Due Diligence Interviews

Question 1

Due Diligence Themes

Answer 1

1. What has been accomplished?
2. What is the biggest problem?
3. What is the greatest strategic opportunity?
4. How do things work around here in order to bring about change?

Question 2

What has been accomplished?

Answer 2

1. What milestones have been achieved?
2. What challenges were overcome?
3. What lessons were learned that will make your organization stronger going forward?
4. What talent and resources have been secured for the future?

Question 3

What is the biggest problem?

Answer 3

1. What’s going well? What’s not going well?
2. Is your company growing profitably or not?
3. Are you pretending the brand is strong when it is really weak?
4. Does your strategic positioning fit with yesterday, but not today or tomorrow?
5. Are members of the executive team in love with our products, but blind to something else?

Question 4

What is your greatest strategic opportunity?

Answer 4

1. What is the biggest issue or problem your organization or industry is facing?
2. What’s happening in the environment? What is coming next?
3. What possibilities are you willing to declare open?
4. Where is the openning to transform that possibility into a concrete opportunity?

Question 5

How do things work around here?

Answer 5

1. Are you aware of any unspoken agreements that might hinder any new initiatives?
2. What suggestions, if any, do you have about how to get the boss’s buy in?
3. Do you recommend a big strategic plan or small wins approach?
4. How does the boss tend to react to bad news?
5. Has anyone that you know of ever been fired or censored for speaking their mind or discussing the undiscussable?