Jeffrey J. Fox - The Transformative CEO: Impact Lessons from Industry Game Changers

Copyright 2012 by Jeffrey J. Fox and Robert Reiss. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978-0-07-179499-2
MHID: 0-07-179499-9

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Jeffrey Fox dedicates this book to Merrill Yavinsky.
Amici.

Robert Reiss dedicates this book to his foundation, Barbara; and to his inspirations, James, Josh, and Molly.

Doris Michaels and Pauline Hsia, DSM Literary Agency, in New York City for continued professional representation.

Delia Berrigan Fakis, Editorial Strategist, Hallmark Gift Books.

Thanks to the McGraw-Hill team for making this book happen.

Erin, Elizabeth Cosette Communications and Public Relations, LLC in Avon, Connecticut for tirelessly keeping this project on track.

And a special thanks to each Transformative CEO involved in this initiative, which essentially defines a new leadership category. Each contributor was courteous, modest, inspiring, and provided deep thinking and stunning business and life wisdom. Your de vivo endorsement of this book is... transformative.

In college I read Napoleon Hills classic Think and Grow Rich. The premise was unique: in 1908 Andrew Carnegie, a leading industrialist of his era, introduced the young Napoleon Hill to the worlds most successful business people so Hill could write a book about what set these people apart. I thought Napoleon Hill had the worlds best job, and I secretly dreamed that I might one day have such an opportunity.

Years later, after being a strategy consultant for CEOs and having read over 500 business books, I came to realize that certain top CEOs had unique abilities to build businesses, create jobs and achieve success. That was the genesis of The CEO Show, where Ive used radio as the channel to help CEOs share their insights on business and personal success. From the beginning, I had a higher purpose of disseminating CEO wisdom... realizing by reaching enough people I could do my small part to elevate individuals, business, the economy, even the world. Though it didnt initially dawn on me, I had come full circle and was actually living my dream.

Now that The CEO Show has passed its fifth anniversary, and after interviewing over 250 top CEOs, it is clear that the exceptional CEOs share one common trait: they are transformative. They know how to revitalize a company, reinvent an industry, and sometimes even reboot society. In The Transformative CEOwhich I believe defines a new category of leadershipJeffrey and I were able to distill the CEOs wisdom into a few vital lessons, each of which will make you more of a game changer and successful driver of transformation. May this book help you in your career and in your life.

R OBERT R EISS

How often do you get the chance to have super-high-performing CEOs talk directly to you? To tell you how they think, how they decide, their management principles? Their secret success sauce recipes? How cool is it to sit across the table from the guy who hired a Duck to be his company spokesperson, or the woman who resuscitated Howard Hughes helicopter company? Been homeless? Find out from John Paul DeJoria how to get over it. Ever been exiled, as a 10-year old, by Fidel Castro? Ralph de la Vega has been there. Want to meet CEOs who are friends with Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, with your local UPS man, with the lady who delivers your birthday balloons?

If yes, read on.

J EFFREY F OX

1-800-Flowers. Jim McCann, founder and CEO, created a new retail category becoming the largest florist and gift company in the world. His was the first company to use its 800 number both as a brand name and as a store. In 1992, Jim McCann began selling over the Internet, one of the first companies to do so.

Aflac. Chairman and CEO Dan Amos is among the longest tenured CEOs in the Fortune 500. He helped transform a successful family business into a Fortune 125 company, and became an industry leader with revenues of more than $22 billion. Aflac is a perennial winner of numerous corporate awards. Dan Amos has accomplished much in his career, but is probably best known for introducing the Aflac Duck.

Air Canada. When Calin Rovinescu took over Air Canada as CEO in April 2009, the airline was approaching bankruptcy. Thirteen months later Air Canada was cited by Sky Trax as the number one airline in North America.