One letter makes a significant impact on the future value of your company.

With our CEO Collective members, this distinction often comes up: Are you working on the business—or just in it? For CEOs focused on long-term success, building the discipline to consistently step back and work on the business is essential for real growth.

Working “In” the Business Keeps Things Running

Working in the business means staying immersed in day-to-day operations—managing tasks like hiring, admin, team training, customer service, and executing sales or marketing plans. It’s important work, but it's also what keeps things running, not necessarily growing.

Working “On” the Business Drive the Future

Working on the business is a different mindset. It means creating space to envision the future of the company—designing new capabilities, investing in innovation, identifying patterns from customer feedback, and collaborating deeply with your team. It’s where strategy lives. It’s where growth happens.

Making Time for What Matters Most

Working on the business doesn't just magically appear on your calendar. It’s a choice—a repeated commitment to carve out time and mental space for higher-level thinking.

Need a reason to make it happen? Your company is navigating evolving technologies, shifting markets, and rising expectations from both customers and employees. The CEOs who regularly zoom out to assess and adapt are the ones who stay ahead.

Your Role as CEO: Set the Tone

As CEO, you’re not just responsible for your own mindset—you’re modeling what’s possible for the whole team. Prioritize off-site strategic planning, encourage your leaders to block time for deep thinking, attend high-caliber conferences, seek out partnerships, and schedule time to simply reflect. These actions aren’t luxuries; they’re fuel for the future.

Create a Culture That Looks Ahead

When you lead with this kind of discipline, it spreads. Teams that make space for long-term thinking create organizations that are resilient, innovative, and growth-oriented.

And that’s the culture that wins.

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