Chief Maker: The 5-Step Blueprint to Rising Above the Pack and Getting a Seat on the Executive Team

By Greg Layton

Have your career and personal growth stalled?
Are you overloaded with work and commitments that are making it impossible to stay in front of the game? 
Are you constantly fighting soul-destroying internal politics and bureaucracy when trying to get things done?

The 5-step Chief Maker method outlined in this book i

• Language: English
• Publisher: Greg Layton Pty Ltd
• Release date: Nov 6, 2017
• ISBN: 9780648158011

Book preview

glayton-chief-maker-titlepage

First published in 2017 by Greg Layton Pty Ltd.

First Edition

© Greg Layton 2017

The moral rights of the author have been asserted. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (for example, a fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review), no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, communicated or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission. All inquiries should be made to the publisher.

Editing + Proofreading by Cavalletti Communications, www.cavacom.biz

Edited by Bryan Szabo

Cover Design by Julia Kuris, Designerbility

Author Photograph by Kate Dyer, Urban Safari

Typesetting by BookCoverCafe.com

ISBN:

978-0-6481580-0-4 (pbk)

978-0-6481580-1-1 (e-bk)

Disclaimer

The material in this publication is of the nature of general comment only, and does not represent professional advice. It is not intended to provide specific guidance for particular circumstances and it should not be relied on as the basis for any decision to take action or not take action on any matter which it covers. Readers should obtain professional advice where appropriate, before making any such decision.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the author and publisher disclaim all responsibility and liability to any person, arising directly or indirectly from any person taking or not taking action based on the information in this publication.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1

The GREAT Method

Step 1: Game Plan

Get on Track and Get Noticed

Step 2: Routines

Automating the Pursuit of Excellence

Step 3: Entourage

Your Trusted Support Network

Step 4: Assets

Bringing More to the Table

Step 5: Track Record

Building a Bullet-Proof Track Record

Conclusion

Sticking the Landing

Afterword

Do Something Epic

Additional Resources

More about Greg Layton

For the GMs, Directors, VPs of the world that are stuck, overloaded and caught in the fog of big business. This one is for you. I hope it brings you clarity, purpose, confidence and impact.

And for Charlotte, Rohan and Henry for supporting me throughout the rollercoaster of writing during a pretty epic period in our family’s life.

INTRODUCTION

Life in the chaos of the modern business world can be crushingly difficult. Many of those caught in the machine describe the daily grind as soul destroying. They work hard all day, every day on an endless list of tasks at work and home. It might be politics, red tape and antiquated systems frustrating them, or they might just sense that there has to be more to life than this.

The challenge is that as they’ve grown older their priorities have changed. They want more time to spend with their family, to get fit and to learn new skills. They yearn to escape the fog of corporate chaos, but escape seems impossible: there’s the mortgage, the kids and often a host of other commitments.

Many of them feel like they need to escape, but escape isn’t the answer. They know the solution is a purposeful and impactful career and a life of significance that doesn’t come at the cost of one’s soul.

Many of them see Chiefs who are living this life. They want the same thing, so they strive to be Chiefs themselves. They drive for that title (CEO, COO, CIO, CFO, CMO or CHRO) which will give them the authority to make big change. The life of a Chief can look glamorous. Not only do they have the powerful roles, they are also honoured guests at the best events, they are connected to powerful and influential people, and they have the power to make wide-ranging changes with the stroke of a pen.

Great Chiefs haven’t just walked into these roles, though. Their lives have been anything but a walk in the park. The best have embraced a tough journey that has pushed their mental toughness and adaptability to their limits. The best have been forged in the fires of hard-won, tough-fought lessons.

And this is what strikes you when you spend time with the great Chiefs: there is a different essence at their core. They aren’t interested in playing political games. Instead, they take a scalpel to bureaucracy and generate profits through purpose. Their ability to get results combines with dignity and humility, which gives them a calming presence. When this presence is united with their vision, well … that is when the magic happens.

It’s so easy to think that Chiefs are smarter, better connected or more engaging than you, but their intelligence and relationships, while undeniably important, are only a part of their success. Chiefs become Chiefs not because they are lucky with intelligence or networks, but because they have taken to heart a powerful philosophy: ownership precedes victory. They own the outcomes of every challenge they face, relationship they enter, and business they lead. Whether the outcome is success or failure, they are accountable. They demand responsibility for it and they will not share the blame with others.

The qualities and habits that make one a Chief are not innate. They are learned. This book will teach you how to become a Chief. It contains a blueprint for personal and professional mastery in the corporate world. By following the Chief Maker Method, you’ll learn to make a noticeable impact, and this will help you rise above your competition and earn a seat on the executive team. You’ll rise above the politics and overload rampant in the corporate world. You’ll learn how to become a master of yourself and your profession. It isn’t a quick fix, it will take serious hard work and lots of soul searching. But this will make your victory all the sweeter.

Is this an epidemic?

A good mate of mine, a general manager at a logistics company, is getting crushed. It’s written all over his face. Even from across the street, it’s clear that he is carrying the weight of the world on his slumped shoulders. He is running twenty projects in his department, five of which are major. He spends hours every day dealing with politics and bureaucracy as he runs from meeting to meeting, which means he’s always struggling to catch up. He works evenings and weekends. His phone is always turned on. Emails pour in at all hours, day and night.

His career progression has stalled. He’s been poised to take that next step to the executive team for years, but he doesn’t seem able to make that leap. What once looked firmly within his grasp now seems to be slipping through his fingers. While he once was focused on leading transformation change for his people and his employer, he’s now entirely consumed by politics, and he’s being outjockeyed. He’s watched as younger colleagues have been promoted into roles that he thinks should have been his. The setbacks are brutal.

He’s stopped looking at the rung above him and started worrying that his current role might be threatened. He has to fight harder and harder for smaller and smaller victories. He doesn’t really feel respected by all of his peers even though he is a genuinely good guy. Unless something changes, he’s more likely to fall down (or off) the ladder than climb up it. The walls seem to be closing in around him and he can’t work out how to stop it.

My mate’s case is not an isolated one. I’ve met so many remarkably intelligent, gifted, and genuine people who’ve been broken on the rack of the corporate world that it feels like some sort of sad epidemic has broken out. If you feel worn out or defeated, you’re not alone. Look around you. How many of your colleagues are truly happy? How many of them have found that balance between their professional and their personal lives?

It can’t be a coincidence that, as leaders have become more and more busy and as constant connectivity has made it more and more difficult for us to leave work at the office, depression, anxiety and mental health have become major issues. A recent study from researchers at Columbia University found that 11 per cent of executives reported symptoms of anxiety and depression; this number jumps to a staggering 18 per cent for middle managers. Something is seriously wrong with the way business is done in the world. It is an epidemic.

This is exactly why I decided to focus on the most important skills and strategies that can help those who feel trapped just below the C-suite break through to a more impactful life and perhaps even a seat on the executive team. The strategies contained in this book will help you avoid the vortex of corporate chaos and bureaucracy. They’ll help you find that necessary balance (breaking the busy-ness cycle), and they’ll ensure that you leave a unique legacy behind you when you leave the organisation. Most importantly, they’ll help you take your life back, and they’ll do so while keeping your soul intact.

The 5-Step Chief Maker Method drills down on the issues that so many of those in senior management roles are dealing with. These are the issues your peers talk about time and again:

You have no time. You’re overloaded with commitments at work and home. You don’t feel as though you’re controlling your destiny.

You’re tired of fighting for respect, tired of trying to prove your point.

You don’t feel connected. You don’t have friends in high places.

Your team is predominantly made up of average performers. You and a small handful of strong performers on your team carry the load and fix others’ mistakes.

You can’t escape the bureaucracy and career-killing politics.

You can’t find the time for personal growth. Since you’re not mastering your craft, career growth has stalled.

Your personal and professional lives are out of balance, which is impacting your family and your physical and mental health.

You feel like you’re drifting, as though your career trajectory is entirely out of your hands.

You’re no longer sure if you even want a C-level role. It looks like it requires more sacrifice than you can afford. Deep down, you’re only half-heartedly committed to becoming a Chief.

If any of these issues resonate with you, this book is for you. If you’re out of control, frustrated, tired, disappointed or disheartened, then this book is dedicated to YOU.

The game has changed and so must you

The Digital Age has changed business and the roles of executives forever. Transformation is the new norm; without it, even