Inspirational and informative, The CEO Code shares real-life stories of success and failure from author David Rohlander's personal journey and work as a mentor and coach to CEOs and executives of Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized companies, and start-ups. The book will give you: Practical advice for dealing with people. - Proven strategies to increase business profits and growth. - Unique and simple solutions to complex problems. - The secret to authentic communication. "It is rare, indeed, for the author to be a living example of using his own attributes as affirmation that a successful life embraces MORE than talent. David Rohlander exemplifies those attributes and shares them with clarity and relevance in this fresh insight book." --Bob Danzig, former CEO, Hearst Newspapers, author of The Leader Within You "This powerful, practical book is full of proven ideas and strategies to help you get better results." --Brian Tracy, author of How The Best Leaders Lead " The CEO Code is an excellent guide, handbook, and 21st century tool to move your leadership to higher levels. David's three areas of focus communication, execution and operations--are exactly what is needed now for any leader. Keep this book handy and refer to it often, and you will see longterm ROI for you and the people you are leading." --Dr. Sheila Murray Bethel, best-selling author of A New Breed Of Leader "Organizations that have CEOs and leaders with vision, compassion, and great communication skills always have an edge on their competition. As a former CEO, I know how my behavior and open communication influenced what employees and stakeholders understood and believed. David Rohlander has experienced the value of communication in his multi-faceted career and lays out a flight plan that breaks it down into manageable pieces for success." --Howard Putnam, former CEO of Southwest Airlines, speaker, and author of The Winds of Turbulence ― Reviews David Rohlander is a mentor, coach, and professional speaker. He has coached partners for Ernst & Young, trained sales teams with Honeywell, and mentored hundreds of CEOs and executives in a wide range of industries. His unique blend of expertise and experience includes being the founder and CEO of three companies, appointment to Merrill Lynch's Management Advisory Council, and 208 combat missions as a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot. David earned an MBA in finance from California State University and studied management with Peter Drucker at Claremont Graduate University. The CEO Code Create a Great Company and Inspire People to Greatness with Practical Advice from an Experienced Executive By David Rohlander, Roger Sheety Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC Copyright © 2013 David Rohlander All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-60163-253-1 Contents Introduction: How Do People Really Change?, Part I: Communication, Chapter 1: Trust, Chapter 2: Respect, Chapter 3: Understanding, Chapter 4: Empathy, Chapter 5: Resolution, Part II: Execution, Chapter 6: Action, Chapter 7: Repetition, Chapter 8: Habits, Chapter 9: Attitudes, Chapter 10: Feelings, Part III: Operations, Chapter 11: Teams, Chapter 12: Delegation, Chapter 13: Systems, Chapter 14: Accountability, Chapter 15: Rewards, Appendix I: Resources, Appendix II: Interview Questionnaire, Notes, Bibliography, Index, About the Author, CHAPTER 1 Trust Trust must be earned. Fundamentally, people trust each other when they do what they say they will do. All too often trust is lost when there is a difference between what a person says and what they actually do. This can be illustrated in numerous ways. When you say you will be at work at 8 a.m. and you don't show up until 8:30 a.m., your behavior belies what you say. If you say you will call someone and you don't, people will hesitate to believe you in the future. You say you care; you express concern and say you want to help someone, and then you never follow up. What do you think others will conclude? Any promise you make that is not honored will compromise trust. This may seem simplistic, but people notice and remember these behaviors. They may not say anything, but they will remember. People make judgments about other people based on small — what many consider to be trivial — things. They also observe nuances of behavior. They perceive someone with "shifty eyes," a "glib tongue," or inconsistent patterns of behavior as not being trustworthy. The ultimate litmus test is based on behavior, not who you know, what you say, or how smart you are. Competence Nothing in my personal or business life has even come close to the trust relationship I experienced flying fighters in formation. When I reflect on my military combat experience, there are many lessons that are useful and apply directly to civilian life and business. The qualifications to be a United States Air Force pilot are rigorous. When you fly fighters, you have to meet all the basic pilot requirements, p