Ten Takeaways From Think Like A CEO Season 6

“Charge the Storm,” the latest season of Gary Keller and Jay Papasan’s podcast Think Like A CEO wrapped up last week. While it’s impossible to pull the full value from each episode, we want to share a few highlights.

Episode 1: Mindset – Charge The Storm

For most people change is a threat, not an opportunity. The difference? Their mindset. When we embrace the reality of our situation, we can get into action instead of reaction. Here’s some advice to get your head right:

• The Buffalo vs. The Bear

Buffalo run into the storm so that they come out of the other side sooner. Bears hunker down and wait for it to be over. We may wish we could be bears, but CEOs don’t get to wait it out.

• Be evergreen.

Someone with an evergreen mindset knows that change is inevitable; that they are called ‘economic cycles’ for a reason. This mindset plays the long game.

Episode 2:  Income & Innovation – Master Your New Model & Math

When a shift happens there’s a math challenge and, most likely, business models will be challenged. For safeguarding our numbers and reinventing or top-grading our business models, here are some good ideas to keep in mind: 

• Don’t confuse your lifestyle with your business expenses.

Be honest about your needs and expectations.

• Cut, cut, cut—but cut wisely.

Don’t be short-sighted when you are cutting expenses. Some expenses are really investments, like coaching, that will help you.

• Study your competition.

If you’re looking to reinvent or top-grade your model, the best ideas may come from other industries. Evaluate your brand, your database, and your customer experience.

Episode 3: Lead Generation – Fill The Top Of Your Funnel 

You can not only survive in a shift, you can thrive in one. Getting your unfair share of leads is all about creating the right message, servicing your market, and increasing your efforts.

• Know your new numbers.

You’ve got a new economic model; to get the results from the previous market, you will need to talk to more people.

• You can serve your existing market, or level up to a MOFIR.

Identify the problem, find a solution, create a program, integrate it into your business and your messaging, and then market it.

Episode 4: Leverage – Get Purposeful With Your People

During a shift, chances are job descriptions within your business will shift as well. In this episode, Gary and Jay talk about getting clear on your business goals so that your budget, model, and org chart are built for success.

• The path is in the math.

Knowing your goals, model and budget will reveal whether you have the right org chart.

• As a leader, you’ve got to project hope.

As Gary says, “Being a student of history and an observer of my own life, [I know that] the sun will come out.” Recessions are a normal part of the business cycle, up is caused by down, and down will eventually go back up.

• Head down, heart up, feet moving. Keep hope. 

Just because these are the takeaways that we have, don’t think there aren’t more golden nuggets to mine in this past season! Listen to Think Like A CEO on the streaming platform of your choice and let us know on our Facebook page if you’ve got any aha’s to share!