CEO Growth Priorities: "Am I Focusing on the Right Priorities for Growth?"

The first question I ask whenever a CEO asks me "Am I focusing on the right priorities for growth?" is:

“What do you want to do?”

This question is more than just a conversation starter; it’s a critical foundation for any strategic discussion. Prioritization can be the defining factor between a company that scales effectively and one that stagnates under the weight of misaligned work.

In my experience, many CEOs are so entrenched in day-to-day operations that eventually they lose sight of the broader vision they set out to achieve. They feel the pressure of competing demands, investor expectations, and shifting market conditions. But before tackling the specifics of prioritization, it’s essential to reset and ensure that their vision remains clear and actionable.

Few things matter more than a deep understanding of what a CEO wants to achieve, both in the short and long term. Listening to their answer is the catalyst for building a strong working relationship and setting a project in motion.

I’ve worked with several CEOs and Presidents who have clear visions for the future but struggle with the practical implications within their businesses. And that’s no surprise—there’s a lot that gets in the way.

Translating Vision Into Reality

Most organizations I’ve worked with have structures and processes that don’t effectively translate vision into reality. There are countless reasons for this: internal politics, resource constraints, relationship dynamics, and last-minute or reactionary decision-making, to name a few. Over time, these issues accumulate into a tangled mess, creating confusion and declining results.

This disconnect between vision and execution is a common theme. Many leaders set out with a bold and ambitious strategy, but as business pressures mount, they find themselves making compromises that dilute the original intent. They shift focus to the urgent rather than the important, and before they know it, they are spinning plates rather than steering the ship. This is why stepping back and re-engaging with the fundamental question, “What do you want to do?” is so crucial.

Getting back to this question reignites clarity in the CEO’s mind and cuts through the fog of complexity. Collecting their raw thoughts— without jargon—is a key step toward unlocking the necessary actions to achieve the desired outcome.

"Clarity affords focus." — Thomas Leonard, founder of life coaching

Having this thought process formulated and written down helps me to understand the CEO’s mindset. Only after this should we dive into what the CEO perceives as the right priorities for growth.

Gathering what often turns out to be a mix of high-level and micro priorities is essential to understanding how they interconnect. These interconnections will prove critical when accurately assessing the state of the business, the mindsets of leaders and the board, and the broader environment in which the business operates.

The Interconnection of CEO Growth Priorities

Many CEOs attempt to address growth by compartmentalizing initiatives—marketing in one lane, product development in another, and operations running parallel—but in reality, everything is interconnected. Growth is not linear; it’s a web of dependencies where one decision impacts another. Without clarity on these connections, businesses end up with inefficiencies, misalignment, and wasted effort.

"The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do." — Michael Porter, business strategy legend.

Understanding this web is essential to making sound strategic decisions. For example, a CEO might identify international expansion as a priority, but if the company lacks the operational capacity to scale effectively, that ambition will falter. Similarly, investing in a major marketing push without ensuring product-market fit will yield diminishing returns. By taking the time to map out priorities in a holistic way, CEOs can ensure that growth efforts are aligned, realistic, and executable.

Unlocking the Right Course of Action

Very often, this initial conversation unlocks an understanding that the business is not fundamentally following the path required to achieve results. Recognizing this is the first step toward taking meaningful action.

To move forward, CEOs must shift from simply identifying priorities to actively executing them in a way that aligns with their vision. This requires:

1. Assessing Organizational Readiness – Does the business have the right people, resources, and systems to support the growth strategy?

2. Eliminating Distractions – What tasks, projects, or initiatives are draining time and energy without delivering meaningful impact?

3. Focusing on Impactful Execution – Which priorities will create the most value, and how can they be implemented effectively?

4. Building Accountability – Who is responsible for ensuring progress? Are there measurable milestones to track success?

From there, we can begin shaping the practical execution and alignment needed to get the business where the CEO wants it to go. Determining the exact steps and how to approach them is where I can help.

Growth isn’t just about setting priorities—it’s about ensuring those priorities translate into measurable success.

By Alastair Hayes,

Principle Owner at Raven Clarity