A fascinating and critical question for leaders: do you reward behavior or victories? Consider these situations: You have a well-established business model but are concerned that it’s too old and a startup may soon eat your lunch. you fund a new division to build out some adjacent product lines. it gets three to market; two […]
The weapon to win the marketplace wars Strategy is the most significant differentiator in success. When done well, it produces competitive advantages that generate greater profitability. That’s one reason why the importance of strategy cannot be overstated. Not surprisingly, CEOs bear the responsibility for developing and maintaining strategic initiatives for the companies they lead. Savvy […]
Thoughtful, skilled, and caring leaders are the oxygen that keeps businesses alive and breathing. Unfortunately though, there isn’t a formula with which to manufacture great leaders—no mathematical equation or algorithm that assures leadership success. But leadership skills can be learned and improved. Here are seven leadership mantras that form the foundation for business success. MANTRA […]
Todd OrdalTodd coaches CEOs to higher levels of success. He is a former CEO and has led teams as large as 7,000 people. Todd is the author of, Never Kick a Cow Chip On A Hot Day: Real Lessons for Real CEOs and Those Who Want To Be (Morgan James Publishing). Connect with Todd on […]
Random acts don’t equal strategy.
Organizational challenges often have symptoms that don’t readily illuminate the underlying issue. Here is a model to think about.
I was the CEO for several private equity (PE) owned firms and have coached numerous CEOs who worked in PE-owned firms. I’ve encountered wonderful people from PE, but also too many that behave like boorish know-it-alls — the so called “smartest guys in the room” (yup, mostly guys). I’m writing about the latter group. … […]
Direct Communication Requires Practice At the time I wrote this, my kitchen counter was full of ingredients for Thanksgiving dinner. I like to cook, so it was a pleasure to pull it all together. If only potatoes and dressing were good for you. … My mind—perhaps from too much anticipated tryptophan—went from trussing turkey to […]
Turning Good Intentions Into Process If you’re interested in a fascinating and successful culture, click the link below to The Wall Street Journal article in regards to Amazon’s leadership principles. After reading it, c’mon back now, ya hear?! Amazon Has Become America’s CEO Factory Cool — you made it back! Let’s explore a few things… […]
Don’t go beyond the guardrails, but be real! In a recent session with a CEO and his executive team, we discussed personality preferences as they relate to leadership. One member is particularly stoic, yet the CEO is intense and emotional. This question came up: “Is it OK to show emotions?” I’ve heard this query before […]