Meetings get a bad rap. Yes, sometimes “this meeting could have been an email” or a Slack message. But there are plenty of times when a well-conceived, well-run meeting can save your team from creating the world's longest and most confusing message thread.

Innovation, innovation, innovation. So easy and satisfying to say; so hard to do! If innovation is hard even for brand new startups, it’s much harder for established companies that have already achieved a measure of success.

If you REALLY want your people to offer their best ideas, you’d better show them you mean it. I’ve seen devastating examples of leaders losing trust in less than 30 seconds. Candor? Gone. All it took was a short “moment of truth” that spiraled down and previous high aspirations went “poof” – up in smoke.

Hopefully, this story will inspire you to never need to re-build trust – a steep climb indeed. Instead build trust from the beginning in everything you do.

“I should be getting more from the Board!”

So shared the CEO of a privately-owned company on a recent advisory call.

“There are going to be changes to the board this year, but I’m struggling to get my footing on an action plan.”

She’s not alone. As both a board member and an advisor on board formation, I’ve seen how often leaders struggle to build a board that actually fulfills the promise of adding value to the business.

Formal authority is just the beginning of leadership; the rest you have to earn

Should You Lead Like Ted Lasso? Yes, IF that’s the kind of leadership your team needs

You’re in charge of your business … and it’s not working! Your gut tells you it’s not; your metrics say it’s not. You’re going to need to lead the change.

How these successors kept family business transitions from destroying the family or the business.

How these parents (and children) kept family business transitions from destroying the family or the business.

For families ready to transition a business to the next generation, the recently concluded Max series “Succession” isn’t just a drama – it’s a cautionary tale.

What would experienced CEOs tell their younger selves? I asked them. After publishing my article, “3 Things I Wish I’d Known as a New CEO,” I became even more interested in what other CEOs wish that they had known on day 1.

As I now advise both new and experienced CEOs, I’ve put some thought into what I wish I had known on that first day. It’s a long list! But I’ve picked three items that stand out in my memory, and that I think will be most helpful to others facing their first CEO role.