As a mission-driven CEO, your work isn’t just about profits or performance—it’s about purpose. The choices you make, the culture you foster, and the vision you create all have a profound ripple effect. At the heart of this impact lies two often-overlooked, yet essential elements: love and legacy.
I loved sailing at summer camps growing up. It was similar to flying and taught me many valuable life lessons. In sailing, being "in irons" refers to when a boat is pointed directly into the wind, causing it to lose momentum and become temporarily unsteerable. For mission-driven CEOs, this scenario serves as a powerful metaphor for periods in business where we feel stuck or stalled, especially in uncertain times. Just as a sailor must adjust their sails and angle to catch the wind again, leaders must continually re-evaluate strategies to align their leadership team to boldly move forward. Staying "in irons" is not just inefficient; it’s potentially hazardous, as it leaves us vulnerable to shifting conditions without the ability to steer effectively.
We are at the end of our second quarter, 50% through 2023. What a year it's been!
This is designed to share some critical insights and questions to help you grow as a leader and increase your impact as we move into the second half of the year.
We are excited to share our updated BHAG - We made our BHAG measurable, and it is a result of a significant takeaway from our global Scaling Up coaching work - people flourish when they have a good job. Everything begins with a good job, and the CEOs we partner with share our passion for creating jobs that allow their team to flourish.
That is the theme of the 4th Annual Rocky Mountain Entrepreneurial Summit.
Since we are co-chairing this popular event, we have spent the last six months assembling a great group of inspiring speakers. No matter what stage of growth your business is in, from start up to exit strategy, you will walk away with practical advice that can be implemented immediately.
Now is a great time to finalize your plans for 2014. Like many companies, you are probably facing growth opportunities in several areas of your business. Yet, the economy is uncertain. Where should you focus your resources? How can you get your leadership team on one page to execute the vision efficiently?
As the New Year begins, we have found that this is a good time to review achievements in 2011 and opportunities for new growth in 2012. With the experts predicting another year of uncertainty, it is important to have a realistic plan and alignment of your senior team to lay the foundation for good execution.
In our current economy, there are significant growth opportunities for companies with disciplined strategic planning and execution focus. In his latest book, Great by Choice, Jim Collins and his research team investigate hundreds of companies to discover the key factors for predicting which companies succeed in times of uncertainty versus those who at best fail to reach their full potential. Collins’ key belief is that although we are living in a time of great uncertainty and change, we are more in control than ever of our own destinies.
