The Playbook CEOs Trust
The Chief Executive Operating System (CEO-S) is a proven framework for excellence in the chief executive role. Get specialized coaching, tools, and software to maximize your results—and your impact.
- Alignment
- Clarity
- Results
We’ve worked with 100+ CEOs across the US
I have spent 30 years operating, studying, and coaching businesses, and this is the first complete system I have seen for the CEO and executive team. As a coach for young or first-time CEOs, I now have a tool for them to get the whole picture and a way to step incrementally into this role as they and their companies grow.
We’ve worked with 100+ CEOs across the US
This was a very important and impactful experience for myself as a CEO and for my executive team. It has been life-changing and is setting us up for much success. I recommend these courses to all executive leadership looking to go to the next level!
We’ve worked with 100+ CEOs across the US
CEO-S is a ten out of ten. It exceeded my expectations and gave me practical tools that I can implement immediately into my business.
The CEO job is a tightrope walk.
We’re here to help.
Your job as CEO is unlike any other executive role in scope and impact—and it doesn’t come with an instruction manual. That’s why we created the Chief Executive Operating System (CEO-S).
Built by a 30+ year CEO with multiple 9-figure exits, CEO-S is a focused toolkit tailored for the top seat of any organization.
Who is CEO-S for?
Your first CEO role comes with a steep learning curve. Let us help you achieve world-class status in the most visible and challenging role in the organization.
- Grow leadership influence
- Build a high-performance executive leadership team
- Manage the board effectively
As your business grows, you’ll need to lead at a new level. CEO-S helps you ensure that your complex, broadening organization delivers consistent results.
- Set realistic goals for growth and profitability
- Learn to build your influence as you give up full control
- Predict outcomes and manage the future
You’ve earned your stripes, but the CEO role is a roller coaster at every stage. Let CEO-S free up more of your time for the outcomes that matter most—in your business and in your career.
- Protect your time for high-level leadership and strategic thinking
- Grow a talent base for a future-proof business
- Build a succession or exit plan that fits your goals
You have the vision.
We have the playbook.
Specifically designed for companies that have grown past the startup phase, CEO-S is rooted in the 5 core responsibilities of the CEO role:
Communicate strategic direction to the organization and align all employees around a shared mission and vision.
Resources Include:
- 1-Page Strategic Plan Template
- Guided Process for Differentiated Mission, Vision & Values
- Model for Understanding 6 Areas of the Business
Acquire and deploy the two primary resources required by the organization: people and capital.
Resources Include:
- Executive Performance Profile Template
- Quarterly Talent Dashboard
- Recruiting + Retention Measurement Kit
- 10-Step Process for Manager Training
- Growth vs. Profitability Priority Framework
Understand key drivers of organizational culture and how CEOs can influence them.
Resources Include:
- 2-Factor Motivational Framework + Interventions
- Engagement Survey + Action Analysis
- User Manuals + Personality/Strengths Assessment
- Feedforward Coaching Process
Use a clear framework for agile decision making at the appropriate level of the organization.
Resources Include:
- Practical Model for Decision Delegation
- Dynamic Organizational Chart + Roles and Responsibilities
- Authority Guidelines for All Employee
Align goals across the organization and create a predictive operating rhythm that identifies obstacles to execution.
Resources Include:
- Operating Rhythm Template
- CEO Software + Performance Dashboard
- Corporate Goal Creation Sessions + Goals, OKRs, and KPI Library
- Board Meeting Template Presentation
- Guided Process for Aligning Companywide Goals
Provide the Resources
Build the Culture
Own the Vision
Deliver Predictable Performance
Build a Decision-Making Organization
Experience
transformative results
When you implement CEO-S, the effects are tangible:
Increase company
valuation
Maximize chance of
a successful exit
Build leadership
confidence
Balance work
& life
ATTRACT & RETAIN TOP TALENT
Did You Know...
50-70%
of CEOs fail within their
first year
20%
of variance in company performance is attributed to the CEO
>2/3
of CEOs say they were
unprepared for the job
49%
CEO turnover in 2023 marked a high for the past several years
Meet the Architect of CEO-S
For over 30 years, Joel has served as CEO of companies ranging from startups he founded and built to nine-figure exits to public companies with $1B+ revenues. He has trained hundreds of CEOs and executive leadership teams in achieving peak operational performance. He co-founded CEO-S with leading executive coach Sherif Sakr.
As a world-renowned thought leader in business performance and executive leadership, Joel has authored The CEO Tightrope, The Manager’s Playbook, and The Chief Executive Operating System (with Sherif). He owns Texas CEO Magazine and contributes to Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc., and many other publications.
Why Leaders Choose CEO-S
Proven Track Record
Joel has founded, grown, and sold two companies for 9-figure exits, and led both startups and publicly traded companies.
CEO Specialization
Unlike general executive coaching, we specialize exclusively in the CEO role — a difference in kind from all other jobs in the company.
Action Orientation
CEO coaches have their place, but we bring an execution focus to the table. We don’t just talk; we customize and implement proven tactics for your business.
A Comprehensive System
The Chief Executive Operating System gives you a durable model for understanding how to create success in the CEO role, no matter your industry or geography.
We're a little different from traditional options.
Traditional CEO Coach
MBA Programs
Value
Approach
Who Needs It
Any CEO with 50+ employees
Time Commitment
Initial 3-day course + minimal weekly time with a CEO-S Chief of Staff
Get started with a FREE advisory call
See what our clients are saying
As a board member, I wish I could require this program of my CEOs. You can bet I strongly encourage it.
Angela Tucci,
Board Member, AnitaB.org, Progress & Digital.ai
This is an amazing course. No matter what stage your business is at, take it. There were people in my class who were in the infancy of becoming the CEO they want to be while others were running multimillion-dollar companies. We all grew because of this course. It’s a gift to be part of that.
Christianne Taylor
CEO & Founder, Moving Moments
“I needed to hone my skills and my craft as CEO, and CEO-S is the first piece of curriculum that allowed me to do that. The course is amazing because you get so many practical tools to apply to your business almost instantaneously.”
Albert Pomales
CEO, Kind Health
“I have spent 30 years operating, studying and coaching businesses, and this is the first complete system I have seen for the CEO and executive team. As a coach for young or first-time CEOs, I now have a tool for them to get the whole picture and a way to step incrementally into this role as they and their companies grow.”
Ryan Martens,
Mentor, Techstars, former CTO, Rally Software
“I have attended dozens of leadership development workshops and conferences and none of them have directly addressed leadership in a practical/ready-for-Monday-morning way like the CEO-S training. Organizations are typically slowed down by the whirlwind of their business, or struggle to discover truly effective processes for developing and managing teams – this three-day intensive not only addressed those dynamics but gave real handles that made it possible to envision success for our team.”
Jennifer Mazzola,
COO, ABBA
Take the first step
Let’s get started with a 30-minute call.
You’ll meet one-on-one with the architect of CEO-S and
discover how we can meet your unique needs.
FAQ
If you are a current CEO (or a future CEO) who wants a playbook on how to approach your job as leader of the organization, this course is for you. We particularly welcome CEOs who are curious and committed to becoming exceptional stewards of their companies.
CEO-S is designed for full-time CEOs of companies greater than 50 employees. The system applies equally to CEOs leading hundreds of employees as to those leading thousands of employees.
The investment required for CEO-S is currently on the low side of alternatives for companies at scale. Executive advisory services and large consulting companies often charge $500K-$1M+ for engagements that often burden companies with new strategies and resources to implement themselves. CEO-S is a fraction of the cost and provides a certified CEO-S Chief of Staff to install and run the system for you.
Book a FREE 30-Minute Advisory Session with Joel Trammell
In this 1:1 call, we’ll get to know you, understand your goals, and explore the specific ways CEO-S can enhance your effectiveness and free up your time.