Archive for August, 2007
Strengths vs. Weaknesses
Thursday, August 30th, 2007By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Should you play to your strengths or shore-up your weaknesses? If you pose this question to a group of professionals some will answer play to your strengths, some will answer shore-up weaknesses and others will answer both. The truth is that they are all correct to a degree…The real answer lies in understanding context, environment and priority. Continued professional growth leading to increased performance over time is what separates the good from the great. Rapidly evolving markets demand that successful business people have a fluidity in their approach to professional development. However many executives and entrepreneurs focus on the wrong areas, at the wrong times and for the wrong reasons in their efforts to refine and improve their skill sets. In today’s post I’ll share insights on how to prioritize your professional development efforts…
Read The Full PostThe Impending Talent Shortage
Tuesday, August 28th, 2007By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
There has been a tremendous amount of discussion and debate over the so-called “Talent Shortage” for the last few years now. My question is this: Have you done anything beyond just ponder the potential consequences of this scenario? Specifically, have you taken any action either strategically or tactically to make sure that your business has the necessary talent to continue to be competitive in the market as the employment landscape changes? In today’s post I’ll share my thoughts on what I believe is a very real threat to many businesses that do not make adequate preparations…
Read The Full PostThe Benefits of a Top CEO Coach
Friday, August 24th, 2007By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
The question is; You’re already the CEO so why should you make the investment into retaining a Top CEO Coach? The obvious anwswer is that CEOs simply have more to gain from intelligent counsel than any other person on the org chart. Given the nature of the position, along with the numerous studies that have been authored which provide ample data affirming the extraordinary results that can be achieved by utilizing a top CEO coach, I’m always amazed at the number of CEOs who don’t yet have a coach on retainer. In today’s blog post I’ll examine the reasons why I believe all (yes, I said all) chief executives should leverage the services of a top CEO coach.
Read The Full PostCompetitive Separation…
Thursday, August 16th, 2007By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Read The Full PostBeware the former CFO…
Wednesday, August 15th, 2007By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
When the Board or Chief Executive Officer is looking to fill a senior operating or strategy position it is common to consider the possibility of promoting the Chief Financial Officer into that role. After all, CFO’s are senior executives who typically exhibit sound judgment and are used to being charged with great levels of corporate and fiscal responsibility. From the CFO’s side of the equation, their only potential to move up in the corporate hierarchy is to move out of finance and into operations or strategy. For those CFO’s looking to advance their career this typically means taking on the title of President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Investment Officer or Chief Strategy Officer, or Chief Executive Officer.
Read The Full PostCEOs…Get Out Of Your Office
Thursday, August 9th, 2007By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
I’ve written in the past about how important it is for the CEO not to sequester him or herself away in the corner office. Operating in a vacuum and being out of touch is never a good position to find yourself in as the CEO. I have consistently espoused the value of walking the floor, dropping in on meetings on an impromptu basis, taking employees of all ranks to lunch and any number of other items that focus on raising your internal awareness. In today’s post I’ll focus my comments on the value for CEOs of raising their external awareness…
Read The Full PostNever Let Them See You Sweat…
Friday, August 3rd, 2007By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Can you be a true leader without possessing a command presence? In my experience, very rarely I’m not referencing the wannabe leaders oozing bravado, false confidence, arrogance or self-delusion spun as confidence. Nor am I referring to the weak, innocuous or timid who while viewing themselves as leaders are perhaps the farthest thing from a leader. Rather I’m addressing those true leaders who inspire and motivate those around them to achieve things well beyond that which they thought themselves capable of. In today’s post I’ll address the value of developing a command presence
Read The Full PostThe Downside of Best Practices
Thursday, August 2nd, 2007By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Even though I will from time-to-time slip and refer to something as “Best Practices” I am attempting to extricate that phrase from my vocabulary. I have actually come to cringe every time I hear a so called expert use the phrase in an authoritarian manner as a justification for the position they happen to be evangelizing. In today’s post I will put forth my perspectives on this subject which are meant to reveal the many hidden dangers that are often associated with Best Practices implementations…
Read The Full PostEntrepreneur, CEO or Both?
Wednesday, August 1st, 2007By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
CEO…Boy that title sounds good doesn’t it? Okay, so you founded the company but does that mean you should also be the CEO? Did you bestow the title upon yourself simply because you had the authority to do so, or are you the right person for the job? Perhaps you were the right person for the job initially, but has the company outgrown your management ability? Can you, or should you, as the founder attempt to grow with the company? What does a CEO really do anyway? In today’s blog post I’ll assess what it takes to be an effective CEO and you can decide for yourself if you have what it takes to get the job done.
Read The Full Post