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Spring 2002 CEO Development
The Care and Feeding of CEOs
You've heard it a million times before, but have you really listened? It's lonely at the top. One more time, it's lonely at the top.
Reflect for a moment then answer this question. Who can your CEO or your CEO clients talk to who has no personal agenda regarding
the business? "No one" is the usual answer. Direct reports, board members and family members all have a stake in the business.
With no unbiased source of conversation, there can be no unbiased feedback.
So, where does a CEO, company President or business owner go to get that critically important unbiased feedback? Peer learning
forums can provide chief executives with the feedback so important to improving their personal effectiveness. In peer learning forums,
CEOs, Presidents and Owners from non-competing business meet in groups of eight to sixteen members to raise and discuss strategic
business issues.
The feedback model is a straightforward one. The member presenting the issue gives a "thumb nail sketch" of the issue then describes
the impact and the desired outcome. Forum members than ask clarifying questions, share experience and last, offer their best comment
that will move the presenter to decide what action he or she will take. This peer-learning model is an important component of the CEO
development opportunity provided by TEC Worldwide.
Chief executives tell us that the benefits they derive from participating in TEC's forums are MAGIC.
| Making better decisions |
| Accountability |
| Growth |
| Isolation is eliminated |
| Change management improves |
We've heard the phrases "Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions" Why wouldn't we want our CEOs, be they clients or bosses,
to be champions?
Quick Hits
- Reward people often with fun, creative and cheap rewards:
- A bunch of silk roses (.79 - 1.49) "You rose to the occasion"
- Breath mints (around 1.00) "You took my breath away!"
- A small chunk of amethyst or quartz from a science store (around .50) "You're a gem."
- A small ceramic frog or a plush one (a few dollars) "You leapfrogged the competition"
- A fun rubber stamp (.33) "You made quite an impression!"
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