How to Become a Great CEO

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 ...

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Becoming the Best

One of the grandest challenges every executive to front-line manager faces is optimizing human potential.  In today’s fast paced, every changing business environment, fueling exceptional performance requires well-honed skills and a never-ending commitment to providing positive energy to those we lead.

How then can impact leaders influence other’s performance?  Before offering a simple yet not simplistic solution, here are a few “old school” approaches to flush down the toilet.

Expecting Respect – Respect has always and will forever be earned.  Peer-to-peer or ...

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The Best of Both

“A true leader is determined not by the number of followers one has, a true leader is determined by the number of leaders one creates.”

“A true sales professional is determined not by the number of customers one has, a true sales professional is determined by the number of relationships one creates.”

Yes, metrics matter. Yet, over a successful career, what is most admired in highly successful professionals is the positive influence they have on other people’s lives. As we grow professionally ...

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Don’t Become An Uber

Much has been written about building a strong sustainable business.  Intellectually understanding a prescription for success is easy.  Actually doing the work is not.

Travis Kalanick’s recent fall from grace as CEO of Uber is yet another prime example of how arrogance and omnipotence can quickly cripple a leader’s efforts to succeed.

With the amazing amount of technological, economic and generational change currently occurring in organizations there are a number of key principles we might internalize to avoid becoming another corporate casualty.

First, ...

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Be a Miracle Maker

You have to love Dreamers. Those that see the word for all it can be vs. what currently exists.

You have to love Doers even more. They see the summit of the metaphorical mountain and succeed in ascending.

The difference between Dreaming and Doing is instrumental in achieving true success in business and life.

Some believe that only a few are chosen. In fact, all are give the choice but few follow through.

What can mere mortals do to create lives others simply aspire ...

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It’s That Time!

Mirror mirror on the wall, which is the fairest in our industry after all?

Following a lengthy pause the image of a wise old man with a long white beard appeared in the reflection. The CEO was stunned at what he saw but utterly shocked when the image began to speak to him in a patient and loving tone.

“Compare yourself and your company to no other,” the wise man shared. “Instead seek only to know your numbers and always work to ...

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Warning, It’s Day 1

Warning:

The following information may upset some CEOs, Business Owners and C-Suite Executives. The views expressed may or may not be worth considering. Simply understand your business is being impacted. How you chose to act going forward is your decision. Simply know this – it is always DAY 1 at Amazon.

 

This is a two-part message.  The first section is Amazon’s letter to shareholders for year-end 2016.  The second section is Amazon’s letter to shareholders ...

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Building Future Leaders

If stagnant growth, uncertainty in global economic policy or the seemingly endless disruptive competitive threats are not keeping business owners, CEOs and executive teams a bit on edge, here is one more MONUMENTAL shift that executives must master. Building Future Leaders. More specifically, building future leaders that can think strategically and execute with precision.

Much has been written about the millennial generation and their “unique” needs. The dilemma many current C-Suite members face is how to best groom these up and ...

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Spit It Out

The “flavor of the month” will NOT transform your business or your team. Spit out the “pill” no matter how many sensational claims are being made.

If you would like to radically improve your business here are the three levels of mastery required.   Be forewarned, the concepts are easy to understand yet require discipline and time to execute.

  • Mastery of the Marketplace – An intimate understanding of your customers/clients, competitors and potential changes that may impact revenue and profits
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Six Strategy Secrets

Building a company without a strategy is like building a custom-built house without a blueprint. Your “carpenters” (employees) can pound nails all day long but the owner / CEO will likely not like the finished product. Worse, if the executive team is not aligned, is it any wonder desired results fail to materialize?

Here are six startling statistics specific to strategy execution.

1.  87% of Strategy Plans Don’t Work – According to a leading global management-consulting firm; the large majority of companies ...

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