Inside the Strategy Room 271. Mastering the cycles of CEO leadership: Starting strong, and staying ahead
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Oct 3, 2025 In this insightful discussion, Kurt Strovink, a senior partner at McKinsey and coauthor of 'A CEO for All Seasons,' and Carolyn Dewar, also a senior partner and coauthor of 'CEO Excellence,' share their expertise on navigating CEO leadership cycles. They delve into strategies for new CEOs to start strong, emphasizing the importance of vision setting and listening tours. They explore the critical third season challenges, like evolving strategies and learning continuously. The duo highlights the need for CEOs to future-proof their organizations, ensuring sustainable growth.
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CEO Role Is Harder Than It Looks
- The CEO role is uniquely hard and often more different than candidates expect.
- Top CEOs create disproportionate value, explaining a $5 trillion gap versus average performers.
Use Your Inauguration As An Unfreeze
- Treat your inauguration as an institutional unfreezing moment, not a personal debut.
- Use the window to set a bold, energizing vision that people will rally behind.
Listen And Act Quickly
- Run listening tours but pair them with immediate, visible actions to build credibility.
- Act on early hypotheses and pursue no-regret moves despite incomplete information.
