It seems the best tech founder-CEOs are doing better than their counterparts in traditional industries when it comes to leadership. The model I saw repeatedly when I spent time with these firms was of a founder-CEO who focuses on the future of the product and industry, and on the company’s relationship with the outside world. It meant leaving a large proportion of management responsibilities to an experienced president or chief operating officer.
The most striking example was at Box, the cloud storage company started by Aaron Levie as a nineteen-year-old from his dorm room, now worth more than $1 billion. At the age of 29, Levie has handed over the day-to-day management of his company to industry veteran Dan Levin.
“I run the company,” says Levin. “The entire executive staff reports to me, and I report to Aaron. He’s the head and I’m the neck. He’s got the eyes and the ears, he decides what direction we should go, he decides what the next mountain to climb is, and then I try to figure out how to get the body to do it.”
No more than 305 of Levie’s time is now taken up with operations. He spends the rest of his day reading about the history and future of technology, talking to customers and meeting people from outside the industry to gain fresh perspectives. “The CEO should be in perennial start-up mode, thinking deeply about the core product, about new business and about rapidly changing external forces in the world.”
Levie believes Silicon Valley CEOs are “ahead of the curve” but fully expects other sectors to catch up because “no one is exempt from the increased pace of change that will require leaders to focus more on the big picture.”
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
