So, there I was, driving and listening to a recording from a conference that was done in 2000 (YES, 18 YEARS AGO!) and I found a presentation given by today’s guest, Dr. Linda Henman.   I got so excited about the subject that she was sharing that, as soon as I got home, I found her, called her and asked her to be on the show!  Dr. Henman had the opportunity to interview 130+ of the Prisoners of War that were held in the “Hanoi Hilton” during the Viet Nam war during her Doctoral dissertation and she shares some of the research she did with them for us THIS WEEK!.  I know research can sound dull but, trust me, it’s not and you’re in for a metric buttload (technical term) of awesome information on this week’s show….so awesome, in fact, that is destined to make a difference for you and your team (or your money back!).  Grab a pad and paper, you’re going to want to take notes!

More on Linda…

Dr. Linda Henman, the Decision Catalyst®, is one of those rare experts who can say she’s an advisor, consultant, speaker, and author. For more than 35 years, she has worked with senior leaders in mid-sized companies that have revenues of about $30 million and with executives of very large companies that gross more than $30 billion, like Tyson Foods.  In fact, Linda was one of eight succession planning experts who worked directly with John Tyson after his company’s acquisition of International Beef Products, one of the most successful acquisitions of the 21st century.

In all cases, Linda helps those in the C-suite make decisions they have to get right because they just can’t afford to get them wrong. Executives like John Tyson hire her to help make sure a merger or acquisition goes smoothly. Or, the board of directors might hire Linda to help them select a new CEO, or a senior leader might need Linda’s help in formulating an aggressive growth strategy.

In her more than 35 years in business, she has never had a deal fail. That means her clients made money after the M & A deal; the CEO she recommended stayed in place and succeeded; and the growth strategy helped the company expand as much as they aspired to.

Linda owes her success to her ability to influence the pivotal decisions that ultimately explain a company’s success. For example, too often leaders approach an M & A deal from a technical perspective, forgetting that people and culture clashes will often cause a deal’s deminse. Or, when selecting a new CEO, the current CEO often hires a clone, even if the company of the future will need someone significantly different. Or, when setting strategy, too often companies do more of what they’ve always done, which seldom works either.

Linda takes a different approach. By combining her experience as an organizational consultant with her advanced education in business and psychology, she offers her clients solutions that are pragmatic in their approach and sound in their foundation. She also belongs to the Air Force Association and the Million Dollar Consultants’ Hall of Fame, and she holds the numerous certifications, including the Director of Professionalism, a designation given by the National Association of Corporate Directions.

Linda authored the following:

• The Magnetic Boss: How to Become the Leader No One Wants to Leave, which Washington University and Texas A & M use in their curriculums,
• Landing in the Executive Chair, released by Career Press in 2011,
• Challenge the Ordinary, published by Career Press published in 2014,
• Co-authored Alan Weiss on Consulting in 2013.
• Tough Calls: How to Move Beyond Indecision and Good Intentions, published by Business Expert Press, 2017
• Edited two editions of Small Group Communication: Theory and Practice.

She has also written peer-reviewed, published articles for trade magazines. Additionally, she contributes regularly to CEO Magazine and Corporate Compliance Insights. She lives in St. Louis, MO and can be reached at www.henmanperformancegroup.com.