Partnering Leadership

252 Thursday Refresh with Carolyn Dewar: CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest | Partnering Leadership Global Thought Leader

Apr 6, 2023

Carolyn Dewar, a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company and co-author of CEO Excellence, shares insights on effective leadership. She identifies six key mindsets that distinguish top-performing CEOs, emphasizing the importance of corporate strategy and organizational alignment. Carolyn discusses the evolving role of CEOs, the need for high-functioning teams over individual performance, and highlights how empathy and coaching are essential in today's complex world. She also underlines the significance of trust and personal growth for lasting leadership success.

35:58

Episode guests

Carolyn Dewar

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Carolyn Dewar emphasizes that successful CEOs must prioritize organizational culture and talent alongside operational strategies to drive effectiveness.

The evolving role of CEOs requires them to navigate social issues while aligning their companies' actions with core values and purpose.

Deep dives

Impact of Upbringing on Leadership Style

Carolyn Doerr discusses her upbringing in Oshawa, Ontario, illustrating how it influenced her perspective on business and community. Growing up in a region closely tied to General Motors, she experienced firsthand the interplay between corporate decisions and community welfare. This background provided her with a grounded understanding of how businesses can shape society. Her experiences laid the foundation for her focus on leadership effectiveness and the broader societal responsibilities of corporations.

Intro

2min

Navigating CEO Challenges in a Complex World

17min

Leadership Insights: Team Development and Collaboration

2min

Maximizing CEO Effectiveness: Focusing on What Only You Can Do

2min

The Evolving Role of CEOs

5min

Navigating Leadership in a Post-Pandemic World

8min

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