Creating a successful organization in the midst of change. Inspiring productivity in a turbulent business environment

Helping CEOs lead effectively, in spite of unprecedented challenges, was the focus of Jay Holstine’s CEO peer group. The Dallas-based Vistage group, comprised of 18 leaders from non-competing industries, selects expert speakers, gathers to glean new ideas, and discusses strategies with each other.

“Our workshops feature lively discussions on new data, emerging trends, innovative practices and technologies, and a shared wisdom among our CEO peer group,” Holstine said. 

“Members recently shared some of their best ways of advancing efficiency, in order to direct capital to areas where it can provide strategic growth options, and increase enterprise value. Cross-functional IT integration was a topic that gathered a lot of interest,” Holstine said.

“Our member CEOs shared that the digital integration across functions is helping their companies gain productivity well beyond simply improving each department individually,” Holstine shared. 

“One of members relayed that this is bringing her companies a variety of improvements.  She said that the optimization of their operations systems is turning out to be more than just automating routine work. Most of their routine interactions are able to be simplified, and mistake-proofed, across several levels, from orders and communications, to incorporating logistics, and expediting deliveries,” Holstine said.  

“At the workshop, our members also discussed how integrating areas of IT were actually helping to coordinate planning, customer requirements and supply chain. One CEO shared that their company was able to offload assets like warehouses, transportation fleets, and IT servers, and see the benefits of digitalization helping to optimize their overall business models,” Jay Holstine added.

“Members agreed that these types of improvements in productivity are even more instrumental to growth, than simple cost cutting. The tools for IT integration are now so much more affordable, that companies are investing in it to stay competitive,” Holstine said.

“The consensus was that these types of improvements are among the factors that can really enhance enterprise value. And this can improve a company’s ability to get funding for expansion with outside capital. Being able to show successive quarters of improvement inspires potential investors and buyers, and demonstrates that these efficiencies are sustainable, and not merely tactics for transaction-related gains,” Jay Holstine shared.

“These are just a few of the topics our group comes together to analyze and discuss. While this meeting  identified and compared some of the best efficiencies that fit each CEO company, many of the workshops delve into positioning the CEOs’ organizations for future challenges, a changing workforce, new technologies and innovative opportunities. Each of our members understands and cares about the success of the other members’ companies, and they depend on the shared wisdom, new research data, and practical experience of our peer group to help their companies succeed,” Holstine shared.

Accomplished CEO Coach, Jay Holstine

As a chair with Vistage Worldwide in the Dallas, Jay Holstine meets with his members once a month providing a one-to-one session to discuss issues, opportunities, and business strategy. The one-to-one drives the purpose and focus of the overall Vistage experience.

Previously Jay Holstine served as managing director of Compass Advisory Consultants where he worked closely with early-stage startups to advise them on strategic go-forward plans, governance, building teams, key talent acquisition, board presentations, raising investment capital, and building scalable structures that led to 30% of companies being successfully exited.