Recently I’ve heard a lot of people in the startup community discussing “fake it until you make it” for CEOs. I certainly understand how the concept started.

Friday, January 11 was my last day as CEO of Black Box, following its acquisition by AGC Networks Ltd. This was my first role as a public company CEO, and I plan to share my experiences with you all over the next few months.

It’s common to hear about CEOs behaving badly during work hours. Yet their personal time is being scrutinized as well, especially in this era of social media.

Years ago I toted around an 11×17 double-sided sheet of paper like it was my third arm – a source of endless mirth for my executives. Yet this org chart with 300+ names was a lifeline for me as CEO of a fast-growing software company.

This is a guest post by Jock Purtle, the Founder and CEO of online brokerage service Digital Exits.

In the spirit of the book “Applied Empathy,” by Sub Rosa CEO Michael Ventura, this article helps CEOs and other leaders put themselves in the shoes of a regular employee striving to succeed despite an inadequate goals management system.

The CEO transition is a tough one. New CEOs especially face a steep learning curve. There are many things I wish I had known going into my first CEO job.

New hire rejection: Don’t risk your team shunning a new employee because you did not prepare them ahead of time.

Rapid7 CEO Corey Thomas
Corey Thomas’ impressive background includes stints at Parallels, Microsoft, AT&T, and Deloitte Consulting as well as degrees from Vanderbilt and Harvard.

Management requires policies, procedures, and bureaucracy if entrepreneurs want to grow their companies
A Rocket Mortgage/Quicken Loans Super Bowl commercial featured actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key translating jargon and slang for people.