Growth Insights for CEOs

Recently, I spent a week working on a project about 90 minutes away and decided to make my commuting time "profitable" be listening to an audio book. Since I was driving, I chose "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel Pink. It was an inspired choice. It is especially relevant to those of us who work with today’s “Millennial” generation and since, in addition to my work as a Chief Outsider, I also teach an undergraduate course at Rutgers University, its message really resonated with me. 

We engaged in a healthy dialogue yesterday morning at the November Chief Outsider’s CEO roundtable. Our goal is to offer a forum to discuss challenging issues. We take great care to avoid selling or promoting services. Yesterday both CEOs and CFOs engaged in a healthy dialogue. You may find their insights interesting. As we approach the finish line for 2011, we are hearing CEOs and CFOs express these concerns:

Rare is the CEO who likes to be told what to do.
Rarer still is a consultant who doesn’t like telling others what to do.

And that’s why I don’t want to be called a consultant—but I do want to be called a member of Chief Outsiders. We’re an experienced group of business leaders with a flair for marketing and an understanding of what a good business and marketing strategy can do to propel a business forward.