I’m writing this column five days after the news was officially announced about a change in the senior-most management structure at Luxottica Group. This included, as I hope you know by now, the departure of Andrea Guerra, after 10 years as CEO, and the establishment of a new executive leadership committee, headed by company founder and chairman, Leonardo Del Vecchio, and the formation of a new approach to a co-CEO management at the top, including long-term exec, Enrico Cavatorta, in one of these roles, with a new co-CEO of markets to be named very soon.

Interestingly, just a few days after this rather momentous change at that most influential of eyewear companies, The New York Times reported that Michael Bloomberg, most recently, the three-term Mayor of New York City, would return to the helm of Bloomberg, LLC, the financial and media company that he founded, and that he would take on an executive role again there.

The two developments certainly underscore the pivotal role and company cultural influences that entrepreneurial founders take on at their companies. Their re-emergence, whether short-term, long-term, or somewhere in between after a span of not-active presence, preceded by long-time and now-again active roles, will be, to say the least, interesting to watch, as we all consider how much those mega-businesses have changed in the past 10+ years or so. And, as those businesses move themselves forward into a minute-by-minute changing competitive business landscape.

But the size and scope of Luxottica and Bloomberg are only part of the story. To me, one of the more interesting issues is to re-examine the role of entrepreneurial leaders at all size businesses. And, to recognize that the spirit, discerning eye and, yes, company “vision” of a founder is often critical to the way any company, high-street or main street, moves forward in the business world.

The success from the top of any organization, whether independent eyecare practice, multi-office group or regional retail operation, is meaningful if its leaders can reinforce a clear vision, recognize their strengths as well as what they don’t know, inspire change, establish standards and motivate their teams to move ahead. n

maxelrad@jobson.com