Diary of a CEO: Relevance for Leaders and SME Owners

by Sean Foster | November 30, 2024 | Communication, Personal Performance

Proactive leaders and SME owners constantly seek practical, actionable advice to drive success. Steven Bartlett's "The Diary of a CEO" should be a must-read for you as it distills wisdom from hundreds of interviews with top business leaders into 33 actionable laws. This summary provides a comprehensive overview of these laws, offering insights you can immediately implement in your business to create lasting impact and foster long-term growth.

The Four Pillars and the 33 Laws

Bartlett organizes his insights into four critical pillars:

1. The Self
2. The Story
3. The Philosophy
4. The Team

Within each pillar there are a number of ‘laws’. As you go through them, I hope, as I found, that these are both practical and logical to you as well.

Pillar I: The Self

1. Fill Your Five Buckets in the Right Order:

Prioritize knowledge, skills, network, resources, and reputation in that order for optimal growth.

2. To Master It, You Must Create an Obligation to Teach It:

Share your expertise to solidify your understanding and become a true master.

3. You Must Never Disagree:

Focus on working against problems, not each other, to maintain healthy relationships.

4. You Do Not Get to Choose What You Believe:

Recognize that beliefs are shaped by evidence and experiences, not conscious choice.

5. You Must Lean into Bizarre Behavior:

Embrace change and new ideas, even if they seem unusual at first.

6. Ask, Don't Tell – The Question/Behavior Effect:

Use questions to elicit thoughtful responses and encourage self-reflection.

7. Never Compromise Your Self-Story:

Maintain a consistent narrative about yourself to build trust and authenticity.

8. Never Fight a Bad Habit:

Replace bad habits with good ones instead of trying to eliminate them directly.

9. Always Prioritize Your First Foundation:

Focus on your core strengths and values as the foundation for success.

Pillar II: The Story

10. Useless Absurdity Will Define You More than Useful Practicalities:

Embrace unique, memorable aspects of your brand or personality.

11. Avoid Wallpaper at All Costs:

Stand out from the crowd; don't blend in like wallpaper.

12. You Must Piss People Off:

Be willing to take stands that may not please everyone but align with your values.

13. Shoot Your Psychological Moonshots First:

Set ambitious goals to stretch your capabilities and mindset.

14. Friction Can Create Value:

Recognize that challenges and obstacles can lead to innovation and growth.

15. The Frame Matters More than the Picture:

How you present information is often more important than the information itself.

16. Use Goldilocks to Your Advantage:

Find the right balance in your approach – not too much, not too little.

17. Let Them Try and They Will Buy:

Encourage hands-on experiences to increase engagement and commitment.

18. Fight for the First Five Seconds:

Capture attention quickly to make a lasting impression.

Pillar III: The Philosophy

19. You Must Sweat the Small Stuff:

Pay attention to details, as they can have significant impacts.

20. A Small Miss Now Creates a Big Miss Later:

Address minor issues promptly to prevent major problems down the line.

21. You Must Out-Fail the Competition:

Embrace failure as a learning opportunity and a path to success.

22. You Must Become a Plan-A Thinker:

Focus all energy on your primary strategy rather than relying on backup plans.

23. Don't Be an Ostrich:

Face challenges head-on instead of avoiding them.

24. You Must Make Pressure Your Privilege:

View pressure as a motivating force rather than a burden.

25. The Power of Negative Manifestation:

Consider potential failures to prepare for and prevent them.

26. Your Skills Are Worthless, But Your Context Is Valuable:

Recognize that the value of skills depends on their context and application.

27. The Discipline Equation: Death, Time, and Discipline:

Understand how these factors influence motivation and success.

Pillar IV: The Team

28. Ask Who Not How:

Focus on finding the right people rather than figuring out everything yourself.

29. Create a Cult Mentality:

Foster a strong, unified company culture while avoiding negative cult-like behaviors.

30. The Three Bars for Building Great Teams:

Consider values, attitude, and talent when building your team.

31. Leverage the Power of Progress:

Celebrate small wins to maintain motivation and momentum.

32. You Must Be a Consistent Leader:

Provide clear expectations and follow through on commitments.

33. Learning Never Ends:

Stay curious and open to new ideas, even as you become more successful.

Practical Applications for SME Owners

The challenge with any book, that being the full version or just the summary like we have here, is that it is just too easy to read through and not act on. What IS REALLY REQUIRED, is for you to challenge yourself, your team, the business as a whole, in how effective you are in implementing each of these ‘laws’. Vocally identify why each one is important, what impact it could have, and what small steps can be taken to start the journey.

So, to further embed the learnings and insights I have attempted to further relate them to that of a SME business owner:

1. Invest in continuous learning and skill development (Law 1). It is really beneficial, in fact it’s critically important to become an expert in something. What is this for you and your business?
2. Share your expertise through blogs, workshops, or mentoring (Law 2).
3. Foster a culture of constructive problem-solving (Law 3).
4. Encourage innovative thinking and embrace change (Law 5).
5. Use thoughtful questioning to guide your team (Law 6).
6. Develop a unique brand identity (Laws 10 and 11). This is very much linked to #1 above.
7. Set ambitious goals for your business (Law 13).
8. Pay attention to how you present information (Law 15).
9. Offer trials or demos of your products/services (Law 17).
10. Address small issues promptly (Law 20).
11. View failures as learning opportunities (Law 21).
12. Face challenges directly (Law 23).
13. Focus on finding the right people for your team (Law 28).
14. Build a strong company culture (Law 29).
15. Celebrate progress and small wins (Law 31). In Sukuma, we build this into all of our 90-day plans, however the reality is that most people do not put much emphasis on these 😥

By incorporating these laws into your leadership style and business practices, you'll be better equipped to navigate challenges, inspire your team, and drive your business forward. Remember, success in business isn't just about strategy - it's about continuous improvement, both personally and professionally.