As the giving thanks season is fast approaching, it is timely to share some wonderful insights barrowed from Adam Bryant’s piece recently published in the New York Times.
Bryant, having interviewed 525 chief executives over many years as part of his Corner Office column shared a number of great perspectives. I’ll provide my spin on a few of the true gems.
Becoming a successful executive takes a lot of really hard work. Integrating these nuggets into one’s personal leadership style will most assuredly assist in scaling the metaphorical mountain of success.
- Demonstrate “Applied Curiosity” – Strong executives question things. They want to understand how things work and improve upon them. They are very interested in other people and what makes them tick
- Discomfort is Comfortable – Great executives love the challenge. They put themselves in difficult situations and enjoy solving big problems
- Doing Great Now – Exceptional executives are focused on the moment. They are less concerned about their next role vs. doing what is required NOW and doing it well
- Delve into the Paradox – Self-aware executives know what they don’t know, but can constructively act amid chaos and ambiguity. They care deeply for others but are willing to let people go if they are holding the team back. They operate with urgency yet exemplify patience as others find their way
- Demonstrate Trustworthiness – Followers passionately follow because they trust their leader
- Define Culture Through Character – The world is filled with smart people. There are far fewer extremely tenacious character imbued souls that are committed to taking full accountability for who they are and willingly put in the time and effort to help others become exceptional. To build a truly amazing organization, care must be taken to hire well, set principled parameters for performance and hold people appropriately accountable
- Don’t Discount Luck – Yep, timing, chemistry and other “coincidental” circumstances can and do play into one’s success. The lesson? Be open to every opportunity. You never know what might turn up
It is no surprise one of the most important decisions executives must make is to hire right. Bringing on executive talent is critical to long-term success. By clearly aligning the corporate culture with a positive and skilled potential executive, good things will come.
Speaking Events
Performance Optimization 3.0
“Accelerating Success in the Age of Disruption”
Disrupt HR Orange County
Wednesday November 16, 2017
UCI Applied Innovation
Irvine, CA
5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Boom, Bust, Boom – 7 Steps to Building a Booming Business
Private CEO and Business Owner Event
Thursday January 11, 2018
The Center Club
Irvine, CA
7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Boom, Bust, Boom – 7 Steps to Building a Booming Business
Private CEO and Business Owner Event
Thursday February 8, 2018
The Center Club
Irvine, CA
7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
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