A Meeting of the Minds: CEOs and Networking

Most people in business have a network of co-workers and managers they can consult with. This is not the case with CEOs. Networks provide leaders with a community of peers to talk over their problems, get feedback and brainstorm new ideas. C-Suite Network CEO Thomas White says it’s crucial for CEOs to actively seek out organizations and networking opportunities with likeminded individuals.

I’ve been a CEO 10 times. I can’t say that I know all the keys to success, but I have a lot of experiences with what CEOs need and more importantly, their greatest fears. For it’s these fears that single out the CEO from other roles in business.

When things are going great, it’s the CEO who is often singled out as the hero. Much in the same way we often spotlight quarterbacks on winning teams as MVPs. When things go awry, the CEO is also the one who gets the blame. It’s the fear of being blamed for failure of their business that motivates and stresses-out most CEOs.

Today’s business is filled with a level of uncertainty that none of our training could have prepared us for. Business from the 50s through the 90s was relatively predicable. If you followed a set of practices in your business you had a high probability of success. No more!

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