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A CEO Only Does Three Things: Finding Your Focus in the C-Suite
Whether you’re a new CEO trying to navigate chaotic workdays or a veteran of the C-Suite trying to reignite your passion, focus is your most important asset. Many owners and CEOs think they have to be involved in every aspect of their business. They spend valuable brainpower on low-priority decisions. Before long, they’re overworked and burned out.
Instead of doing everything, it’s time to focus on the right things.
A CEO Only Does Three Things zeroes in on the three pillars of culture, people, and numbers. Steeped in twenty-plus years of practical knowledge, training, and consulting with some of the world’s largest companies, this indispensable guide shows how to articulate the right culture for your business, hire people with the right mindsets, and inspire your teams to produce optimal results.
Hundreds of CEOs have used Taylor’s methods to create fulfilled, efficient, professional lives, and you can join them. Learn how to focus on the work you love—and avoid CEO burnout.
Instead of doing everything, it’s time to focus on the right things.
A CEO Only Does Three Things zeroes in on the three pillars of culture, people, and numbers. Steeped in twenty-plus years of practical knowledge, training, and consulting with some of the world’s largest companies, this indispensable guide shows how to articulate the right culture for your business, hire people with the right mindsets, and inspire your teams to produce optimal results.
Hundreds of CEOs have used Taylor’s methods to create fulfilled, efficient, professional lives, and you can join them. Learn how to focus on the work you love—and avoid CEO burnout.
222 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2020
368 people are currently reading
1463 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 23, 2022
The 3 things a CEO does are:
1) Culture
2) People
3) Money.
I find the section on People (especially interviewing people) the most useful. There are some useful tips there. The other two sections are quite generic, which are not at all different from other books I have read.
1) Culture
2) People
3) Money.
I find the section on People (especially interviewing people) the most useful. There are some useful tips there. The other two sections are quite generic, which are not at all different from other books I have read.
May 13, 2024
Trey Taylor’s book, A CEO Only Does Three Things, is like a compass for CEOs navigating the complex corporate landscape. Taylor distills the CEO role into three critical areas, making it accessible even for those who don’t live in corner offices.
Culture: Imagine the CEO as the chief culture officer. They set the tone, like a conductor leading an orchestra. Taylor shares practical insights on creating a harmonious workplace where values resonate and collaboration thrives.
People: CEOs aren’t just hiring managers; they’re talent curators. Taylor’s “4Cs” approach—Culture, Capabilities, Compensation, and Commitment—guides CEOs in assembling a dream team. It’s like casting the perfect ensemble for a blockbuster movie.
Numbers: CEOs need to be financial wizards, but fear not! Taylor demystifies KPIs (key performance indicators). Think of them as the dashboard of a high-speed car—the CEO keeps an eye on speed, fuel, and performance. Buckle up!
In summary, A CEO Only Does Three Things is a concise, actionable guide. Whether you’re a seasoned CEO or aspiring to the corner office, this book offers practical wisdom to steer your ship toward success.
Culture: Imagine the CEO as the chief culture officer. They set the tone, like a conductor leading an orchestra. Taylor shares practical insights on creating a harmonious workplace where values resonate and collaboration thrives.
People: CEOs aren’t just hiring managers; they’re talent curators. Taylor’s “4Cs” approach—Culture, Capabilities, Compensation, and Commitment—guides CEOs in assembling a dream team. It’s like casting the perfect ensemble for a blockbuster movie.
Numbers: CEOs need to be financial wizards, but fear not! Taylor demystifies KPIs (key performance indicators). Think of them as the dashboard of a high-speed car—the CEO keeps an eye on speed, fuel, and performance. Buckle up!
In summary, A CEO Only Does Three Things is a concise, actionable guide. Whether you’re a seasoned CEO or aspiring to the corner office, this book offers practical wisdom to steer your ship toward success.
March 18, 2023
I love the way Taylor focuses on ceo
The three most important things are defiantly going to leave a mark on me as I grow my enterprise. I have been focusing on the wrong things and wasting a lot of time. Time to put his principles to practice.
The three most important things are defiantly going to leave a mark on me as I grow my enterprise. I have been focusing on the wrong things and wasting a lot of time. Time to put his principles to practice.
January 9, 2025
This was an excellent book. I have transitioned from reading the book to using it as a workbook to mitigate issues and put us on a successful trajectory. I know I’ll refer back to this quite a bit!
This is a must read for any CEO.
This is a must read for any CEO.
February 22, 2022
Brilliant read, great one for start of the year. Of the three, the CULTURE component was my biggest lesson.
Great book for any Leader, not just the CEO.
Great book for any Leader, not just the CEO.
February 23, 2022
Really gets it right
As CEO, we have a lot of things requesting our attention. This book does a great job of making sure your focus will stay on the things that matter most
As CEO, we have a lot of things requesting our attention. This book does a great job of making sure your focus will stay on the things that matter most
February 10, 2023
Really great insight. Written with clarity, easy to read and very actionable for anyone from a small business to a big business to a nonprofit. Anyone who leads others
July 5, 2023
Great summary of what a CEO does, sprinkled with own experiences and some frameworks for managing people and numbers. Misses that a CEO should also spearhead strategy and vision.
September 28, 2023
I loved this book. Full of relevant and practical advice that every CEO and other leaders can learn from.
September 5, 2024
Great read and a book I would read again. Helpful for perspective and reminders of rhe right things to focus on.
March 25, 2025
I'm very sorry, because I am sure Trey Taylor is a very nice guy.
But imho 2 things define a CEO role.
1. There is a team of C-level executives that report to you, COO, CFO, CTO. If Trey has any of those in his organization, he makes no mention of it.
2. You have someone(s) who can fire you. Be it the Board, The Shareholders, etc.
Trey Taylor runs a company. He sounds like a great guy - but he is NOT a CEO.
According to his own book he runs a family Insurance company, that he inherited when his father died.
So he's the Leader of a small family owned Insurance Agency.
He had no other Executive-level experience, he doesn't appear to lead a team of executives - nothing that qualifies him to call himself a "CEO" other than he choose to put it on his cards.
He talks about hiring. Is he wrong about "hiring great people"? No, but the hiring practices he touts are completely unrealistic.
(Bring Spouses/parents to final interview?!?!)
Hardly qualified to write a book on being a CEO.
All of his examples are anecdotal - and don't amount to any practical advice.
If you want insights into running an executive team, dealing with clients, shareholders, vendors, regulatory bodies - look elsewhere.
And because I paid with cash, I can't even get a refund - so I wasted $6.
But imho 2 things define a CEO role.
1. There is a team of C-level executives that report to you, COO, CFO, CTO. If Trey has any of those in his organization, he makes no mention of it.
2. You have someone(s) who can fire you. Be it the Board, The Shareholders, etc.
Trey Taylor runs a company. He sounds like a great guy - but he is NOT a CEO.
According to his own book he runs a family Insurance company, that he inherited when his father died.
So he's the Leader of a small family owned Insurance Agency.
He had no other Executive-level experience, he doesn't appear to lead a team of executives - nothing that qualifies him to call himself a "CEO" other than he choose to put it on his cards.
He talks about hiring. Is he wrong about "hiring great people"? No, but the hiring practices he touts are completely unrealistic.
(Bring Spouses/parents to final interview?!?!)
Hardly qualified to write a book on being a CEO.
All of his examples are anecdotal - and don't amount to any practical advice.
If you want insights into running an executive team, dealing with clients, shareholders, vendors, regulatory bodies - look elsewhere.
And because I paid with cash, I can't even get a refund - so I wasted $6.
February 17, 2021
Very succinct and helpful book for any CEO at any level
Trey Taylor knows what it takes to be a true CEO. He clearly articulates how to increase your bottom line by becoming the person you are meant to be as the CEO and how to get the results.
This is a book to be revisited on a regular basis and studied over again. I highly recommend this book to anyone who owns their business or is currently a CEO.
Trey Taylor knows what it takes to be a true CEO. He clearly articulates how to increase your bottom line by becoming the person you are meant to be as the CEO and how to get the results.
This is a book to be revisited on a regular basis and studied over again. I highly recommend this book to anyone who owns their business or is currently a CEO.
February 24, 2021
No, nonsense here.Only distilled wisdom!
Trey Taylor doesn't waste time in this classic book. I call it classic because we've got hundreds of writers who think a long book means you are sharing legit stuff.
In the book Trey, gets straight to the point and then unpacks each principle with relevant illustrations that are practical.
If you want to read a book with clarity on what it means to be a CEO definitely this one is on the top 1%
Trey Taylor doesn't waste time in this classic book. I call it classic because we've got hundreds of writers who think a long book means you are sharing legit stuff.
In the book Trey, gets straight to the point and then unpacks each principle with relevant illustrations that are practical.
If you want to read a book with clarity on what it means to be a CEO definitely this one is on the top 1%
March 15, 2021
Read through abstract
To succeed as a chief executive officer, you must master the ability to focus.
Heighten your self-awareness to become a great CEO.
Discover your organization’s strengths and core values, and build a culture around them.
Embed values and culture in your firm by repeating what matters every day.
Take an active, leading role in selecting talent.
Find the right metrics to gauge progress and drive better decisions.
To succeed as a chief executive officer, you must master the ability to focus.
Heighten your self-awareness to become a great CEO.
Discover your organization’s strengths and core values, and build a culture around them.
Embed values and culture in your firm by repeating what matters every day.
Take an active, leading role in selecting talent.
Find the right metrics to gauge progress and drive better decisions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2021
Great high level overview of the CEO
Simple but effective way of presenting the work of an effective CEO. The trinity of culture, people and numbers will indeed help CEOs focus their needed energy to what is actually important.
Simple but effective way of presenting the work of an effective CEO. The trinity of culture, people and numbers will indeed help CEOs focus their needed energy to what is actually important.
July 24, 2025
wants to be philosophical and inspiring, is actually watered down and simplistic. little new to add to the conversation.
took a few notes on tactics in the culture section, and appreciated the reference to varying time windows in the people section. this, 2 stars, not one.
took a few notes on tactics in the culture section, and appreciated the reference to varying time windows in the people section. this, 2 stars, not one.
December 9, 2020
Review coming soon, just won the book
April 16, 2021
A must read for every leader
Clearly explained in a simple and practical manner. Lots of important lessons to learn from this gem. Recommended for everyone!
Clearly explained in a simple and practical manner. Lots of important lessons to learn from this gem. Recommended for everyone!
September 24, 2021
This book got off to a slow start for me but it ended well. It was concise and had some good ideas in it
October 2, 2021
5/10 - нужно было не читать.
Суть всей книги: люди, культура и цифры. Вот на, что нужно смотреть СЕО. Учитывая что он сам в сервисном бизнесе, не упоминает «продукт» вообще. Что странно ) 95% воды.
Суть всей книги: люди, культура и цифры. Вот на, что нужно смотреть СЕО. Учитывая что он сам в сервисном бизнесе, не упоминает «продукт» вообще. Что странно ) 95% воды.
November 1, 2021
In a simple way, the author highlighted the importance of leaders to focus on (1) culture; (2) people and (3) numbers. And I think this applies to C-suites and department heads as well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2024
Easy to follow key concepts. Good read to be able to understand key concepts and apply them at a high level.
January 1, 2025
Simple and practical, Taylor distills the key areas of focus for a CEO in any business: culture, people, and numbers. He hits the nail on the head.
4.2/5.0
4.2/5.0
March 11, 2025
A great moiety from a person with decades of experience in a perspective of results oriented leadership. I think this book is good for any desiring a perspective in this discipline.
July 10, 2025
Ce face un CEO?
- oameni
- cultura organizațională
- numere (KPI, P&L, bugete)
O carte bună, ca un reminder continuu!
- oameni
- cultura organizațională
- numere (KPI, P&L, bugete)
O carte bună, ca un reminder continuu!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews