Loud Thinking

“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”

— Wayne W. Dyer

“Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else.”
—Les Brown
Motivational Speaker

THE MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY: Harvard Business Review

April 13, 2015

Prove Yourself Worthy of the CEO’s Inner Circle

In many companies, a lot of the decision-making power resides with the CEO’s inner circle. If you want to break into this elite club, make yourself stand out with a few strategies:
Make your numbers. Your CEO wants to know that you can achieve the objectives set for you – and that you’re accountable. Don’t make excuses when you fail.
Don’t spring surprises. If bad news is about to hit, tell senior management before it materializes. You don’t want to run the risk of appearing incompetent or unsure of yourself when your boss finds out from a board member or the media.
Prove your loyalty. CEOs still feel vulnerable – they know that one or more of their direct reports want their job. If you want to show that you’re loyal, be wary of cozying up to board members or forming coalitions with peers.

Adapted from “How to Break into Your CEO’s Inner Circle” by Jacques Neatby.