![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chiefexecutive.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Julie-Wood-CEO-QBE-North-America-1024x1024.jpg\")
In this era of erratic change, finding a clear path\u2014the aim of all CEOs\u2014is akin to navigating a three-masted merchant ship in 1492 to locate a sea route from Spain to India. Although shifting geopolitical policies and economic headwinds and tailwinds disrupt explicit paths, a guiding North Star is still fundamental in crafting a roadmap, says Benjamin Finzi, founder and leader of Deloitte\u2019s global CEO program over the past 10 years. \u201cSuccessful CEOs, whether they admit it or not, have a theory of the future, what the world will look like in three to five years,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once this vision of an endpoint is in mind, the journey ahead requires strategic readjustments in response to evolving geopolitical, macroeconomic, technological and competitive threats and opportunities. These challenges are legion today, forcing CEOs to assess a cacophony of constant disruptions. To hear through the noise, the best CEOs \u201chave a certain \u2018version of resilience,\u2019 characterized by not worrying about the stuff they really don\u2019t have to worry about,\u201d says Finzi. \u201cSo many things hit them at once that they have an algorithm in the brain that computes, \u2018I hear that, but I\u2019m not going to worry about it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That ability to recognize back-burner distractions frees up time to reflect on more pressing threats and make strategic readjustments to address them. These modifications should be influenced and shaped by the organization\u2019s mission, purpose and values, the inherent components of its culture, says Finzi. \u201cThe CEO falls back on these components to find language that will inspire, motivate and guide the movement toward the endpoint,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chief Executive<\/em> reached out to four CEOs about their methods of homing in on a theory of the future, identifying necessary tactical adjustments and rallying people around the organization\u2019s new direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At QBE North America, CEO Woods\u2019 theory of the future suggested a rare opportunity to leverage the insurer\u2019s strong values and underwriting and claims expertise to better meet the demands of niche customers for its crop, accident & health, cyber and financial lines. \u201cWe hear time and again a desire for consistency in pricing and a better claims experience,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s our vision and what we\u2019re building toward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Successfully serving its specialty property and casualty insurance coverage customers entails coupling relevant talent and expertise with investments in cutting edge technology tools like gen AI and machine learning and a culture that values work flexibility, open communications and collaboration. \u201cPeople need to share business stories, be cognizant of KPIs under stress and be ready to adjust,\u201d says Wood, who became CEO in September 2023 after nine years at top insurance broker Marsh. \u201cTeams need to stay grounded in the marketplace to get feedback from brokers and customers on high-level macro trends in the industries served. We encourage creativity to speak up; that\u2019s the value of transparency. No one should hoard information.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Woods also views the opportunity to be part of the company\u2019s journey toward refocusing around specialty insurance as a talent draw for QBE. \u201cA new chapter is unfolding here with differentiated brands and the opportunity to do different things in different ways,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s a powerful value proposition for talent in the early stages of their career.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In crafting the strategy at Harbor Foods, a fourth-generation family-owned independent distributor serving more than 7,500 restaurants, hospitality venues, convenience stores and independent grocers, CEO Justin Erickson applies market and customer knowledge passed down from his father, grandfather and great-grandfather to current market challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI try to stay focused on differentiating and positioning Harbor in a different light than our competitors,\u201d says Erickson. \u201cLike many of the customers we serve, we\u2019re purpose-driven and customer-centric. We look for ways to solve their problems and serve them better, a value proposition that has helped us consistently grow over the decades through Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Idaho and Nevada.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Such assessments prompted Erickson to strategically reposition the company in the foodservice business, beyond its roots in serving convenience stores and neighborhood grocers. In 2019, Harbor bought a portion of a large foodservice distributor, Food Services of America (FSA), that included a 250,000-square-foot distribution facility in Kent, Washington, FSA\u2019s executive leadership and many employees, and 1,700 of its independent restaurant customers. \u201cIt was important strategically to diversify the business by adding broadline foodservice distribution,\u201d explains Erickson. \u201cWe now serve a much wider variety of customers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shortly thereafter, he restructured the organization into two operating companies: Harbor Wholesale, in charge of retail distribution; and Harbor Foodservice, in charge of foodservice distribution. Harbor Foods Group was formed as the parent company of both operating companies, which have different methods of acquiring products from vendors, packaging, shipping and sales channels. Each operating company is led by its own president.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re able to focus on each specialized niche and still pull them together for back office efficiencies,\u201d he says. \u201cThis wasn\u2019t a strategic decision; it was all about customer service and operating effectiveness. Our mission\u2014\u2018supporting the local entrepreneurs that provide jobs in their communities, bring convenience to busy lives and invite us all to experience life around the table\u2019\u2014remains the same. That\u2019s our North Star.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recent economic volatility hasn\u2019t changed that, says Erickson, who notes that his company has endured more than a century\u2019s worth of ups and downs. \u201cAt the end of the day, we distribute food to stores and restaurants,\u201d he says. \u201cPeople need to eat. The fundamentals haven\u2019t changed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nevertheless, he acknowledges the need to make certain adjustments. \u201cGrowth is tough right now, which is something I hear from most people in our business, especially businesses that sell things to consumers,\u201d he says. \u201cPrices have disproportionately impacted lower-income people who shop in convenience stores and quick-serve restaurants. Everyone is fighting for market share now, forcing us to be clear on our value proposition and not race to the bottom to be the lowest-priced provider.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the past decade and more, Harbor has expanded its geographic footprint via the acquisitions of other wholesale and foodservice companies. In 2022, Harbor paid $40 million to acquire MTC Distributing, a third-generation Modesto, California-based wholesaler with 300 employees, a 150,000 square foot distribution center and annual sales of approximately $330 million. The company presently tallies four large distribution centers, positioned geographically to serve its markets, and 1,100 employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Erickson is quick to note that stewarding Harbor\u2019s growth trajectory includes disciplined decision-making that ensures each expansion aligns with its core mission and competencies. \u201cWhen you push the top line and grow for the sake of growth, you get pulled into areas you\u2019re not good at,\u201d he says. \u201cI once read that the most important thing in a strategy is figuring out when to say no. Fortunately, we have a great executive team and board of directors here that ensure we don\u2019t stray from our mission of taking care of customers and our people-focused culture. That has been our strategic advantage in acquiring companies and will continue to be it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n CEO Steven Horowitz\u2019s version of resilience\u2014what he worries and doesn\u2019t worry about\u2014is shaped by the mission of CareCentrix, a provider of in-home care services to 14 million people, with approximate revenues of $1.5 billion. \u201cWhat matters is our North Star, which is focused on delivering better quality of care to patients, making sure they get home quickly when they\u2019re in a hospital or care facility and doing what we do as efficiently and inexpensively as possible,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a climate characterized by market shifts and regulatory threats, achieving that mission requires more adaptive, iterative strategies that allow for flexibility and responsiveness to unforeseen challenges, he notes. \u201cIt\u2019s critical to have some idea of direction, where you see the company in the next three to five years,\u201d says Horowitz, who became CareCentrix\u2019s CEO in 2022 after a decade as its CFO. \u201cBut it\u2019s not the same thing as the rigid five-year strategic plans we had years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As an example, he points to the company\u2019s execution of large-scale initiatives, particularly its ongoing technology transformation. \u201cWe\u2019ve moved from a traditional project-based structure to an agile structure where we have a general goal in mind but do things in small chunks. One step informs the next step, adjusting as you go along,\u201d he explains. \u201cYou still have the endpoint in mind, but how you get there can be very different than you thought.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This more flexible approach to changing tactics is informed by a combination of KPIs and people speaking truth to power. \u201cI\u2019ve had salespeople tell me the market has changed, and we need to do something different now. That\u2019s not easy to accept,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe hardest thing for many CEOs is to change their mind when confronted with reality. But if you don\u2019t [reconsider], you could be looking at an Enron-size debacle, where nobody questioned leadership even though they knew things were wrong. Everyone here is empowered to question anything, even if it comes from me,\u201d he says. \u201cI have no idea who will win the Super Bowl next year, but it\u2019s probably not the Giants.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n CEO Bobby Chacko at Bonduelle Group Americas, a wholly owned subsidiary of the large French family-owned company Groupe Bonduelle, also finds value in on-the-ground insights. The manufacturer and distributor of high-protein bistro bowls, salad kits and branded Ready Pac fresh foods to supermarkets leverages Net Promoter Score (NPS) metrics to analyze customer satisfaction, but Chacko also does his own legwork, asking consumers what they\u2019re buying and why. \u201cAs with any analytical solution, you need to first diagnose the problem,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNPS makes sure we\u2019re on track with our purpose, measuring whether the work we\u2019re doing is having the desired effect,\u201d says Chacko, who became CEO in March 2024, after CEO tenures at Ocean Spray Cranberries and Smuckers Natural Foods (TruRoots Company today). \u201cBut I also visit supermarkets and talk to shoppers to get a sense of how they\u2019re coping and behaving. Not just lower-income shoppers but higher-income people, too. I\u2019m curious about what they\u2019re buying. Are they sacrificing healthy foods for less-healthy items that cost less? Like any analytical solution, you need to first diagnose the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Armed with consumer insights, Chacko looks for areas where tactical adjustments can change the value picture for consumers. \u201cAre the products in the right place, have they been put through a different supply chain, do they have the right price, and are they being merchandised correctly?\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, during one store visit, Chacko noticed that a Bonduelle product previously merchandised in the produce section had been moved to the deli section, where peer products were 20 to 30 percent less expensive. The product also had fewer consumer facings\u2014not as many products viewable to consumers as before\u2014indicating supply chain restocking issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Discussions with the retailer led to the product being restaged back into the produce section and a lower-priced product with more deli-style appeal staged in that section. The decisions produced more robust sales for the retailer, elevating the products from a supply chain fulfillment perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s all about balancing the price point, availability and store architecture to make it a win for us, the retailer and the consumer. Strategy is only as good as the execution,\u201d says Chacko. \u201cDetails matter in real time. To find out what\u2019s wrong, you have to see it with your own eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In an era of rapid-fire geopolitical and economic transformation, we asked four leaders how they stay on top of market challenges and opportunities and rally their workforces to attack them. Here are their stories.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":92,"featured_media":368435,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[879],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-368434","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-strategy-2"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nStrong Values Lead the Way<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Driving Toward Diversification<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chiefexecutive.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Justin-Headshot-4-819x1024.jpg\")
Speaking Truth to Power<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chiefexecutive.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Steven-Horowitz-Headshot-683x1024.jpg\")
More than a Numbers Game<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chiefexecutive.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/BobbyFlacko-Rich-Schmitt-Photography--1024x683.jpg\")