Tell me about your vision when you decided to write this book.
I think the vision came from one.
The more I researched, the more the problem was clear that two out of five new CEOs fail
in the first 18 months and just going, that's ridiculous.
And then trying to think about why they fail, talking to more and more CEOs
about their journey and what else they might have happened and getting those stories.
So the vision that sort of resulted from all that was to go,
I mean, I passionately believe that every single first time CEO should be allocated
and independent and has to be independent coach and mentor as a matter of course.
Why wouldn't you?
The paranoid new imposter syndrome filled new CEOs going, everyone wants me to fail.
No, that's not true.
They've hired you because they want you to succeed.
And everyone bar that person on your team who thinks they should have got the job.
Once you and the company succeed, why wouldn't you spend a little,
what's a relatively small amount of money as insurance to give this person the best
support that they can have to be the best they can be?
I just don't understand why there's so much attention on the selection process.
Have we got the right person? Have we not got the right person?
And within that, chances are on the short list, most people could do the job,
have the experience and skills to do the job in some way, shape or form.
But the key question is not, can you do the job?
The key question is, can you be trusted to do the job?
And so that's where I also work with aspiring CEOs to make their own luck to build that trust
in order to be taken. And there's lots of lessons in the book about that.
But it really was to help people.
And I'm not a massive business book fan, to be quite honest.
I worked in publishing for 20 years and I love reading literary fiction.
And actually, I think you can understand a hell of a lot about relationships
from reading great fiction.
And so I wanted to write a book that was accessible for people like myself,
who said they're going, I don't want to read about a theory and bullet points and yes, no, whatever.
Because it's about emotions with a fiction.
You don't remember the facts, you remember how it made you feel.
And that's what I wanted to write, that sort of book, which was about stories,
about anecdotes, about practical things that happen in the real world that you can grab hold of.
And one of the things it's worth saying, if I've got time, when I'm coaching with CEOs
and you're moving away from the coaching style of going, what else might you do?
What else? What else?
And they're going, look, I pay you the other money and I've got five minutes, I'm busy, help.
And what I've found, and it's the sort of changing of the framework.
But if you sit there and say, OK, here's something that happened to me that has some similarities.
Bear me out.
And you start talking about something, it doesn't really matter what it is.
But within three minutes, they'll go, hang on, stop, stop, stop.
Something you just said triggered the answer of what I need to do.
And it happens so frequently, it's not a coincidence.
And to me, it's because you've talked about their problems, they're surrounded by their problems.
And it's much easier to solve someone else's problem and see the answer for them than it is to see the answer to your own problem.
But then as soon as I start talking about a problem I had, they go into problem solving mode and they go, right, OK, I can solve your problem.
And then because they're surrounded still with their own issues, that connection, that lightning sort of thing,
that lightning strikes and suddenly they're in problem solving mode, they can see their own answers.
And it's so powerful.
It really is a magic moment.
The first time it happened, I was sitting there going, wow, I was as surprised as anyone else.
But it happens all the time now.
And that's where that gray area is so magical.
And if you can't see an answer to your problem, if someone can fix it like that, it is like a miracle.
And that's where you get that conversion.
And some people sit there going, right, that's why I need coaching.
That's why I need mentoring.
It's that independence to be able to have the freedom to ask the daft questions and confess the darkest thoughts.
And that's what's so valuable.
I can definitely understand that because the aha moments, especially when it comes from them,
it's like, oh, I really, you know, it's not about, of course, us, but it's like I did the job and they figured it out.
But sometimes you just have to hear yourself talk.
As you work with these CEOs or the ones who aspire to be, what are some of the biggest challenges you see the leaders face or seeing some of the CEOs facing?
That's a really good question.
To me, they are.
The vast majority of them are relationship based.
I've got a boss or someone on the board who I just don't see eye to eye with.
We meet and then you get this sphere, you know, get you can talk to someone and go, I dread going into those meetings with my boss.
I absolutely dread it, dread it, dread it.
But then five minutes later, you're talking to them, say, tell me about someone who you really rate that you've worked with.
They go, I've never worked for anyone who I haven't overtaken in three months.
And you can. Wow. You've got massive fear.
Five minutes later, you're the best thing since sliced bread and and it's extraordinary.
So but but it but it tends to be about relationships because a team might make something work.
If you've got a problem that's technical, you still need relationships in order to build the team that's going to fix it.
And so so but relationships are so different.
I think, you know, when I was working at working in retail a million years ago and it was old school and it was we stamp with J.F.D.I.
just do it and people didn't have rationale or reasoning as to why things need to be done.
This need to be done. And that whole way of thinking is it's sort of I don't know.
It there's not a place for it anymore.
You know, it doesn't get it doesn't get the best out of people.
And it actually sets people up, sets people up the wrong way.
So I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this.
But that that relationships issue of understanding that that cracking the whip harder is not necessarily the answer.
You know, you're in charge of sales sales are down this month.
What are you doing about it? You know, crack the whip harder.
You know, are you the sort of person that that that sales manager can say?
I'm glad I had the opportunity to talk to you because did you know my father has just been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease?
Exactly. And I'm now I'm now as of this week, primary caregiver.
You know, there's a sort of conversations you would never have had in a million years back in the day with those bosses.
But are you the sort of boss that actually people feel I can have that conversation?
Yeah, yeah. And you're right. Relationships are so important, so important.
So so but there's no right or wrong answer.
Yeah. In that example, the person you're speaking to might totally agree with you one week.
You may have the same conversation the next week.
It's a completely different answer. You know, got out of the different side of the bed.
Yes, yes. So before we go, I'd love to ask this one question because we did not dive into the book,
but I would love to bring you on to dive further into the book.
But knowing that that book has been written and it's been out since March, almost a year now for a first time CEO,
if they could read your book, which chapter would you tell them to start with?
The I start with the introduction because it sets out what the books tries to achieve.
And then there's a sort of model in the book which which looks at the relationships internally within the company up and down
and across the wider company, but then also externally with suppliers, with partners, with media.
And it's really you might you might fight, say you might find the area which says, hang on, the that's me.
Or that's the area I've got an issue with.
Because it's in three parts, the external, the internal.
And then the first part and most important part is about you.
And I guess that's the really interesting one, because it it sets you on the on the journey of going,
yeah, I get all that. I've been through that.
Or wow, my God, there's a long way to go.
So so you is the most always the most important in any relationship.
You are the one consistent person who's always involved in that relationship.
Absolutely. Well, you guys heard it.
You start with the introduction and then focus on you. With that being said, David, please share with them where they could either set up a coaching session with you.
So your website, your social media handles and where they can purchase your book at.
OK, so the website is www.GreyAreaCoaching.com.
But as I said, it's G-R-E-Y AreaCoaching.com.
And on that, there's a whole lot of stuff about me, my career, my from when I did my psychology degree back in the 13th century to to what I'm actually doing now and and and my my process and style of coaching and mentoring.
But also within there's a tab Media News where there's a lot of interviews, podcasts, appearances or whatever, and you'll be able to see what I'm like, hopefully a little bit, because it's all that's so important.
You know, and not everybody's for everybody.
And some people say not my cup of tea and other people going, that's really interesting.
I like the way he approaches that. So so it's horses for courses.
So great for that website and a lot of testimonials from people I've coached.
So there's loads of information on that site.
The book is available on Amazon, whether Barnes and Noble is stocking it or whatever, I don't know.
But the but it's on Amazon dot com and it's available as an e-book, a paperback and an audio book.
I read the audio book. Thank you for being here today.
I'm really happy that you tuned in to Vision Pros Live.
I'm looking forward to seeing your reactions as these episodes continue to move forward.
This is going to get more and more fun.
We'll have more and more engagement as well when by people to participate in the show.
And thank you for giving us your time and attention.
Have an excellent time building out your vision and becoming a vision for yourself.