Paul,
Good article and thanks for sharing. I like the ideas of focusing on people and culture during the first period and building the brand during the second period. Knowing the people and understanding the culture of an organization are critical in my view to expanding on the brand (assuming one exists already). Leveraging off of the knowledge and experience of the people and the legacy of culture can be a powerful combination to gain trust and inspire others during change in my view. My thoughts on the third period is that this is the time to plan for profitability and sustainable growth by capitalizing on the work done thus far as you well put it. I agree that it is important to set a faster pace in today's business environment and most important that a leader has a plan of action that can communicate a vision and act as a reference during the process. A clear and concise vision and a plan to achieve helps to respect others, build confidence, and in many ways binds the organization together in terms of collaboration and innovation in my opinion.
Best Regards,
Ray