Key Point: How would you answer the following questions as a CEO? All major consulting companies conduct “C Level” surveys to help top leadership navigate trends and think through strategic challenges. Recently, I’ve been part of several of these, and please note that the specific questions and survey process are the confidential property of the consulting companies. However, I’m going to ask you my paraphrased version of sample questions that reflect the essence without compromising the survey protocol of the firms. These surveys usually take over an hour to complete. Then, the firms compile, analyze and give the respondent the collective feedback. To make this manageable, I’m going to ask you just a few representative questions. How would you answer them as the head of your organization?
- What is the level of urgency with which your enterprise needs to transform itself? Why?
- How successful has your organization been managing transformation in the past? Give examples.
- How effective is your organization at creating compelling customer experiences? Examples? Through what means?
- Think ahead to 2021 and you’ve been given an award for designing and implementing the most outstanding customer experience. Post on social media, the description of that experience in less than 140 characters.
- Name the top five emerging technology trends over the next three to five years, that will most disrupt your industry? Enterprise?
- To what extent do you have a well formed purpose and business strategy to navigate through the disruptive forces here now and in front of you?
- Your best strategy will be to: Defend, innovate, expand, diversify, or self-disrupt. Which one of these will be your lead stance? How confident are you in execution?
- You are being interviewed by major business outlets as the best example in 2021 of an organization that truly reinvented itself. Describe in 20 words or less the essence of your strategy ad business model change.
- To what extent is your leadership fully equipped to lead this transformation? Where are big gaps and what are you doing about it?
- To what extent are team members “all in” with the purpose, strategy, along with having the skills and mindset to fully participate in the transformation?
- How effective are you in using data analytics in a predictive fashion to improve both employee and customer experience? How will you be significantly better at this three years from now?
- How equipped and ready are you to PERSONALLY transform your organization? How will you transform yourself first as part of leading this?
The above questions were randomly selected, and samples only. The surveys themselves were much more extensive, specific, and connected. They twisted my brain. And the technology/disruption section was most daunting to me. As an example, many leading enterprises are well on their way implementing Artificial Intelligence to both service customers and employees. It’s happening NOW, not 2021. The reality is, any thinking organization and awake leader is taking their institution through this type of honest reflection and discovery.
Personal Leadership Moves:
- You may or may not be the head of your organization (although 40 percent of our readers describe themselves as CEOs or Managing Directors). Nevertheless, your participation in answering these and similar questions is necessary.
- What did you learn about yourself and organization as you answered? What will you do about it?
Answering in Personal Leadership,
Lorne
One Millennial View: These survey questions are interesting, and it is nice to see how much critical thinking and “brain twisting” these questions demand from corporate leaders. With more A.I. implementation and (of course), more technology we don’t even know about yet, planning more than four years ahead seems difficult. To put in perspective, in 2013, Uber was a brand new service and I was just hearing about Airbnb, Seamless, Snapchat, Venmo, and more. I see why we put an emphasis on learning and adapting.
– Garrett
Edited and published by Garrett Rubis