Every business will eventually face leadership transitions. Whether key people retire, pursue new opportunities or become unable to do their job, your business must maintain continuity. Often, smooth transitions depend on “bench strength.” This refers to the depth of employees prepared to step into critical roles. Developing this internal talent pool is one of the most effective ways to support your succession plan and protect your organization’s stability and well-being.

Why it matters

Succession plans are only as strong as the individuals available to carry them out. Many organizations identify successors for specific positions. But what if a designated successor leaves your business or is unable to assume the role when needed? Bench strength enhances flexibility by preparing multiple employees to step into critical roles as circumstances change.

Cultivating your bench can reduce the risk of operational disruptions and help preserve institutional knowledge. Instead of launching a time-consuming external search if a vacancy arises, your business can promote qualified employees who already understand your culture, customers and strategic priorities. Internal promotions often accelerate leadership transitions while reassuring employees that advancement opportunities exist within your organization.

Deeper talent pool

To build bench strength, start by identifying promising employees and assessing potential leadership gaps. Regular performance reviews can help you evaluate employees’ skills, career aspirations and readiness for future roles. At the same time, examine upcoming organizational needs and determine which positions are essential for your business’s long-term success.

Leadership training, mentoring programs, cross-functional projects and job rotations can help employees gain experience beyond their current responsibilities. For example, a high-performing sales manager might be asked to lead a companywide initiative. A finance leader might participate in strategic planning discussions. These experiences broaden skills and prepare staffers for leadership responsibilities.

Connecting the two

Bench strength and succession planning are closely related, but they generally serve different purposes. Succession planning focuses on identifying and preparing specific individuals for key leadership positions. Bench strength, by contrast, emphasizes maintaining a broader pool of employees who can fill roles as business needs evolve.

The most resilient organizations integrate both activities. Your succession plan should ensure your business has qualified successors for critical leadership positions. Strong bench strength, meanwhile, provides the flexibility to respond to unexpected departures, organizational growth and changing market conditions. Together, these strategies help reduce talent gaps and support long-term business continuity.

Move forward confidently

Leadership transitions are inevitable, but disruption doesn’t have to be. Organizations that consistently develop internal talent are better positioned to manage change and maintain stability. When leadership transitions become necessary, a strong bench allows your business to move forward confidently, knowing capable successors are ready to step in and lead. For help building your bench and planning for succession, contact us.

© 2026

We’ve reached a point where artificial intelligence (AI) offers functionality and enhancements to most businesses. Yours may be able to use it to streamline operations, improve customer interactions or uncover growth opportunities. However, getting the max benefit calls for doing much more than jumping on the bandwagon. To make this technology truly work for your company, you’ve got to develop a comprehensive AI strategy that aligns with your overall strategic plan. Identify your needs Many businesses waste resources, both financial and otherwise, by hastily investing in AI without thoroughly considering whether and how the tools they purchase effectively address specific needs. Before spending anything — or any more — sit down with your leadership team and ask key questions such as: What strategic problems are we trying to solve? Are there repetitive tasks draining employees’ time and energy? Could we use data more effectively to guide business decisions? The key is to narrow down specific challenges or goals to actionable ways that AI can help. For example, if your staff spends too much time manually sorting and answering relatively straightforward customer inquiries, a simple AI chatbot might ease their workload and free them up for more productive activities. Or if forecasting demand is a struggle, AI-driven analytics may help you develop a clearer picture of future sales opportunities. Be strategic As you develop an AI strategy, insist on targeted and scalable investments. In other words, as mentioned, prospective solutions must fulfill specified needs. However, they also need to be able to grow with your business. In addition, consider whether the AI tools you’re evaluating suit your budget, have reliable support and will integrate well with your current systems. Don’t ignore the tax implications either. The recently passed One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act has enhanced depreciation-related tax breaks that AI software may qualify for if you buy it outright. Provide proper training Training is another piece of the puzzle that often goes missing when businesses try to implement AI. Earlier this year, the Pew Research Center published the results of an October 2024 survey of more than 5,200 employed U.S. adults. Although 51% of respondents reported they’d received extra training at work, only 24% of that group said the training was related to AI. This would seem to indicate that AI-specific training isn’t exactly commonplace. Make sure to build this component into your strategy. Proper training will help ensure a smoother adoption of each tool and increase your odds of a solid return on investment. As you provide it, also ease employee concerns about job loss or disruption. That same Pew Research Center survey found that 52% of workers who responded are worried about the future impact of AI in the workplace. You may want to help your staff understand how the technology will support their work, not replace it. Measure and adjust As is the case with any investment, every AI tool you procure — whether buying it or signing up for a subscription — should deliver results that justify its expense. While shopping for and rolling out a new solution, clearly establish how you’ll measure success. Major factors may include time saved, customer satisfaction and revenue growth. Once a solution is in place, don’t hesitate to make adjustments if something isn’t working. This may involve providing further training to users or limiting the use of an AI tool until you gain a better understanding of it. If you’re using a subscription-based solution, you may be able to cancel it early. However, first check the contract terms to determine whether you’d suffer negative consequences such as a substantial termination fee or immediate loss of data. Account for everything There’s no doubt that AI has a lot to offer today’s small to midsize businesses. Unfortunately, it can also be overwhelming and financially costly if you’re not careful about choosing and implementing solutions. We can help you develop an AI strategy that accounts for costs, tax impact and return on investment. © 2025

 

Companies should take a holistic approach to cybersecurity

Today’s businesses have two broad choices regarding cybersecurity: wait for something bad to happen and react to it, or proactively address the threat. Not surprisingly, we recommend the latter approach. The grim truth is cyberattacks are no longer only an information technology (IT) issue. They pose a serious risk to every level and function of a business. That’s why your company should take a holistic approach to cybersecurity. Let’s look at a few ways to put this into practice. Start with leadership Fighting the many cyberthreats currently out there calls for leadership. However, it’s critical not to place sole responsibility for cybersecurity on one person, if possible. If your company has grown to include a wider executive team, delegate responsibilities pertinent to each person’s position. For example, a midsize or larger business might do something like this: The CEO approves and leads the business’s overall cybersecurity strategy, The CFO oversees cybersecurity spending and helps identify key financial data, The COO handles how to integrate cybersecurity measures into daily operations, The CTO manages IT infrastructure to maintain and strengthen cybersecurity, and The CIO supervises the management of data access and storage. To be clear, this is just one example. The specifics of delegation will depend on factors such as the size, structure and strengths of your leadership team. Small business owners can turn to professional advisors for help. Classify data assets Another critical aspect of cybersecurity is properly identifying and classifying data assets. Typically, the more difficult data is to find and label, the greater the risk that it will be accidentally shared or discovered by a particularly invasive hacker. For instance, assets such as Social Security, bank account and credit card numbers are pretty obvious to spot and hide behind firewalls. However, strategic financial projections and many other types of intellectual property may not be clearly labeled and, thus, left insufficiently protected. The most straightforward way to identify all such assets is to conduct a data audit. This is a systematic evaluation of your business’s sources, flow, quality and management practices related to its data. Bigger companies may be able to perform one internally, but many small to midsize businesses turn to consultants. Regularly performed company-wide data audits keep you current on what you must protect. And from there, you can prudently invest in the right cybersecurity solutions. Report, train and test Because cyberattacks can occur by tricking any employee, whether entry-level or C-suite, it’s critical to: Ensure all incidents are reported. Set up at least one mechanism for employees to report suspected cybersecurity incidents. Many businesses simply have a dedicated email for this purpose. You could also implement a phone hotline or an online portal. Train, retrain and upskill continuously. It’s a simple fact: The better trained the workforce, the harder it is for cybercriminals to victimize the company. This starts with thoroughly training new hires on your cybersecurity policies and procedures. But don’t stop there — retrain employees regularly to keep them sharp and vigilant. As much as possible, upskill your staff as well. This means helping them acquire new skills and knowledge in addition to what they already have. Test staff regularly. You may think you’ve adequately trained your employees, but you’ll never really know unless you test them. Among the most common ways to do so is to intentionally send them a phony email to see how many of them identify it as a phishing attempt. Of course, phishing isn’t the only type of cyberattack out there. So, develop other testing methods appropriate to your company’s operations and data assets. These could include pop quizzes, role-playing exercises and incident-response drills. Spend wisely Unfortunately, just about every business must now allocate a percentage of its operating budget to cybersecurity. To get an optimal return on that investment, be sure you’re protecting all of your company, not just certain parts of it. Let us help you identify, organize and analyze all your technology costs. © 2025

 

To get the most from any team, its leader must establish a productive rapport with each member. Of course, that’s easier said than done if you own a company with scores or hundreds of workers. Still, it’s critical for business owners to make “the leadership connection” with their employees.

Simply put, the leadership connection is an authentic bond between you and your staff. When it exists, employees feel like they genuinely know you — if not literally, then at least in the sense of having a positive impression of your personality, values and vision. Here are four ways to build and strengthen the leadership connection with your workforce.

1. Listen and share

Today’s employees want more than just equitable compensation and benefits. They want a voice. To that end, set up an old-fashioned suggestion box or perhaps a more contemporary email address or website portal for staff to share concerns and ask questions.

You can directly reply to queries with broad implications. Meanwhile, other executives or managers can handle questions specific to a given department or position. Choose communication channels thoughtfully. For example, you might share answers through company-wide emails or make them a feature of an internal newsletter or blog. Video messages can also be effective.

2. Stage formal get-togethers

Although leaders at every level need to be careful about calling too many meetings, there’s still value in getting everyone together in one place in real time. At least once a year, consider holding a “town hall” meeting where:

• The entire company gathers to hear you (and perhaps others) present on the state of the business, and
• Anyone can ask a question and have it answered (or receive a promise for an answer soon).

Town hall meetings are a good venue for discussing the company’s financial performance and establishing expectations for the immediate future.

You could even take it to the next level by organizing a company retreat. One of these events may not be feasible for businesses with bigger workforces. However, many small businesses organize off-site retreats so everyone can get better acquainted and explore strategic ideas.

3. Make appearances

Meetings are useful, but they shouldn’t be the only time staff see you. Interact with them in other ways as well. Make regular visits to each unit, department or facility of your business. Give managers a chance to speak with you candidly. Sit in on meetings; ask and answer questions.

By doing so, you may gather ideas for eliminating costly redundancies and inefficiencies. Maybe you’ll even find inspiration for your next big strategic move. Best of all, employees will likely get a morale boost from seeing you take an active interest in their corners of the company.

4. Have fun and celebrate

All work and no play makes business owners look dull and distant. Remember, employees want to get to know you as a person, at least a little bit. Show positivity and a sense of humor. Share appropriate personal interests, such as sports or caring for pets, in measured amounts.

Above all, don’t neglect to celebrate your business’s successes. Be enthusiastic about hitting sales numbers or achieving growth targets. Recognize the achievements of others — not just on the executive team but throughout the company. Give shout-outs to staff members on their birthdays and work anniversaries.

It’s all about trust

At the end of the day, the leadership connection is all about building trust. The greater your employees’ trust in you, the more loyal, engaged and productive they’ll likely be. We can help you measure your business’s productivity and evaluate workforce development costs.

© 2025