"When asked about the qualities needed to be an effective CEO, the answers are, to me, quite basic: Respect for, and ability to get along with, many different kinds of people, including those that do not share your views; The will to honor promises that one makes to his family, and the understanding that work and home life must be balanced." -Gerard J. Arpey, CEO, American Airlines "Be positive about challenges you encounter, for no matter how successful you are, you will encounter them." -William Clay Ford, Chairman, and CEO, Ford Motor Company "In the real world, leaders are rarely faced with a simple choice between right and wrong. Leaders can't avoid ambiguity, but must learn to be decisive in spite of it." -Sy Sternberg, CEO, New York Life "I think anyone willing to work hard for their goals, learn from their mistakes, and care about others has the "markings" to become a wonderful Leader." -Gary Kelly, CEO, Southwest Airlines "Find the right people and the right information to help you get the job done." -Ronald A. Williams, CEO, Aetna "Understand opportunities don't come in an envelope labeled "opportunities"; create value; be honest; have a vision; work hard." -Edward Zore, CEO, Northwestern Mutual "Success requires envisioning, embracing and driving change. The only way to turn potential into higher levels of achievements is to continuously change." -Susan M. Ivey, CEO, Reynolds American "Surround yourself with people smarter than you: People make it happen and great people are necessary to make any idea come alive." -Maggie Wilderotter, CEO, Frontier Communications "I believe hard work, dedication, and the willingness to take calculated risks, not only in my personal life, but in my career as well, have contributed to my success. Have a passion for whatever you do." -Robert A. Reynolds, CEO, Graybar Electric

"Seelert's stories and wisdom demonstrate that the principles and practices leading to winning results in sports are highly transferable to the building of brands, businesses, and organizations. This book tells you how." —Jack Twyman, NBA Hall of Fame player, former ABC Game of the Week announcer, and former Chairman and CEO, Super Food Services Inc. "Seelert's comprehensive revelation of his leadership wisdom is priceless—especially the management of culture through innovative communications, fueled by rock-solid personal spirit and style. Read and succeed . . . it's that actionable. Bob's the real leadership deal." —John W. Luther, President, Luther & Company, Strategic Growth Consulting "I've never been at my best when working for a boss in the traditional sense . . . Authority is not my favorite cultural tool. I am at my best (maybe like you) when I have a coach and mentor. Bob Seelert has played that role for over a decade, providing me with counsel, guidance, perspective, and unconditional love and support. Oh yes, and wisdom. Lots of it! You'll find out what I mean when you read this book." —Kevin Roberts, CEO Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi "Bob Seelert entered Saatchi & Saatchi in early 1995 when the company was in flux and extremely unstable. In a few short years, he not only stabilized the business, he grew it into an even greater advertising powerhouse than it once was. If anyone is qualified to write about business turnarounds, it's Seelert!" —David Herro, Chief Investment Officer-International, Harris Associates LP "Spencer Stuart placed Bob Seelert into leadership positions at Kayser-Roth and Saatchi & Saatchi at times when success seemed impossible, but failure was not an acceptable option. In both situations, he achieved highly successful turnarounds, and his stories tell you why." —Thomas Neff, Chairman, Spencer Stuart USA "Bob Seelert and I worked together for twenty years, and I saw firsthand how the wisdom in this book enabled him to build businesses and organizations. For MBA students and other aspiring business leaders, this book will become their well-thumbed how-to guide for constructing a successful career." —Erv Shames, Lecturer, University of Virginia Darden Graduate School of Business andformer President and CEO, General Foods USA and Borden, Inc.

Former-Swiss Guard, CEO and business leader, Andreas Widmer gives a behind-the-scenes look into Pope John Paul ll, "the most authentically human person I've ever met," and reveals how those memories shaped and forged his success as a corporate executive.

Matt Mochary coaches the CEOs of many of the fastest-scaling technology companies in Silicon Valley. With The Great CEO Within, he shares his highly effective leadership and business-operating tools with any CEO or manager in the world. Learn how to efficiently scale your business from startup to corporation by implementing a system of accountability, effective problem-solving, and transparent feedback. Becoming a great CEO requires training. For a founding CEO, there is precious little time to complete that training, especially at the helm of a rapidly growing company. Now you have the guidance you need in one book.

Today's teenagers are the most anxious, creative, and diverse generation in history--which can make it hard for us to relate. And while every teenager is a walking bundle of questions, three rise above the rest: - Who am I? - Where do I fit? - What difference can I make? Young people struggle to find satisfying and life-giving answers to these questions on their own. They need caring adults willing to lean in with empathy, practice listening, and gently point them in the direction of better answers: they are enough because of Jesus, they belong with God's people, and they are invited into God's greater story. In this book, which is based on new landmark research from the Fuller Youth Institute and combines in-depth interviews with data from 1,200 diverse teenagers, Kara Powell and Brad M. Griffin offer pastors, youth leaders, mentors, and parents practical and proven conversations and connections that help teenagers answer their three biggest questions and reach their full potential.

Have you always known what you wanted to be in life? What are some “watershed moments” that made you who you are? When did you get on track to become a successful CEO? It started with three questions at Davos. The younger Peter Vanham looked to the answers from the elite leaders he asked to validate his own career choice, and the rich, private wisdom he received revealed more about building a career than he’d found anywhere else. He shares it all with you in Before I Was CEO. For everyone who lays awake at night wondering if they’re heading up or down the corporate ladder, this collection of personal stories from a remarkable group of the most accomplished men and women in business today proves everyone can put themselves in the C-suite by taking a variety of different paths—it’s all how you do it. Some found opportunity through adversity and others came by their big-break moments through serendipity. A group of them walked away from corporate life and lived in other ways and all of them made calculated moves to advance their careers. In their own words, read how it all unfolded, the tough decisions they wrestled, the risks and rewards they saw, and how it all came together. You don’t need a royal pedigree or Ivy League education to reach the top as long as you: • Value family, leave home, and make informed decisions based on your dreams • Take the first thirty-five years of your life to discover what you’re interested in and don’t rush to be a CEO • Strategically deal with failure, remember the lessons you learned, and adapt to situations you can’t change You aren’t the first person to be at the crossroads you’re standing in, and with the motivating and instructive stories in Before I Was CEO, you may be answering a young journalist’s questions at Davos one day.

This book starts with the foundations of business success: the development of a business philosophy that works for you, and the strategic application of that philosophy in all areas of your endeavor.