In the CEO Afterlife

NOVEMBER 18, 2013

For retired executives considering returning to the fast lanes, I offer 7 insights from my experience. But as an acting C-suite executive, I managed to stick to proven leadership and strategic principles while seeking the technical counsel of others in execution. You’ve still got the juice. Strategically, you are in the game.

Human Resources 148

Human Resources CEO Mentor Resistance 148

In the CEO Afterlife

MAY 23, 2011

We bring good things to life lasted from 1981 until 2004 with a changing of GE’s executive guard. " Second are the ones that require great executions like "Just Do It" Yours is a very good list. As you rightly point out, 'Just Do It' required great executive to achieve such status.

Brand 196

Brand CEO Marketing Proposal 196

In the CEO Afterlife

MAY 13, 2012

Superb strategy and execution comes from the people within the enterprise. Provide perspective and input to the long-term business. Provide strategic direction to managemen. Identify risk and monitor mitigation. I’m suggesting this addition. Foster a culture that creates value.

Competitive Advantage 268

Competitive Advantage Long-term CEO Strategy 268

In the CEO Afterlife

OCTOBER 7, 2013

Today, there’s a venerable list of female executives who have shattered that glass and gone on to illustrious careers as successful CEOs. The demands on C-suite executives have never been so challenging. That was two decades ago. One might think the likes of Melissa Mayer (Yahoo!), Don’t expect to see relief any time soon.

Diversity 200

Diversity Mentor Human Resources Human Capital 200

In the CEO Afterlife

NOVEMBER 13, 2017

But the longer we talked, the focal point of Peter’s story evolved into a tale of how I went about re-inventing myself from my former life as a business executive. Many chief executives face this challenge. Of leaving the executive suite he writes, “I felt an ominous and inexplicable separation from the world.

CEO 100

CEO Golden Parachute Books Brand 100

In the CEO Afterlife

NOVEMBER 13, 2017

But the longer we talked, the focal point of Peter’s story evolved into a tale of how I went about re-inventing myself from my former life as a business executive. Many chief executives face this challenge. Of leaving the executive suite he writes, “I felt an ominous and inexplicable separation from the world.

CEO 100

CEO Golden Parachute Books Brand 100

In the CEO Afterlife

OCTOBER 30, 2011

You’d think executives from the same organization would offer the same responses. Even though most senior executives know that being all things to all people is the roadmap to disaster, they can’t seem to help themselves. Executing the strategy requires the discipline to stay the course and not give in to non-strategic temptation.

Strategy 234

Strategy CEO Marketing Strategy Human Resources 234

In the CEO Afterlife

MARCH 20, 2012

Great strategy and great execution comes from the people within the enterprise. Provide strategic direction to management. Identify risk and monitor mitigation. I’m suggesting an addition. Foster a healthy corporate culture that creates value. Cultures conducive to inspiring individuals and teams are the ones that deliver superior results.

Competitive Advantage 250

Competitive Advantage Long-term CEO Ethics 250

In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 8, 2012

I’d suggest hearing aids for the executives of BP, AT&T, Bank of America, American Airlines, and Charter Communications (cable TV provider). While the speed of a snail is the most common knock against big company bureaucracy, there are several other similarities between the species. Snails can’t hear.

Company 212

Company Bureaucracy Airlines Banking 212

In the CEO Afterlife

JUNE 4, 2012

I’ve met both over my long career as an executive, a consultant, and a board member. Strategists and Strategic Planners may read the same periodicals and have similar destinations in mind, but there is a difference between the two. Strategic Planners, at the outset, are disadvantaged by the definition of their role.

Strategic Planning 221

Strategic Planning Document Competitive Advantage Consultative 221

In the CEO Afterlife

SEPTEMBER 6, 2011

The advice proved excellent, and for the rest of my days in the corner office I was joined at the hip with an outstanding finance executive who is now the CFO of Lindt & Sprüngli , the world’s leading chocolatier. An adept HR executive is the CEO’s window.

CEO 162

CEO CFO Human Resources Real Estate 162

In the CEO Afterlife

DECEMBER 27, 2014

Let’s assume that you work in an overly complex business environment and complexity is crippling decision-making, curtailing execution, and savaging the culture. Most of them will emerge from the goal definition exercise. Play out the “What if.” Start with “what if there was no complexity?”

Constraint 200

Constraint Human Resources Marketing Strategy Short-term 200

In the CEO Afterlife

NOVEMBER 8, 2017

He became an excellent stone sculptor and a much happier man than he ever was in the executive suite. But the notion of artistic discovery inspired my former boss. He embarked on creating life-size, caricature stone sculptures of people he knew. You could see it in his eyes whenever he spoke of his work and his eagerness to improve.

CEO 145

CEO Golden Parachute Entrepreneur Politics 145

In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 28, 2012

These executive contributors dealt with the situations differently, and their unique approaches broadened my horizons. But shortly after rising to the corporate throne, people and culture became my mantra. Dispute Resolution. Each HBR issue included the views of guest contributors who tackled sticky, hyopethical scenarios posed by the editor.

Mentor 228

Mentor Advertorial Kotter Hamel 228

In the CEO Afterlife

OCTOBER 23, 2011

I’ve posed these questions to hundreds of senior executives. You’d think I’d get similar answers from the executives who work in the same company. Consider these basic strategic questions: What business are we in? What will we sell? To whom will we sell? Think again.

Strategy 250

Strategy CEO Human Resources Brand 250

In the CEO Afterlife

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

Companies, large and small, cannot survive without great leadership, sound strategy and flawless execution. The times have changed, but the tools that determine success or failure have not. Those that thrive, go a step further; they worship innovation and breathe culture.

Hammer 258

Hammer Teamwork Middle Management Creativity 258

In the CEO Afterlife

JANUARY 20, 2014

Let’s assume that you work in an overly complex business environment and complexity is crippling decision-making, curtailing execution, and savaging the culture. Most of them will emerge from the goal definition exercise. Play out the “What if.” Start with “what if there was no complexity?”

Constraint 185

Constraint Human Resources Crisis Management Short-term 185

In the CEO Afterlife

MARCH 21, 2016

They understand the risk of each play, but unlike chessmen, they sacrifice strategic contemplation and negotiation to establish themselves as nimble paragons of tireless execution. Business leaders of the poker ilk value quick, prudent, and confident decision-making.

Company 145

Company Brand Competitive Advantage Retail 145

In the CEO Afterlife

DECEMBER 21, 2011

As for the executives who run Fender and Gibson, I’ll give them this: These folks are the luckiest global brand marketers on the planet. In other words, they benefit from indirect celebrity endorsement. Buddy Holly, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Roy Orbison and Chet Atkins are all gone but Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana and B.B.

Company 248

Company Brand Price Globalization 248

In the CEO Afterlife

JANUARY 30, 2012

They were winning, feeling confident, secure and staying the strategic course they’d developed, communicated and executed from day 1 of the season. Now compare that mentality to that of the 49er’s Jim Harbaugh or the Packer’s Mike McCarthy. Harbaugh and McCarthy were having great seasons.

McCarthy 212

McCarthy Leadership Crisis Management Sports 212

In the CEO Afterlife

MARCH 26, 2015

As an ex-Kraft executive you can expect more about Kraft and giant-slaying in my book, Do Less Better: The Power of Strategic Sacrifice in a Complex World. .” In the interest of shareholder value, Kraft will not abandon its core competency — and that’s no longer food, it’s mergers and acquisitions. * * *.

Core Competence 100

Core Competence Brand Reference Objective 100

In the CEO Afterlife

FEBRUARY 6, 2012

When you consider making a suggestion or a decision in the presence of a senior executive, do you always consider its impact on your career? Everyone should take their career seriously, but they shouldn’t be doing it on a daily or hourly basis at the expense of the greater good of the organization.

Career 199

Career Management Mentor Brand 199

In the CEO Afterlife

JULY 16, 2015

Despite the necessity for precision in purpose and direction, I see more and more examples of senior business executives operating non-strategically. Focused companies thrive by “doing less, better.”. Tight Strategies Don’t Limit Opportunity. They Create It. We used to refer to this modus operandi as “doing business by the seat of the pants.”

Strategy 100

Strategy Brand Brand Management Marketing 100

In the CEO Afterlife

JANUARY 20, 2016

Great strategies guide short-term execution. Because Nestlé defined their core competency as convenience coffee rather than instant coffee, they were able to pioneer an entirely new category rather than flog a dead horse. Today, the Nespresso innovation generates $5+ billion in new revenue. Red Bull does an awfully good job of this.

Strategy 165

Strategy Core Competence Constraint Short-term 165

In the CEO Afterlife

MAY 1, 2012

Leaders must encourage creativity and teamwork, as well as processes and systems that nurture the concepts and execute the results. Magic can’t happen in cultures that don’t worship innovation. Innovation starts with leadership. Most big company cultures are not innovative. But this isn’t the Apple, Google or Amazon type of innovation.

Mission Statement 222

Mission Statement Innovation Committee CEO 222

In the CEO Afterlife

MARCH 28, 2012

Great strategy and great execution comes from the people within the enterprise. Provide strategic direction to management. Identify risk and monitor mitigation. I’m suggesting an addition. Foster a healthy corporate culture that creates value. Cultures conducive to inspiring individuals and teams are the ones that deliver superior results.

Competitive Advantage 131

Competitive Advantage Long-term CEO Ethics 131

In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 1, 2012

The difference to conventional branding is this: “cult” imagery and the “buzz” created by breakthrough marketing execution that continues to drive Red Bull’s distinctive image. . Over 25 years, Red Bull tenaciously sticks to strategy in everything it does. Red Bull’s initial target market was the college crowd.

Trout 249

Trout Reis Sports Brand 249

In the CEO Afterlife

JUNE 20, 2013

Booz & Company’s survey of 3,500 global leaders, including 550 CEOs and 325 other C-suite executives report a serious lack of cohesion within their organizations. Even those leaders who understand strategy and its virtues are struggling to successfully implement. 53% couldn’t say whether their employees understood the strategy.

Tactics 217

Tactics Retail Price Brand 217

In the CEO Afterlife

JANUARY 22, 2015

Joe’s Target Group: Executive Recruiters and Corporate Boards. This is one I helped create for an individual who was looking for a CEO position. I’ll call him Joe. Whether you are a CEO or a payroll clerk the format and the approach is the same.

Brand 100

Brand Strategy How To Constraint 100

In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 23, 2012

Years ago, I worked on Pillsbury’s Refrigerated Fresh Dough advertising as a Leo Burnett Account Executive. By concentrating on proactive projects within your control, you can force the enemy to follow you. Now, isn’t that a lot more fun than being on the defensive?

Power 208

Power Sports Competitive Advantage Advertising 208

In the CEO Afterlife

OCTOBER 3, 2011

With great pride, he watched the men and women who worked under him go on to become outstanding CEOs, senior executives and masters in their craft. Goodfellow’s employees always gave that “extra mile” for the customer. As for the future, Mr. Goodfellow is excited.

CEO 222

CEO Human Resources Brand Marketing Strategy 222

In the CEO Afterlife

AUGUST 5, 2015

I have been a big fan of Kellogg’s since I was an account executive at the Leo Burnett Advertising Agency. Complexity stifles organizations and confuses consumers. . Several big brand marketers have fallen on their own swords in their effort to drive growth.

Brand 100

Brand Airlines Bottom-up Marketing 100

In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 24, 2017

The glue that binds leadership, strategy, and execution is people—at every level of the organization. Whether you are a start-up or a Procter & Gamble, the ethic of focusing on what you do best and excelling at it is the culture and the identity that sustains an organization’s success. Leaders must pinpoint and honor their unsung heroes.

Company 177

Company Apparel Competitive Advantage Long-term 177

In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 13, 2015

In the old economy, slick merchant bankers and private equity executives sat in wooded oak or mahogany boardrooms listening to slick presentations by blue-suited forty year olds. The information age has spurred the rise of young entrepreneurs seeking seed money and angel investors for their business ideas.

Sports 100

Sports Ethics Travel Follow-up 100

In the CEO Afterlife

JUNE 10, 2012

46 Ross Martin – Executive VP, MTV Scratch. “So “Every day we think of crazy ideas and then we laugh and say, ‘People might be offended by that.’ But I have found that everything worth doing is hiding behind a big, scary monster.”. #46

Creativity 238

Creativity Advertising Belief Systems Storytelling 238

In the CEO Afterlife

DECEMBER 31, 2011

All I’m saying is that there’s another hip and a good candidate for the graft would be a senior HR executive. The reasons were obvious and I’m not arguing against this relationship. Is There a CEO Afterlife? How do retired CEO’s spend there time when the power and the glory is gone?

Blog 222

Blog Mission Statement Strategic Planning Brand 222

In the CEO Afterlife

DECEMBER 11, 2012

So, knowing that price fixing is illegal, why would these European executives put their companies and themselves at such risk? But let’s be clear on this; the perpetrators of the crime were not underlings of P&G and Unilever. Regional underlings do not orchestrate an eight country price cartel.

Price 162

Price Discount Brand Incentives 162