Blog Eight I’ve been given all the keys to success – now I’ve just gotta find the doors!
Keys are useless unless you know what doors they are for! Doors mean nothing until you know what they let you in on! In consulting with many businesses and companies over the years, one of the major dilemmas executives have thrown at me is that they have more keys to success than they can find doors to use them on. In other words they are sick and tired of going to seminars, collaborative conferences, conventions and the like to be given more “Keys to Business Success”!
One Exec told me “I have been given all the keys to success but nobody can tell me what doors they are for, or where to find them! Do you know?” On another occasion a fellow colleague confided to me “I’ve been given all the secret keys to success but where the doors are is still a secret and what or who the doors lead to no one seems to really know! Can you help me?”
Once I met a colleague at the airport who had to wait at the baggage carousel just to collect his briefcase! Why? I asked! He said, “I got given so many keys to success at the conference they wouldn’t let me take my briefcase into the cabin because of its weight!” “Why do you need so many keys?” I asked. He said, “I don’t know – they just tell me I do – I’ve been collecting them for years and I’m still trying to be successful!” “I will help you! First you need to get rid of all your secret keys to success.
There are only two keys, and they are master keys! I can’t tell you what they are yet because I need to demonstrate and teach you how to use them and explain to you what doors they are each for!” Call me – make an appointment with my office. Or send an email to: reception@bacupthefuture.com.au ©John R Fergusson
CEO Blog 8 MENTOR RELATIONSHIPS FOR CEO’S
Whenever you ask a CEO who their mentors are, nearly all will talk about their past, i.e. who their mentors were. There are a number of reasons for this as you can imagine. One of the main ones is they have outgrown, or have become more knowledgeable and thereby smarter, so the mentor is no longer needed. Of course being mentored should not be based upon need alone, but still few find it easy to say who they look up to or archetype now as mentors, or even role models! If they are pressed to share, most will feel obligated to speak about someone famous, or well known (to the fraternity of business executives) for their ability to increase rapidly the “bottom line, company growth, perhaps international expansion” etc., attached to and elucidating what these people have done, rather than who they are.
In reality, mentoring or having a mentor or two is very personal and very private, except of course where it is advantageous to not be so. This advantage depends entirely on certain criteria which one needs to know before opening the mouth to reveal what could lead to divulging some very important personal information – both theirs and their mentors. This could leave you categorised for life once the media locks on to it – great if it is very positive for you, but what if it’s not and what if the mentor for their own reasons, does not wish to be linked with you publicly!
The answer to this is to give your mentor an alias, a fictitious name. A name nobody can link to any specific individual and vice versa! This will give both parties incredible freedom and prevent the media and other opponents from doggedly following both around trying to predict your next move by who you may hold as an example to emulate or follow etc., as they won’t know who you, or your mentor are talking about!
To become and remain a great and exceptional CEO you need to choose wisely and well your mentors. After all they are meant to be guiding you into and showing you your future being and persona while honing your abilities and capabilities, your exceptional talents etc., for ultimate fulfilment of your dreams/vision and your life’s mission.
Here are some of the key attributes to look for in a mentor, in order to ensure you have an awesome relationship with them as a CEO in a mentoring program with its coaching processes.
• Professional attitude
• Longevity in business
• Proactive
• Profuture
• Pro-adversarial
• Pro-confrontational
• Exceptional character
• Extraordinary life experience
• Unshakeable purpose
• Unafraid of mistakes
• Truth seeker
• Decision maker
• Change creator
• Pressure controller
• People watcher
• Person developer
• Knows the power and purpose of stress
• Understands position, prestige, power and profit (wealth)
• Most importantly it may be necessary to use alias’s to keep away prying eyes and ears.
Just to name some of the more important aspects for an awesomely beneficial and productive mentoring relationship.
©John R Fergusson
For more on this very important work contact me at your earliest at: johnfergusson@bacup.com.au
CEO Blog 7
In the corporate world some would say that the title of “CEO” is the “acceptable” term for a “PCH” a “Psychopathic Corporate Head”. Often have I heard CEO’s described as, “somebody affected with a personality disorder marked by aggressive, violent, antisocial thought and behaviour and a lack of remorse or empathy toward others”. This is of course the dictionary’s description of a “psychopath”! It is remarkable that many so called “leaders” so clearly demonstrate this trait! Why do you think this is so? John R Fergusson
CEO Blog 6
The best use of a level playing field is for sleeping. For everyone else it’s a cover for weakness! John R Fergusson
CEO Blog 5
Some think CEO means: Chief = Authority. Executive = Decision-maker. Officer = Sole Enforcer. What does it mean to you? John R Fergusson
CEO Blog 4
It is said the loneliest position in the world is at the top of the pile/pyramid/company/corporation. It is compounded in its profundity that the lonely one may see the 360° world view of all and sundry around them as paralysing when the lonely one considers the whole of the numbered or numberless world is looking at them! What is the answer – the response, to such odds? John R Fergusson
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