CEO EXCELLENCE

It is often said that single digit companies grow in double digits. In a fiercely competitive world, few companies manage to survive and thrive, generating healthy shareholder returns. Lot of work has been done on companies that are ‘Built to Last’, ‘Good to Great’ and the likes of those who find their names ‘In Search of Excellence’, to decipher the DNA of outstanding companies. This book focuses on the role of select CEOs who make the difference at the top.This book is an outstanding piece of research and insights, McKinsey standards. It outlines the hypothesis and methodology very clearly in the introduction. CEOs who rank in the top 20 percent of financial performance generate, on average 2.8 times more TRS (Total Shareholder Returns) during each year of their tenure than average performers’. This sets the agenda for the rest of the book. Tons of data from 1000 largest companies (covering 2400+ CEOs) over 15 years, with at least 6 years in role, and recognized in ‘best CEO’ Industry Lists. To give a fair representation, while maintaining high bar of performance across industries, gender, races, geographies and ownership structures, further data is added to generate a list that can be considered most credibly, the best CEOs in the world in the twenty-first century. The economic value created by these 200 leaders, in excess of their peers is approximately $ 5 Trillion, equivalent to the gross GDP of Japan.Like the 7-S framework in ‘In Search of Excellence’, this book discusses ‘The Six responsibilities of the CEO. The excellent CEOs practice these six aspects rigorously and very differently than the rest who don’t make the cut. The book then goes on to discuss each of these six ‘mindsets’, in abundant measure, with concepts and cases.The first mindset ‘Set the Direction’ consists of Vision, Strategy and Resource Allocation, and a chapter that elaborates on each. Every chapter begins with a beautiful quote, followed by crisp outline and discussion on salient points.Other five mindsets are Align the Organization, Mobilize through Leaders, Manage Personal Effectiveness, Engage the Board and Connect with Stakeholders.Excellent CEOs are ‘Servant Leaders’. They lead to serve. They are humble, and humility is ‘freedom from pride and arrogance’ and is ‘not thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less’ as aptly described in this book. They feel gratitude for ‘the deep responsibility and obligations’ and for ‘serving people on the frontline’. They are deeply grounded, thankful, and bless the people they work with. ‘It is not your work; you’re just doing your part. Give glory to God’.It is important to note that this book is useful for leaders at all levels in an organization. Every business leader, at national, divisional, regional, or product level has similar responsibilities, and are prospective successors to the CEO role.Appendix 1 is an excellent toolkit that acts as a concise summary and guide. Appendix 2 is a list of CEO biographies for quick reference.This book is certainly a masterpiece on leadership in the twenty-first century. Unmissable and unputdownable. Highly recommended.

CEO Excellence by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra provides an exceptional blueprint for what distinguishes extraordinary CEOs. Based on interviews with 67 top-performing CEOs, including leaders from companies like Microsoft, Netflix, and Merck, the book identifies six core areas of success: corporate strategy, organisational alignment, team building, board engagement, personal leadership, and leadership values.A standout aspect of the book is its emphasis on timeless business principles. In an era dominated by startups and rapid technological disruption, it’s refreshing to see that age-old tenets such as clear vision, team cohesion, and value-driven leadership remain as relevant today as they were 100 years ago. This is exemplified through JP Morgan’s Jamie Dimon, who has navigated the bank through several crises, including the 2008 financial crash, by relying on tried-and-true leadership strategies—staying committed to long-term goals, building a resilient team, and always ensuring the company’s values remained at the forefront.The book also showcases Satya Nadella’s transformative leadership at Microsoft, where he fostered a growth mindset to revitalise the company’s culture, and Reed Hastings’ data-driven disruption of the entertainment industry at Netflix. Additionally, Ken Frazier of Merck exemplifies purpose-driven leadership, prioritising long-term research investments over short-term gains to ensure innovation remained central to Merck’s mission.CEO Excellence combines these inspiring stories with actionable lessons, making it a must-read for not only CEOs but also anyone in business leadership. It reinforces that while industries and technologies may evolve, the core principles of effective leadership—strategy, vision, and values—are timeless.Whether you’re a manager, entrepreneur, or student of business, this book offers a comprehensive guide to mastering leadership in any era.