CEO | C-Level Strategies - Visionary Leadership

A CEO’s Unintended Consequence of Joining LinkedIn

February 1, 2012 By Lisa Petrilli 22 Comments

During a recent conversation with one of my CEO clients at CEO Connection, the topic moved to our private LinkedIn group and how he could use it to discuss some of his challenges with fellow members. And then he shared with me something I hadn’t anticipated.

He said, “Lisa, you wouldn’t believe what happened to me when I joined LinkedIn. I joined it for exactly the purpose you mention, to participate in a few private groups that may be of help to me and where I might be able to add some value. But then I had breakfast one morning with a few employees and I discovered an unintended consequence.

They mentioned to me that they’d noticed I’d joined LinkedIn, and they asked why. When I told them, they seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. And then they said,” Mr. (CEO), we were all convinced you were looking for a new job.”

Everything communicates, particularly when you’re the CEO.

This gentleman told me he worked with his communications team to put together a blog post that explained to employees that just as they all had areas of development they were working on, he too looked for ways to continually improve in his role. For him, using LinkedIn to connect with his peers who had similar challenges was one of the ways he was accessing experienced advice and insights.

It put to rest the rumors he was looking for a new job, which had already begun to impact morale.

This story is an important reminder that as executives, how we use social media and what we say in public is being viewed in ways we may never have intended. As leaders, it is our responsibility to consider the impact of our communications on employees, partners and stakeholders.

What has your experience been?

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Photo is LinkedIn Chocolates by nan palmero.

22 Comments Filed Under: CEO Interviews, Executive, Leadership, Social Media Tagged With: CEO, CEO Connection, CEO's unintended consequence, Everything Communicates, how use social media, Leaders, linkedin, Social Media

What CEOs Really Say About Leadership in Private

December 8, 2011 By Lisa Petrilli 22 Comments

I’ve mentioned previously that in my role as Chief Relationship Officer for CEO Connection I have the opportunity to participate in a series of meetings five times a year at various locales around the country with our members, mid-market CEOs representing companies with an average of $1.6 billion in sales.

These meetings are private so the CEOs may feel comfortable being fully open and honest about their current challenges and perspectives on a variety of issues.

At our most recent event we spent several thoughtful hours discussing leadership, a topic which is obviously near and dear to my heart, as well as to theirs. Nothing that was said disappointed me. Instead, I was truly inspired by what I heard from these leaders of companies you are exceptionally familiar with.

I wanted to share with you what I felt were the “Top 10″ statements:

1. Our executive team fired our second best customer because of their abusive behavior. We lost our bonuses as a result. It was the right thing to do.

2. Unleash the profitability of your people by empowering them to do their jobs.

3. Leadership is about inspiring and enabling.

4. Closing your door sends a message to an organization like nothing else. I won’t do it. If people are worried about privacy I tell them to use their “indoor voices.” (Everyone smiled at that!)

5. Bring in people who make you uncomfortable with their diversity of ideas and push you in new ways.

6. The more freedom you give, the more accountability you get.

7. Think of your relationship with your Board as an ongoing dialogue.

8. When people like their boss they are significantly more successful. Usually, when people leave it’s because they are leaving their boss.

9. Hire talent and potential.

10. Engagement and passion for the enterprise sets people apart.

Do any of these statements inspire you the way they encouraged me? What resonated most? Please share in the comments; I’d love to hear your opinions!

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“The Introvert’s Guide to Success in Business and Leadership” eBook is NOW Available! Now an Amazon Best Seller & Hot New Release and Featured on Huffington Post!

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What Every CEO Should Know About Talent Alignment

Photo is Private via lukemedway_uk.

22 Comments Filed Under: CEO Interviews, Executive, Leadership Tagged With: CEO, CEO Connection, CEOs, ceos and leadership, Leadership, What CEOs say about leadership

What CEOs Really Think About Values and Culture

December 1, 2011 By Lisa Petrilli 26 Comments

In my role as Chief Relationship Officer for CEO Connection I had the opportunity to sit down recently with a few of our member-CEOs for a conversation about their views on corporate values, purpose and culture. These members are mid-market CEOs, representing companies with an average of $1.6 billion in sales.

It was one of the most thoughtful and thought-provoking conversations I’ve had outside of Leadership Chat recently! I wanted to share with you a few insightful quotes from the CEOs that will give you a feel for their perspectives on these critical business assets:

On Values:

1. Values are at the core of strong companies. They manifest in an organization by consistently following them rather than consistently stating them.

2. CEOs must be the highest steward of values, one of which must be to get out of the way of your people.

On Purpose:

1. You don’t teach people how to build a ship, you teach them how to yearn for the sea… (this quote had the rest of the members all saying, “Ahhhh” in unison!)

2. As CEO I have to get my people excited about a higher order calling, but I go about it in different ways with different people.

3. The most successful companies have the most engaged people, and they engage because of a higher purpose.

On Culture:

1. What’s inherent to culture is beliefs. What you believe then drives your strategy.

2. When you look at culture as we do national cultures, as an operating system of a group of people, you see how people are subconsciously influenced by it and reject those who do not adapt.

3. It is very difficult to go from one culture to a very different culture and be a high-performer in both.

4. To change a culture you need influencers who are empowered.

5. Teams and culture are a competitive advantage.

6. Culture is the only sustainable advantage.

Do these insights and perspectives resonate with you? Please share your reactions, as well as your own viewpoints on corporate values, purpose and culture in the comments!

The Introvert's Guide to Success in Business and Leadership

“The Introvert’s Guide to Success in Business and Leadership” eBook is NOW Available! Now an Amazon Best Seller & Hot New Release and Featured on Huffington Post!

BUY Now on Amazon for Kindle or Buy it at B&N for Nook!

Click here to DOWNLOAD in PDF format. Thank you!

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Photo is boardroom by Celine Nadeau.