I demand pretty aggressive goal setting and a commitment to measured progress towards those goals because I don't like surprises. I don't even like good surprises.

No matter how senior you get in an organization, no matter how well you're perceived to be doing, your job is never done. Every day, you get up and the world is changing your customers are expecting more from you. Your competitors are putting pressure on you by doing more and trying to beat you here and beat you there.

Sometimes you can gradually improve things. But sometimes, they don't work, and you've just got to just say: Let's grind this baby to a halt.

Lots of people will give you advice... and depending upon how well they know you, the advice might be valid or not so valid.