ceo toolkit

Born from decades of learning through our own experiences in the C-suite, we have created a unique set of mentored exercises for CEOs to use to help guide them along the path to success. From learning to navigate through difficult roadblocks and situational pitfalls to creating strategies to embrace and celebrate extreme successes, the CEO Toolkit is an expansive set of highly focused sessions that build skills, improve effectiveness and prepare executives to deal with the unexpected.

The Kirkjufellsfoss, Iceland

The Toolkit Session Process

As all sessions are customized to each client, we first seek to understand how the chosen topic is implemented in the company today. We then work with our clients to build on and enhance the associated skill set

We Learn

The advisee completes a short “homework assignment” that helps the advisor better understand how the chosen topic is handled in the client organization.

We Prepare

The Headwaters advisor prepares a custom discussion guideline building on the current practices at the company and observations on areas for improvement.

We Discuss

A toolkit session generally requires 1 ½ to 2 hours. Each session is a dialog between advisor and advisee. During the discussion, improvement ideas are shared using examples and observations. An inventory is created from the conversation to capture ideas and suggested improvements.

We Deliver

Following the session, the advisor captures the agreed concepts and ideas into a formal “C-suite crib-note” document. This is a bullet point formatted document that the client can keep handy to guide them as they implement improvements.

We Follow-up

During regular advising sessions, the advisor will follow up with the advisee to check in on progress for prior toolkit topics.

Toolkit Topics

Complex executive jobs require myriad skills. Headwaters has broken down C-suite activities into a wide range of topics spanning the skills and competencies required for success as an executive. Topics address a wide range of both hard and soft management and leadership skills required to manage the enterprise and its external constituents.

C-Suite Essentials

C-Suite Essentials topics cover a broad range of areas that help CEOs build and strengthen their team’s performance as well as their own. Topics range from tips to help CEOs manage their days, to hiring and building teams and Boards, to leadership and strategy. Together these topics provide an essential toolkit for the CEO and form the basis for continuing improvement in leadership and business performance.

The External CEO

The topics covered in the External CEO discussions are designed to take a more deliberate approach to external communications and focus on a purpose built (as opposed to an “off-the-cuff”) approach to the outside world of investors, business partners, the press, and the general public.

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How can you know what you’re capable of if you don’t embrace the unknown?”

Esmeralda Santiago from the novel “Conquistadora”

Overseeing the Enterprise

In Overseeing the Enterprise, in-depth discussions help define how to manage the different functional areas of the organization. By defining the base-level knowledge CEOs need to maintain or develop as well as covering techniques that allow CEOs to probe critical issues in areas where they are not expert, it allows them to be able to spot, dissect, and understand operational challenges with enterprise significance which require C-suite elevation and lead their team’s with confidence.

Navigating the Unfamiliar

In Navigating the Unfamiliar, the intent is to expand the CEO’s perspective. To look at unfamiliar and possibly uncomfortable situations that may arise as opportunities to be capitalized upon. With this lens, clients learn to determine where and how to approach novel areas such as managing a digital presence and engaging with a broader stakeholder base.

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It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.

Warren Buffet