Leadership for Senior Executives: Advanced Strategies for Top Leaders

Leading at the top is no joke. It’s a whole different ballgame when you’re making the big calls. This article is all about those advanced strategies for senior executives, the kind of stuff that really makes a difference. We’ll look at how to get better at leading, how to plan smart for the company, and how to keep things running smoothly even when things get crazy. Plus, we’ll touch on making good choices, how people see you, and how to actually get things done. It’s about being the kind of leader who can handle anything thrown their way.

Key Takeaways

• Sharpen your personal leadership style and learn how to get the best out of your teams.
• Figure out the best business strategies to get ahead of the competition and make sure all parts of the company are working together.
• Build an organization that can easily adapt to changes and bounce back when things get tough.
• Make smart, ethical choices, especially when faced with difficult situations.
• Work on your presence and influence to better guide your company toward its goals.

Developing Advanced Leadership Capabilities

Leading at the senior level means your skills need to go beyond day-to-day management. It’s about shaping the future and guiding your organization through complex times. This section focuses on sharpening those higher-level abilities that make a real difference. We’re talking about refining your personal approach, getting the best out of your people, and sparking new ideas.

Enhancing Personal Leadership Skills and Style

Your leadership style isn’t just something you’re born with; it’s something you build and adapt. For senior executives, this means becoming more self-aware and understanding how your actions impact others. It’s about finding that balance between being decisive and being open to input. Think about how you communicate, how you handle pressure, and how you make decisions. Developing an authentic leadership style that resonates with your team is key to building trust and driving performance. It’s not about copying someone else, but about understanding your own strengths and weaknesses, and then working on them. This is a continuous process, not a one-time fix. You can start by getting feedback from people you trust, or even using some self-assessment tools to get a clearer picture. It’s about growing into the leader your organization needs.

Motivating Teams for Peak Productivity

Getting a team to perform at its best isn’t just about setting goals; it’s about creating an environment where people want to do their best work. For senior leaders, this involves understanding what truly drives your people. It might be recognition, opportunities for growth, or simply feeling heard. When you can tap into those motivators, you see a big change in productivity. It’s also about setting clear expectations and providing the resources needed to meet them. Think about how you delegate tasks – are you just offloading work, or are you giving people a chance to shine?

Here are a few things to consider:

• Clear Communication: Make sure everyone understands the ‘why’ behind their work and how it fits into the bigger picture.
• Recognition and Reward: Acknowledge good work, not just with money, but with praise and opportunities.
• Growth Opportunities: People stay motivated when they see a path for learning and advancement.
• Supportive Environment: Create a space where people feel safe to take risks and learn from mistakes.

Stimulating Creativity and Innovation

Innovation isn’t just for the R&D department. Senior leaders play a huge role in creating a culture where new ideas can flourish. This means being open to different perspectives, even if they challenge the status quo. It’s about encouraging experimentation and not punishing failure, but rather learning from it. Sometimes, the best ideas come from unexpected places, so it’s important to create channels for those ideas to surface. You might consider setting up cross-functional teams to tackle specific problems, or simply making time for brainstorming sessions. Encouraging diverse viewpoints is a good start.

A culture that embraces new thinking often sees better problem-solving and a stronger ability to adapt to market changes. It’s about making space for the unconventional and trusting your team to explore new possibilities.

Strategic Imperatives for Senior Executives

As a senior executive, your role shifts from managing tasks to shaping the future. It’s about seeing the bigger picture and making sure the whole company is pulling in the same direction. This means really understanding what makes your business tick and how it fits into the wider market. Getting this right is key to staying ahead of the curve.

Gaining a Competitive Edge Through Business Strategy

This isn’t just about having a plan; it’s about having a smart plan. Think about what makes your company unique and how you can use that to your advantage. It might involve looking at new markets, developing different products, or even changing how you operate. The goal is to create a strategy that not only works today but also sets you up for success tomorrow. It’s about being proactive, not just reactive. Organizations that invest in leadership development are 1.5 times more likely to experience high performance, especially during periods of transition [3f0b].

Aligning Business Units for Strategic Impact

Imagine a sports team where each player has a different game plan. Chaos, right? The same applies to your business. All the different departments and teams need to be on the same page, working towards the same overarching goals. This requires clear communication and a shared understanding of where the company is headed. When units are aligned, they can achieve much more together than they ever could apart. Effective change leadership requires collaboration to build a shared understanding of strategic objectives and the necessary changes to achieve them [0097].

Navigating Resource Allocation Challenges

Money, people, time – these are all limited resources. As a senior leader, you have to decide where to put them for the biggest impact. This often means making tough choices. You might have to prioritize one project over another or invest in new technology instead of hiring more staff. It’s a balancing act, but a critical one for making sure the company’s resources are used wisely to achieve its strategic objectives. Making smarter decisions for your organization is a key skill [78ab].

Resource allocation isn’t just about numbers; it’s about vision. It’s about deciding which seeds to plant today to harvest a strong future, even when current conditions make it hard to see the full potential.

Cultivating Agile and Resilient Organizations

In today’s fast-moving business world, being able to bend without breaking is more than just a nice-to-have; it’s a requirement. We’re talking about building organizations that can roll with the punches, adapt to unexpected shifts, and keep moving forward. It’s about creating a structure that’s flexible enough to change course quickly but strong enough to withstand turbulence. This isn’t just about reacting to change; it’s about proactively building the capacity to thrive amidst it. Leaders who can cultivate this kind of organizational agility and resilience are the ones who will steer their companies through uncertainty and into future success.

Transforming Mindsets for Flexibility

Getting an organization to be more agile starts with the people inside it. It means shifting how we think about problems and opportunities. Instead of sticking rigidly to old ways, we need to encourage a growth mindset. This involves seeing challenges as chances to learn and improve, rather than as roadblocks. It’s about being open to new ideas, even if they come from unexpected places, and being willing to experiment. Leaders play a big role here by modeling this curiosity and rewarding smart risks. When people feel safe to try new things and learn from them, the whole organization becomes more adaptable.

• Encourage continuous learning and skill development.
• Promote open communication about challenges and successes.
• Reward experimentation and learning from failures.

Shifting mindsets isn’t a one-time event; it’s an ongoing process that requires consistent reinforcement from leadership. It means actively creating an environment where adaptability and continuous improvement are not just talked about, but are lived values.

Building Organizational Resilience

Resilience is about more than just bouncing back; it’s about building the capacity to absorb shocks and keep functioning. This involves having robust systems in place, but it also means having strong teams that can support each other. Resilient leaders often show a good deal of emotional intelligence, meaning they understand their own emotions and those of their team members. They communicate openly, especially during tough times, which builds trust. This kind of leadership helps teams stay connected and productive even when things get difficult. It’s about creating a stable core that can weather storms and emerge stronger. You can find more on this by looking into resilient leaders.

Fostering Innovation in a Dynamic Environment

An agile and resilient organization is also one that can innovate, even when the ground is constantly shifting. This means creating a culture where new ideas are welcomed and explored. It’s not just about having a great idea; it’s about having processes that allow those ideas to be developed and implemented. This often involves using methods like design thinking, which focuses on understanding user needs and iterating solutions. When organizations are set up to be flexible, they can more easily integrate new technologies or approaches, like AI, and adapt to changing market demands. This ability to innovate keeps the organization competitive and relevant. Leaders can learn more about agile leadership to help drive this transformation.

Mastering Ethical Decision-Making

Making tough calls is part of the job, but doing it ethically? That’s where things get really interesting, and frankly, a lot harder. Senior leaders are constantly faced with situations where the ‘right’ thing isn’t always clear-cut. It’s not just about following the rules; it’s about understanding the impact of your choices on everyone involved – employees, customers, shareholders, and the wider community.

Leading Through Challenging Dilemmas

When you’re in a leadership role, you’ll run into situations that don’t have easy answers. Think about a time when you had to choose between a decision that would boost short-term profits but might hurt your company’s reputation long-term, or a choice that was good for your people but might cost more. These aren’t just hypothetical scenarios; they happen. The ability to weigh competing values and make a principled stand is a hallmark of strong leadership. It requires a clear head and a solid moral compass. Sometimes, it means having uncomfortable conversations and being transparent about the trade-offs. It’s about building trust, even when the decisions are unpopular. This often involves looking at problems from different angles, much like you would when framing complex problems with systems thinking.

Promoting Ethical Practices Across the Organization

Your personal ethics are important, but as a senior executive, your responsibility extends much further. You set the tone for the entire company. This means actively working to create an environment where ethical behavior is the norm, not the exception. It involves:

• Clearly communicating ethical expectations and standards.
• Providing training and resources to help employees understand and apply ethical principles in their daily work.
• Establishing safe and confidential channels for reporting concerns or misconduct.
• Consistently holding individuals accountable for their actions, regardless of their position.

It’s about making sure that integrity is a core part of how business gets done. This focus on integrity is crucial for building a strong organizational culture and a positive reputation. Cultivating integrity helps ensure that your company operates with honesty and strong moral principles.

Integrating Values into Strategic Choices

Ethical considerations shouldn’t be an afterthought; they need to be woven into the fabric of your business strategy. When you’re planning for the future, think about how your company’s core values align with your strategic goals. Are you pursuing growth in a way that respects your commitments to sustainability or social responsibility? Are your innovation efforts aligned with ethical guidelines? This integration means that ethical decision-making isn’t just a compliance issue; it becomes a source of competitive advantage. It helps build a brand that people trust and want to associate with. Leaders who can effectively integrate these values often demonstrate strong executive superpowers, influencing governance and creating lasting value.

Elevating Executive Presence and Influence

It’s not just about what you know, but how you present it and how you make people feel. For senior leaders, having a strong executive presence means projecting confidence, credibility, and a clear vision. It’s about more than just a title; it’s about the way you carry yourself, communicate, and connect with others. This isn’t something you’re just born with; it’s a skill set that can be developed and refined over time. Think about it: when you meet someone who just commands a room without saying a word, that’s executive presence in action. It’s that subtle blend of authority and approachability that makes people want to listen and follow.

Strengthening Your Personal Brand

Your personal brand as a leader is essentially your reputation. It’s what people think of when they hear your name. Are you known for being decisive, innovative, or perhaps a bit difficult to work with? Building a positive and impactful brand requires conscious effort. It means being consistent in your actions and communications, and making sure your public persona aligns with your core values. This is where you start to shape how others perceive your capabilities and your potential. It’s about being intentional with your interactions and ensuring they reflect the leader you aspire to be. Developing this brand is a continuous process, and it’s a key part of your journey to influence others.

Enhancing Visionary Leadership

Visionary leadership is about painting a compelling picture of the future and inspiring others to work towards it. It’s not enough to just manage the day-to-day; senior leaders need to look ahead, anticipate trends, and set a clear direction. This involves articulating a future state that is both ambitious and achievable, and then communicating it in a way that ignites passion and commitment within your teams. A strong vision acts as a compass, guiding decisions and actions, especially when things get tough. It gives people something to believe in and strive for.

Maximizing Influence Within Your Organization

Influence goes beyond formal authority. It’s about persuading others, building consensus, and driving change through relationships and credibility. To maximize your influence, you need to understand the dynamics of your organization, build strong networks, and communicate effectively. This means listening actively, understanding different perspectives, and finding common ground. It’s also about being a trusted advisor and a reliable source of support. When you have influence, you can move initiatives forward more effectively and create a more positive and productive work environment. Sometimes, the most effective leaders are those who can inspire action through their sheer ability to connect and persuade, much like a skilled keynote speaker can captivate an audience.

Building influence is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires consistent effort in demonstrating competence, integrity, and a genuine commitment to the success of others. Small, consistent actions build trust over time, which is the bedrock of true influence.

Here are some ways to build your influence:

• Be a reliable communicator: Share information openly and honestly. Keep people informed about what’s happening and why.
• Show empathy: Understand and acknowledge the feelings and perspectives of others. This builds rapport and trust.
• Be a problem-solver: Actively seek solutions and offer support when challenges arise. People are more likely to follow those who help them overcome obstacles.
• Develop your network: Build relationships across different departments and levels of the organization. This broadens your perspective and your reach.

Driving Organizational Change and Growth

Leading change and growth isn’t just about big, sweeping moves; it’s often about the steady, deliberate steps that build momentum. As senior executives, your role is to set the direction, but also to create the conditions where change can actually happen and growth can take root. This means looking beyond the immediate quarterly reports and thinking about the long game, how your organization adapts and thrives over years, not just months.

Leading Strategic Change Initiatives

When you’re talking about big changes, like a merger, a new market entry, or a significant operational overhaul, it’s easy to get bogged down in the details. But the real work starts with a clear vision. What does success look like? Why are we doing this? Communicating this ‘why’ consistently is your most important job. It’s not a one-time announcement; it’s a continuous drumbeat. You also need to identify the potential roadblocks early on. Are there people who will resist? What systems need to change? Thinking through these points ahead of time can save a lot of headaches later. Remember, change management is about people, and making the change compelling is key to smoother transitions.

Identifying and Seizing Growth Opportunities

Growth isn’t always about finding new customers or markets, though that’s part of it. Sometimes, it’s about finding new ways to serve existing customers or optimizing what you already do. Look at your current operations: are there inefficiencies that, if fixed, could free up resources for growth? Are there adjacent markets you could serve with your existing capabilities? It’s about having a curious mindset, always asking ‘what if?’ and ‘how else?’. This requires a certain level of comfort with ambiguity, and the willingness to experiment. Sometimes, the biggest opportunities are hidden in plain sight, waiting for someone to connect the dots.

Executing Strategies for Long-Term Success

Having a great strategy is one thing; making it happen is another. Execution is where many good plans falter. This involves breaking down the strategy into actionable steps, assigning clear ownership, and setting measurable goals. It also means building in feedback loops so you can adjust course as needed. You can’t just set it and forget it. Regular check-ins, honest assessments of progress, and a willingness to pivot when the data suggests it are vital. This is where your ability to manage yourself and your impulses really comes into play; it’s about making conscious choices aligned with your long-term vision, not just reacting to immediate pressures. This disciplined approach is what separates fleeting successes from lasting achievements. Consider looking at examples of change management to see how others have succeeded.

The difference between a good strategy and a great one often lies in the clarity of its execution. Without a robust plan for implementation, even the most brilliant ideas can remain just that – ideas. Focus on the practical steps, the accountability, and the continuous refinement that brings strategy to life and drives sustained growth.

The Role of Contextual Intelligence in Leadership

In today’s fast-paced business world, just knowing what to do isn’t enough. You also need to understand why and when, and how different situations change the game. That’s where contextual intelligence comes in. It’s about seeing the bigger picture, understanding the forces shaping your business, and knowing how to adjust your approach based on that understanding. Think of it as having a really good sense of the environment you’re operating in.

Understanding Forces Impacting Your Business

Senior leaders need to be aware of a lot of moving parts. This isn’t just about market trends; it’s about everything from global politics and new technologies to shifts in social attitudes and regulatory changes. For instance, the rise of AI is changing how businesses operate, and leaders need to grasp its implications. Being able to connect these dots helps you anticipate challenges and spot opportunities before others do. It’s about looking beyond your company’s walls and seeing how the world is changing around you. This awareness is key to making smart, forward-thinking decisions.

Enhancing Personal Versatility

Contextual intelligence isn’t just about observing; it’s about adapting. It means being able to change your leadership style and strategies to fit different circumstances. You might need to be more directive in a crisis but more collaborative when fostering innovation. This flexibility is what allows leaders to be effective across various situations and teams. It’s like having a toolkit with different tools for different jobs. You learn to assess a situation and pick the right approach, rather than sticking to one method that might not work everywhere. This adaptability is a hallmark of experienced leaders who have seen a lot and learned from it.

Adapting to Evolving Business Landscapes

The business world is constantly shifting. What worked last year might not work today. Leaders with strong contextual intelligence can sense these shifts and guide their organizations through them. This involves:

• Recognizing when established strategies need updating.
• Identifying new ways to approach problems based on current conditions.
• Communicating changes effectively to keep teams aligned.
• Learning from both successes and failures to refine future actions.

The ability to adapt isn’t just about reacting to change; it’s about proactively shaping your organization’s response to ensure long-term success. It requires a continuous learning mindset and a willingness to question assumptions.

This kind of intelligence helps you make better strategic choices, like understanding how to implement AI tools effectively [d55b]. It also means being prepared for complex negotiations and understanding how your own communication style might be perceived in different cultural settings [a7c2]. Ultimately, it’s about being a leader who can steer the ship through any weather, not just the calm seas.

Fostering a Culture of Innovation and Effectiveness

Building a workplace where new ideas can actually take root and grow is tough. It’s not just about having a suggestion box; it’s about creating an environment where people feel safe to try things, even if they don’t always work out. This means looking at how we operate day-to-day and making sure it supports, rather than hinders, creative thinking and getting things done efficiently.

Maximizing Employee Effectiveness

Think about your team. Are they really working at their best? Often, effectiveness comes down to clarity and support. When people know exactly what’s expected and have the tools and freedom to do their jobs, they perform better. It’s about removing roadblocks and giving them the space to figure out the best way forward. We need to make sure our people aren’t bogged down by unnecessary processes or unclear goals. Getting this right means your team can focus on what truly matters.

Cultivating a Culture of Continuous Improvement

This isn’t a one-time fix; it’s an ongoing process. We need to constantly look for ways to do things better, whether it’s a small tweak to a workflow or a bigger change in how we approach a project. This involves encouraging feedback, learning from mistakes, and celebrating small wins along the way. It’s about building a habit of looking for opportunities to improve, not just waiting for problems to arise. This mindset helps keep the organization sharp and responsive to change. You can start by implementing simple feedback loops and regular review sessions.

Integrating Design-Thinking Principles

Design thinking is a way of solving problems that puts the user first. It’s about understanding what people really need, brainstorming solutions, building prototypes, and testing them out. This approach helps us avoid making assumptions and instead build things that people actually want and use. It’s a practical way to approach innovation and can be applied to everything from product development to improving internal processes. Learning about design-thinking principles can really change how you tackle challenges.

We often get stuck in our ways, thinking that the ‘old’ methods are the only ones that work. But the world keeps changing, and if we don’t adapt, we get left behind. Creating a culture that embraces new ideas and ways of working is key to staying relevant and successful. It requires active leadership and a willingness to experiment.

Here are some steps to get started:

• Encourage cross-departmental collaboration to share diverse perspectives.
• Implement regular ‘idea sprints’ where teams can brainstorm solutions to specific challenges.
• Provide training on new tools and methodologies that can boost productivity and creativity.
• Recognize and reward innovative thinking and successful implementation, not just outcomes.

Advanced Strategies for Value Creation

Creating lasting value isn’t just about making a profit today; it’s about building something that lasts and grows. For senior leaders, this means looking beyond the quarterly report and thinking about the long game. It involves a mix of smart innovation, solid business strategy, and a keen eye for what the market will need tomorrow.

Driving Innovation at the Executive Level

Innovation isn’t just for the R&D department. Executives need to champion new ideas and create an environment where they can flourish. This means encouraging experimentation, even if some ideas don’t pan out. The goal is to build a culture where trying new things is the norm, not the exception. Think about how you can support teams exploring novel approaches, perhaps by setting aside dedicated time or resources for ‘skunkworks’ projects. It’s about recognizing that innovation often comes from unexpected places and requires a willingness to take calculated risks. We need to understand how to develop both innovation and execution capabilities, as they are often seen as opposite skill sets [9f68].

Creating Sustainable Business Value

Sustainable value creation goes hand-in-hand with responsible business practices. It’s about building a company that not only makes money but also contributes positively to society and the environment. This can involve finding new ways to operate that reduce waste, improve energy efficiency, or develop products that meet emerging sustainability norms. These opportunities can sometimes be simple, have positive impacts, and increase profitability without massive changes to how a company functions. Leaders need to ask how their business can be a force for positive change by making deliberate decisions aligned with sustainability. This approach can also lead to new market opportunities and a stronger brand reputation.

Leading Through Disruption and Transformation

The business world is constantly changing, and disruption is now a regular feature. Leaders need to be prepared to guide their organizations through these shifts. This might mean transforming business models, adopting new technologies like AI, or completely rethinking how work gets done. It’s about being adaptable and seeing change not as a threat, but as an opportunity. A key part of this is effective communication about the reasons for change, helping everyone understand the ‘why’ and how their role contributes to the new direction [c314].

Here are some key areas to focus on:

• Market Diagnosis: Understand your customers deeply and identify unmet needs.
• Resource Alignment: Ensure your company’s resources are geared towards your value creation goals.
• Threat Assessment: Identify potential risks to your profitability and competitive advantage.
• Strategic Planning: Develop plans to mitigate threats and seize new opportunities.

Effective financial management is also critical for long-term value. This includes optimizing investments and carefully budgeting resources to balance short-term needs with long-term growth objectives [1d76].

Developing Executive Coaching Expertise

Applying Evidence-Based Coaching Principles

Getting good at coaching executives isn’t just about having a friendly chat. It’s about using methods that actually work, based on research. Think about it like a doctor using proven treatments instead of just guessing. We’re talking about structured conversations that help leaders see things differently and find their own solutions. This means asking the right questions, really listening, and helping them figure out their own path forward. It’s not about telling them what to do, but guiding them to discover it themselves.

Leveraging Neuroscience in Leadership Development

This is where things get really interesting. Understanding how the brain works can totally change how we approach leadership development. For example, knowing about neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to change – shows us that leaders can indeed develop new habits and ways of thinking, even later in their careers. We can use this knowledge to design coaching sessions that tap into how the brain learns best. It helps us understand why some people react certain ways under pressure and how to build better coping mechanisms. It’s about making development stick.

Enhancing Coaching Skills for Senior Leaders

So, how do you actually get better at this? It takes practice, for sure. One way is to really focus on active listening. That means not just hearing the words, but understanding the feelings and the underlying message. Another key is providing constructive feedback. This isn’t about criticism; it’s about pointing out specific behaviors and their impact, and suggesting alternatives. Finally, developing your own self-awareness is huge. The better you understand your own biases and reactions, the more effective you’ll be as a coach.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Active Listening: Pay full attention, ask clarifying questions, and reflect back what you hear to confirm understanding.
• Powerful Questioning: Ask open-ended questions that encourage reflection and deeper thought, rather than simple yes/no answers.
• Feedback Delivery: Provide specific, timely, and actionable feedback that focuses on behavior and its impact.
• Goal Setting: Help leaders set clear, achievable goals and develop concrete action plans to reach them.

Coaching senior leaders is a bit like being a guide on a challenging hike. You’re not carrying them up the mountain, but you’re pointing out the best path, helping them avoid pitfalls, and encouraging them when the climb gets tough. The goal is for them to reach the summit stronger and more capable than when they started.

Want to get better at helping leaders succeed? Developing your skills in executive coaching is key. It’s about learning how to guide people to their best performance. Ready to boost your coaching abilities and make a real difference? Visit our website to learn more about how we can help you grow as an executive coach.

Wrapping It Up

So, we’ve talked a lot about what it takes to lead at the top. It’s not just about having a title; it’s about constantly learning and adapting. The business world keeps changing, and leaders have to keep up. This means looking at how you make decisions, how you talk to your teams, and how you plan for the future. It’s about being ready for whatever comes next, whether that’s new tech or a shaky economy. Keep pushing yourself to get better, and your organization will follow. It’s a continuous journey, not a destination, and staying sharp is key to making it work.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this program about?

This program is all about helping top leaders get even better at their jobs. It focuses on advanced ways to lead, make smart choices for the company, and help the whole team do a great job. Think of it as a super-level-up for people already in charge.

Who should join this program?

This is for leaders who are already at a high level in their companies, like senior executives. If you’ve been managing for a while and are responsible for big decisions, this program is for you. It’s for people who want to lead their companies to do amazing things.

What kind of skills will I learn?

You’ll learn how to be a stronger leader yourself, how to get your team to work their best, and how to come up with new and cool ideas. You’ll also learn how to make tough choices, lead through changes, and be a better person to follow.

How will this help my company?

By becoming a better leader, you can help your company do better. You’ll learn how to make smarter plans, beat the competition, and help your company grow. It’s about making your company stronger and more successful.

What does ‘advanced strategies’ mean?

It means going beyond the basics. Instead of just learning how to manage, you’ll learn special ways to lead that are needed for the very top jobs. It’s about thinking big and finding new ways to solve problems.

Will I learn about making good decisions?

Yes, definitely! A big part of being a good leader is making the right choices, especially when things are tricky. You’ll learn how to handle tough situations and make decisions that are good for everyone.

What’s ‘contextual intelligence’?

It’s like having a superpower to understand what’s happening around your business. You’ll learn how different things, like new technology or world events, can affect your company and how to lead through those changes.

Is this program practical or just theory?

It’s very practical! You’ll learn real-world skills and tools that you can use right away in your job. The goal is to help you lead your company better starting now.