The Diary of a CEO is a personal development and leadership book by Steven Bartlett. The book offers a thought-provoking account of his challenging journey from a young business person to a CEO. He shares candid reflections on his journey’s successes and failures, giving the reader a transparent look at the challenges and realities people face when building a business. The book is divided into four pillars: the self, the story, the philosophy, and the team. These pillars reveal key lessons on innovation and creativity, business mindset, leadership, mental health, marketing and branding, personal growth and development, work-life balance, authenticity, networking, and relationships, among others.
Pillar I: The Self
- Fill your five buckets in the right order: This law stresses the importance of the acquisition of knowledge and skills as the basis for success. The five interrelated buckets are knowledge, skills, network, resources, and reputation. By filling the knowledge and skills buckets first, people can pave the way for their professional growth, thus being able to face life’s unpredictable challenges. The order in which these buckets are filled is the main factor determining a person’s true potential.
- To master it, you must create an obligation to teach it: Law 2 is about the importance of publicly and constantly sharing your knowledge. Through creating an obligation to teach, whether by writing, speaking, or creating content, people are compelled to simplify ideas, receive feedback, and refine their understanding. This process, known as the Feynman Technique, speeds up learning and retrieval.
- You must never disagree: This third law emphasizes the necessity of effective communication and the search for common ground when trying to persuade or change another’s mind. Rather than beginning with a disagreement, which can make the other person unreceptive, the first step is to recognize the areas of agreement and create a feeling of mutual understanding. This way, one is more likely to be heard and to have a fruitful discussion of the ideas.
- You do not get to choose what you believe: Law 4 points out that beliefs are not consciously chosen but are affected by evidence and experiences. Beliefs can only be altered by presenting new evidence that aligns with the existing beliefs. Detailed self-analysis or positive contrary evidence can dispute stubborn beliefs. The change of belief is the basis for the personal development and the breaking of the barriers.
- You must lean into bizarre behavior: Law 5 stresses the importance of going to the extreme to embrace changes and avoid being left behind. It shows the dangers of cognitive dissonance and the necessity of questioning fixed beliefs, especially in the case of technological progress. By recognizing different opinions, avoiding reacting instantly, and asking sincere questions, people can change, invent, and succeed. The law motivates one to take risks and to be open to new ideas for personal and professional growth.
- Ask, don’t tell – the question/behavior effect: Law 6 stresses the importance of the art of asking questions rather than making statements to influence behavior in a good way. Turning questions into yes or no decisions related to personal goals makes people more likely to follow the desired actions. This “Question/Behaviour Effect” uses cognitive dissonance to match intentions with actions, resulting in meaningful change and motivation. Questions provoke thinking and decision-making, increasing the probability that the behavior will be based on personal goals.
- Never compromise your self-story: Law 7 emphasizes the importance of your “self-story” in a person’s success. Thoughts about oneself, which are shaped by personal experiences and society’s stereotypes, have a great effect on resilience. Positive self-stories cause optimism and perseverance, whereas negative ones prevent progress. Building a strong self-story needs constant evidence from actions, especially during hard times, to attain lasting success.
- Never fight a bad habit: Law 8 prohibits confronting bad habits. Rather, comprehend and substitute the habit loop’s reward with a healthier one. Stress and willpower depletion are the main obstacles to habit change. Therefore, it is better to set realistic goals and prioritize self-care, such as getting enough sleep. By connecting actions with rewards and eliminating multitasking habits, a person can boost the chances of successful habit formation.
- Always prioritize your first foundation: Law 9 stresses the importance of health as the starting point for a satisfying life. Using Warren Buffett’s car analogy, the law teaches us that we should take care of our minds and bodies early to avoid future breakdowns. The worldwide pandemic stressed the significance of health, which in turn resulted in personal dietary and exercise changes. Health is a priority that leads to longevity; thus, the person can fully enjoy all the other life priorities.
Pillar II: The Story
- Useless absurdity will define you more than useful practicalities: Law 10 stresses the significance of useless absurdity in marketing and branding. It tells a story of a personal experience in which a big blue slide became a media publicity driver, overshadowing traditional marketing efforts. Examples such as Tesla’s unusual features and BrewDog’s beer showers show how absurdity defines brands and creates conversations. The law states that absurdity can be an excellent brand storytelling and differentiation tool.
- Avoid wallpaper at all costs: Law 11 discusses the need to avoid the “wallpaper” language to attract the audience’s attention. It talks about habituation, the process of the brain ignoring repeated stimuli, and semantic satiation, which is the phenomenon of words losing meaning through repetition. The law recommends using unexpected, uncommon, and unsaturated terms to get past the habituation filters. It proves that creating messages that trigger strong emotions or reactions is the key to effective communication and marketing.
- Â You must piss people off: Law 12 suggests the use of controversial or emotional marketing strategies to get rid of indifference and to be unique in the markets that are already saturated. Pissing people off, igniting strong emotions, and dividing opinions can attract 20% of the audience intensely while alienating 80%. The method, shown by the profane book titles, circumvents the habituation filter so that the brand can make people feel emotional and avoid being wallpapered.
- Shoot your psychological moonshots first: Law 13 proposes using psychological moonshots, which are minor changes that greatly enhance the perceived value. Some examples are hairdressers’ “one last snip” trick and Uber’s innovations, which are based on psychological principles like the peak-end rule and idleness aversion. Through comprehending and manipulating the customers’ perceptions, businesses can get many benefits without significant investments. Thus, the power of shaping people’s perception of reality is emphasized.
-  Friction can create value: This fourteenth law deals with the paradoxical concept that adding friction and inconvenience can enhance the sense of value. Examples are Red Bull’s bad taste, which suggests its effectiveness; General Mills’ cake mix, which requires adding an egg to make customers feel important; and restaurants serving raw steaks for personalized cooking. Companies, using psychological moonshots, try to understand human irrationality, thereby shaping perceptions and enhancing value.
- The frame matters more than the picture: Law 15 underlines the importance of framing in creating the consumer’s perception of value. A first-hand account of a favorite brand losing its charm after a revealing video shows how packaging influences the view of the product. Instances from Apple’s retail strategy and WHOOP’s screenless design show how framing affects the value of a product. The law emphasizes the significance of the context in the communication and the marketing.
- Use Goldilocks to your advantage: The Goldilocks Effect, Law 16, shows how presenting extreme options with the target product can increase its perceived value. This cognitive bias makes the middle option seem more attractive, using the context to influence the decision. The examples from real estate to microwave sales show the effectiveness of this strategy in directing consumer choices. This psychological principle can be used to create exciting stories and to enhance the product image.
- Let them try, and they will buy: Law 17, the Endowment Effect, stresses the influence of ownership on the perceived value. People usually overestimate the value of things they own, which results in a stronger attachment and the willingness to pay higher prices. Brands like Apple use this effect by allowing customers to interact extensively with store products. Studies on chimpanzees and human behavior show a strong connection between possessiveness and its impact on economic decisions.
-  Fight for the first five seconds: Law 18 stresses the vital role of the first five seconds in marketing and storytelling. These first few minutes are the turning point, deciding whether an audience will be interested–or not. Examples from public speaking and online content show that captivating openings result in sustained attention. In a world where attention spans are getting shorter, the first impression is very important for successful communication and marketing campaigns.
Pillar III: The Philosophy
- You must sweat the small stuff: Law 19 stresses the significance of paying attention to the small details to be successful, which is evident in the achievements of entrepreneurs, athletes, and Toyota’s kaizen philosophy. The main emphasis is the never-ending attention to minor improvements, as shown by a successful podcast and Toyota’s transformation of a failing plant. Incremental gains, employee participation, and a culture of continuous improvement are the main factors that lead to long-term success.
- A small miss now creates a big miss later: This law emphasizes the significance of the small, continuous changes in life and works to prevent major setbacks in the future. The case of Tiger Woods’ Kaizen approach to golf shows how the minor, consistent improvements led to his legendary success. The principle applies to relationships and personal growth, stressing the importance of regular check-ins and course corrections to stop small misses from becoming big problems over time.
- Â You must out-fail the competition: This law highlights that through failure, you can improve the chances of success. IBM, Booking.com, and Amazon prove the significance of researching the three main characteristics of successful writing. It supports creating a culture characterized by experimentation, fast decision-making, and learning from failures, and companies like Facebook, Google, and Amazon are the ones that profit from it. It conveys that the removal of bureaucracy, the alignment of incentives, and the sharing of failure insights will help in innovation.
-  You must become a Plan-A thinker: Law 22 emphasizes the significance of being a Plan-A thinker. It means that a person has to focus on their primary goal only and ensure that the backup plan doesn’t distract them. It is shown through the survival story of Nando Parrado. Thus, it proves that when there is no other way, dedication, perseverance, and the absence of an alternative path can lead to the most significant things in life and human resilience.
-  Don’t be an ostrich: Law 23 discourages people from behaving like an ostrich. This means avoiding uncomfortable truths or difficult conversations. The Titanic disaster is the perfect example of the result of the denial. The “ostrich effect” results in bad decisions in business and relationships, which shows the necessity of confronting the discomfort directly. A four-step approach is outlined: stop and recognize yourself, evaluate yourself, say your truth, and look for the truth to eliminate avoidance and achieve success in different areas of life.
- You must make pressure your privilege: Law 24 is about converting the pressure from a negative to a positive force. It differentiates pressure from stress, emphasizing its function in motivating and giving meaning to the challenges. Pressure is seen as a privilege, making it possible to achieve better performance and be more resilient. The law promotes recognizing, sharing, framing, and using pressure as a tool for growth, thus challenging the idea that comfort is good for the long term.
- The power of negative manifestation: Law 25 underlines the importance of negative manifestation in preventing failure and attaining success. It highlights the necessity of asking critical questions such as “Why will this idea fail?” to discover the risks and challenges usually ignored by psychological biases. The pre-mortem method is used to find possible problems and make contingency plans. Accepting uncomfortable conversations and negative contemplation prepares people for a bright future.
- Your skills are worthless, but your context is valuable: Law 26 states that the worth of skills is in their context, not their intrinsic value. Skills bring higher wages in sectors where they are regarded as scarce or important. This law shows how shifting skills to different industries can greatly affect income. Context is the most important factor in determining the value of skills, more than the skill itself.
-  The discipline equation: death, time, and discipline: Law 27 discusses the main idea of discipline as the way to success. The “discipline equation” consists of the goal’s value, the pursuit’s reward, and the pursuit’s cost. Accepting death and being transparent about the goals makes discipline easier to follow. Visualizations, enjoyable processes, and reducing obstacles are the factors that support the maintenance of discipline. Success is the result of disciplined time allocation and self-respect in choices.
Pillar IV: The Team
- Ask who, not how: This law stresses the importance of delegation and choosing the right people for success. It reveals Richard Branson and Jimmy Carr’s thoughts on concentrating strengths and delegating weaknesses. The law stresses that success is based on recruiting the best talent and creating a culture that maximizes their potential, thus the importance of asking “Who” and not “How. “
- Â Create a cult mentality: It outlines the advantages and the difficulties of the cult-like mentality in business. The fact that start-ups are more committed initially is good, although it is impossible to be that committed for a long time. The law stresses the significance of changing culture for long-term success; it provides the means to develop a unified culture based on shared values, purpose, and a sense of community, and at the same time, it avoids the situation of a cult-like society.
-  The Three Bars for Building Great Teams: Law 30 highlights the significance of culture in team building, referring to Sir Alex Ferguson’s achievements as an example of this concept. The law emphasizes the necessity of hiring, promoting, and firing workers based on cultural compatibility. The “three bars” framework is used to determine the influence of team members on the culture and their performance, thus stressing the importance of the culture in the continuity of success.
-  Leverage the power of progress: Law 31 reveals the importance of the change of team engagement and motivation through the development. The “marginal gains” theory of Sir David Brailsford is the proof of the significance of the small victories and the gradual developments. The law focuses on the creation of a culture of improvement by setting the goals, giving the freedom, and the acknowledgement of the achievements that lead to success.
- You must be an inconsistent leader: The law agrees with the notion that one should be an inconsistent leader to motivate and manage teams successfully. It uses Sir Alex Ferguson’s ability to change his leadership style for each person and thus, they use their motivations in making progress. The law stresses emotional intelligence more than consistency, thus highlighting the importance of understanding the different emotional needs of the team members.
- Learning never ends: This law emphasizes the unceasing need for learning and development for the success that is maintained. It highlights the need for the constant improvement of both the individual and the team levels. Through ongoing education, one learns that they can generate new ideas and overcome the obstacles. This is a technique to establish a culture of improvement, which, in turn, is used in the organization’s progress.