Category: Being CEO

Being CEO

Make sure your team is proactive with their time

Chris Labs

One of the best ways to do this is to present a real-world example of someone on your team who does this well. Walk everyone through an example week on their calendar and point out exactly how they are spending their time. Then have everyone pull out their own calendar and have them go through the same process on their own calendar. Are they batching tasks? Which of the events are high leverage activities? Are there more efficient patterns to create? You should go through this process with your entire team at least once a quarter. Lessons from Keith Rabois Continue reading Make sure your team is proactive with their time

Being CEO

Don’t slip into reactive mode -> determine your top 3 priorities for the week and spend 80%+ of your time on those

Chris Labs

Most executives are entirely reactive to requests for their time and typically let anyone in the organization put meetings wherever they want on the calendar. You should instead view your calendar as something you proactively manage and design. Each Sunday afternoon, write down your top 3 priorities for the week and design your calendar to spend 80%+ of your time on those priorities. You can leave some “leftover” time on your calendar to fill with the reactive requests. You need to constantly check back in every week to not let yourself slip into a reactive mode and perform calendar audits … Continue reading Don’t slip into reactive mode -> determine your top 3 priorities for the week and spend 80%+ of your time on those

Being CEO, Learnings

Asking questions instead of giving orders often stimulates creativity

Chris Labs

When Ian Macdonald of Johannesburg, South Africa, the general manager of a small manufacturing plant had the opportunity to accept a very large order, he was convinced that he would not meet the promised delivery date. The work already scheduled in the shop and the short order completion time needed for this order made it seem impossible for him to accept the order. Instead of pushing his people to accelerate their work and rush the order through, he called everybody together, explained the situation to them, and told them how much it would mean to the company and to them … Continue reading Asking questions instead of giving orders often stimulates creativity

Being CEO

Excess of money, plans or technology will lead any business to failure

Chris Labs

Asking what leads to success is misleading. You can’t copy success because there’s a million different factors (combination of luck, timing, context, etc.). Instead you should ask: “What are the keys to failure?” Because those are always the same. There are 3 things that will kill any company if in excess: Money Plans Technology Alibaba had that internal motto: “No money, no plan, no technology”. Money Money makes people stupid. When problems arise, the first instinct becomes “throw money at it” instead of attacking it with creativity. And this works sometimes. But it becomes this crutch that you can never … Continue reading Excess of money, plans or technology will lead any business to failure

Being CEO

Don’t leave senior employees in any job too long.

Chris Labs

If this happens, as it has in my companies occasionally, it means you are not focusing on that business. You will get the most out of any senior employee in their first year or two in a new position. After that, they enter a “comfort zone.” Consider asking them to create a new division or company for you. But do not leave them to quietly go to seed – they will get bored and resign anyway, if they’re any good. -How to get rich, p.229 Continue reading Don’t leave senior employees in any job too long.