A few years ago, I was asked to participate with 13 other businesswomen in a unique fundraiser for iDE Canada. We committed to a 12-week training program consisting of 3 Days of Fitness Training and 3 Days of Technical Boxing Training per week. We were asked to trust the process. While we were at it, we were each asked to raise $5000. At the end of the 12 weeks, we were paired up, and we competed in a real Manitoba Boxing Association-sanctioned Boxing Match in front of a crowd of 300 people with music, lights, and an Elvis style announcer! Lisa “Badda Boom” Cefali was in the building!
We were promised one thing: if we committed to the process of ITC (In this Corner) Boxing Trainers' rollout, we would be ready for our bout. I was told it would be the longest three minutes of my life! Yes, they needed my commitment to this event, but even more so, they needed my commitment to the process. As in many aspects of life, we wanted to move as fast as possible and reach the end goal. We wanted to box before we could walk. However, ITC outlined the process and patiently guided us through each step to achieve the best possible outcome without overwhelming us.
The process was tough. We faced different, unexpected opponents, realizing that some were simply bigger, stronger, and better than others! At times, it felt like we were taking punches with no progress. Some days, believing in the process, ourselves, and our skills was hard.
At Blackwood, we also follow a very diligent process when working with each enterprising family, for the same reasons. A disciplined process with full participation in each step is the only way to achieve the best outcome. The Blackwood Process starts in comprehensive discovery, where we listen to learn about your family's unique dynamics. Together, we explore the values driving your family and work collaboratively to develop a vision that honours your values. Once aligned, we help you plan a path forward to deliver on your goals.
Believing in the process and participating wholeheartedly is important for every family member. It is an opportunity for each member to have a voice. There will be conflicting ideas. There will be good and bad days. Sometimes, it takes longer than one would like. But ultimately, the goal for each family is to be prepared for the next stage.
When families navigate succession, sale, expansion, or division, family alignment in the future vision is especially critical. As a Blackwood Senior Advisor, I use my experience in executive search to uncover those attributes that provide the best organizational fit for enterprise succession, helping family members understand where they best fit in the evolving enterprise. I also know that I can call on the rest of the Blackwood team, each with our own unique expertise, to ensure our enterprising families are aligned and prepared to navigate the next challenge.
On the day of my boxing match, I was prepared. Fight night arrived, and the trainers were right. The bout was hard, exhilarating, and challenging. Getting there was just as hard, exhilarating, and challenging!
I had put in the time and effort, asked the questions, learned, and was mentally and physically prepared for the fight. I believed in the process, and I was well-coached. Did I win? In 12 weeks, I stepped into an actual boxing ring for a fight and helped raise over $100,000 for iDE-Canada, which improves sanitation in developing countries.
Everyone won.
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