I often joke that my work is made possible because candor needs to be outsourced. CEOs have a problem getting a decent quantity of quality feedback. For new CEOs, this feedback issue is compounded by what I call the “honeymoon effect.” Further, a new CEO will have new direct reports, but won’t yet have built […]
What Is a Listening Tour? A listening tour is an extremely valuable tool for any new CEO (or any leader, for that matter). It involves meeting with a wide variety of people from many levels of your company. It helps you understand “the lay of the land” at your company. More specifically, it helps you: […]
Eight years ago, I received a call from a CHRO who confided in me that my client (a new CEO) was doing a very poor job of inspiring the troops. She concluded with this statement: “He’s not making meaning for employees.” I thought it was a brilliant insight into one of the key roles a […]
In October 2017, HBR published a study by the London School of Economics about how CEOs spend their time. It was yet another attempt to answer the question: “What are the best habits of high-performing CEOs?” While I question the methodology used to compile the data, there are three findings with which I agree (paraphrased): […]
New CEO—you can boost your company’s stock price with this single action. I know, it sounds like clickbait, but let’s look at the research and take stock of an important lesson. Based on a 2015 study of 900 publicly traded companies, researchers at the University of Oxford Saïd Business School found that new CEOs can […]
Type: Exercise Topic: Time Management Time: One hour or less Benefits: Allows you to better manage the stress associated with excessive travel. Affords you the opportunity to take charge of planning for key events like board meetings, earnings calls, investor meetings, and leadership retreats. There will always be more demands on a CEO’s time than […]