New CEOs must learn how to:

1 Arrive Prepared-new CEOs must hit the ground running with a game plan and a core team; time is now of the essence, and board patience is limited 1

2 Avoid Half-Truths and Misperceptions-the reality for CEOs is they are rarely told the whole truth by their teams: It arrives with shades of meaning and many misperceptions and political posturing 23

3 Adopt a Constituent Consciousness-new CEOs are easily overwhelmed by the sheer volume, breadth, and intensity of the constituencies they must now personally handle 49

4 Start Change Management by Changing the Management-to lead in new directions and create momentum for change means you best start by changing key executives 59

5 Avoid Becoming Isolated-being a CEOs is a lonely job-most are cut off from prior support teams and colleagues-far too few are available to deliver unvarnished advice 73

6 Manage the Mentorship Conundrum-CEOs need to manage the conflict between their desire to build a team that follows their agenda and the expectation of the board of directors that the CEO will develop a successor who is able to create their own leadership agenda 89

7 Use Role Modeling as a Change Tool-how leaders act, speak, allocate their time, and set priorities are some of the most effective and least used CEO management practices 99

8 Use Psychic Rewards, Not Just Monetary Ones-monetary awards have natural limits, so it’s better to use other meaningful incentives that appeal to people’s sense of self and belonging to sustain change 115

9 Get on Board with Your Board-the CEO-board relationship is one of the most complicated and challenging of all CEOs relationships Most CEOs underinvest in this relationship-often to their detriment 127

10 Do Good While Doing Well-CEOs must now balance the needs of shareholders and stakeholders; this is a tricky balance to maintain and real action is hard 143

11 Embrace the Value and Reality of Diversity-leaders need to deeply embrace the long-term value of diversity, commit to outsized efforts, welcome demanding constituencies, and commit to the personal leadership this goal requires-all while meeting short term commitments 157

12 Know When to Leave-too few leaders are sufficiently self-aware to recognize when they have plateaued and need to depart 165

13 Plan a Post-Leadership Life-CEOs shouldn’t drift thoughtlessly or naively into the next phase of their lives but create a purposeful strategy prior to their exit 177

14 Strive for Authenticity-being oneself rather than acting the part is key to being a successful leader 193

15 Seek Truths in the Future-Why the truths that are important today will be even more relevant tomorrow 205