In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Carolyn Dewar. Carolyn is a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, McKinsey's Global Practice Leader for CEO & Board Excellence, and co-author of the book CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest. In the conversation, Carolyn Dewar shared how the authors identified the world's highest-performing CEOs using empirical data and determined the six mindsets that set the best apart. The six mindsets are Corporate Strategy (focus on beating the odds), Organizational Alignment (manage performance and health), Team and Processes (put dynamics ahead of mechanics), Board Engagement (help directors help the business), External Stakeholders (center on the long-term "why?"), and Personal Working Norms (do what only you can do). Carolyn Dewar also went over some of the critical practices of CEO excellence and what organizational leaders need to consider as they plan for the future of work. 

Some highlights:

-The essential role of CEOs in the organization and how the CEO's role has changed over the years

-Carolyn Dewar on why purpose and core values matter 

-How top-performing CEOs approach their roles differently

-Carolyn Dewar on what being bold means for a CEO

-Why leaders should prioritize high functioning teams over individual performance 

-Carolyn Dewar on building trust and strong relationships in senior teams

-The role of ongoing growth, development, and coaching for CEOs

-How the pandemic has shifted our expectations from CEOs

Connect with Carolyn Dewar:

McKinsey & Company Website

CEO Excellence on Amazon

McKinsey & Company on Twitter

Carolyn Dewar on LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn

Partnering Leadership Website