CEOs On Leading Strategy Through Uncertainty
May 16, 2025
Use EVA and the EVA Margin and EVA Momentum ratio statistics to assess profitability, profitable growth and wealth-creation. Pay managers bonuses at all levels for increasing EVA and give them the tools and training to do so.
Avoid overpaying for acquisitions or buying back stock at its peaks. Manage your portfolio of businesses from a wealth-creation perspective. This includes sensing opportunity—entering lucrative or fastgrowing businesses as well as divesting businesses making sub-par contributions or shuttering them.
Ensure that the company’s capital structure is right. Equity is more expensive than debt, increasing the cost of capital, but too much debt can kill a company.
Find the best ways to boost operating results. Those might include compelling value propositions (e.g., Amazon’s product reviews, broad selection, customer experience, pricing and Prime membership); powerful marketing message (e.g., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s slogan, “The best cancer care, anywhere”); and strengthening the emotional connection with
customers (e.g., Apple, American Girl).
Finally, don’t take risks that could seriously wound your company’s value (e.g., cheating at Volkswagen and Wells Fargo; slipshod quality at Johnson & Johnson). In other words, are you managing your company’s risk, or managing to risk your company?
Chief Executive Group exists to improve the performance of U.S. CEOs, senior executives and public-company directors, helping you grow your companies, build your communities and strengthen society. Learn more at chiefexecutivegroup.com.
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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.