CEO to CEO

Encouraging Hidden Leaders

By Robert Sher
A tragic event occurred that I cannot get out of my mind. For me, writing helps process my thoughts, get them out of my head, and bring forth the lesson I need to learn. I’m hoping that if I write about the recent murder of Tom Cunningham, whom I knew and who influenced my kids and community, I’ll be able to reduce the amount of time my mind is spending thinking about it all--including times when I really need to be sleeping.

Three years ago, I discovered a hidden leader, and encouraged him. Tom was 35 years old and I wrote a letter to Tom’s bosses that made Tom feel ten feet tall. Tom was the janitor (officially the Head Custodian) of my kids’ elementary school. My kids started coming home talking a lot about Tom, and finally I inquired about who Tom was, and why my kids were so excited about the janitor. I asked a few questions around the school and of my wife and discovered that while Tom was indeed the janitor, he was in truth, a hidden leader at the school, having perhaps more influence than the principal, teachers, the PTA or any of the formal leaders.

Customer Betrayal and the CEO’s Reaction

By Robert Sher

I had a series of conversations with chief executives who were angry with some outgoing customers, and rightly so. One firm had delivered great service for seven years to a major multi-national (and bent over backwards many times), but a new top executive who only wanted to deal with “big” suppliers solicited bids to replace them. He told the bidders to assume that they would “inherit” the incumbent’s employees. The loss of this customer will really set back the supplier, and most likely performance will slip for the customer too since the new provider is not a specialist. With the pain of this loss quite fresh, (the transition is happening now) the CEO swore he’d never go the extra mile for a customer hoping for loyalty. Is he overreacting?

Avoid the Slide to the Dark Side

Summary: Businesses must make a commitment to doing things legally, always. Long before Sarbanes-Oxley, many businesses have crumbled because they crossed the line and came under attack. Discover how it usually starts, and the terrible cost it usually extracts.

How Deep in the Doghouse Do You Go?

Summary: Sometimes you must choose between coming clean as soon as possible and facing the consequences, or “hiding out” for a while and telling the truth later. This essay dives into this issue.

A Door to High Caliber People

Summary: Getting involved in non-profits opens doors and is good for business. Multiple benefits are reached when the CEO joins the board of a local charity. The right ways to go about getting involved in charity work are examined.