The what..?
The whip in parliament is the person who gets everyone in the room to vote.
Want to know someone who can make things happen? Know the Whip.
A client was introducing a proven way to repair the neurology of kids that had experienced intense childhood trauma to the Government; one of the inventors of the Cochlear implant had created it, and they needed to be in front of three relevant Ministers.
So we went to the Whip. Sorted.
Another client has just upended a decade of being stymied in their family business that turns over circa $32M, by getting their mother out of the Owners room, more on that in a tick..
You’re going the wrong way
Making things happen requires introducing ideas and getting feedback – it’s important, though, be aware that when you ask people, they will generally be critical.
It proves they are smart and they’ve made a contribution. Good for them! I prefer a feedback sandwich myself (that’s where you put the shit in the middle, with something encouraging as the bread wrapper on the way in and out).
And when you introduce an idea, concept, or proposal to middle management, they will criticise it and then pass it UP the chain.
The next level will have to give input – usually critical – and change at least one thing (otherwise, why do they exist?).
Then it goes back down, repeat ad nauseam.
STOP.
You’re going the wrong way.
Don’t start in the middle.
Start at the top. As high as you can go.
The top is who the middle works for.
And you might be in the wrong ROOM
This is a beautifully simple yet powerful concept (aren’t all the best ones?) from Banyan Global.
The Four Rooms: Owners, Board, Management and Family.
Some people can hang out in two or three, though for any reasonably scaled private business, no one should.
When you get this right, Uncle Barry doesn’t turn the board meeting into family therapy, your accountant doesn’t define the impact and legacy your life can amount to, and one of your managers doesn’t derail your strategy because of an HR issue.
The power of it lies in protecting who walks in and out of each door and in having specific communication mechanisms that don’t collapse the structure.
For example, I usually act on behalf of Owners, work with their Boards, have Management implement the projects, and take their Family on the journey.
Last week, I introduced wealth advisors to Owners, suggested a recruiter to Management, discussed strategy with a Board, and checked in on a Family Member.
Defining your rooms and who’s in them is powerful.
If you want to make something big happen
You don’t need;
More meetings.
More data.
A bigger deck.
You need to have the right people in the right rooms, work top-down, and know your whip.
What are you working on that actually needs to move before the end of 2026?
If you want help making it happen, I’ve got 2 spots left in July and August.
Reply to this email or call me on +61 402 017 700.
