CEO Think: Blog
How A Company’s Founder Steered Its Culture Back On Course
In 2011, Jeffrey Glazer was handed a rare opportunity: the chance to once again lead the company he had founded 26 years earlier. Like a parent whose wayward adult child moves back home, Glazer saw things he didn’t like. Glazer decided he had to alter the culture fast, and he did so by rebuilding his senior leadership team, promoting talent inside the organization, putting his new team in charge of several dozen big accounts, and not expecting mindsets to change overnight. READ MORE >
The CEO’s Biggest Ally for Building an Amazing Executive Team
Building leadership teams is most successful as a team sport. High-performance leadership teams don’t necessarily materialize after highly talented executives are recruited, and they don’t necessarily evolve as team members get to know one another. Instead, a great top team is designed, recruited, fine-tuned and upgraded.
Too Much Entrepreneurialism Can Be a Bad Thing
Startup companies that thrive react to a new market opportunity at lightning speed, long before big, established companies even recognize what’s happening.
Why A Strong External Bench Of Executive Talent Is As Crucial As An Internal One
Nearly every midsized company talks about the need to build a strong bench of internal candidates for the top management team. I agree: nothing is better than home-grown talent. However, sometimes a candidate isn’t ready to be promoted and the company simply cannot wait. In those cases, recruiting is the only option but that alternative can be rife with risk.
Private Company Boards: Powerful or Painful?
Many closely held companies don’t have a functioning board at all. Investor-backed private companies usually have boards, but many are dysfunctional, neither helping management perform at higher levels nor managing risk.
How To Turn Yourself into an Expert
Too many managers and leaders spend all their time and effort using what they already know to help their company. That sounds like a good thing, and it is in the short term. The problem is that soon the company grows, and needs new ideas and solutions. The manager who has not anticipated this and has not grown their own knowledge base is less able to help their company. That’s bad for the company and bad for their career. This article gives specific, practical steps for any manager or executive to put themselves on a self-guided learning program.
Fire Well: How To Avoid Wrongful Termination And Employment Discrimination Lawsuits
Become a pro at firing executives. You won’t brag about it at parties, but your company will be stronger and wealthier for it!
You Are Not Doomed to Lead Alone
Finding great leaders to join your company is required. Keeping the dysfunctional ones will kill your growth.
Comcast’s PR Nightmare Can Befall Midsized Companies: Your Company Could Be Next
Be afraid! Many growing midsized companies are at risk for a PR disaster like Comcast’s if they underinvest in operations. Last-minute rush-job hiring, poor training and the pressure of a growing company can combine into operational meltdowns.
Never Leave Internal Communications To Chance In Midsized Companies
Some companies overdose on meetings, others fail to communicate enough to accomplish crucial projects. But nearly all employees and leaders in midsized companies feel they can do better at internal communications.
Robert Sher is founding principal of CEO to CEO, a consulting firm of former chief executives that improves the leadership infrastructure of midsized companies seeking to accelerate their performance. He was chief executive of Bentley Publishing Group from 1984 to 2006 and steered the firm to become a leading player in its industry (decorative art publishing).