there. Remind the team of the commitments made in 1x1s. Set the expectation that leaders will be visibly and consistently supportive, especially when they share the decision with their teams. Organizations change best slowly because change is hard on people, so favor steady, incremental moves and keep everyone clear on what is happening, why, and what you need from them. Sometimes it is better to roll out a major change as a series of smaller changes over a longer period.

If support slips, use a three‑step response that matches the moment:

  • First slip: private reset. Meet one-on-one to reaffirm the decision and what support looks like—words and deeds, in the room and outside the room. Ask for explicit recommitment. If they hesitate, stay with it. Surface concerns now, while you can still use them. Leave with a clear “yes.”
  • Second slip: public correction. In the moment and in front of others, restate the decision and the expectation to align. Keep it short, neutral, and firm. Move the conversation back on track.
  • Third slip: in or out. Meet privately, with your inner circle if helpful, and make the choice explicit: be fully in and support the path we chose, or step out. This is about whether they are part of the team that moves forward in a specific way. If not, help them out.

Two mindsets make this work. First, own the call. Do not attribute the decision to advisors, the board, or the market. Once you know, own it. Second, get help without becoming dependent on it. Invite strong input and dissent, and then decide. Disagreement before the decision is input. After the decision, alignment is the standard.

How organizations evolve

Organizations are not fixed. Treat structure and roles as means to an end, and expect them to change as you grow.A short script you can adapt

  • “I need to make this decision. Before I do, give me your best thinking—what do you recommend and why? What am I missing? When I decide, can I count on your full support either way?“
  • “If you can’t commit, tell me now and we’ll address it. After I decide, we speak with one voice and execute.“

Why this works is straightforward. Everyone is heard and treated with respect. Commitment is explicit, not assumed. You show up as decisive and fair. And if misalignment appears, you handle it quickly and cleanly.

Next steps

  • Run the 1x1s. Use the script above. Capture each leader’s recommendation and explicit commitment in writing.
  • Book an IntelliVen workshop for your ELT. A focused 60–90-minute session to practice the Input → Commitment → Decide method on a real decision. Includes prep and a follow‑up plan.
  • Enroll in Manage to Lead (MtL) training. Apply the seven truths and the W‑W‑W framework to your strategy and org design.
  • Share the “How organizations evolve” section with your ELT. Ask each leader to name one risk and one action to support the change.
  • Set a cadence checkpoint. For the next four ELT meetings, include a 10‑minute alignment check on this decision.
  • Want help? Invite IntelliVen to facilitate your first round of 1x1s or the in‑or‑out conversation.

Get Clear. Align. Grow.

Executive Reviews, Get Help, Manage to Lead

Steering Committees: Engaging Stakeholders for Guidance, Commitment, and Growth

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Note: A complementary reading for MtL Module 8 Get Help

Leaders who “get help” know success comes not from going it alone but from surrounding themselves with structures that strengthen thinking, accountability, and action. In Manage to Lead, we emphasize the value of an Accountability Board, Advisory Board, Coach, and Peer Group.

There is another form of outside help that deserves equal attention, especially for initiatives that affect customers, partners, or community stakeholders: the Steering Committee.

What a Steering Committee Is

A steering committee brings together stakeholders who represent the organizations, communities, or customer segments that will be most directly affected by what your organization or initiative produces. Unlike an advisory board, which offers expertise, or a governing board, which ensures accountability, a steering committee co-creates success by helping shape priorities, decisions, and outcomes.

Why Steering Committees Matter

  • They give leaders direct access to the voices of those who will live with the results of decisions.
  • Members often have decision-making authority and access to resources within their own organizations, allowing them to influence adoption, funding, and partnership.
  • They help leaders anticipate resistance, discover alignment opportunities, and stay connected to real-world needs.
  • When members see that their guidance has been heard and acted upon, they become even more committed to the success of the effort—often becoming early adopters, users, and buyers of what is produced.

How Steering Committees Add Value

  • Guidance and Direction: Members provide grounded input, helping leaders avoid blind spots and adjust course before costly mistakes occur.
  • Legitimacy and Endorsement: Their involvement signals credibility to others in the ecosystem.
  • Acceleration: Members help open doors, clear obstacles, and facilitate decisions that move implementation faster.
  • Sustained Alignment: Regular engagement ensures the organization’s goals stay relevant to stakeholder priorities and that everyone is working from a shared picture of success.

How to Form and Manage One

  • Identify six to ten individuals who represent the key stakeholder groups your initiative depends on.
  • Be explicit that their role is to advise and connect, not to manage day-to-day execution.
  • Meet quarterly or at major decision points with focused materials and specific questions.
  • Listen deeply. Summarize and report back on how their input has influenced what you do next—this simple feedback loop builds extraordinary trust and advocacy.
  • Keep the tone collegial, practical, and forward-looking. Participation should feel rewarding and consequential.

How It Fits in the Leader’s Support Structure

Adding a steering committee complements the existing support framework:

  • Accountability Board: Keeps leadership focused on plans, performance, and resources.
  • Advisory Board: Provides wisdom from experienced operators.
  • Coach: Strengthens the leader’s use of self and interpersonal effectiveness.
  • Peer Group: Offers perspective, learning, and accountability from equals.
  • Steering Committee: Connects leadership directly to those who will benefit from, and champion, the organization’s results.

The Payoff

When stakeholders see their fingerprints in your output, they work harder to make it succeed. Their ownership translates into faster adoption, greater influence, and more sustainable results. A well-run steering committee transforms external stakeholders into allies, advocates, and extensions of your leadership team.

Call to Action
As you design your leadership support structure, ask:

“Who outside the organization has the most to gain from our success… and how can we bring them inside the tent?”

Form your steering committee early, engage them often, and show them how their voices shape your outcomes. You will multiply your leadership capacity and set your organization up for enduring success.

Keep Growing with Manage to Lead

Steering committees are one of many ways leaders can expand their impact by bringing others into the process of thinking, managing, and acting strategically. If this approach resonates with you, explore how the Manage to Lead (MtL) System helps organizations like yours:

• Get clear about purpose and priorities.
• Align leadership teams and stakeholders.
• Drive change that sustains performance and growth.

Visit intelliven.com to learn more about the Manage to Lead framework, download tools, or join an upcoming session to practice applying MtL methods to your organization’s real-world challenges.

Get Clear. Align. Grow.