Overview
Main description
Sooner or later that plum position is going to
become vacant at your workplace. You know
you’ll want it, but can you get it? Ask yourself:
What’s my track record? Am I smart enough
in the right areas? Do people like working
with me? Do they respect me? Would they
follow me if I were in charge?
Am I CEO material?
Any aspiring ladder-climber should be able to
answer these questions—because, without a
doubt, the competition thinks it can.
In CEO Material, D. A. Benton shows you
how to become highly visible and absolutely
indispensable to your organization. You’ll
learn how to project confidence, even when
something hasn’t gone your way. You’ll recognize
the value of being a generalist, able to
comprehend every facet of your business’s
structure and function. You’ll find out how to
keep learning and growing so that you never
feel stuck, much less appear so to decision
makers. And most importantly, you’ll master
four C’s that no true leader can be without:
- Confidence
- Constant Communication
- Craftsmanship
- Coworker Collaboration
Inside, you’ll find a lifetime of top-level
professional development advice that can
make the difference. “CEO Whisperer” D. A.
Benton is your guide to doing what must
be done in order to make significant moves
up the ladder. It’s not just about showing up;it’s about having integrity, taking charge,
accepting challenges, and making an ally out
of everyone you work with.
Conduct yourself like a CEO and you’ll be
first in line for each new promotion in your
field. Transform yourself from an average
employee to an indispensable corporate
player with the help of CEO Material.
Table of contents
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: You have a good track record
Chapter 2: You never rely on your technical brilliance
Chapter 3: You don’t know enough
Chapter 4: You have fire in your belly.
Chapter 5: You feel broadly adequate.
Chapter 6: You can be trusted.
Chapter 7: You cause people to follow you even though they don’t have to.
Chapter 8: Be visible; accept the need to stand out.
Chapter 9: You Fit in.
Chapter 10: You develop others to take your job
Chapter 11: You listen more than you talk
Chapter 12: You are decisive
Chapter 13: You can take bad news well
Chapter 14: You are willing to make mistakes
Chapter 15: You manage your career and don’t let others do it
Chapter 16: Have your personal life in check
Chapter 17: The Leadership Foursome— Confidence, Craftsmanship, Constant Communication, and Co-worker Collaboration
Author comments
D. A. (Debra) Benton is a bestselling author,
speaker, and executive coach in high demand.
Her client list reads like a “Who’s Who” of
success stories, from Campbell’s Soup and Dell
Computer to McDonald’s and Time Warner.
She has been featured in Time, BusinessWeek,
Fortune, and The New York Times and has
appeared on Today, Good Morning America, and
CNN. Her bestselling books include Executive
Charisma and How to Act Like a CEO.
Visit D. A. Benton at debrabenton.com.
Back cover copy
When you’re CEO material, everyone knows it.
But it has to start with you.
“Debra is the leadership Peter Drucker of the 21st Century.”
—John Bianchi, CEO, Frontier Gunleather
“CEO Material is a practical, engaging, and people savvy
instruction manual on how to dial up your leadership effectiveness
and enhance your career.”
—Jim Goldman, CEO and president, Godiva Chocolatier
“Whether you are already part way up the organizational ladder or
just on the first rung, if you only have time to read one book this year …
this one is a must!”
—Gordon Peters, founding chairman, CEO, The Institute for Management Studies
“A great book for pausing, taking stock and asking: Am I developing all the
qualities of character that will allow me to lead and achieve great things?”
—Rick O’Donnell, CEO and president,
Acton Foundation for Entrepreneurial Excellence
“One effective way to learn how to become a CEO is to spend years learning
from the best. But, if you don’t have that much time,
you can simply read CEO Material.”
—Rulon F. Stacey, Ph.D., president and CEO, Poudre Valley Health System,
and Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Winner
