Ty Wiggins, the global lead at Russell Reynolds Associates and author of *The New CEO*, shares his expertise on helping CEOs succeed in their first 12-18 months. He emphasizes that new leaders often see more but hear less, urging them to connect with middle managers and frontline employees for a clearer perspective. Wiggins challenges the conventional wisdom of the first 90 days as a success metric, advocating for initial easy wins while gaining context. He also discusses the importance of addressing organizational pain points to foster momentum and engagement.
39:35
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
insights INSIGHT
The CEO Bubble
Becoming CEO changes team dynamics, requiring acceptance of new communication patterns.
CEOs must adapt to receiving filtered information and adjust their leadership style accordingly.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Accept the Filter
Acknowledge you receive filtered information as CEO, especially if promoted internally.
Internally promoted CEOs may struggle more with this due to pre-existing relationships.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Break the Bubble
Identify truth-tellers within the organization and actively encourage their candor.
Create regular opportunities for informal discussions with employees at all levels.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
This book, written by George A. Steiner, explores the role and responsibilities of the chief executive officer in modern corporations. It provides insights into the challenges, strategies, and best practices for CEOs in the 1980s, reflecting the business environment and management principles of that era.
Ty Wiggins: The New CEO
Ty Wiggins is a leadership expert who is passionate about setting up new CEOs for success. As the global lead of Russell Reynolds Associates’ CEO & Executive Transition Practice, he helps world-leading CEOs successfully transition into their roles, guiding them through their first 12-18 months as their trusted advisor. He is the author of The New CEO: Lessons from CEOs on How to Start Well and Perform Quickly (Minus the Common Mistakes)*.
Taking on a top job is unique in many ways. In this conversation, Ty and I explore what new, top leaders can do to get out of the bubble and hear more truth. Plus, we discuss why the first 90 or 100 days might not be the best metric for top leaders, and how to better start with easy wins and early moves.
Key Points
You’ll see more in the top job, but hear less. This is even more pronounced for those promoted internally.
Getting out of the bubble means spending more time with middle managers and front-line employees. Second and third time CEOs do this more from the start.
Key questions that can help you hear more: (1) Tell me some of the workarounds you have in place and (2) What's the question I haven't asked you but I should?
The first 90 or 100 days as a success metric is often overstated in top jobs. You’re often still learning context at an exponential rate.
If it’s on fire, fix it. If it is smoldering, leave it alone until you have more context.
It’s helpful to address common pain points for easy wins. They don't have to be enormous, but they should be deliberate.
Resources Mentioned
The New CEO: Lessons from CEOs on How to Start Well and Perform Quickly (Minus the Common Mistakes)* by Ty Wiggins
Interview Notes
Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Genuinely Show Up for Others, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 590)
How to Start a Big Leadership Role, with Carol Kauffman (episode 617)
How an Executive Aligns with a Board, with Joan Garry (episode 662)
Discover More
Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Coaching for Leaders 
