Extraordinary Leadership: Thinking, Being, Doing for CEOs
Course Syllabus
The “Extraordinary Leadership: Thinking, Being, Doing” course reveals profound insights designed specifically for busy, successful CEOs who want to propel their leadership, and their organization, to even higher levels in a condensed period of time. They also want to learn from other CEOs who are going through similar challenges. Does this sound like you?
Great CEOs excel at setting and communicating the company’s vision, developing its strategy, overseeing operations, and creating a culture where people are motivated to do their best work toward a shared, worthy cause–while also ensuring that the company has all the resources it needs to succeed. What sets apart the best from the rest?
Successful completion of the course will set you on your path to becoming an even more powerful force for change–equipped with greater agility, resilience, and a comprehensive set of perspectives and proficiencies necessary to continually elevate your leadership. In performing your role, you will learn to anticipate better and adapt faster, especially when confronted with unprecedented challenges where there is no existing “playbook.” You will learn how to use inevitable adversity as a springboard–to make better decisions and strengthen your competitive advantage in this increasingly complex, uncertain, and fast-changing world.
Our Proprietary Process Delivers Remarkable Results
Thinking
"You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this and you will find strength.”
Marcus Aurelius
Being
“First say to yourself what you would be;
and then do what you have to do.”
Epictetus
Doing
"Do not be wise in words—
be wise in deeds.”
Marcus Aurelius
Each session follows the revolutionary and practical framework of “Thinking, Being, Doing” developed by Dr. Lee Thayer, pioneer and influential innovator in the design and development of high-performance organizations. This powerful amalgamation of his degrees in humanities, engineering, psychology, and philosophy has been road-tested and refined during his teaching at major universities and through his decades of work with notable CEOs and world leaders–helping them more effectively navigate real-world demands.
We start by challenging you—with the insights and mindset for accomplishing more (the thinking), followed by the competencies you’ll need to master (the being), and conclude with guidelines for leveraging them to realize your vision faster (the doing).
Our thought-provoking discussions of Dr. Thayer’s comprehensive perspectives create clarity for CEOs on how to triumph in every aspect of leadership from the daily rigors of leading people and overseeing operations, to the complexities of strategic vision and meaningful purpose…and how the role you choose to perform has consequences on it all.
Your Experience is Designed for High-Engagement & High-Performance
Progression
This comprehensive leadership course has been condensed into seven sessions— each two hours in duration. Every session builds on insights learned in the previous session; complexity and intensity increase as we progress.
Real-Life Case Studies
We start off each session with a case study of a real CEO facing a real leadership challenge that is directly relevant to the session’s concepts. These are designed to show that you’re not alone and to help you effectively apply our powerful concepts.
Metaphors & Movie Clips
To make your learning experience more compelling, we judiciously use entertaining media clips and stories as metaphors. These emphasize the most unique and valuable leadership insights so they become more memorable and repeatable.
We Collaborate WITH You to Customize the Course FOR You
Guided, Self-Directed: Unlike most of our competitors, this course does not teach one path as the same answer for everyone. Instead, we guide you on a journey where you make your own choices about a distinctive vision that’s most meaningful to you and your unique path to realizing it.
Orientation: Upon enrollment, you’ll be asked to complete a 10-minute survey so that you and your facilitator can begin personalizing the course to achieve your unique objectives. It will guide you to uncover your outcomes for the course, your ideal vision of the leader you want to become, and the most consequential, persistent obstacles standing in your way.
Pre-Session Work: You’ll also receive your first assignment—requiring approximately 20 minutes—for you to complete before the first session. Make sure you provide enough detail so that the facilitator can focus the course on which areas are most important to you. When completed well, each Pre-Session Work will set the stage for you to apply the session’s most insightful perspectives for the purpose of closing the gap between where you are and what is most meaningful for you to accomplish.
Unprecedented Challenges and Constant Disruptions Force CEOs to Think Differently and Become Better Leaders to Beat the Competition and Survive
What if You Could Anticipate Better and Adapt Faster by Getting Everyone in “Learning Mode”?
“It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows.” - Epictetus
In today's dynamic business environment, unprecedented volatility, uncertainty, and complexity have become constants that are nearly impossible to conquer. Disruptive forces such as shifting geopolitical power, economic fluctuations, regulatory changes, and polarizing societal demands fuelled by social media can have profound, detrimental impacts on organizations. The pace of change has outstripped our capacity for generating answers.
CEOs who practice “The Learning Mode” gain the transformative power of diverse insights, the opportunity to foster an engaged and empowered workforce, the pulse of their customers and the market, and the competitive edge from exploiting a new realm of emerging possibilities in a turbulent world.
CEOs who practice “The Learning Mode” gain the transformative power of diverse insights, the opportunity to foster an engaged and empowered workforce, the pulse of their customers and the market, and the competitive edge from exploiting a new realm of emerging possibilities in a turbulent world.
What if you could better leverage the disruptive forces of adversity inherent in today’s business environment to strengthen your organization?
The multi-faceted perspectives of “The Learning Mode” can guide you to greater resilience and agility beyond limitations of knowledge from past experience.
Unexpected, Mass-Adversity Events, Beyond CEOs’ Control, Can Ignite Operational Problems and Create Existential Threats to Your Organization
What If Your Team Could Systematically Diffuse Complex Problems Earlier with “Strategic Distribution of the Ownership of Problems”?
“No man is more unhappy than he who never faces adversity.
For he is not permitted to prove himself.” -Seneca
Adverse events such as economic recessions, natural disasters, and geopolitical conflicts can unleash a torrent of operational problems, shaking the foundations of organizations. The resilience and strategic acumen of leaders are put to the ultimate test–navigating through the treacherous waters of operational problems while seeking financial stability, imminent opportunities to exploit, and an optimal path towards long-term success.
CEOs ultimately bear responsibility for the overall performance of the company, regardless of operational problems that arise. However, does it ever seem like you spend too much time and energy resolving problems that your team should have resolved sooner? “Strategic Distribution of the Ownership of Problems” leverages five ingenious strategies for your team to better mitigate problems early before you need to get involved.
By integrating these unorthodox insights into their leadership approach, CEOs can seize the true power of this moment– the organization’s operating models have been unfrozen, perhaps more than any time in a generation. You have a leadership opportunity to reset how work gets done–free from burdens of historical norms and limits of traditional problem-solving models. Your team will be better equipped to manage operational problems with greater clarity, resilience, efficiency, and effectiveness; you will be free to lead.
The Battle for Top Talent Has Intensified; Workplaces Transformed
What If You Could Make Extraordinary People Out of Ordinary People by Investing in Multidimensional “People-Making” with High ROI?
“In a sense, people are our proper occupation. Our job is to do them good and put up with them.” - Marcus Aurelius
Few, if any, things are as important as having the highest-performing people in roles that are most critical to an organization’s success; however, the entire labor market has been disrupted. The intensified battle for top-tier talent, irrevocably transformed workplaces (with remote workforce), and evolving expectations of employees have created unprecedented difficulties for organizations. CEO’s success depends on the organization’s timely evolution of its labor practices–to ensure key positions are filled by highly accomplished candidates and prevent any talent gaps across the entire organization which stifle growth.
It's an era of relentless adaptation, where CEOs must rewrite the rules, reimagine organizational structures, and foster cultures that empower and inspire, lest they be left adrift in a sea of talent scarcity. How can CEOs re-build organizations of high-performance and high-engagement under these conditions? The secrets of great organizations is how they make extraordinary people out of ordinary people with multidimensional “People-Making.”
In the realm of CEOs, where greatness is pursued and extraordinary talent is coveted, the most successful CEOs utilize unconventional and unique methods of “People-Making” to attract, develop, retain, motivate, and reward the best people in their organizations. By boldly venturing beyond standard practices, they ignite a fire of passion, relentless determination, and unwavering loyalty within the hearts of exceptional individuals.
Systems Essential For Governance Are Numerous, Complex, Expensive, and Rapidly Become Obsolete Which Can Paralyze Organizations.
How Can Your Systems Make Possible What’s Necessary… and Make Necessary What’s Possible… by “Organization-Making” for More Agility to Exploit Emerging Opportunities?
“The secret of all victory lies in the organization of the non-obvious.” -Marcus Aurelius
Globally, rapid change and the emergence of technological advancements is unavoidable and has outpaced organizations’ ability to adapt their systems due to increasing complexity, interconnectivity, data security and privacy, evolving customer expectations for personalized experiences, shortages of specialized talent, financial constraints–and let’s not forget the uncertain impact of artificial intelligence (AI).
Even if they have the best teams they can afford, CEOs know they are ultimately responsible for the many systems on which their organization relies in this increasingly interconnected world. So how can CEOs mitigate these risks– with “Organization-Making” guidance– specifically designed for CEOs? It starts with thinking differently about the important role CEOs have in systems–asking unconventional questions to stay alert to early symptoms of non-adaptability, dysfunction, mis-leading information, and decline toward obsolescence.
Although the pace of change has reached unparalleled heights, CEOs who harness their power unlock a myriad of competitive advantages. They seamlessly scale operations–adapting faster to market changes and evolving customer demands. They create a culture of experimentation and innovation–testing new ideas. They create operational efficiencies with streamlined workflows, automation, and optimized processes—increasing employee productivity and satisfaction. They analyze accurate, real-time data analytics for insights– identifying trends and uncovering opportunities with greater precision. They enhance cybersecurity—making organizations less vulnerable to data breaches, cyberattacks, and regulatory compliance penalties. Adapting to the digital revolution is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity for CEOs to succeed in a landscape where innovation reigns supreme.
Without CEOs setting the Ideal Strategic Vision that is Customer-Driven, Organizations and CEOs Become Highly Vulnerable to Failure
What if “Organization-Making” Could Make Your Boldest Vision Inevitable…and Bring Imagination and Ingenuity to Your Choices?
“If a man knows not which port he sails, no wind is favorable.” - Seneca
Expectations of consumers have undergone profound transformation. Customers have more complex, faster-changing, widely-broadcast expectations about current products, yet they also struggle to articulate the needs they want satisfied by future products. What happens when organizations’ fail to anticipate and adapt to evolving customer needs? Historically, organizations suffer irrelevance, loss of market share, decline in influence, or obsolescence.
Without setting a bold, customer-centric strategic vision, CEOs risk being overshadowed by more agile, customer-centric competitors, ultimately jeopardizing their own long-term success and reputation. The six ingenious perspectives of “Organization-Making” can help make your boldest vision inevitable. It starts by asking yourself unconventional, provocative questions then deeply thinking about your answers to substantially evolve and expand your thinking with powerful consequences.
A CEO's customer-centric strategic vision is the compass that leads organizations to greatness– surpassing competitors, delivering unequivocal financial success, forging unbreakable bonds of trust, and propelling the company towards a future defined by profound customer delight. By anticipating evolving customer desires better than competitors, CEOs carve out a distinctive position in the market with innovation and generate sustained profitability. Your ideal customers become loyal patrons (driving repeat business) and your engaged workforce become proud, passionate brand ambassadors (elevating service levels). By placing customers at the heart of their business, CEOs cement their organization's position as an industry leader, propelling it towards unrivaled success and enduring prosperity.
Influential Stakeholders Require CEOs Prioritize Sustainability and Take a Stance on Polarizing Issues (Social, Environmental, Political) in Business Decisions; Risks are Daunting
How Can You Harness the Power of “Being HAD by a Cause” and Make it Contagious With “Meaning-Making” for a Culture of Relentless Determination Driven to Make the World Better?
“What we do in life ripples in eternity.” Marcus Aurelius
Stakeholders and activists have increased pressure for sustainability– prioritizing the long-term well-being of the planet by operating in a way that balances environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic prosperity. They require CEOs to take a stance and address pressing issues such as climate change, social justice, DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), globalization, political polarization, and more. If CEOs do not adequately address these expectations, they risk reputational damage, consumer backlash or boycotts, legal or regulatory scrutiny, investor pressure, and employee discontent/attrition.
Would you be interested in learning how to master the ONE thing most important for CEOs to effectively mitigate these risks while also enhancing their leadership effectiveness, and contributing to the long-term success of their organization? The most accomplished CEOs today go beyond their mission statement, and corporate values; instead, they unleash the power that only comes from “Being HAD by a Cause”… completely abandoning themselves to it. Such relentless determination reveals what these CEOs value most and their organization’s deepest reason for being. To ignite the flame in others, they master the art of “Meaning-Making” because there is nothing more powerful to further their cause!
For CEOs who dare to defy the conventional, who refuse to be bound by the limitations of short-term gains, and who commit to making a positive impact, the rewards are immeasurable. Afterall, how do you measure the value of creating a stronger connection with your brand, driving higher employee engagement, attracting the highest-caliber talent, fostering positive stakeholder advocacy, and providing agility and resilience in difficult times? CEOs who are “Had by a Cause” and who master “Meaning-Making” have power to reshape industries, uplift communities, and leave an indelible mark on the world.
The Role of CEO Inherently Drives Insatiable Hunger for More (It’s Never Enough), Sacrifices Meaningful Relationships (It’s Lonely at the Top) and Battles Demands for Transparency (It’s about Authenticity)
Will You Commit to the Journey of ”Mastering Oneself” to Gain Fulfillment and Connectedness without Sacrificing Success?
“No person is free who is not master of himself.” - Marcus Aurelius
Successful CEOs are intrinsically driven–in productive and unproductive ways– by the insatiable “hunger for more” which inevitably sacrifices meaningful relationships and is exacerbated by increasing pressure for transparency. They find themselves possessing an abundance of material wealth, power, status, and achievements; yet, still facing an underlying sense of lacking. The pursuit of more–more success, more knowledge, more growth, and more impact–is a diminishing returns game. It’s a double-edged sword, propelling them forward while simultaneously sowing seeds of discontent. Additionally, the weight of constant expectations, unending challenges, difficult decisions,and sacrifices made along the way manifests as a sense of isolation– disconnected from others, from our own emotions, and from the meaningful joys of life beyond work. Despite demands for transparency, CEOs face many circumstances where transparency is detrimental. These are the side-effects of CEOs neglecting vital elements of “Mastering Oneself” in their roles as CEOs and beyond, thus, denying their true potential rather than fully embracing their quintessential greatness.
Extraordinary leaders commit to “Mastering Oneself” not just “Self-Mastery”--the distinction lies in their focus and scope. While self-mastery focuses on personal excellence, “Mastering Oneself” encompasses mastery of both self and the art of leadership. Successful CEOs recognize the importance of both aspects and strive to integrate self-mastery with the skills and wisdom necessary to lead and influence others effectively. Only by committing to “Mastering Oneself,” can CEOs unlock their full potential and create lasting impact in their organizations and beyond.
It’s not about your achievements. It’s not about who you were, or who you are. It’s being proud of who you are becoming. The question remains: Will you, as CEO, embrace these unconventional insights, continually rise above, and embark on a transformative journey to shape your destiny; or will you settle for less, leaving untapped potential and unfulfilled aspirations in your wake? The choice is yours, and the future awaits your answer.
Are you ready?
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