I am starting to plan my exit, but my leadership team is comfortable and does not share my urgency. How do I get them aligned on a multi-year exit preparation plan without signaling that I am abandoning ship?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

You do not need to announce a sale to build urgency; you simply need to align their personal goals with the health and growth of the business. Framing the exit preparation as a mission to build a world-class, self-sustaining organization benefits everyone, regardless of when the transaction occurs.

Start by reviewing your V/TO, specifically your three-year picture and your one-year plan. Frame the operational improvements, such as documenting processes and upgrading systems, as essential steps to achieve your collective scaling goals, not as pre-sale dressing.

To get your team highly motivated, align their incentives with the company's value creation. Introduce performance-based compensation, phantom stock, or key employee stay bonuses that reward them for hitting major milestones. This gives them skin in the game.

When your leaders understand that building a highly efficient, systemized business makes their own jobs easier and increases their earning potential, they will drive the process. You are not abandoning ship; you are upgrading the vessel so it can sail further without you.