Siddharth Mohan’s Post

"A CEO Only Does Three Things"?   If only it were that easy... I just finished reading A CEO Only Does Three Things by Trey Taylor. It’s a great book! Trey breaks down a CEO’s role into three key areas - 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀. After more than 20+ years in leadership, leading multiple turnarounds, I agree with a lot of what he says, but.... ... if a CEO only did three things, I’d love to know how! - 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀? Sure. - But don’t forget the 20 urgent emails, board meetings, and crisis after crisis that pop up the moment you walk into the office. - 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆? Yep! - But right after you spend hours fixing the daily problems and making sure the company makes money this quarter. - 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆? Of course. - But between strategy meetings, you’re playing therapist, firefighter, and sometimes even tech support (because yes, CEOs fix things no one else will touch). Trey is right - those three things are really important. They’re what a CEO should focus on. But in reality, the “three things” quickly turn into “300 things” before you’ve even had your morning coffee. If you’re a CEO, I recommend A CEO Only Does Three Things. Just don’t be surprised when your day feels more like juggling 20 balls at once. #Leadership #CEOlife #RealityCheck #Strategy #Turnaround #TreyTaylor

Hiring a COO means stepping back, not stepping in. CEOs often feel the urge to intervene, thinking they’re adding value. But hiring a COO requires you to step back. --- Order your copy of The Second In Command here: https://lnkd.in/epURxuNh

👔 **A Day in the Life of a CEO: Navigating Success and Challenges** #Leadership #Business #CEOlife #Innovation #Teamwork #Growth Being a CEO is an exhilarating journey filled with a myriad of responsibilities and decision-making processes. Here's a glimpse into what a typical day entails: 🕗 **8:00 AM - Strategic Meetings:** Kickstarting the day with board meetings, aligning on the company’s vision, and discussing strategic initiatives. Collaboration and clear communication are key. 📈 **10:00 AM - Reviewing Financial Performance:** Analyzing financial reports and key performance indicators to ensure the company is on track to meet its goals. Continuous monitoring helps in making informed decisions. 👥 **12:00 PM - Team Engagement:** Engaging with different departments, addressing concerns, and motivating teams. Building a strong organizational culture and fostering a sense of unity are essential. 🚀 **2:00 PM - Innovation and Development:** Brainstorming with the R&D team to explore new ideas and innovative solutions. Staying ahead in the market requires a constant push for creativity and improvement. 🤝 **4:00 PM - External Relations:** Meeting with stakeholders, investors, and partners to discuss current projects and future collaborations. Building and maintaining strong relationships are crucial for growth and sustainability. 📅 **6:00 PM - Planning and Reflection:** Reflecting on the day’s achievements and challenges. Planning the next steps and setting priorities for the upcoming days ensures a structured path forward. Being a CEO is about balancing the daily demands while keeping an eye on the long-term vision. It’s a role that requires dedication, adaptability, and an unwavering commitment to the company's success.

Spoil Your Boss/Manager! Last year, I engaged with a client and worked closely with someone I’ll call "S." She was my go-to person, coordinating everything within the company and acting as my SPOC (Single Point of Contact). Whenever I needed something done, I always gave two options: 1. Do you want me to explain it step by step? 2. Or should I just assign the task and guide you as you figure it out? Without fail, she always chose option 2. Over time, I realized something surprising, I wasn’t doing much in that account anymore. Everything was being handled seamlessly by "S." She became so smart and efficient that she began anticipating my next move, often ready with solutions before I even asked. One day, I wanted to call the Founder and say: “Give her a raise, and give me an exit. My engagement here is redundant.” I felt spoiled by her brilliance + dedication. She managed everything so effectively that I became, frankly, lazy and unnecessary. Here’s the takeaway for Founders and Managers: Find these gems, nurture them, and let them shine. They’ll not only take the load off your shoulders but also push the organization to new heights. Pic: The team I am internally building to spoil and make me redundant in my own business. P.S: Not all Gen Z's are Gen Z, some are smart, efficient and capable. #teambuilding #findthegem

What is a CEO? Your mind probably jumps to “Chief Executive Officer”, but have you heard of a “Chief Everything Officer”? Chief Everything Officer is a more prominent term at the very start of a business and can often be a tricky position to navigate. Chief Everything Officer often describes someone in a small business or startup who has to wear many hats and handle various responsibilities due to the limited size of the organization. A Chief Everything Officer might handle tasks ranging from administration and finance to marketing, product development, customer service, and more. Essentially, they're responsible for overseeing and managing nearly every aspect of the business due to the lack of specialized staff or departments. Have you ever been in the shoes of a Chief Everything Officer? If someone came up to you and asked you what the most challenging part of being in this position was, what would you say? #CEO #chiefeverythingofficer #findyourwaywithrenee #leadershipstyle 

What’s missing in your boardroom? It’s common for SMB CEOs to have to juggle BOTH the CEO role and the COO one. It’s one thing to partner with a COO on a vision, but taking on the full responsibility can pull a CEO away from their core mission. I’ve seen this time and time again among the CEOs I’ve collaborated with in the past. It’s a complex scenario, and often a difficult one to get back on track, but not insurmountable. In fact, I’ve been alongside many CEOs who were able to successfully turn things around. If your COO seat is vacant, how do you avoid spending more time in it than your own? It’s important to start by understanding why the role is unfilled: ❎ Is it a financial decision? ❎ Have you been told a COO isn’t necessary? ❎ Do you prefer to handle both roles yourself? ❎ Or maybe the right candidate just hasn’t come along? Each situation is unique, and there’s no “wrong” answer. However, if you’re serious about bringing a COO on board, there are modern solutions to explore. For example, you don’t need to blow your budget to get COO expertise. As a fractional COO, I provide guidance for a portion of the cost required for a full-time hire. And if control is a concern, many COOs prefer to work alongside, not over, the CEO. That’s how I prefer to contribute anyway! The ultimate goal is to ensure you have the support you need—on your terms—to maximize your business growth. If you’d like to chat about how to find the right COO solution for your company, feel free to DM me. #CEO #COO #FractionalLeader #BusinessStrategy #ExecutiveExpertise

Recent events at prior companies got me thinking. Start ups and turnarounds are a tough business. You do all that you can for them but the majority still fail. Here are some of the themes that I have seen in the ones who didn't make it. ❌Clinging to the past/resistance to change. ❌Lack of strategy/strategic focus - unclear/misaligned goals ❌Too much reliance on financial metrics, too little on operational ❌Disdain for process "of course we know how to do X" ❌Lingering bad culture - revolving door of new hires is key indicator How to make a turnaround work ✅Leave your ego at the door - listen and understand ✅Focus on strategy, finding right people and developing good culture ✅Review your metrics regularly and with the whole organization ✅Trust your team, especially one's who come from outside the organization Finally, expect yourself and your existing team to be uncomfortable or even leave - if you are not experiencing this then change probably isn't happening. What are your thoughts or experiences?

What advice would you give a new CEO? My two cent worth... 1) Don't rush to make changes 2) Grasp exactly what the Board wants done that is the desired End-State complete with no more that Three success measures by order of priority. those form the true north for subsequent performance metrics for the senior management team 3) From the above board conversation, craft your own blue print /strategic road map to those success measure BEFORE you ask your senior management team. it is Your version of the True north. Then fully engage your senior management team for an hour each day 6-7am without fail for at least 6-8 weeks to listen and write copius notes (better if you have a great memory as you'll tend to have to have risen this far). 4) Listen, listen and then listen some more. Look out for the 'Pareto quiet achievers, influencers and gate keepers - Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers and The Tipping Point are great reads for this. incidentally, the gate keepers are excellent cultural thermometers 5) Pay attention to the 'Mavericks and misfits' - judge whether they be malevolent (get rid of them asap) or just troubled geniuses (keep them albeit in a sandbox space to release and apply their talent in a controlled environment) 6) Visit ALL your key stakeholders, customers and suppliers to just listen, learn and write copius notes. Remember them by name and always call them by name. 7) Draw and cost your Tactical Workplan to execute your now very refined Strategic Roadmap from all the listening you've been doing, draw your board into your confidence especially the Board Chair and enlist their support according to their particular interests, talents and passions. anticipate painpoints in this journey and pre-empt adversity by showing them your mitigation plans of the same. 8) Move decisively, continue listening, task every one of your senior management members with specific outputs and outcomes. Focus however more on creating the right organizational culture by your own example of personal discipline and responsibility; promise-keeping and financial probity and being above reproach. 9) Personally sit in when hiring managers and above. This a sure way to fix the pipeline at source. 10) Create a 'Vitu-kwa-Ground' (grassroots) feedback loop mechanism as your early warning system for both emerging challenges before they become problems; and, the impact of your's and Senior team's decisions on your troops

Now you're a six-figure CEO ready to transition to a multi-six or seven-figure CEO 💰 you have a clear vision but don't know how to make it happen. You understand that this is the point in your business when you need more eyes, ears, and brains. You are ready to hire new people with next-level expertise to take on the responsibilities to get you to the next level in your business. I get it, hiring new people for your executive team might feel a bit scary, like a rollercoaster of feelings. Thats why we do a deep dive session "until the job is done" (no 60 min time limits 🤣) This aligns everyone on the team with your vision as the CEO! The key things we cover, who you are as a CEO, your vision for your life and company, your team, your systems, gap analysis, your offers, account information, and so much more... That way you can sit back and get excited for your new hire without the apprehension or feeling of another thing being added to your list!

We All Need a Good #2 It might not be the #2 you are thinking about!! But if you are ready to really get into the CEO role of your business you are going to need a good #2 or Chief Operating Officer. Here are a few things to think about has you get ready to take that next big step. https://lnkd.in/eb4bWENd