How to be a better CEO | Issue #205
Eleven proven ways to become a better CEO
Open your diary and look through the last week. What do you see? Is it crammed with the day-to-day running and management of your company? Is that how you see your role as CEO?
An interesting shift in mindset needs to happen when you become a leader. It’s something we discuss with our clients. As they grasp what we’re saying, we see realisation light up their eyes and stress drop away from their shoulders. It’s about their perception of their job as CEO and seeing it differently. ‘Your job is not to get your team to finish their work’, we tell them. ‘It’s to make yourself redundant’.
From a CEO’s perspective, this means making yourself redundant from the day-to-day running and management of the company. How can you put yourself in a position where none of this is you so that you can focus on being a better CEO?
Here are some tips based on my years as MD of three fast-growing businesses.
Why Leading from the Heart is Better for Business with Mark C Crowley
Leading from the heart is the secret to high-performing teams and financial success, says leadership speaker, consultant, change agent for workplace engagement and culture, and author of ‘Lead From The Heart’, Mark C Crowley.
Mark has spent 25 years leading teams in the financial services industry to record-breaking sales and profitability performance by focussing his leadership on the most authentic driver of human engagement – emotional connection.
So, how do you lead from the heart? How do you connect with employees and redefine your employee proposition?
In this episode of The Melting Pot, Mark reveals why he advocates for leading from the heart, he shares a few simple ways that leaders can lead from the heart, and explains why, 11 years on, the Second Edition of his book is coming out.
Recommended Podcasts
During these times, we are all having to find new ways to connect. Join Simon Sinek every week as he talks with people that inspire him, about love, life, leadership, and silver linings. The hope is that we all leave with something we need these days… A Bit of Optimism.
Recommended Articles
The Hidden Power of Workplace Rituals
Leaders are under enormous pressure to address societal issues, maintain an active DEI strategy, and keep employees connected to each other and to the company’s mission. And since employees rightly expect to be able to bring their feelings — big and small — to work, supporting employees during cultural trauma and strife is every leader’s job.
5 Ways Managers Can Stop Employee Turnover
People may give many reasons for leaving a job. Unrealistic expectations. Excessive workload. Lack of flexibility. Unfair pay. But perhaps the biggest reason for employee turnover may be that there was no manager trying to keep them there.
6 Reasons Why Annual Performance Reviews Don’t Work
No one, not even managers, look forward to annual performance reviews. In fact, only 5 percent of managers are satisfied with them. And this comes as no surprise—annual performance reviews are nerve wracking and awkward for all parties involved.
Recommended Reads
From thought leader Brené Brown, a transformative new vision for the way we lead, love, work, parent, and educate that teaches us the power of vulnerability. Every day we experience the uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposure that define what it means to be vulnerable or to dare greatly. Based on twelve years of pioneering research, Brené Brown PhD, MSW, dispels the cultural myth that vulnerability is weakness and argues that it is, in truth, our most accurate measure of courage. Brown explains how vulnerability is both the core of difficult emotions like fear, grief, and disappointment, and the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, empathy, innovation, and creativity. She writes: “When we shut ourselves off from vulnerability, we distance ourselves from the experiences that bring purpose and meaning to our lives.
Lead From The Heart by Mark C. Crowley
Our common belief in business is that the heart has no place in workplace management. In fact, most of us were taught that the heart acts like Kryptonite in leadership: it inherently undermines a manager’s effectiveness – and lowers productivity and profitability. In this stunning and groundbreaking work, however, leadership and engagement expert, Mark C. Crowley, provides irrefutable proof that we were wrong. Crowley’s profound insight draws upon recent medical science discoveries which prove it’s the heart, not the mind, that drives human motivation and achievement. There’s nothing soft about Lead From The Heart. It represents the future of workplace management and a roadmap to driving uncommon engagement, productivity and profitability.
News From The Farm
Rescheduled: CEO Bootcamp with Verne Harnish and Dominic Monkhouse
Limited to 10 CEOs and their #2s, a new and extremely valuable opportunity to spend small group time with the author of Scaling Up, Verne Harnish for three intense days of learning, sharing, and fun at the unspoiled and elegant, Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, near Bath (UK).
Work one-on-one with Verne, and get exclusive access to his network and knowledge to help you achieve a major leap in your business.
Join us from 28th-31st March, 2023
Get access now
MEANINGFUL ACTION FOR MONDAY
Think about how to turn the pricing model to get a competitive advantage
A conversation with a client last week reminded me of the importance of being clear on what drives your economic engine. In their case, it’s monthly recurring revenue. They’re a Cloud business close to a $50m run rate, and they’re still growing 100% yearly. Traditionally, people would charge for consulting as professional services in their space, but they do this for free to drive their monthly recurring revenue. They’re growing 3x faster than their competitors by working out what to charge for and what not to make prices a competitive advantage. And that is helping them stand out in the market. They came late, but now they’re the largest in their market after only three years. So they’ve completely turned the market on its head in three years, and nobody has copied their pricing model.
And in case you think they aren’t making any money, they’re making a 25% EBITDA margin on their $50m.
Webinar: Leading for Happiness – 6th September, 4 PM (BST)
Managing a team isn’t easy, but all the evidence shows that if you can build a happy team then everything goes better. Happy teams are more collaborative, creative and productive. They are also much less stressful to manage.
But how do you build happy successful teams?
Nic Marks, renowned statistician and happiness expert, will explore the evidence as well as offer insights, tips and guidance for leaders of teams big and small.
Scale Up Workshop with Dominic Monkhouse – 15th November
What’s your biggest challenge? People? Strategy? Or is it sales? We’re offering 6 seats at our next in-person Scale Up Workshop. And one of them is for you. Access Dominic Monkhouse’s expertise and wealth of knowledge during an intensive half-day. You’ll be challenged to think differently and leave with fresh perspectives and ideas to apply to your business from the next day.
Join Dominic on Tuesday, 15th November in the New Forest (UK).
Quote of the week
“Imagine you have a startup and hear about a new startup with smart, dedicated founders that’s going to compete with you. Are you most nervous if they are: fully remote, in person 3 days a week, or fully in-person? Over 61% rather fear the in-person team!”
Sam Altman, Y Combinator President
Dominic Monkhouse
Dominic offers business coaching and management development, strategy planning and organisational change, using tried and tested methods to launch your organisation onto an unparalleled growth trajectory. His programme is a function of his broad experience, his deep expertise and a proven process used by over 2,700 firms worldwide.