The CEO Next Door by Elena Botelho & Kim Powell & Tahl Raz Summary

The CEO Next Door analyzes data from 17,000 CEOs to identify four proven behaviors that drive leadership success: decisive action, reliable execution, adaptive agility, and stakeholder engagement. It debunks myths like needing an Ivy League degree or flawless résumé, showing 45% of CEOs had major career setbacks and 70% didn’t initially aim for the C-suite. The book combines research with practical frameworks, like decision-making strategies and "career catapults," to help professionals at any level advance.

Aspiring leaders, mid-career professionals, and executives seeking data-driven strategies to refine their leadership style will benefit. It’s particularly valuable for those navigating career transitions, managing teams, or aiming to overcome hidden career hurdles. The book also offers insights for board members and HR leaders involved in CEO recruitment.

Yes—it’s a research-backed guide praised for demystifying CEO success with actionable advice, earning endorsements from top executives and winning the CMI Management Book of the Year. Readers commend its focus on real-world behaviors over innate traits, making it practical for non-traditional candidates.

1. Decisiveness: High-performing CEOs make decisions 12x faster than peers, using frameworks to simplify complexity.
2. Reliability: Consistently delivering results builds trust.
3. Adaptability: Bold pivots in strategy or resources during crises.
4. Stakeholder engagement: Proactively addressing conflicts and aligning teams.

Only 7% of CEOs studied attended Ivy League schools, and 8% didn’t graduate college. Career setbacks are common—45% of CEOs had major failures, proving resilience matters more than a "perfect" track record. The book emphasizes behavior over pedigree, showing traits like curiosity and decisiveness are learnable.

• Use "career catapults" like fixing broken operations or leading cross-functional projects to accelerate growth.
• Address past failures openly in interviews, focusing on lessons learned.
• Avoid roles requiring you to "change who you are" to succeed.

• Simplify complexity: Break decisions into criteria aligned with organizational priorities.
• Premortems: Anticipate failure points before launching initiatives.
• Diverse networks: Gather insights beyond traditional industry boundaries to spot trends.

• Research stakeholders’ pain points and quantify past achievements with data.
• Control the interview agenda by highlighting key talking points upfront.
• Reject offers if the business model is unsustainable or you lack hiring/firing authority.

• Over-reliance on technical skills instead of strategic vision.
• Avoiding difficult conversations with stakeholders.
• Inflexibility in adapting to market shifts or feedback.

It categorizes leaders by their strengths, such as turnaround experts, growth drivers, or stabilizers. Understanding your archetype helps avoid mismatched roles—e.g., a "fixer" struggling in a growth-focused company.

Tom Bell, CEO of Cousins REIT, leveraged curiosity about lease trends to sell $1B in assets before the 2008 crash. Don Slager of Republic Services exemplifies non-traditional CEOs rising through adaptability and reliability.

• Ask fact-based questions to depersonalize conflicts.
• Immerse in customer experiences to anticipate needs.
• Communicate decisively during crises, balancing transparency with resolve.