1: “When written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters – one represents danger and one represents opportunity,” John F. Kennedy once said.

Yesterday, we explored how the best CEOs create a small team of senior leaders to deal directly with the crisis.  This prevents the CEO from becoming all-consumed by the situation and enables the rest of the organization to continue to get work done.   … continue reading

1: “Most companies don’t execute well,” says JPMC CEO Jamie Dimon. “This is about execution and getting disciplined, like it’s exercise. It’s about getting to the specifics, looking at the right measures and making the right decisions.”

Yesterday, we looked at the importance of metrics and analytics.  The next important lever is leading team meetings.  It starts with setting expectations for attendance.

“Unless you’re in the hospital or … continue reading

1: When Mary Barra became CEO of General Motors in 2014, she immediately faced a crisis that would shape her leadership philosophy.

At least 124 people were dead because of a faulty ignition issue with General Motors’s cars. The company had been aware of the problem for more than a decade.  

Mary responded quickly. More than 29 million cars were ultimately recalled.

There was, however, a more significant learning for … continue reading

1: Imagine walking through a forest.  

“The diversity of trees you’ll see can be quite dazzling,” write McKinsey consultants Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra in CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest.  

“Douglas fir, white pine, Aspen, red maple, and oak soar toward the sky, each individually competing with the others for sunlight and space.”

Is this true? Actually … continue reading