BCBusiness

42 BCBusiness NOVEMBER 2015 isTOck position and that of the new CEO could become blurry." Hoggan believes that Telus could have been more upfront about its misstep with Natale, admitting candidly what went wrong in order to alleviate uncertainties about the com- pany's succession planning. However, what ties a compa- ny's hands in these cases are nondisclosure agreements, he notes. "When dealing with human relations issues, there are lots of sensitivities and privacy issues and things that you can't talk about—even though you want to—and that can in²uence what is said pub- licly or not." Now, of course, both ships are in new hands— or rather, old-new hands: former UBC president Martha Piper (1997³2006) has regained control of Canada's fourth-largest university for a one-year term as UBC's board searches for a permanent placement, while at Telus, ex- CEO Darren Entwistle (2000³2014) is back in his old chair for what he promises is a "long-term basis," quieting succes- sion talk for the foresee- able future. Wexler says that Entwistle's return as CEO was the perfect antidote to any concerns Natale's departure might have raised about company man- agement. "Investors will love it," he says. "In the midst of urgency, you want one deci- sion maker." The challenge at UBC is greater. Julie¢ Caf ley, vice- president of the Public Policy Forum in Ottawa, who has studied public sector gover- nance, says the university should take advantage of the year ahead to do a "signiˆcant governance review." At the end of its soul search- ing, UBC should be ready to ensure that the new president will have the strong backing of the board and executive in order to prevent another "derailment." Perched at the top of the ivory tower, a president can get pretty lonely, says Ca²ey, and it's in the interests of all stakeholders—the board of governors, executive, faculty and even ex-presidents—to ensure the leader doesn't become even more isolated than he or she already is. And that, she says, is a lesson for any organization of UBC's size. o matter how nice the weather is in B.C., you can usually count on it turning bad eventually. Unfortunately for many in the province's ski industry, recent winters have been too glori- ously sunny to bring the snowfall they rely on to make money (another warm and dry B.C. winter is projected for this year). Skier visits to Whistler Blackcomb, for instance, fell nine per cent last winter because not enough snow fell on its slopes. And yet the all-season resort's total revenue grew by 1.6 per cent compared to the previous ski season— thanks to its ability to attract more non-skiers and earn more from each visitor. The resort is promoting its Peak2Peak Gondola to sightseers, upgrading its restaurants and getting a head start on summer activi- ties like hiking when the snow disappears early. Consultant Terry Dillon says leaders need to plan and prepare for hardships that real or metaphorical storms can bring. "Fundamentally, when it comes down to it, it's about asking the questions and being truly honest about the unthinkable before," he says. "Because if you don't do that, you've got absolutely no chance of being prepared." —Dee Hon of the ivory tower, a president can get pretty lonely, and it's in the interests of all stakeholders–the board of governors, executive, faculty and even ex-presidents– to ensure the leader doesn't become even more isolated than he or she already is

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