4 Things That Set Successful CEOs Apart
In conducting an analysis of in-depth assessments of 17,000 executives, the authors uncovered a large disconnect between what directors think makes for an ideal CEO and what actually leads to high performance.
^ADJ: Before I read this article, I took a stab that execution would be one of the traits (so many strategies and time spent on strategy only to acheive nothing), the others may surprise you. If interested in this more, a good book would be: CEO Excellence written by some McKinsey partners.
What I have been reading
Been on holiday this week, and have been determined to use some of my down time for purpose. Finished this week:
Lead from the Future (Johnson & Suskewicz) This was my favourite book I read this week, based on Readwise Highlights, super useful for thinking about strategy, it also nicely outlines the importance of operating with different levels of thinking are we 1. Improving the game, 2. Changing the game or 3. Creating a new game.
On the Psychology of Military Incompetence (Dixon) book covers off some of the all time military disasters, and captures nicely some thinking behind why it happened other than the obvious. I read the book thinking that it could equally explain Government department incompetence, but why as leaders we make sub optimal choices and how to avoid. Two big takeaways, i) proactively look for signals that underlying assumptions could be wrong, and ii) connect with your troops so that you get on the ground intelligence not just what get filtered up.
Culture Renovation (Kevin Oakes) some good lessons on how to build company culture.
When they win, You Win (Russ Laraway) I am a big fan of Laraway this is a good book for those are new to people Management and those that need a reminder, he keeps it simple ….
The Invincible Company This is a great book giving examples of strategic moves made by companies that we can identify with Apple, Toyota etc (and some companies that I was not as familiar with) and putting it into a framework / template that you can use within your own business. Super useful, and I read it in conjunction with the HBR Guide to Setting Your Strategy.
We Drastically Underestimate the Importance of Brain Breaks
^ADJ: I have found recently that if I take breaks in between reading, that my overall consumption rate is higher, this article may explain why.
‘Significant breakthrough’: This new sea salt battery has 4 times the capacity of lithium
^ADJ: You might be wondering why I included this article, to put it simply a good reminder that competition and scarcity of resource will inevitably move down the resource cost / performance / price curve, and thus change how we think something is going to play out - example in this case, the case for Hydrogen as a fuel source.
Want to be a better leader? Observe more and react less …
This is hard work, it is so much easier to react and move on, some good thinking in this series of McKinsey articles.
An IDEO Recruiter’s 3 Strategies for Writing a Better Resume
In my career advising days, I’d tell job seekers that one of the most important spaces they will occupy is only 8.5 inches wide by 11 inches long—or about 21 by 28 centimeters for our friends outside of the US. Trying to capture yourself, your experience, and your potential in one-to-two pages is hard. It’s often the first introduction companies have to you. As with any space, there are ways to make it feel empty and impersonal, or crowded and noisy. Luckily, there are also ways to create a page that is welcoming, clean, and easy to navigate, too.
^ADJ: I love the so what test! I remember first seeing it a number of years ago when Hayley Addison (founder of Addison Clothing) sent in her CV - it was exactly this, I have this experience, skills and this is why it matters to IT Partners.