The “Circus CEO Framework”: Focusing Time and Channeling Energy in Multiple Dimensions

The author writes about his experience as chief executive officer/CEO of the global company Stolt‐Nielsen, and about a “Circus CEO Framework” he developed earlier when he was CEO of FedEx Logistics. The dimensions, in his words, are Purpose, Strategy, Organization, Leadership, Culture, Risk Management, Customer Relationships, Governmental Relationships, Shareholders, and Board Effectiveness. Noting the scarce executive resources of time and energy; he advises… “the 4D rule exactly in this order is critical: Discard, Delay. Delegate, and only Do what only you as the CEO can do and really needs to be done now.” He describes the model in detail regarding his work at Stolt‐Nielsen; for instance, regarding shareholders, he writes: “In my first week as the new CEO, I launched an internal “big listen” campaign asking all employees four questions: 1. What makes you proud to work for Stolt‐Nielsen? 2. What should we do to support you better in your role? 3. What should we do to delight our customers more? 4. What would you do if you were the new CEO?” He concludes that for CEOs the framework helps them to “look at what they are doing and what is really needed, from a higher abstraction level.”