,Chapter 1Purpose, Passion, and Principles (P3)
Chapter 2The Business Case for the Whole CEO
Chapter 3Celebrate Your Leadership Expression
Chapter 4Failure is Foundational to Innovation
Chapter 5The CEO and Board Relationship
Chapter 6Mindful of the Full Spectrum of Stakeholders
Chapter 7The Self-Aware CEO
Chapter 8Disarming Fear
Chapter 9Traits of the New Giants
Appendix: The 360 Degree CEOs
About the Author
Index
CHAPTER 1
Purpose, Passion, and Principles (P3)
Purpose
An overarching purpose guides 360 degree CEOs. It may be grounded in personal interest in the
industry—agriculture as it feeds the world, energy as it provides the life source for cities and homes
to operate, healthcare as new treatments contribute to improved lives. Or the sense of purpose may
be demonstrated in the leader’s ability to create a raison d’etre for their employees, to define a
vision or to highlight the context within which their work matters.
Right now, we are going through a restructuring going to public. To keep people motivated,
inspired and engaged when the workloads are extraordinary is challenging. It’s hard for people
who have not been through that environment as I have more than once. It helps to maintain the
vision of what comes out the other side, which is an extraordinarily large journey with a better
balance and greater personal rewards in terms of accomplishment and generally, hopefully,
rewards that make their lives better as well.
—Mayo Schmidt
,Passion
360 degree CEOs are passionate about their work—and typically within their lives as well. They
are so very good at what they do because they carry within them a fervor that energizes them when
they face seemingly insurmountable challenges. And when their passion wanes, and that can
happen to any of us, if it is not a short-lived dip, they change their circumstances. They return to
something that energizes them again so that they can perform at their best.
When Ben Voss was appointed CEO of Morris Industries, he commented:
Farming has always been very close to my heart. When we decided to purchase part of the farm
from my parents a few years ago, it was really amazing to make that a key part of our lives. Now
I also get to be part of one of the most iconic farm equipment companies in the world. As a farmer,
as an engineer … pretty awesome.
The job of a CEO is about courage; it’s about listening to your management team, about listening
to your board. And it’s about having somebody you can run ideas past—your spouse, your
chairmen, your mother, somebody you can be real with. You can’t carry it all on your shoulders.
In the end, CEOs must make the decisions. Give the team as big a sandbox as they can handle.
When it works, it’s a thing of beauty, it’s worth all of that. It’s exciting, and it’s truly like the
saying, love what you do and you will never work a day in your life. There are hurdles, yes, but if
it’s easy, anyone would do it.
—Randy Findlay
In 1995, I formed a company called Crestone International with two other partners and about a
year later I became CEO of that company. Through organic growth, mergers and acquisitions we
have been able to grow to about 2,000 employees in three different countries doing about $350M
in revenue. It’s been a fantastic ride, I’ve seen a lot of changes and I can’t believe I’ve been at it
for almost 21 years. It’s really been fantastic.
—Cal Yonker
Principles
Most highly successful CEOs combine their passion with a company that enables them to adhere
to their principles.
I love the electricity industry and that’s why I actually chose it when I had an opportunity to return
to the gas business, because it’s a lifeline business. And the electricity industry matters. You know
it really matters. You know that without electricity we would not have the economies, the health
and the people’s livelihoods that are affected by electricity. And so, just by being in this industry,
I find that quite rewarding because it really matters to people’s lives. And so is being able to lead
a company that takes that responsibility very seriously and always wants to be better and create
that environment.
, —Gianna Manes
In this book, I use CEO, senior leader, and leader interchangeably. This is intentional, as these
principles are applicable and can be successfully applied to managers and leaders at all levels. It
will be all the better if you adopt and apply these learnings before you reach the top spot or even
if you do not aspire to it. By applying the attributes of a 360 degree CEO, you will be a more
satisfied and well-rounded person and a better manager and leader for heeding the lessons herein.
Some of my CEO clients run $3B companies; others lead $20M companies. The CEOs whose
stories populate these pages are leading or have led companies of all sizes—from mid cap to
Fortune 100. The principles in this book apply to leaders of all ages and genders across all
industries, geographies, and sizes of company.
Enduring Characteristics that Generate Results
For the purposes of this book and to further my expertise in executive performance, I held
conversations with CEOs from across North America. When approaching CEOs, I identified those
who were broadly respected by their peers and communities, recommended by their executive
teams and peers, and had demonstrated sustained financial performance. In several cases, these
CEOs have also won awards from external bodies in recognition of their high standards of
performance. The discussions were candid, vulnerable, and humble. All displayed passion for their
work and were generous with their time.
So what constitutes a 360 degree CEO? From my research, interviews, and experience with
thousands of CEOs, it is not easy to attain, but the formula is simple, powerful, and achievable.
360 degree CEOs demonstrate P3. They generate profits by leading with… Purpose, Passion, and
Principles.
The powerful trifecta: Purpose, Passion, and Principles (P3)
Purpose, Passion, and Principles (P3)
Purpose
Chapter 2The Business Case for the Whole CEO
Chapter 3Celebrate Your Leadership Expression
Chapter 4Failure is Foundational to Innovation
Chapter 5The CEO and Board Relationship
Chapter 6Mindful of the Full Spectrum of Stakeholders
Chapter 7The Self-Aware CEO
Chapter 8Disarming Fear
Chapter 9Traits of the New Giants
Appendix: The 360 Degree CEOs
About the Author
Index
CHAPTER 1
Purpose, Passion, and Principles (P3)
Purpose
An overarching purpose guides 360 degree CEOs. It may be grounded in personal interest in the
industry—agriculture as it feeds the world, energy as it provides the life source for cities and homes
to operate, healthcare as new treatments contribute to improved lives. Or the sense of purpose may
be demonstrated in the leader’s ability to create a raison d’etre for their employees, to define a
vision or to highlight the context within which their work matters.
Right now, we are going through a restructuring going to public. To keep people motivated,
inspired and engaged when the workloads are extraordinary is challenging. It’s hard for people
who have not been through that environment as I have more than once. It helps to maintain the
vision of what comes out the other side, which is an extraordinarily large journey with a better
balance and greater personal rewards in terms of accomplishment and generally, hopefully,
rewards that make their lives better as well.
—Mayo Schmidt
,Passion
360 degree CEOs are passionate about their work—and typically within their lives as well. They
are so very good at what they do because they carry within them a fervor that energizes them when
they face seemingly insurmountable challenges. And when their passion wanes, and that can
happen to any of us, if it is not a short-lived dip, they change their circumstances. They return to
something that energizes them again so that they can perform at their best.
When Ben Voss was appointed CEO of Morris Industries, he commented:
Farming has always been very close to my heart. When we decided to purchase part of the farm
from my parents a few years ago, it was really amazing to make that a key part of our lives. Now
I also get to be part of one of the most iconic farm equipment companies in the world. As a farmer,
as an engineer … pretty awesome.
The job of a CEO is about courage; it’s about listening to your management team, about listening
to your board. And it’s about having somebody you can run ideas past—your spouse, your
chairmen, your mother, somebody you can be real with. You can’t carry it all on your shoulders.
In the end, CEOs must make the decisions. Give the team as big a sandbox as they can handle.
When it works, it’s a thing of beauty, it’s worth all of that. It’s exciting, and it’s truly like the
saying, love what you do and you will never work a day in your life. There are hurdles, yes, but if
it’s easy, anyone would do it.
—Randy Findlay
In 1995, I formed a company called Crestone International with two other partners and about a
year later I became CEO of that company. Through organic growth, mergers and acquisitions we
have been able to grow to about 2,000 employees in three different countries doing about $350M
in revenue. It’s been a fantastic ride, I’ve seen a lot of changes and I can’t believe I’ve been at it
for almost 21 years. It’s really been fantastic.
—Cal Yonker
Principles
Most highly successful CEOs combine their passion with a company that enables them to adhere
to their principles.
I love the electricity industry and that’s why I actually chose it when I had an opportunity to return
to the gas business, because it’s a lifeline business. And the electricity industry matters. You know
it really matters. You know that without electricity we would not have the economies, the health
and the people’s livelihoods that are affected by electricity. And so, just by being in this industry,
I find that quite rewarding because it really matters to people’s lives. And so is being able to lead
a company that takes that responsibility very seriously and always wants to be better and create
that environment.
, —Gianna Manes
In this book, I use CEO, senior leader, and leader interchangeably. This is intentional, as these
principles are applicable and can be successfully applied to managers and leaders at all levels. It
will be all the better if you adopt and apply these learnings before you reach the top spot or even
if you do not aspire to it. By applying the attributes of a 360 degree CEO, you will be a more
satisfied and well-rounded person and a better manager and leader for heeding the lessons herein.
Some of my CEO clients run $3B companies; others lead $20M companies. The CEOs whose
stories populate these pages are leading or have led companies of all sizes—from mid cap to
Fortune 100. The principles in this book apply to leaders of all ages and genders across all
industries, geographies, and sizes of company.
Enduring Characteristics that Generate Results
For the purposes of this book and to further my expertise in executive performance, I held
conversations with CEOs from across North America. When approaching CEOs, I identified those
who were broadly respected by their peers and communities, recommended by their executive
teams and peers, and had demonstrated sustained financial performance. In several cases, these
CEOs have also won awards from external bodies in recognition of their high standards of
performance. The discussions were candid, vulnerable, and humble. All displayed passion for their
work and were generous with their time.
So what constitutes a 360 degree CEO? From my research, interviews, and experience with
thousands of CEOs, it is not easy to attain, but the formula is simple, powerful, and achievable.
360 degree CEOs demonstrate P3. They generate profits by leading with… Purpose, Passion, and
Principles.
The powerful trifecta: Purpose, Passion, and Principles (P3)
Purpose, Passion, and Principles (P3)
Purpose
