I’ve long been a fan of Verizon and its unswerving focus on the quality of its network.  The lessons shared by Ivan Seidenberg, chairman, and CEO of Verizon Communications

in this Knowledge@Wharton article is great counsel for any CEO or business leader, especially those leading business may be perceived as slow or no growth. 

Seidenberg’s transformation of a stogy regional Bell, NYNEX, into the behemoth that became Verizon is a study in consistently focusing on and adapting strategy and committed leadership.  His five lessons should be on the home screen of every CEO:    

Lesson No. 1: Own the Future

Lesson No. 2: Sharpen Your Focus

Lesson No. 3: Build Accountability in the Company

Lesson No. 4: Never Let Up on the Competition

Lesson No. 5: Hire Future-minded People

Rita McGrath writes about some of the pitfalls that Seidenberg and all CEOs likely encounter in her excellent article, The Inside Baseball Of Corporate Transformation, which you can find here.

 You can find more great transformation and strategy resources at www.valize.com and www.ritamcgrath.com.