Most CEOs overestimate how much they communicate. My guest on The Scaling CEO, Tom Alexander, argues that silence kills scaling faster than anything else.
Tom is the CEO and co-founder of Holistic, a company that builds technology to improve the employee experience. Before that, he served as COO of 1871, one of the world’s top incubators, helping hundreds of startups scale. His career began in political communications for the mayor of Chicago, so he knows the power of words and the cost of silence.
Culture Is Not Snacks and Ping Pong
Too many CEOs think culture equals perks. Tom disagrees.
“Culture isn’t a ping pong table. It isn’t free beer. Culture is how you feel when you come to work every day.”
He recalled a client who spent $200,000 a year on snacks, yet employees still complained about the culture. When COVID hit and the snacks disappeared, satisfaction improved because the company finally focused on what mattered: communication and connection.
Every Conversation Is an Opportunity
At 1871, Tom told the founders: Stop trying to predict which opportunities are worth your time.
“Look under every rock and every stone, answer every email, take every call because you don’t know where it’s going to lead.”
One vague email on December 23rd led Holistic to its largest client. CEOs who pre-judge opportunities often cut themselves off from their biggest wins.
Internal Communication Is the Cheat Code
Tom is blunt about the CEO’s biggest blind spot.
“Internal communication is the cheat code for business. There’s literally no amount of internal communication that’s too much.”
Employees are desperate for feedback, clarity, and accountability. When CEOs avoid those conversations, they create confusion, fear, and wasted energy. Silence is not neutral. It’s toxic.
Stop Fixating on Outcomes
Too many CEOs obsess over outcomes they can’t immediately change, such as turnover rates, NPS scores, and hiring quality. Tom says focus on the process instead.
You can’t change last year’s turnover. But you can change tomorrow’s hiring process. You can’t flip an NPS score overnight. But you can create systems of accountability and communication today. CEOs must stop chasing trailing indicators and fix what’s controllable now.
Competing With Past Bosses
Tom highlighted a challenge most CEOs underestimate: employees carry baggage from past jobs.
“You can be a great leader, a great communicator, and on some level, you’re answering for their previous boss who wasn’t that great.”
That’s why even positive feedback can make employees anxious. The CEO’s role is to over-communicate, reset expectations, and prove that accountability and praise are safe in your culture.
AI as a Culture Multiplier
Holistic uses AI to analyze surveys, values, and employee feedback. Instead of replacing human connection, AI helps leaders act on it.
“AI actually offers you a capacity to be the best version of yourself that you could never accomplish on your own.”
From streamlining stay interviews to evaluating leadership speeches against company values, AI turns communication into action: faster and at scale.
Final Takeaway
Tom Alexander’s message is clear: scaling stops when CEOs stay silent. Communication builds culture, trust, and opportunity. Silence breeds confusion and fear.
As a CEO, your job is not to talk less. It’s to communicate with intent, frequency, and clarity. Scaling depends on it.
I’m Glenn Gow. I coach CEOs who want to scale by leading with clarity. On my podcast, I reveal the strategies top leaders use to grow faster without staying silent.
Listen to the full episode of The Scaling CEO with Tom Alexander for practical insights on culture, communication, and scaling through people.
