#157 — Mark Thompson: What Boards Really Look for When Choosing a CEO

Mark Thompson is a CEO coach and author of CEO Ready. Born and raised in Silicon Valley and now working across emerging tech hubs, Mark prepares leaders for the leap from elite operator to enterprise chief. He’s worked with CEOs ranging from Richard Branson and Evan Sharp (co-founder of Pinterest) to Dr. Jim Yong Kim (former president of the World Bank) and Dave Chang (founder of Momofuku).

Most executives assume the CEO seat is the natural “next step” for the highest performer. But Mark argues you earn readiness twice: first by delivering results, and then by winning belief outside your swim lane. In other words, performance gets you shortlisted—but it doesn’t get you selected.

In this episode, Mark lays out the seven stakeholders who decide your fate as a CEO candidate (the board, investors/owners, peers, employees, customers, the current CEO, and you). We talk about what each group actually wants, how to build trust across the enterprise, and why the best CEO candidates develop “conversational fluency” across functions so they can lead beyond their lane.

In this episode we cover:
•Why “elite performance” only gets you halfway to CEO—and what earns belief the second time
•The seven stakeholders who decide CEO readiness (and how to build a plan for each one)
•How to show up to the board as more than a functional expert
•Turning peers into partners (before the role forces the shift)
•Building fluency across functions so you can lead the whole enterprise—not just your function

Episode Timeline:
00:00 Introduction to Outthinkers Podcast

01:23 Meet Mark Thompson: CEO Coach and Author

02:06 The Seven Stakeholders of CEO Success

02:42 Mark's Unique Coaching Methods

04:10 Personal Insights and Strategy Definition

06:30 The Reality of Becoming a CEO

08:58 Navigating Board Dynamics

20:57 Interacting with the Board: Key Strategies for Aspiring CEOs

21:28 Listening and Broadening Your Perspective

22:44 Understanding the Role of Strategy Officers

26:36 Navigating Peer Dynamics and Leadership Transition

33:03 Building Relationships with the CEO

35:44 Engaging with Investors and Owners

39:56 The Importance of Customer Influence

44:17 Final Thoughts and Resources for Aspiring CEOs

Additional Resources:
•Mark Thompson: Chief Executive Alliance — https://chieexecutivealliance.com

Watch now on Youtube: https://youtu.be/wuh4Rn7erxU

Thank you to our guest, our executive producer Zach Ness, our editor James Pearce, and the Outthinker team. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, download, and subscribe. I’m your host, Kaihan Krippendorff—thank you for listening.

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