When Business is Battle: Inside the Boardrooms of the CEOs that Survived the Storm
Nov 23, 2023
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Ariel Cohen, co-founder and CEO of Navon, and Todd McKinnon, co-founder and CEO of Okta, dive into the tumultuous world of leading companies through crises. They share personal experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, discussing rapid declines in revenue and the emotional toll on teams. The conversation highlights the importance of strategic pivots, such as developing innovative products during downtime, and the complexities of hiring motivated employees. Join them as they navigate resilience, adaptability, and leadership challenges in today's unpredictable business landscape.
Success does not make being a CEO any easier; they constantly face adversity and must navigate through tough times.
Clear vision, confident leadership, and effective communication are crucial during challenging times for CEOs.
CEOs must adapt their leadership style, learn from mistakes, build a strong team, and make tough decisions for the success of the company.
Deep dives
The Challenges of Being a CEO
Being a CEO comes with its own set of challenges and difficulties. It is important to understand that success does not make the job any easier. CEOs constantly face adversity and must continuously navigate through tough times.
Navigating a Crisis
During challenging times, such as the financial crisis, CEOs must make tough decisions and navigate their way through the crisis. It is important for CEOs to have a clear vision and confidently lead their team through the storm.
Managing and Leading through Change
As a CEO, it is crucial to adapt and adjust your leadership style based on the situation. It is important to strike a balance between being decisive and seeking input from the board and the team. Communication, transparency, and being open to change are key in leading a company effectively.
Overcoming Challenges and Learning from Mistakes
CEOs must learn from their mistakes and use them as opportunities for growth. It is important to stay focused, rally the team, and make course corrections when necessary. Building a strong executive team and making tough decisions are essential for the success of the company.
Balancing Loyalty and Making Tough Decisions
As the company evolves, CEOs may need to make tough decisions about personnel. Balancing loyalty and the need for change can be challenging, but it is important to make decisions that are in the best interest of the company's growth and success.
Taking a company from idea to household name is always difficult. But the past few years presented challenges that caught even the most-seasoned CEOs off guard.
In this episode, you’ll hear from two CEOs that navigated these waters and somehow, came out on the other side. These recordings come straight from our exclusive Connect/Enterprise event, bringing together top executives across the a16z network.
Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
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