Mike Harden

Mike Harden

Mike Harden is the CEO of Clarity Group, offering top-level executive coaching to CEOs, COOs, Presidents, and business owners. He is a seasoned international executive who has worked for companies including Bank of America, CitiCorp, Sterling Software, BancTec, and Fiserv, with 20 years at the CEO/COO level. With Fiserv, Mike built the company’s government contracting division from one employee and no revenue to over 1,000 people and revenues of $50-60 million within 14 months. Mike is a trusted source on industry events for news organizations, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and CNN.

Do You Know the Difference Between an Investment and an Expense?

Sep 9, 2015 By Mike Harden

What’s the difference between an investment and an expense? The difference is simple: one will start paying you back, and the other is a drain on your resources. A Bottom-Line Distinction Viewing all spending as investments instead of expenses will help guide better decisions. Say you need a new copier. Do you need it to […]

Here’s Why KPIs Are Linked to Your Success

Jun 22, 2015 By Mike Harden

KPIs are tools that organizations use to define, measure, monitor and track its performance over time toward the attainment of its stated organizational goals.

It’s Not What You Do, But How You Do It

May 5, 2015 By Mike Harden

CEOs make a lot of decisions, announce them, and then expect everyone to be on board and execute flawlessly. If only it were that simple

4 Tips for Attracting Top Talent

Apr 24, 2015 By Mike Harden

Successful companies populate their teams with A-players. To do otherwise is a disservice to the company and its stakeholders. Unfortunately, most A-players aren’t actively seeking new employment.

The Top 3 Leadership Challenges CEOs Face

Feb 11, 2015 By Mike Harden

If being a CEO were easy, everybody would be one. CEOs are expected to know what to do—and to do it without falling down. There is a reason few in business rise to this position.

The Value of Conflicting Opinions on a Corporate Advisory Board

Aug 7, 2014 By Mike Harden

When President Lincoln was choosing his Cabinet, he turned to his three fiercest Republican rivals—people against whom he’d run!—and top Democrats. Lincoln virtually assured that every meeting would erupt in conflict.

The 3 Keys to Success for Great CEOs

Jul 16, 2014 By Mike Harden

Ever wonder why some CEOs succeed so easily while others seem to struggle just to keep their company going? The answer is simpler than you think. Really great CEOs focus their efforts on three key factors: Clarity, Accountability, and KPIs.

It’s Not an Option Anymore. Why Have an Advisory Board?

Jun 20, 2014 By Mike Harden

If a basketball coach stocks his bench with 7-footers, he’s not giving his team an advantage. He’s leveling the playing field, or the playing court, in this case.

Why You Need Interns, and Why You Should Pay Them

Jun 2, 2014 By Mike Harden

What do Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Ursula Burns, Tony Adams, and Andrea Jung have in common? Believe it or not, they all got their start as interns.

Growing Pains: The Top 4 Challenges Small Businesses Face

May 20, 2014 By Mike Harden

Running a business is like rowing a boat upstream. Once you stop rowing, you start to slip backwards. When the company is growing, owners have to be rowing furiously to get the next deal, to sign the next contract, to hire the next A player.