Fall 2012

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Inside the Fall 2012 Issue:

Swinging for the Fences
When Alain Couder was tasked with taking a mostly ignored optical components company and creating a major player, he had no choice but to go big. After two mergers, his company, Oclaro, is now number two in its market. But swinging for the fences is never easy. Couder and other CEOs discuss the wisdom, planning, support and speed it takes to run big plays – and score.

Alliance Community Activities
Recent Alliance CEO Community Activities included a variety of CEO events such as:  CEO Roundtables in which Bay Area CEOs and Top Teams discussed issues including “Strategic Outsourcing, Risks & Opportunities” and “Selling Your Business,” Keynote discussions with Bob Sutton, Stanford University professor and author “Good Boss, Bad Boss” and “The No Asshole Rule,” on scaling up excellence, and Brian Pretti, editor of ContraryInvestor.com, on federal monetary policy and the real-world state of the U.S. economy.

How Mid-Market Firms Create High Performers
Exactly how important is it for mid-market companies to have employees who consistently strive to perform at high levels? Should mid-market CEOs worry when some employees are unenthused with their work? The answer is an emphatic yes – if strong company growth is crucial. Alliance Director Robert Sher discusses the causes of a disengaged workforce and the keys behind creating a high-performance culture that can make a real difference.

New Members
Check out our newest Alliance members, who run a wide range of companies in industries such as wireless networks, special-interest media, talent relationship management, energy storage systems, technical computing, microbiome-modulating therapies and many more.

Upcoming Events
We've got some great events coming up, including our Alliance Fall Dinner; CEO and Top Team Roundtables on “How to Create & Integrate an Effective Business Plan,” “Leadership in the New World of Multi-Dimensional Cultures” and “Why Isn't Your Top Line 30% Higher?”; and keynote events with Geoffrey Moore, author of “Escape Velocity: Free Your Company’s Future from the Pull of the Past,” and Soren Kaplan, author of “Leapfrogging:  Harness the Power of Surprise for Business Breakthroughs.”

Also inside: Member News, photos of recent Alliance events, and more. Download it now!