A CEO for All Seasons - by Carolyn Dewar & Scott Keller & Vikram Malhotra & Kurt Strovink (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

From leading global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company and the minds behind the New York Times bestseller CEO Excellence comes a compact, insight-packed guide to navigating the distinct phases of leadership that every CEO must pass through on their way to mastery.

In the high-stakes world of corporate leadership, becoming a Fortune 500 CEO is an Everest-like ascent--with only the savviest managing to avoid falling off the mountain. In A CEO for All Seasons, you'll find an essential climbing route that will take you through every stage. Featured in this tip-dense guide is wisdom from some of the world's most iconic leaders, including Dell Technologies' Michael Dell, Merck's Ken Frazier, Nasdaq's Adena Friedman, Morgan Stanley's James Gorman, Blackstone's Steve Schwarzman, ASML's Peter Wennink, and Chevron's Mike Wirth.

Unique in applying a number of sophisticated metrics to isolate the world's top 200 CEOs, reduce them to a representative sample, and then reap their wisdom, the McKinsey team, in A CEO for All Seasons, spotlights the specific stage-based hurdles that CEOs face. From preparing for the role to starting strong to sustaining momentum to ensuring a lasting legacy, the book leaves no segment of the journey unmapped. Along the way, it offers proven strategies for maintaining forward progress and, crucially, alerts readers to common blind spots that can sabotage success, as revealed by a detailed survey of thousands of executives.

Whether you're an aspiring leader or a new-to-the-job CEO--or even a board member wanting to better steward your company's performance--this is the compact, hands-on guide you've needed. Its compendium of pressure-tested tips is a must-have game changer for leaders at all levels.

Review Quotes

"A crash course in how to be an effective CEO. With insights from some of the most successful executives of our time, this is a readable and actionable guide to excellence."
--Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and Hidden Potential and host of the podcast Re: Thinking

"A great resource for leaders. Offers tools, insights, and perspectives to help set a clear vision, filter out noise, and support teams so they can execute with speed and focus."
--Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of Advanced Micro Devices

"Imparts the advice and insights that are most relevant and important to a CEO at all stages of a leader's tenure. This book gets to the heart of the challenges and opportunities every CEO faces."
--David Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs

"Essential and practical reading for every stage of the journey, guiding leaders to remain steadfast in their mission and deeply attuned to the needs of customers and employees."
--Alex Gorsky, former CEO of Johnson & Johnson

"Lifesaving advice for making tough decisions every step of the way--from securing the role to gracefully exiting. I wish I had the benefit of this remarkable treatise when I was leading Sony."
--Kaz Harai, former CEO of Sony

"CEOs sit in the middle of many contradictions, and this book delivers a gold mine of insights and tips for when such contradictions arise."
--Carol Tomé, CEO of United Parcel Service

"Actionable and practical advice... A critical read for future business leaders."
--Joe Bae, co-CEO of KKR & Co., Inc.

"Will make you better at taking risks, making decisions, adapting to new situations, and always moving forward. It's a masterclass in how to lead at every stage of the journey."
--Peter Voser, former CEO of Royal Dutch Shell

"A CEO for All Seasons is your personal coach, trainer, and playbook to help you thrive."
--Herbert Hainer, former CEO of Adidas

"A great resource for leaders. Offers tools, insights, and perspectives to help set a clear vision, filter out noise, and support teams so they can execute with speed and focus."
--Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD

"Staying on top year in and year out in the face of ever-increasing competition and a changing game is exceedingly difficult. A CEO for All Seasons is your personal coach, trainer, and playbook to help you thrive."
--Herbert Hainer, former CEO of Adidas

"Lifesaving advice for making tough decisions every step of the way--from securing the role to gracefully exiting...I wish I had the benefit of this remarkable treatise when I was leading Sony."
--Kaz Harai, former CEO of Sony

About the Author

Carolyn Dewar, a coauthor of the New York Times bestselling CEO Excellence, is a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company. She has published over thirty articles in the Harvard Business Review and the McKinsey Quarterly and is a frequent keynote speaker.

Scott Keller is a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company. He is the author or coauthor of seven books, including CEO Excellence and the national bestseller Beyond Performance: How Great Organizations Create Ultimate Competitive Advantage.

Vikram (Vik) Malhotra, a coauthor of CEO Excellence, is a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company where he has worked since 1986. He has served on McKinsey's Board of Directors and as McKinsey's Managing Partner of the Americas.

Kurt Strovink is a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company and leads the firm's global CEO services practice. He coauthored the national bestseller The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs Lead from the Inside Out.