We kicked off our first L4G module in Barcelona on Monday.
IESE Business School have rolled out the โthinkingโ carpet for 38 Irish CEOs with the support of Enterprise Irelandโ taking them off the treadmill and off automatic pilot to do some deliberate thinking.
Why is it so important? Because we donโt know what we donโt know! Thatโs the ๐ก โlight bulb moment.โ
Keeping an open mind, dialling up curiosity, and investing time in your own leadership and strategy development is vital.
The first idea we explored was the concept of an โ๐๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐๐ขโ.
How can leaders step away from working ๐๐ the business to working ๐๐ the business?
It sounds so obvious, but in reality, it is very difficult to achieve. Virtually all the CEOโs recognised the need to further reduce the time they spend on the โ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ก๐ โ.
Stepping away from the customer is even more difficult, but ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐, and not just what the CEO likes or wants to do, is the critical step if the company is to reach its full potential.
Having the vision (the north star), a clear strategy, the right team to deliver it, structure and processes to systemise, and finally, a connecting culture is the formula for success. The CEO has to create this and then drive it. If they remain in a silo, producing results, they have no time or 'bandwidth' to focus on the big picture - leaving the company spinning on the same step.
As Business Mentor Coaches, we work with CEOs to take these ideas and concepts back to their companies, and explore how they and their SLTs can take advantage of them - enabling the CEO to become a driver of growth.
Cathy Winston
March 2025
