A number of you asked about the other half of the top 10 list items of the CEO CONFIDENTIAL MEMO: TOP 10 LIST FOR GREATER SUCCESS IN 2017” published in the Financier Worldwide (UK) Risk & Compliance media.

As a reminder, I raised the question What top 3 priorities should leaders be addressing in the coming year to 50 CEO and board members.

The executive summary of the top issues 6 to 10 in reverse order is

10. Digital technologies will almost certainly move up the priority list. With ruthless capability to accelerate the pace of change and wring cost savings from business processes, coping with these ever developing technological advances has become the new norm.

9. Disruption, whether it brings risk or opportunity, remains a top concern. To address the risk side, consider which start-up is poised to eat your lunch. To create a potential opportunity, aim for the niche that positions you to eat someone else’s lunch.

8. Relationships with key stakeholders are shifting, both in terms of the make-up and the relative importance of different groups. This may necessitate changes in how you engage with these constituencies.

7. Growth will always be on leaders’ top-ten lists. Without sustainable profitable growth, organizations begin a relentless decline until they ultimately suffocate and die.

6. Changes, particularly black swan events (which by definition are unforeseeable and cause major consequences), have their roots in the inability to see existing situations rather than a failure to predict future disruptions. Among the concerns noted by CEOs was the fact that overworked managers may not see the proverbial 800-pound gorilla, or may not feel safe pointing it out if they do see it.

Again, through careful consideration of these issues and adapting these priorities to fit your organization, you will be positioned to overcome challenges to achieve greater growth and prosperity in the coming year.

Call me at 678-319-4739 for a brief discussion of any of the above points, your opportunity or risk, or just to say hello.