Abelardo Perches on Navigating Strategic Change in a Family Business

As someone leading a transformation at a family-owned company, the job can sometimes feel burdensome, as you get caught up in day-to-day activities, challenges, and conflicts. I was really looking for an opportunity to step back, take a break, and gain skills and frameworks from the best in order to see the problem differently. The amazing faculty and the opportunity to work through my business challenge with a group of global executives were extremely appealing, as it would provide me with a diverse set of perspectives to open my mind and help me approach this transformation more effectively.

The Leading Strategic Growth and Change program helped me realize that leading change in an organization must be a people-centric effort. No matter how strategic, organized, or analytical you are about the necessity of change, you need to properly manage stakeholders across the organization to successfully drive transformation. The strategy sessions and exercises were extremely useful in helping me define the fundamentals of the transformation, which should focus on redefining the business model through innovation and with an emphasis on flexibility and adaptability.

The frameworks were incredibly helpful in providing a structured and methodical way to analyze our current situation and shift focus accordingly. I found it insightful that they were designed to guide, without becoming overly rigid, always emphasizing the importance of keeping our organizations flexible and agile. The team sessions were also extremely valuable. My teammates had similar challenges, but in very different contexts across the globe. The diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and company dynamics really helped me think differently about my case. Every day, we worked together to move each other’s thinking forward.

The frameworks were incredibly helpful in providing a structured and methodical way to analyze our current situation and shift focus accordingly. I found it insightful that they were designed to guide, without becoming overly rigid, always emphasizing the importance of keeping our organizations flexible and agile. The team sessions were also extremely valuable. My teammates had similar challenges, but in very different contexts across the globe. The diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and company dynamics really helped me think differently about my case. Every day, we worked together to move each other’s thinking forward.

Rita McGrath has this rare ability to make complex concepts simple and memorable. Her articulation of “transient advantage” crystallized what I’ve been sensing as a leader in development finance — that traditional competitive moats are eroding faster, and agility is the new edge. Her sessions pushed us to ask better questions and challenge default assumptions.

My leadership style and approach to my case have definitely evolved after the Leading Strategic Growth and Change program. Through discussions with peers and faculty, I realized how narrow my perspective had become; I was frustrated by recurring issues and overly focused on obstacles. The frameworks I gained helped me completely redesign my transformation plan: I made it more structured, redefined its impact, and ensured it remained flexible. Now that I’m back at work, I approach discussions with my team more openly and encourage them to challenge the status quo. I’ve focused on building the internal capabilities needed to empower the team, and in doing so, I’m helping create a more flexible, innovative organization.

If you have questions about the program or are interested in enrolling or sponsoring someone in your organization, please don’t hesitate to contact Cristina Ordonez at cristina.ordonez@gsb.columbia.edu.