Mastering the Cycles of CEO Leadership
Summary
Chief Executive Group is hosting a webinar on 24 September 2025 featuring Carolyn Dewar of McKinsey, drawing on research from the forthcoming book A CEO For All Seasons. The session examines the lifecycle of CEO leadership, with a focus on the first and fourth stages: preparing to step into the role and finishing strong to secure a durable legacy.
The webinar distils lessons from high-performing CEOs (including Michael Dell, Steve Schwarzman, Mike Wirth, Ken Frazier, Adena Friedman, Peter Wennink, Gail Boudreaux and James Gorman) and highlights the six core responsibilities that consistently separate top leaders from the rest. Topics include rapid decision-making, adapting to transformative technologies, navigating geopolitical turbulence and evolving board engagement, plus common blind spots that trip up leaders.
Source
Source: https://chiefexecutive.net/cycles-of-ceo-leadership/
Key Points
- Webinar on 24 September 2025 focused on the first (preparation) and fourth (legacy) stages of the CEO lifecycle.
- Based on McKinsey research and the book A CEO For All Seasons, featuring lessons from leading Fortune 500 CEOs.
- Identifies six core responsibilities where the most successful CEOs consistently excel.
- Stresses the need to adapt to faster decision cycles, disruptive technologies and geopolitical uncertainty.
- Highlights common blind spots: internal politics, peer competition and overconfidence.
- Offers practical guidance on how to “finish strong” and manage succession to protect long-term value.
Why should I read this?
Quick and direct: if you run a business, sit on a board or plan to be CEO one day, this webinar packs decades of leadership experience into actionable takeaways. It basically tells you what the best CEOs do differently so you can avoid rookie mistakes and finish with your reputation — and results — intact.
Context and Relevance
CEO tenure is under strain — roughly one-third of Fortune 500 CEOs last fewer than three years — while top performers can create vastly more value than peers. This makes understanding the full CEO lifecycle vital for executives and boards. The webinar is timely given rapid technological change, geopolitical volatility and shifting board expectations, all of which raise the bar for leadership adaptability and succession planning.
Featured Speakers
- Carolyn Dewar, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company
- Sean Brown, Director, Global Communication and External Relations, McKinsey & Company
Who should attend
Current and aspiring CEOs, board members, CHROs and senior executives responsible for succession, strategy and organisational resilience.