CEO Effectiveness

CEO Leadership for a New Era

In our new world post-COVID, business models have been turned upside down and excellent leadership requires a new approach. This McKinsey article explores this unique inflection point and the opportunities to shift the way you lead.

Key Takeaways:

  • The ways in which to shift your mindset.
  • How to zero base.
  • Why and how people are looking for a different kind of leader.
  • Really understand your stakeholders.
  • The power of peer networks.

Read McKinsey’s article

The Secret to Making Board Meetings Suck Less

Board meetings can be one of the most stressful things a CEO will face. This First Round Review article focuses on the bright spots of a board, including some real-world examples and fresh perspectives for how to put a board to work to help a company (and a CEO).

Key Takeaways:

  • How to put your board to work, including those important questions board members should be answering.
  • Best practices for preparation heading into a board meeting and expectation setting for board members.
  • Tips for running a smooth and productive meeting.

Read the First Round Review article

Lessons on Navigating the Shift From First-Time Founder to Seasoned Exec

This article explores the journey of NerdWallet’s journey from a credit card comparison spreadsheet into a 300+ employee company with $100M in annual revenue.

Key Takeaways:

  • Culture is built in a founder’s image — so start looking inward.
  • Let go of your entrepreneurial ego and remove yourself from the decision-making equation.
  • Your product is the company, so embrace process over speed earlier than you think you need to.
  • Stop throwing spaghetti and start thinking about negative carry.
  • Overhaul your communication architecture — and cancel the CEO’s favorite meeting.

Read the full article