The CEO Next Door

In an orchestra, the conductor doesn’t play an instrument but still produces harmony among dozens of musicians. CEOs function the same way. Botelho and Powell show that success depends less on pleasing people and more on orchestrating them toward a shared objective.

Balance Empathy and Results

Many leaders mistake being liked for being effective. But the authors’ research found that “nice” CEOs often fail: they avoid conflict, delay tough decisions, and tolerate mediocrity. Successful leaders, by contrast, engage for results—not for comfort. They understand others’ motivations deeply, yet make decisions that prioritize progress over harmony.

CEO Tom Monahan of CEB described keeping all stakeholders “constructively dissatisfied.” Customers, employees, and shareholders can’t all get everything they want—but good CEOs give just enough to keep everyone moving forward. This pragmatism mirrors Good to Great by Jim Collins, where empirical discipline beats charisma.

Lead with Intent

Every meeting should start with a clear purpose. When ghSMART client “Nick” transitioned from performer to leader, he realized his team copied his old behavior because he hadn’t set clear intent. He shifted from leading every conversation to coaching others—and the team flourished. Like a conductor, setting tempo before letting others play achieves alignment and speed.

Understand the Players

True influence begins with perspective getting—seeking others’ realities rather than projecting your own. CEO Neil Fiske mastered this by studying customer emotions during focus groups. He didn’t assume; he listened. The insights from those sessions helped Bath & Body Works turn around twenty-six months of declining sales.

This skill mirrors techniques advised by psychologist Nicholas Epley in Mindwise: replace empathy with inquiry. Ask questions, listen, and align objectives. Like Intuit founder Scott Cook, whose success came from immersing himself in customers’ experiences, engagement stems from curiosity, not charisma.

Practical Message:

You engage for progress, not popularity. Understand what drives your people—and orchestrate their strengths. Results, not comfort, define real leadership.

Reliability, according to Botelho and Powell, is the behavior most likely to predict both being hired and succeeding as a CEO. It sounds simple—keep your promises, deliver on time—but few leaders apply it consistently. Reliable leaders win trust by removing surprises and creating a rhythm of action.

Consistency Builds Power

CEOs like Bill Amelio at CHC Helicopter and Avnet exemplify disciplined reliability. Amelio established weekly meetings, tracked 347 action items, and cut them to 35 through systematic follow-up. His diabolical consistency transformed chaos into structure. Subordinates described his work rhythm as “relentless accountability.”

Shape Expectations

Reliable leaders don’t just react—they shape expectations. They define what success looks like, even in ambiguous situations. Jason Blessing did this early in his career by reframing a failing client project’s goals to ensure the outcomes were achievable and measurable. Shaping expectations turns execution from firefighting into forward motion.

Build Reliable Systems

Reliability in leadership isn’t only personal—it’s organizational. High-Reliability Organizations (like aircraft carriers or nuclear plants) avoid catastrophe by making mistakes safe, flattening hierarchy, and building shared vocabulary. Madeline Bell at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia used this model to transform a punitive culture by celebrating “good catches”—mistakes prevented. Within three years, medical safety events dropped by 80%.

Such systems anchor reliability in culture. Repetition, documentation, and recognition shift reliability from habit to identity—one that employees emulate instinctively.

Lesson:

Reliability builds credibility faster than brilliance. When people know what to expect, they follow—and results compound. Deliver predictably, improve continually, and make reliability contagious.

In a world where change is constant, adaptability is survival. Botelho and Powell show that CEOs like Jim Smith of Thomson Reuters and Intel’s Andy Grove thrived by letting go of the past and building antennas for the future. Adaptability distinguishes leaders who sense change early from those who cling to old models.

Embrace Discomfort

The authors draw parallels to Navy SEALs: the greatest leaders show humility by admitting what they don’t know. Adaptable CEOs actively seek new experiences, even when uncomfortable. For instance, Nancy Phillips, CEO of ViaWest, spent months traveling alone in China to learn resilience. CEOs frame discomfort as growth—each crisis becomes practice for the next unknown.

Let Go of Yesterday

Andy Grove’s pivotal moment at Intel—shutting down the company’s original memory chip business to pivot to microprocessors—illustrates what letting go demands. Grove asked, “What would a new CEO do?” and realized he could be that new leader. Letting go isn’t about abandoning experience; it’s about discarding habits that no longer serve forward momentum.

Build an Antenna for Tomorrow

Adaptable CEOs spend at least 40% of their time thinking beyond a year ahead. They cultivate “future sensing” by analyzing adjacent industries, customer pain points, and emerging signals. Brad Smith, leader of Intuit, asked his team to imagine criticisms their successors might make ten years later—a mental exercise that expanded long-term awareness.

Adaptation requires curiosity and pattern recognition. Tom Bell of Cousins Properties saved his company by recognizing declining commercial lease trends before anyone else. His decision to sell early—a billion-dollar call—showed that adaptability comes from connecting facts with foresight.

Guiding Truth:

Learn to love uncertainty. The faster you detect change and pivot with courage, the more likely you are to outlast—and outperform—your competitors.

Most leaders imagine advancement as a steady climb. Botelho and Powell show otherwise: career acceleration depends on bold, strategic leaps called Career Catapults. These experiences rapidly build skills and visibility, propelling leaders beyond traditional paths. The authors identify three key types: the Big Leap, the Big Mess, and Go Small to Go Big.

The Big Leap

The big leap means accepting a role that feels beyond your comfort zone or experience. Robert Hanson jumped from marketing executive to run Levi’s Europe—an enormous stretch. He didn’t feel ready, but his willingness to learn fast prepared him for future CEO roles. Similarly, Christine, a young manager in a fitness company, moved from teaching to running a massive regional operation by simply asking for the opportunity. Her courage turned into measurable success.

The Big Mess

Sometimes opportunity hides in chaos. About 30% of CEOs studied rose through big messes—failed projects, bankrupt divisions, or product recalls. Shanti Atkins accepted a CEO position in a failing tech company and rebuilt it from scratch after multiple layoffs. Her decisive leadership transformed catastrophe into $100 million in revenue. Facing crisis strengthens resilience and decision speed—the core of CEO readiness.

Go Small to Go Big

Leaders who dare to join smaller organizations gain autonomy and broader responsibility faster. Damien McDonald left Johnson & Johnson for a less prestigious company, Zimmer, where he could lead an entire business. That decision paved his way to becoming CEO of LivaNova. “Going small” builds entrepreneurial muscle—the ability to create systems instead of merely running them.

Botelho and Powell stress that setbacks during catapults are normal. Nearly half of CEOs had major career 'blowups' but recovered stronger. The key differentiator wasn’t avoiding failure—it was learning from it. Leaders who took ownership rather than blaming others were far more likely to rebound and ultimately get hired for CEO roles.

Realization:

Bold moves demand discomfort—but a well-chosen catapult multiplies your learning, visibility, and leadership credibility faster than decades of safe progress.

Reaching the top is one thing—thriving there is another. Botelho and Powell outline five hidden hazards that derail new CEOs, each demanding different mental and operational adjustments. They frame these dangers as universal leadership traps that apply to anyone assuming greater responsibility.

The Ghouls in the Supply Closet

Every new leader inherits hidden problems—financial uncertainties, cultural blind spots, or operational time bombs. Successful CEOs conduct “listening tours” to uncover these early. Madeline Bell at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia used this practice to identify unseen liabilities and align expectations before setting vision.

Entering Warp Speed

A CEO’s pace doubles overnight. The authors compare this to a rookie quarterback overwhelmed by the speed of play. Leaders must simplify their world through delegation, filtering requests, and calendar audits. Tools like structured one-on-ones and assertive “polite no’s” guard energy for strategic priorities.

Amplification and Spotlight

At the top, every word and gesture is magnified. Doug Shipman’s reminder—“As CEO, everything you do is amplified”—captures this pressure. Even casual comments can ripple through decisions. Successful CEOs use amplification intentionally, projecting optimism and clarity while restraining impulsive emotions.

Using the Full Toolset

New CEOs often lead from old expertise—finance, marketing, operations—without mastering enterprise-level levers like culture, capital strategy, and diplomacy. Ian Read at Pfizer transformed company culture around risk-taking and trust, showing how early focus on values magnifies long-term results.

Navigating the Psychological Pressure

Finally, the CEO role brings emotional isolation, ego traps, and burnout. The authors urge building “winning routines”—structured habits for rest, reflection, and grounding. CEOs who maintain humanity, identity, and trusted confidants navigate this psychological thunder dome with grace.

Insight:

Leadership magnifies everything. Success depends not on avoiding pressure or errors—but on channeling amplification, speed, and uncertainty into clarity and calm.