The CEO Next Door audiobook cover - The Four Behaviors That Transform Ordinary People Into World-Class Leaders

The CEO Next Door

The Four Behaviors That Transform Ordinary People Into World-Class Leaders

Elena Botelho and Kim Powell

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Categories:
Management & Leadership

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The CEO Next Door
The CEO Myth vs. Reality+
Decisiveness+
Stakeholder Understanding+
Reliability & Consistency+
Systems & Delegation+
Adaptability+
Career Advancement+
Communication Tactics+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
What did the ghSMART project discover about the career intentions and backgrounds of most CEOs?
  • A. Most graduated from Ivy League schools and planned to be CEOs from the beginning of their careers.
  • B. Over 70 percent had no intention of becoming a CEO when they first started working, and Ivy League degrees are not required.
  • C. The majority come from wealthy backgrounds and hold advanced business degrees.
  • D. Almost all CEOs decided on their career path during college and relied heavily on having a high IQ.
Question 2 of 8
According to the authors, how do highly intelligent CEOs often struggle when it comes to decision-making?
  • A. They tend to make overly impulsive decisions without consulting data.
  • B. They experience 'information paralysis' and struggle to make quick choices.
  • C. They rely too heavily on their board members to make the final call.
  • D. They focus too much on overarching strategies and ignore detailed analysis.
Question 3 of 8
Why can introverts be particularly effective in the role of a CEO?
  • A. They are less likely to be swayed by the emotional appeals of their employees.
  • B. They tend to be better at listening, showing empathy, and understanding stakeholders' perspectives.
  • C. They prefer to micromanage repeatable systems behind closed doors.
  • D. They are more likely to make quick, impulsive decisions without overthinking.
Question 4 of 8
According to the Genome Project, which trait is highly favored by board members when selecting a CEO?
  • A. Proposing outlandish, extravagant ideas to revolutionize the company.
  • B. Displaying 'mad genius' traits that indicate high creativity and innovation.
  • C. Consistently following through on commitments and delivering guaranteed modest outcomes.
  • D. Changing their management style frequently to adapt to different employee personalities.
Question 5 of 8
What strategy did the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia use to successfully reduce medical errors by 80 percent?
  • A. They fired employees who made repeated mistakes to set a strict example.
  • B. They implemented a highly detailed micromanagement system overseen by senior doctors.
  • C. They renamed errors as 'good catches' and rewarded staff members who disclosed them.
  • D. They hired Navy SEALs to train their medical staff in high-pressure decision-making.
Question 6 of 8
How did Intel successfully adapt to the changing business landscape in the mid-1980s?
  • A. They purchased a smaller competitor to eliminate the threat of Japanese companies.
  • B. They completely dropped their memory-chip business to focus entirely on producing microprocessors.
  • C. They lowered the cost of their memory chips to undercut international competitors.
  • D. They expanded into the video-rental and digital camera markets.
Question 7 of 8
What is a common strategy used by 'sprinters' to climb the corporate ladder quickly and get noticed?
  • A. Taking a lower-level position at a smaller firm where it is easier to implement change and stand out.
  • B. Bragging about their personal talents and prioritizing their own success over the company's.
  • C. Exclusively seeking managerial roles at Fortune 500 companies to build a prestigious resume.
  • D. Avoiding requests for advice so they appear completely independent and knowledgeable.
Question 8 of 8
What actionable advice do the authors give for projecting authority in meetings or interviews?
  • A. Use complex vocabulary to demonstrate your intelligence and expertise.
  • B. Speak quickly to show enthusiasm and keep the audience's attention.
  • C. Use simple language, speak clearly without rushing, and pause for dramatic effect.
  • D. Avoid making eye contact to maintain a stoic, emotionless demeanor.

The CEO Next Door — Full Chapter Overview

The CEO Next Door Summary & Overview

The CEO Next Door (2017) takes a look at what separates a good CEO from a great one. Backed up by extensive research headed by the authors, it proposes that ordinary people can become leaders of large, successful companies, and details the steps involved in climbing that corporate ladder.

Who Should Listen to The CEO Next Door?

  • Anyone with aspirations to become a CEO
  • Leaders who want to improve their management skills
  • Entrepreneurs looking for advice on how to run a business

About the Author: Elena Botelho and Kim Powell

Elena Botelho and Kim Powell both have backgrounds in business, which led them to work on ghSMART, the biggest-ever study on the personality and mentality of world business leaders. Botelho and Powell also advise leading CEOs and senior executives.

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