The floor is lava
When I was little, we played this game in the house on rainy days, jumping from one piece of furniture to the next without touching the floor. You were safe as long as you didn’t step on the carpet, which in our imaginations wasn't carpet at all but lava! The last two weeks have felt like a non-stop game of The Floor is Lava for nearly everyone I’ve spoken to. Parents of school age children have been clinging to their hopes of what is safe and normal and have had to quickly accept a modified schedule (online learning, hybrid learning, etc.) for their children. This experience is taking a huge toll on parents and employer morale, productivity, and peace of mind.
Wait. This is hard.
Let’s take a deep breath (masks on please) and listen to the wise words of Cindy Solomon, Founder and President of the Courageous Institute. I had the great privilege of hearing her speak to the Women’s Leadership Exchange on Courage in Crisis last week. Here are some of Cindy’s axioms for behaving and leading through the crisis:
- Understand that the time we are living in is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.
- Quit waiting to go back to normal.
- Change your perspective; we can’t keep acting like we did the first 4-6 weeks of the lockdown.
- Reset your assumptions. Take on the mind of the beginner and believe that all things are possible.
- Celebrate every success and then replicate it.
- If you have meetings on your calendar that don’t drive you or move you to your goals, decline them. Courage is saying no.
And the president is...
We’re adding a new feature to our Friday letter! Meet the members of Loyola's Family Business Board by way of their answers to The Proust Questionnaire. First up, our indefatigable board chair, Rebecca Sasser Peterson.
- What is your full name, company name, generation, and roles in your family business?
Rebecca Sasser Peterson, G4. My family business is Sasser Family Companies. My roles: Lead Director of Sasser Family Council and member of the Governance Committee. I'm also a member of the Education Committee within the Sasser Family Council as well as the Onboarding Committee for our 5th generation members. - What is the size of your company?
$250M - $1B - What year did you join the FBC board and what is your current role?
I joined in 2019. Roles: board chair and I'm on the membership committee. - How long has your family and company been a member of Loyola Family Business Center?
Since 2008. - Why is family business important?
Family businesses are the heartbeat of our society and provide consistent values-centered employment for so many people in our communities. For a family, being a part of a tradition of stewardship can connect us through our generations; it can be very powerful to know that you're a part of something that started a century ago. - Which living person do you most admire?
Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Her fight and quiet but powerful reasoning inspires me every day. - What do you consider your greatest achievement?
In our pandemic life right now I consider each day an achievement. Otherwise, I would say making it a third of the way through a house full of teenagers. - Which family ancestor or family figure do you most admire and/or identify with and why?
My grandmother, Doris Sasser, was a bit of a force within the family, but she was fiercely protective of her "sphere," whether it was blood relative or company 'family' and that is something I admire. - What would you like FBC members to know about you?
My favorite FBC event is the Women's Event every February.
The secret handshake
Loyola Members are incredibly generous in sharing their wisdom and experience with one another. This week we’d like to tip our hats to cousins and owners, Dan Costello (CEO) and Nick Perrino (COO) of Home Run Inn Pizza, for stepping into the Next Generation Leadership Institute classroom. Nick and Dan shared their personal story of leading and managing the business and family through a transition, organizational change, and a COVID-pressured increase in market demand. THANK YOU GENTLEMEN!
Come learn with us
We have reworked our transformational Institutes for dynamic and interactive live, online delivery. Each new class will launch in October. Call or email me if you’d like to discuss fit or content. For now, check out the information in the links below.
- Governance Institute Kick-off
October 5-6 or 8-9, 2020
The Governance Institute is tailored to help you build and improve your board and to train you to be an effective director. - Next Gen Leadership Institute Kick-off
October 16-17, 2020
Join the next class! This program is designed for 25-45 year olds who are currently in managerial roles and on track to assume top leadership positions in their family business. - Family Business Stewardship Institute Kick-off
October 21-22, 2020
Enroll today! The Stewardship Institute prepares family business owners, shareholders, and stakeholders (including non-owner spouses and future owners) for effective stewardship of their family enterprise.
Crossing the crisis: COVID-19 global family business study
Join us on Wednesday, September 2nd for an engaging webinar. Gain insights from the latest research based on 1000 family businesses from around the world. Learn about the practices that they are adopting in response to COVID-19 and what’s considered ‘best practice’ as they prepare for future crises. Register here for this free webinar
Sing in your car. The acoustics are awesome!
Many of us will keep working and learning from our homes. Here’s a song that will make you feel good about it (skip the opening ad and get right to the music!).
Thank you all for what you are doing. At home, at work, for your families, and employees. This is the long march and we are with you. If you register for Andrew’s September 2nd webinar, you’ll hear how fellow family businesses from all over the world are coping and sometimes thriving.
Until then, we’d love to hear from you. Please write or give us a call!
