To Our Members, Advisors, and Friends,

When changing dynamics in the global marketplace suddenly render the leadership rulebook out-of-date, the value of G100 Network comes alive in new ways for our members.

During the 2008-2009 financial meltdown and subsequent recession, G100 solidified its position as one of the few resources that CEOs could turn to for immediate, pragmatic, and experienced advice and ideas.

A little over a decade later, as these extraordinary times of disruption and uncertainty shake all industries and geographies, we find that—yet again—the impact of shared experiences and collective wisdom knows no bounds. Composed of over 250 companies and more than 500 executives, G100 Network is a strong community of powerful “listening posts” for leaders. Over the past several weeks, we have seen increased engagement across all of our groups. Members have turned to us seeking outside perspective as this unprecedented crisis puts even the most experienced leadership teams in new territory.

In response to the sudden increase in member demand for peer interaction during COVID-19, we moved quickly to leverage technology and our expansive leadership network to provide our members with frequent, direct access to each other and to expert advice:

• Each of our groups now convene weekly member discussions via video, providing timely, “must-have” intelligence to support agile decision-making. Discussions address immediate issues such as: “When should I institute work-from-home for my company and how?” “How do I balance the safety of my workers with the needs of my business?” “How do I lead teams and manage customer relationships in a dispersed environment?” We’re also addressing strategic issues such as: “How are other key areas of the economy managing demand, capital, risk?” “How do I adapt my company’s strategy during the crisis and for the post-crisis marketplace?” Even during this time of tremendous demand on executives, over 90% of our members attend these weekly calls. Our past and upcoming digital sessions across all of our key programs can be accessed here.
• We've quickly identified short-term skills gaps where leaders need to develop new capabilities, fast. For example, Retired General Stanley McChrystal joined each group’s call to share insights on leading teams through a crisis in a dispersed environment; IBM CHRO Diane Gherson offered perspective on planning a company’s “back to work scenario;” and two days after suspending its season, the NBA’s COO and Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum unpacked that decision, the planning leading up to it, and the back-to-business scenario-planning for his cohort of G100 Next Generation Leaders. For maximum relevance, each conversation has been organized in a week or less, based on audience feedback and the changing environment, leveraging our ready relationships with our community.
• We’re launching a curated one-to-one, peer-to-peer connection program. “Never pay tuition twice” is a G100 mantra. Often the toughest questions can only be answered by a peer at another company facing the same challenge. During the past four weeks, our teams developed and piloted a “Peer Expert” service to curate mutually beneficial conversations between members. For example, we connected two CEOs—one whose company had supply of a difficult-to-source material and the other whose company needed to manufacture personal protective gear for medical professionals; we connected two senior leaders from manufacturing companies for a conversation about managing workforces who can’t work from home; we’ve connected food companies to discuss how to manage the sudden surge in demand; and we’ve introduced two hospital CEOs to one another, one in New York and one in the Midwest, to share best practices in preparing for the crisis in their hospitals. Making these peer-to-peer connections has always been core to the G100 mission.
• We’re building the new toolkit for leaders. The one certain result of the COVID-19 crisis is that the job description, the skills, and the personal traits required of leaders has changed for the long term. G100 began developing materials and convening skills-based sessions on what will change for those leading teams, dealing with shareholders and navigating board relationships, both during the crisis and after the crisis subsides. We’re also careful to address the complete needs of the leader, with conversations on personal resilience during times of crisis.

G100 views this as a time to know our members better. To engage. To deepen and broaden our value proposition. Based on the initial response we’ve seen—in participation, in engagement, in offers to provide mutual support, and in the feedback we’ve received on how to improve—we’re confident we’re on the right track.

Please continue to stay healthy, resilient, and informed as we forge ahead.

Sincerely,

Scott Miller

CEO, G100 Companies