Author: Ken Gonyer

They Just Fired the CEO

“What are we going to do about Nick?” The Board Members sat around the table, all looking toward Joan, the Board Chair. Randall, who’d asked the question, leaned forward with his elbows on the table, hands outstretched, palms up. “Aren’t we convinced by now?” Randall asked. “Haven’t we let things go on long enough?” Joan…

Fixing a Dysfunctional Executive Team

After the discouraged CEO finished complaining about all that was wrong with her exec team, her coach said, “Leadership is an action, not a position.” After a moment, the coach asked, “What are you going to do?” She pondered the challenge and came up with three things that she needed to do something about: lack…

Empathy is the Most Important Leadership Superpower

“I am sick and tired of being robbed!” the man across the desk shouted. We were in my office at a financial institution, and you might say the conversation wasn’t going well. As I explained the policies that resulted in fees and withdrawals from his account, his expression had shifted back and forth from confused…

The Main Thing… and McDonald’s

The year was 1976. I was 8 years old, and my brother was 5. We were riding in the back seat of the family car on the way home from a long, tiring day of errands and appointments, when we suddenly stopped our bickering. We’d both heard it at the same time – our parents…

C-Level Execs – Try This Before You Quit

I was shocked to read the results of a new Deloitte survey that said that nearly seven out of ten executives are thinking of leaving their job for a role that better supports their well-being. The C-suite is burning out. The lead-in of the LinkedIn News article about the survey said “Thinking about quitting? Your…

Move from Command to Collaboration for C-Level Success

This is the last of three posts on stepping up to success in a new executive role. Take advantage of the “Questions from the Coach” at the end of each one. The transition from command to collaboration is similar to the shift from authority to influence. Both are dependent on the leader’s willingness to attribute…

Shift from Authority to Influence for C-Level Success

This is the second of three posts on stepping up to success in a new executive role. Don’t miss the “Questions from the Coach” at the end! In most organizations, C-level leaders are drivers of organizational change. Senior executives, having taken part in developing the strategies, then take the lead in describing where the company…

Key Transitions for C-Level Success

Group of business workers working together

This is the first of three posts on stepping up to success in a new executive role. Each one includes a few helpful “Questions from the Coach.” I believe you need to navigate several key transitions as you move into the C-level. Today I’ll focus on one of them: the important shift from being primarily…

Insights from Ken Gonyer

Reliance Leadership Strategies is a division of Reliance Consulting Resources, LLC. My colleagues Yvonne Boettger and Kay Manchester run another division called HR Reliance. While I focus on executive leadership at C-level, including strategic planning and executive coaching for CEOs and their boards, Yvonne and Kay work with organizations’ HR departments, providing training for emerging…