5 Leadership Insights Every CEO Should Read

Recently, we profiled 100 of the middle market’s most interesting CEOs. Here are some of our favorite leadership insights from the series.

“Everyone you interact with, whether it’s a supplier, employee, customer, should walk away a better person for having interacted with your business.”

—Brad van Dam, CEO of Marich Premium Chocolates

 

“I won’t hire anyone who eventually doesn’t strive to be a leader. I hire people who can bring something to my business as much as I can bring to their lives. If they come up with an idea that will generate more revenue business for me, then I want them to know it will do the same for them. You work, you are rewarded.” 

—Aric Klar, CEO of Toyology

“No matter the trepidation people may have, if they discuss even the most uncomfortable issues with integrity and with concern for one another, they can always move their organization to a better place,” Wallace says. “I learned this early on in my career and was always willing to pick it up, especially when handling difficult organizational situations.”

—Howe Wallace, CEO of PalletOne

“Our first step was to start building a very strong infrastructure. We gave the company the infrastructure of at least a midsize company. If you don’t make the leap and invest in infrastructure, you can’t grow the company.”
—Jeff Unger, Managing Partner of Stratitia and 2c4 Technologies

“I started with nothing. And a lot of the people I hire — they don’t graduate from the fanciest schools, they don’t have the best networks. I’ve been able to show them that somebody who doesn’t have much can still achieve as much as someone with all the right things.”

“I think that’s uniquely American. If you’re willing to work really hard, and you have a good idea, there’s always a chance of success.”

–Jennifer Prosek, CEO of Prosek Partners

See all Growth 100 honorees nominated for leadership style >