The new CEO toolbox: 3 Priorities You Need to Be a High-Performing Leader

3 Priorities You Need to Be a High-Performing Leader

Overarching Theme

Sam Reese, CEO of Vistage Worldwide, argues that the pandemic reshaped what it means to be a high-performing leader. In a business environment defined by disruption, uncertainty, and constant change, CEOs must move beyond traditional command-and-control leadership. The modern leadership toolbox requires trust-building, culture stewardship, diversity of thought, resilience, and continuous reinvention.

Major Takeaways for Business Leaders

1. Trust is built through delegation and clarity.
Reese emphasizes that CEOs who organized employees around a shared “all hands on deck” response were able to recover faster. Delegation became essential because it freed leaders to focus on strategy, culture, and innovation while giving employees ownership.

2. Employees want ownership, not micromanagement.
The article argues that frontline employees often understand customers, operations, and problems most directly. Leaders who rely on employees to help solve problems build trust; leaders who cannot let go risk signaling that they do not trust their teams.

3. Vulnerability strengthens leadership.
Reese challenges the idea that CEOs must always have every answer. High-performing leaders create open environments where teams solve problems, learn together, and celebrate progress together.

4. Culture must be built before crisis hits.
The article argues that determination, perseverance, mission, vision, purpose, and values cannot simply be switched on during a crisis. Strong cultures are built over time through consistent leadership behavior.

5. Diversity of thought fuels resilience and growth.
Reese identifies diversity of background, experience, culture, role, and perspective as a catalyst for better thinking. He also connects diversity of thought to organizational resilience—the ability to adapt and recover from hardship.

6. High-performing leaders continually review and reinvent.
The article closes by emphasizing that leaders must regularly assess what is working, what needs adjustment, and what new skills are required as conditions change.

Talking Points for Executives

A strong executive discussion can begin with: “Are we building a leadership system that depends on control—or one that scales through trust?”

Reese’s article is especially relevant for CEOs and senior leaders who are trying to lead through uncertainty without becoming bottlenecks. The article positions trust, culture, and diverse thinking not as soft leadership themes, but as operating requirements for performance in volatile markets.

Another useful talking point: being a high-performing leader is not just about decisiveness; it is about adaptability. Leaders who delegate well, stay transparent, protect culture, and invite fresh perspectives are better positioned to respond when conditions shift.

Reflection Questions

1. Where are we still relying too heavily on CEO or executive-level control?
2. Do employees have real ownership, or are they only being asked to execute instructions?
3. What behaviors are building—or eroding—trust across the organization?
4. Is our culture strong enough to guide behavior during crisis or disruption?
5. Are we actively seeking diverse perspectives before making important decisions?
6. Where do we need more resilience in our teams, operating model, or leadership bench?
7. What leadership skills do we need to develop for the next phase of change?

Potential Action Items

Create a trust-building audit by reviewing where decisions are over-escalated, where delegation is weak, and where employees lack clarity about their role in company priorities.

Redesign leadership meetings to focus on ownership and problem-solving, not just status updates.

Strengthen the company’s culture operating system by connecting mission, vision, purpose, and values to daily decisions, recognition, hiring, communication, and customer experience.

Build more intentional diversity of thought into decision-making forums by including people from different functions, levels, backgrounds, geographies, and customer-facing roles.

Encourage leaders to practice transparent and vulnerable communication, especially when they do not yet have all the answers.

Schedule quarterly leadership reviews focused on what should be continued, refined, stopped, or reinvented.

Similar Articles to Recommend

“What Sets the World’s Best CEOs Apart” — McKinsey
A strong companion article on the leadership practices that distinguish excellent CEOs, including bold strategy, talent alignment, board engagement, stakeholder management, and personal effectiveness.

“Staying Ahead: How the Best CEOs Continually Improve Performance” — McKinsey
Useful for CEOs who want to avoid complacency and keep learning, adapting, and defining the next performance curve.

“The Myth of the CEO as Ultimate Decision Maker” — Harvard Business Review
A good follow-up on why CEOs should design better decision systems rather than personally control every major decision.

“How New CEOs Establish Legitimacy” — Harvard Business Review
Relevant for leaders who want to understand how credibility, trust, and influence are earned beyond formal authority.

“CEO Excellence: How Do Leaders Assess Their Own Performance?” — McKinsey
A practical companion for leaders who want a structured way to evaluate their own effectiveness across core CEO responsibilities.