How to Succeed as CEO

The first three months you spend as a CEO at a given company will set the tone for your entire tenure. This is not only a period of transition, but a time of vulnerability, as well. If you want to succeed in the long term as CEO, you’ve got to make an impact in those first three months.

Here are some of the most important things you can do as a new CEO to get through the transition period and make sure you tenure will be a strong one:

Prepare for the Job
Generally speaking, you should have some time before you actually move into the new position to make some preparations. There are three key areas that you need to prepare: technical, cultural and political. Technical preparations include understanding the processes involved at the company, it’s organizational requirements, its customer base, and its markets. Understanding the former CEO’s strategy will help, as well. In the cultural area, you need to understand the basic habits and values of the organization, and see how deeply they are entrenched. Politically you need to understand where the centers of power lay, and know what coalitions control the organization.

Define Success
If you believe you’re succeeding as CEO but the board doesn’t, they you aren’t succeeding. Understand what it is that the board expects, and explain to the board what you believe success will look like. Come to an agreement that is realistic and that can be measured.

Build the Right Team
You’ll probably inherit several senior executives. Some of them will be skilled, some may not. Some may be dedicated to helping the company succeed, some may be interested only in their own ambitiions. Evaluate the existing team, but be careful about removing a senior management member, but don’t hesitate to get rid of someone who is bad for the company.

Make Allies
It’s important not just to know who the key players are, but to know how to get them on board with your vision. Identify things that you can provide to those key players, and ways that you can help them succeed as well. Learn who you can count on for support and identify those people who may cause problems.

Don’t let something simple like a flat tire or failing to get regular maintenance on your Mercedes be the thing that puts you out of your spot as CEO. Come by your local Mercedes dealer in Philadelphia, Fort Washington Mercedes or Mercedes Benz - Wilmington, DE for routine maintenance and to make sure it’s in top condition.

2009 Mercedes SL63 AMG

SL63 AMGThe 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG has a different look than the SL55 AMG that it replaces. The car has gone through exterior styling changes to make the vehicle look more contemporary. It adds front and side skirts, and features standard 19-inch wheels. There have also been revisions to the interior. There is an iPod interface, Bluetooth hookup, and AMG shift lever, gauge cluster and steering wheel.

The real change in this model, however, is under the hood. Mercedes has replaced the torque converter with a multiplate wet clutch and merged it with its seven-speed planetary gearset. What this does is give the 2009 SL63 AMG the feel of an automated manual gearbox.

Mercedes SL63 AMGThese changes help make the 2009 SL63 AMG fit both into the luxury category and the sports car category. The amazing V-8 engine under the hood helps the 2009 SL63 AMG hit 60 miles per hour in just over 4 seconds, and hit a top speed of around 155 miles an hour. It also features reliable steering controls and excellent stability control. If you want superior performance, you can opt for the Performance package which has bigger front brake rotors, a torque-sensing limited-slip differential, and aggressive tuning of the active body control suspension system.

If you’re looking for the perfect mix of comfort, style and performance, consider the 2009 Mercedes SL63 AMG.

What is a Vision Board?

MercedesMore and more, vision boards are becoming a popular activity to help motivate and inspire people. A vision board typically takes the form of a bulletin board on which you can pin pictures, quotes, and anything else that strikes your fancy. A vision board can help you remember what you want out of life and provide constant motivation toward that goal.

For example, you might put a picture of your favorite flavor of Mercedes on your vision board. You might put the floor plan for your dream house up there. If you have children, they’ll have a place on your vision board, as well.

You can use a vision board at your company to inspire employees, too. Find out what it is that they want to accomplish at your company, or even use their yearly goals. If the goal for your sales department is a 7 percent increase in sales, for example, use some imagery representing growth or an upward trend. For example, you could put a picture of a rocket launching. If your sales department has a competition going on, put pictures of a race. Really, your company’s vision board will depend, largely, on the goals and objectives you have for your company.