Tag Archives: experience

06/29/23

CEO Shoptalk: HIRING >>> Hard Skills, Soft Skills, Experience, Common Sense, Character

Not long ago I was discussing the hiring practices of a mature company I had first met as a startup when I advised its CEO. Early in their existence they had used a decent headhunter, but when they brought it in house, they stubbed their toes over process.

The company has since successfully exited and the story is archived, but there is a discussion around hiring that may be useful.

In our discussion, the CEO was decrying post-Pandemic hiring practices and the pressure to allow folks to work from home or flexible hours. There was a lot of confusion as there was no experience upon which to draw. Continue reading →

10/27/19

Experience v Logic — Who Wins?

I have a former client — full disclosure he is one of two clients I have ever fired. I fired him because he was not diligent in keeping our appointments.

He paid well. He was always apologetic. He always had an excuse. He was and is a very good CEO, the kind you enjoy working with because he does the work and he was a nice person. Hard worker.

A couple of years later, he wrote me a lovely letter apologizing for his behavior that I promised him I would burn.

Recently, he calls me and asks, “Can you give me some help? I’m trying to hire a CEO coach.”

I look at the phone, stifle a laugh, and say, “Absolutely.”

Continue reading →

05/17/18

Experience, Addressable Experience

What is addressable experience? Big Red Car?

Big Red Car here on another glorious Thursday in the ATX in which the sun shines, the breeze blows, and life flourishes. On Earth as it is in Texas, y’all.

So, I’m visiting with a gray haired eminence former CEO who is an old pal. We get on the issue of experience.

How much is enough?

How much is too much?

How much is relevant?

How much is addressable?

It was an interesting conversation. Between the two of us, we have more than seventy years of CEO-ing. That is a lot of time, a lot of experience.

Continue reading →

02/2/15

Situational Awareness

Big Red Car here. It is 34F here today and it is only going to get to 50F by afternoon. What’s going on, Mother Nature?

Luckily it will be 70F on Saturday and Sunday.

So The Boss got a lot of feedback on his post on the notion of renting or buying experience.

Experience — Rent It Or Buy It?

One of the most interesting bit of feedback wandered into the idea of “situational awareness” which the emailer suggested was an essential part of the benefit of experience. Continue reading →

12/26/13

CEO Coaching — Experience

Big Red Car here.  Well we had a great Christmas in the ATX.  Wow, the Investment Banker and the Perfect Daughter are here and the parental units had been skiing in the ‘Boat and just made it back in time to get the tree decorated.  Much fun and much love.  Ahh, On Earth As It Is In Texas!

So The Boss has been thinking a bit about his CEO advisory and coaching business.  At year end he has cataloged a number of conversations and I will be sharing them with you for a few weeks.  A kind of lessons learned primer on how a CEO can effectively use coaching to her best advantage.

Continue reading →

01/2/13

The Power of Experience — Your Generation Did NOT Invent Sex

Big Red Car here.  The Boss is back in town and he is back to business full steam ahead.  It is nice to see him so busy as he has been at the beach, in the mountains on the East coast and skiing for Christmas.  The last three months, he has been out of town a lot.

Now, he is back and I just might get a chance to blow out the cobwebs myself today if the rain holds off a bit.

This resurgence of activity got me thinking about the value and power of experience.

Continue reading →