Leo Bottary

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Articles

Ted Lasso Inspired Three Words for 2025

Dec 5, 2024 | ceoworld.biz | Leo Bottary

2025 will be my fourth year of restarting a practice introduced by Chris Brogan over a decade ago. Brogan, Chief of Staff to the CEO of Appfire, began a practice in 2006 that I’ve always admired. It’s called My Three Words. Chris describes it this way: “The My Three Words idea is simple. Choose three words (not 1, not 4) that will help guide your choices and actions day-to-day. Think of them as lighthouses.
Preparation and What’s at Stake for CEOs

Nov 20, 2024 | ceoworld.biz | Leo Bottary

A few weeks ago, I enjoyed a lengthy conversation with one of my favorite fellow speakers, Gair Maxwell. Gair is a former Vistage and TEC Canada Speaker of the Year and author of Big Little Legends: How Everyday Leaders Build Irresistible Brands. We had not spoken in a while, yet after catching up, it didn’t take long to for us to engage in the familiar deep dive that so often characterizes our exchanges. On this day, we focused on the value of preparation and attention to detail.
CEOs, Politics, and Religion

Nov 14, 2024 | ceoworld.biz | Leo Bottary

I delivered a three-hour workshop to a CEO Peer Advisory Group recently, where one of the members talked about the difficulty (putting it mildly) of having a civil conversation with someone who stands on the opposite side of one’s political views. He described how emotion instantly hijacks such an encounter. The topic was raised amid how high-performing peer advisory groups achieve meaningful dialogue.
And the Oscar Goes to…

Nov 7, 2024 | ceoworld.biz | Leo Bottary

One of my favorite things about speaking at a conference is that if you keep your eyes and ears open, you will likely get more value than you give. As hard as I may try, I can only do so much in an hour versus the many hours I spend listening to other speakers, asking attendees questions, and learning about what great storytelling looks like from the event’s architects.
Clarifying Questions That Clarify

Oct 28, 2024 | ceoworld.biz | Leo Bottary

Several years ago, I spoke to a CEO Forum in Minnesota, where we discussed the value of asking clarifying questions so that group members could better understand a challenge or opportunity that a CEO presented to his/her fellow members. I asked them how good they were at doing so. Their response was not born out of curiosity but impatience. As natural problem solvers, they felt that asking too many questions was a waste of time.
Lean Into Your Curiosity - Explore Adding Peer Groups to Your Organization

Oct 26, 2024 | ceoworld.biz | Leo Bottary

It surprises me that more organizations don’t have peer groups working alongside teams. Teams, by design, live to create a shared work product or achieve a collaborative goal. On the other hand, peer groups exist to develop the individual employees. If you want stronger players who collaborate more effectively, you need more than great content. It will require a mechanism to help your employees grow and operationalize what they learn together.
Making a Difference. One Living Being at a Time

Oct 20, 2024 | ceoworld.biz | Leo Bottary

I speak to CEO forums, key executive peer groups, and organizational teams across the globe to help them maximize the value of their group experience and lead high-performing, happier teams. The most rewarding part of my work is knowing that for the audience members, no matter how many leaders are in attendance, they take away ideas and action items that make a positive difference for them and those they lead.
Leading On Purpose

Oct 15, 2024 | ceoworld.biz | Leo Bottary

Two years ago, I wrote a CEOWORLD Magazine article titled A Metaphor for Healthy Growth, featuring what I called The Peernovation Tree. As I wrote in the piece, “I love the metaphor because trees are not only alive; they give us life.” They contribute much more than the shade delivered by the most magnificent Sequoia or a beautiful stand of Aspens, which also share nutrition and protect each other from the elements.
Let the Journey Continue

Oct 9, 2024 | ceoworld.biz | Leo Bottary

Professionally speaking, my venture into the world of CEO Peer Advisory Groups began in the spring of 2010 after accepting a position to lead corporate communication at Vistage Worldwide. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, Vistage had fallen off the national media stage, and the CEO wanted to raise the company’s profile, so he hired me to make that happen.
Psychological Safety: It's Hard Enough Without Yellow Flags

Sep 20, 2024 | ceoworld.biz | Leo Bottary

I recently submitted a piece to CEOWORLD Magazine about CEO Forums, which featured a 2×2 figure (see below) illustrating the stages of psychological safety the members experience as the group matures. These stages include Caution, Courage, Community, and Complacency. Caution and Courage are the stepping stones toward Community (where being vulnerable is less about courage and more about generosity). Yet, member turnover can cause a group to slip back to the Courage or Caution stages.