Strive not only for high performance in your role but also to leave your organization, employees, and the world better than you found them, guided by a deep sense of purpose.
Understand the business at a granular level, ‘where the rubber meets the road,’ to ensure that decisions made at the top are implementable and the intent of the strategy is not lost in execution.
Always go deep into the details of a business or problem to understand it from the ground level, then zoom out to identify strategic gaps or opportunities, and continuously cycle between these perspectives.
Recognize that a strategy is only valid if it is implementable; therefore, deeply understand the necessary changes to people, processes, and incentive structures to enable its successful execution.
As a leader, always give credit for successes to your team, acknowledging their efforts, and take full blame for failures, providing air cover and empowering your people.
Deliver feedback with a combination of toughness, kindness, and clarity, directly addressing areas for improvement while also celebrating successes, outlining a path for progress, and offering support to help individuals achieve their potential.
Approach learning with humility, asking those on the front line to teach you the intricacies of the business, as people appreciate the opportunity to share their knowledge and expertise.
Never assume data is unavailable; instead, persistently dig and triangulate information from multiple, often unconventional, sources to develop comprehensive hypotheses and insights.
Avoid dogmatism in strategic direction; instead, be prepared to ‘zag’ and adapt your strategy when the external environment changes, even if it means reversing previous decisions, always prioritizing what is right for the company.
Make decisions by thoroughly reviewing data, combining it with experience and intuition, and crucially, incorporating extensive input and diverse points of view from your teams and other counselors.
Focus on identifying and removing friction points within organizations to facilitate change and progress, rather than solely relying on force or mandates.
During a crisis, delve into the root cause details, collaborate on a comprehensive plan, and then communicate honestly and calmly to employees and the public, projecting control while focusing on performance.
Consider taking risky opportunities, especially those that may not present themselves again, even if it means leaving a safe path, as it can lead to significant personal and professional growth.
View failure as a crucial learning opportunity; analyze what went wrong, adapt, and move forward without letting setbacks deter your progress.
Recognize that as you become more senior in an organization, you must continuously earn your position, as there is an ‘up or out’ dynamic where subordinates are ready to push you out if you don’t.
Strive for excellence in all tasks, continuously push yourself, avoid idleness, and always deliver on promises, viewing commitments as non-negotiable unless physically unable.
View talent development from a ’nice, selfish way,’ allowing high-potential individuals to gain diverse experiences elsewhere with the intent of bringing them back, or honestly guiding those with limited internal runway to better external opportunities.
Recognize individuals who prioritize the company’s well-being by volunteering for challenging tasks, taking accountability for failures, and proactively seeking improvements rather than solely focusing on personal advancement.
Understand the political dynamics within an organization to navigate effectively, but refrain from meddling, playing, or gossiping about politics, as engaging in such behavior makes you a negative force.
Actively fight bureaucracy by constantly monitoring productivity, spans, and layers with scorecards, and by setting reasonably stretched goals that encourage efficiency and discourage unnecessary expansion.
Consciously separate your professional identity and status from your personal roles at home, recognizing that while your professional role is replaceable, your family roles are unique and require your full presence.
Accept that achieving ‘balance’ across multiple demanding roles is unrealistic; instead, focus on ‘juggling’ responsibilities, prioritizing the most critical tasks each day to prevent significant failures.
Recognize that pursuing ambitious career goals, especially with family responsibilities, requires significant personal sacrifices and a willingness to give up some desired personal activities.
Build a robust support structure, including a supportive spouse and, if possible, hired help, to manage household responsibilities and childcare, enabling focus on demanding professional roles.
Identify and leverage your natural cognitive strengths, such as a strong memory or speed reading, to efficiently process large volumes of information, especially when juggling multiple demanding roles.
As a new CEO, proactively reset team dynamics to ensure direct reports understand they are working for you, not merely as carryovers from the previous leadership, fostering loyalty and a fresh start.
Believe that an outgoing CEO should not remain on the company’s board, as their presence can limit the new CEO’s autonomy and ability to steer the company in a new direction.
Clearly differentiate the roles of CEO and board member; as a board member, act as one among peers, provide direction and governance without micromanaging, and reflect on whether your board behavior would have been appreciated as a CEO.
Recognize that the success of an acquisition hinges primarily on effective post-merger integration, focusing on extracting synergies, building a unified culture, and smoothly absorbing the acquired company.
When acquiring a company, respect and actively work to preserve its unique culture, especially in the initial integration phases, to ensure a smoother transition and maintain its core strengths.
Actively check unconscious biases to ensure a true meritocracy, drawing from the entire talent pool based on competence and potential, rather than preconceived notions about gender, race, or background.
Proactively identify and remove barriers to success for diverse talent, intervening when unconscious biases manifest as disrespectful behavior (e.g., interrupting, eye-rolling), to protect confidence and foster an inclusive environment.
When reviewing performance appraisals, especially for diverse talent, challenge vague or ‘ineffable’ reasons for limited potential, demanding concrete evidence and deeper discussion to avoid bias.
When deeply passionate about a project or outcome, openly express that passion and push teams rigorously for the absolute best results, even if it means rejecting work multiple times, to achieve company-benefiting brilliance.
Broaden design thinking beyond mere aesthetics or shelf appeal to encompass the entire consumer journey, considering every touchpoint from shopping and storage to consumption and disposal.
Leverage the unique access of the ‘CEO club’ to proactively reach out to other CEOs, learning from their experiences and insights, even by observing their daily routines or store tours.
Foster an organizational culture of extreme customer obsession, constantly striving to improve customers’ lives, lower costs, and enhance service, as seen in companies like Amazon.
Actively combat the natural tendency towards hierarchy and bureaucracy by maintaining a ‘day-one’ hustle culture, encouraging entrepreneurial spirit, hunger, and a willingness to challenge norms, regardless of company size.
When confronted by activist investors, treat their proposals as a ‘free consulting report,’ respectfully analyzing their ideas to identify any valuable insights that could benefit the company’s strategy.
Recognize the importance of in-person interaction at the workplace for understanding company culture, fostering collaboration, and developing people, as it’s difficult to replicate fully remotely.
If choosing to work remotely, be prepared to accept that promotional opportunities and career advancement may be limited compared to those who work in the office, especially in team-oriented corporate environments.
Understand the business at its most granular level, focusing on small cost savings or efficiencies (the ‘right side of the decimal’), as these micro-pennies accumulate to significantly impact overall profitability.
When setting ambitious goals, don’t just dictate targets; instead, engage with the front line to understand the practical steps, challenges, and support needed to achieve the goal, demonstrating a commitment to help them succeed.