We are a year away from a planned transaction, and my leadership team is starting to show signs of distraction and fatigue, missing their quarterly Rocks and letting operational metrics slip. How do we maintain execution focus during this high-stress exit runway?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Distraction is a major threat to a successful exit. If your leadership team loses focus and your operational metrics begin to slide, buyers will notice the trend during due diligence and use it as leverage to renegotiate the purchase price.

To prevent this, you must keep your team focused on the day-to-day execution of the business. Maintain a disciplined Meeting Pulse, using your weekly Level 10 Meeting to keep everyone accountable to their Rocks and Scorecard metrics. Do not allow exit preparation tasks to crowd out operational priorities.

Be transparent with your leadership team about the transition and how it aligns with their personal and professional goals. Ensure they understand that their performance during this period is critical to a successful outcome, and that they will be rewarded for keeping the business on track. A focused, aligned team is your best asset during a transaction.