CPO PLAYBOOK isn’t your typical business podcast. Hosted by Felicia Shakiba—Korn Ferry executive coach and fixer of high-stakes people problems—we tackle the stuff that keeps founders, investors, and execs up at night. From leadership blind spots to messy M&As, scaling headaches to culture chaos—we don’t just talk about business, we solve it. Guests? Think PepsiCo, SoftBank, Harvard, Reddit, Valentino, Adidas, Stanford, and MCM Capital—aka the folks shaping global markets and billion-dollar bets. If you like your insights bold, your leadership sharper, and your strategy with a side of “why didn’t anyone tell me this sooner?”—hit subscribe. This is your competitive edge, one episode at a time.
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CPO PLAYBOOK isn’t your typical business podcast. Hosted by Felicia Shakiba—Korn Ferry executive coach and fixer of high-stakes people problems—we tackle the stuff that keeps founders, investors, and execs up at night. From leadership blind spots to messy M&As, scaling headaches to culture chaos—we don’t just talk about business, we solve it. Guests? Think PepsiCo, SoftBank, Harvard, Reddit, Valentino, Adidas, Stanford, and MCM Capital—aka the folks shaping global markets and billion-dollar bets. If you like your insights bold, your leadership sharper, and your strategy with a side of “why didn’t anyone tell me this sooner?”—hit subscribe. This is your competitive edge, one episode at a time.
88 How Private Equity Shares Equity to Motivate Employees
CPO PLAYBOOK with Felicia Shakiba
39 minutes
1 week ago
88 How Private Equity Shares Equity to Motivate Employees
When private equity enters the picture, alignment becomes everything. But how do you keep employees motivated through uncertainty? Start with equity.
Former private equity backed CEO Adam Coffey explains how incentive equity—not just stock options—can drive performance, increase retention, and turn employees into value creators. Whether you’re leading through a merger, scaling a business, or navigating cultural change, equity can be your secret weapon—if you structure it right.
You’ll learn:
• Why equity is more powerful than bonuses
• How to design incentive plans that actually motivate
• The biggest mistakes leaders make when sharing equity
• What PE firms get right—and wrong—about employee alignment
• Why culture, transparency, and communication still matter most
This is your blueprint for using equity to fuel engagement, ownership, and long-term success—especially in high-stakes environments like private equity.
Chapters:
00:00 The Challenge of Alignment in Private Equity
11:24 Cultural Missteps and Leadership Alignment
18:52 Incentivizing Employees for Success
25:49 Navigating Challenges and Maintaining Alignment
31:28 The Role of Communication in Leadership
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CPO PLAYBOOK with Felicia Shakiba
CPO PLAYBOOK isn’t your typical business podcast. Hosted by Felicia Shakiba—Korn Ferry executive coach and fixer of high-stakes people problems—we tackle the stuff that keeps founders, investors, and execs up at night. From leadership blind spots to messy M&As, scaling headaches to culture chaos—we don’t just talk about business, we solve it. Guests? Think PepsiCo, SoftBank, Harvard, Reddit, Valentino, Adidas, Stanford, and MCM Capital—aka the folks shaping global markets and billion-dollar bets. If you like your insights bold, your leadership sharper, and your strategy with a side of “why didn’t anyone tell me this sooner?”—hit subscribe. This is your competitive edge, one episode at a time.