President of the CEO CLUBS Baltimore Chapter | Managing Partner of Wexley Consulting

Every leader will face moments of doubt, failure, and reinvention. What matters most is the willingness to learn, adapt, and keep moving forward with clarity, integrity, and resilience.

1. You have an impressive academic and professional background, from earning a Ph.D. in organizational management and psychology to leading major consulting initiatives. How did your educational path influence your leadership philosophy? 

My educational journey has had a profound influence on my leadership philosophy. The academic process allows you the opportunity to understand the real-world environment from a different perspective. You are able to apply real-world paradigms to philosophical theories and then measure the results. I have worked in small as well as very large organizations, and it is extremely powerful when you see applied academic theories prove themselves in the business environment. Also, the academic experience helps immensely by developing key skills like decision-making, interpersonal communication, and, most importantly, problem-solving.

2. You’ve worked with diverse organizations, including Fortune 500 companies. What were some defining moments or lessons from those early consulting years? 

You begin to realize in the early consulting years that large Fortune 500 organizations are no different than smaller companies. The overriding difference is that the larger companies have many more employees, but the same management principles apply to both. The larger companies just have thousands more people and more levels of management, but the exact same business principles apply to running the organization. Nonetheless, management in smaller organizations is often more agile and flexible because of fewer management layers, while large, behemoth corporations are, most of the time, much more structured and bureaucratic with a formal hierarchy in place.

You cannot lead effectively if you refuse to adapt to a changing marketplace.

3. Looking back, what challenges did you face in the early stages of your career, and how did you overcome them?

I faced numerous challenges in my career, as most people do. I went to graduate school in the evenings after working all day, and it took me over six years to receive my doctorate. So, I would work all day, and then, two evenings per week, I would drive over an hour to attend my three-hour classes. I would try to study on the weekends and still find time to interact with my young children. My wife was instrumental in helping me during this time and providing me with the space to work on the weekends if necessary to maintain my academic excellence. Upon completion of my degree, I went into private practice for a time before I bought into several companies. I realized that the remuneration was substantially better on the owner’s side of the desk, rather than the advisory side. Nonetheless, maintaining proper work-life balance can be extremely challenging when you are excelling in your career, especially in the early years, while you are trying to grow and be recognized for your accomplishments.

Employees perform best when they feel valued, trusted, and respected.

4. As someone who has transitioned between academia, consulting, and leadership, how do you balance research-based insights with real-world business execution?

You have to realize that there can be a big difference in research-oriented outcomes and the real-world environment. The primary difference between research outcomes and the real world lies in the degree of focus and practical applicability. Theories can often be abstract and may not fully align with real-world conditions. There is no substitute for actually running an organization and seeing for yourself the outcomes that play out. What you think the outcome should be from a theoretical perspective may be completely different from reality. You have to remember that nothing beats the real-world experience when you are running an organization, especially a very large one.

5. You’ve led the CEO CLUBS Baltimore for several years. As part of CEO CLUBS, founded by Joseph Mancuso, how would you describe your vision for the chapter, and how has that vision evolved over time?

I have run the Baltimore CEO CLUBS since 1993. It’s the most fun thing that I do from a business perspective. The whole concept of our group is the saying, “It’s okay to be at the top, but you don’t have to be alone.” We try to provide a forum where business leaders can interact and be there for one another. Many times, people who run companies literally do not have anyone in or out of their organization that they can confide in. I feel our club provides that environment for our members. We also have speakers, whom I interview during every meeting, so there is an education aspect to our group as well. Our philosophy has not changed over the years; it has just “blossomed” into a fabulous organization where leaders can come, relax, and be themselves. Moreover, the CEO CLUBS provides an interactive experience for our members, where they can get up-front and personal with business leaders, and speak to them on an individual basis. Executives learn from others, especially in a peer-to-peer environment.

6. In your experience, what distinguishes a truly resilient leader in today’s unpredictable business environment?

I’m glad you asked this question about Resilience. I hope everyone can read the book that I co-authored in 2015 entitled: Stronger: Develop the Resilience You Need to Succeed and learn the Lessons from the Navy SEALs. This book was named one of the 30 Best Business Books of the Year by the American Management Association when it came out, and it is still selling well today. We identified and discussed in detail the five major factors of resilience and how everyone can learn the secrets of resilience. You have to remember that failure happens to almost everyone, and it can be a tremendous learning experience, but it can also cripple you and lead to disastrous outcomes. We address these issues in the book and provide ways to overcome these failures and “get back on your feet.” Unfortunately, this happens to almost everyone who runs a company, so please read the book!

7. How do you see the role of peer learning and executive networking in shaping stronger, more adaptive CEOs?

I am a huge fan of peer-to-peer learning as well as executive networking. One of our subsets of the CEO CLUBS of Baltimore is our Presidential Advisory Council, where we act as a group of advisors to one another. In our meetings, one person will be the host of the day and present an overview of their company, and then, after a period of questioning, will get a multitude of advice on what they need to do to run their company more effectively. People “let their hair down” during these types of sessions and get real-world advice from other owners. Also, executive networking is an important component of understanding the business environment. You have to realize that you can always learn from others, and the networking forum provides that environment. Also, some additional positive outcomes of executive networking are learning valuable career insights, discovering possible new job opportunities, and developing important professional skills such as communication. I have found that having mentors as well as peers can provide an outstanding support system, which is extremely powerful.

Peer-to-peer learning creates some of the most honest and valuable leadership growth.

8. CEO CLUBS operates as a family of leaders around the globe. In your view, what makes the Baltimore chapter unique within this international network?  

The Baltimore Chapter is the longest-running CEO CLUBS in our network. Some of our members have attended trips not only to Cuba but also to the Philippines, Dubai, Greece, and many other international chapter openings. Our members have been exposed to many chapters around the world and have learned a great deal from these international trips. Our members love to travel, and they are thrilled to be a part of the international chapters of CEO CLUBS located throughout the world. I highly recommend attending a new chapter opening anywhere in the world. Internationally, we are usually guests of the government, and we have a press conference and appear on the front page of local newspapers. Also, fostering greater collaboration between local CEO CLUBS and international ones requires very clear communication and a plan to create a culture of collaboration through open dialogue and respect for others’ contributions to the process.

9. What opportunities do you believe exist for greater collaboration between U.S. chapters and international ones, such as those in the UAE, Pakistan, and China?

The opportunities are immense for collaboration between the U.S. Chapters and the International Chapters. Our members love to learn and to travel. There should be many opportunities to bring the Chapters together at least a few times per year to exchange business practices and to understand how the various chapters operate in different parts of the world. Transparency should be maintained at all times. You have to be open and honest with your communications to achieve the outcomes you desire. Also, there should be opportunities for members to share their knowledge and experiences, which should lead to a breakdown of any barriers that may exist between the local and international groups.

10. You’ve co-authored books like Secrets of Resilient Leadership and Stronger– Develop the Resilience You Need to Succeed. What inspired your focus on resilience, and how does it apply to organizations today?

Yes, I have co-authored the critically acclaimed books Secrets of Resilient Leadership and Stronger – Develop the Resilience You Need to Succeed. Both books were best sellers and continue to sell today. They continue to sell the concept that resilience is so important not only in today’s business environment but in an individual’s personal life as well. Everyone goes through adversity at some times in their lives, and in these books, we offer advice on how you are able to “get back on your feet” and lead a great life filled with success. This topic is near and dear to my heart because, like everyone else, I have experienced difficulties along the way but by learning the secrets of resilience, I have been able to overcome these issues and continue my successful journey in life.

Real-world experience will always teach you lessons that theory alone cannot.

11. In your consulting work, what are the most common leadership pitfalls you’ve observed in senior executives, and how can they overcome them?

In consulting, the most common mistake I have seen over the years is an executive not being able to adapt to differing business environments. They sometimes stay locked into their own vision, and, unfortunately, the market may have moved, leaving them behind. The most important lesson that I have always tried to convey to people running their companies is to “always keep your eye on the ball.” You have to understand your business and see how it continues to maintain its position in the marketplace. Other common mistakes in the consulting environment include poor communication, services that may not be priced correctly, and, most importantly, the failure to define a clear niche in your respective marketplace. In the consulting space, you should always try to “under-promise and over-deliver.” Moreover, be very careful in managing the process and ensure that the scope of the endeavor does not expand beyond what was agreed upon. You do not want to get into a contract dispute with the company.

12. You founded the Kristin Rita Strouse Foundation, which supports mental health awareness. How has this personal mission influenced your approach to leadership and community building?

We started the Kristin Rita Strouse Foundation after we lost our beautiful 17-year-old daughter to teenage suicide. We were totally devastated after her death, but we realized several months later that we needed to do something to help others. We formed an alliance with the Johns Hopkins Department of Psychiatry and helped to support their ADAP Program, which stood for the Adolescent Depression Awareness Program. This program was set up because kids will talk to other kids before they talk to adults. It teaches students the warning signs of depression. We have raised over $2 million through fundraising golf outings for 20 years, and we have now trained over 145,000 high school students on the warning signs of depression. Our goal with the ADAP program is to take it national and have every child in the country learn the warning signs of depression so they can help a fellow student and get the proper help that is needed. Teenage suicide is a very serious issue in the United States, and our goal is to help these kids deal with it and ultimately seriously reduce the number of teenage suicides. My wife, our family, and I learned early on after this tragedy that by helping others, we are also helping ourselves. You never get over a tragedy like this, but you learn to deal with it.

13. What are some key indicators of an organization’s resilience — beyond financial performance?

I would encourage your readers to read my book, entitled Stronger – Develop the Resilience You Need to Succeed, to learn the key indicators of organizational resilience beyond financial performance.

Leadership is tested most in moments of uncertainty and failure.

14. What personal habits or mindsets have helped you sustain focus, optimism, and balance over the years?

I have what is known as a “high need for completion,” which means when I start something, I have a strong desire to complete that task, or that job, that implementation, and similar tasks. I view myself as an optimist, and my glass is always half full. I have also always tried to prioritize family life and maintain a balance between work and family. 

15. Finally, what message would you like to share with the global readership of EVOLVE —

the CEOs and young leaders shaping tomorrow’s world?

Here, I would like to share that a leader should never lose sight of their goals. Running a company or an organization is difficult, and issues in the office can affect issues at home as well. It’s imperative to understand that success is not just in the business realm, but at home as well. Understand your environment as well as your goals, and remember to be “the best you can be.” Additionally, a leader should prioritize building a strong, trusting environment in their organization where employees feel they are an essential part of the company, and they feel not only empowered, but also with a sense of integrity and self-worth. As Jack Welch, the former Chairman of General Electric, stated in his book entitled Jack: Straight from the Gut - “Your employees are your most important asset that walks in the door every day, not your biggest expenses.” Employees need to feel appreciated and respected.