Firstly decide what you want to do in the galaxy. Mine was primarily to survive without compromise. (meaning I never wanted to have to back off from someone doing something wrong soly because they were more 'powerful)
Find a system well away from the main routes of travel (mine was Mu chameleontis ) Generate a sustainable income from this colony (it was an arctic).
If someone starts picking on you or invades you and wipes you out, dig in hard. I would do up to 15 hops travel from starbases to invade with negotiators (corpy helps with barging you the supplies).
Lead from the front, as CEO you are the point of contact for outside corps/individuals. Your duty is to ensure your corpies efforts are not wasted but also so they can hold there heads up high in a galaxy. Your corpies roles are to assist you and follow your orders/instruction.
Practise with your corpies in combat regularly.
The only advice I would take from corpies was from the intel I asked for. IE scout reports, what they think of another corp as a whole.
Treat them with respect you would want to recieve if you were working for them as a CEO.
It does not matter how big someone/another corp is, there is always a way to hit them back. Peopel would very regularly say 'its like cutting your nose off to spite your face' my response would be 'I would chop my head off to spite my nose'.
So what if they take a colony? I'll just relocate and keep my head down
. NEVER EVER THINK THIS!!!!! They take a colony they are giving you permission to unleash your hatred against these infidels! they have insulted you they have spat in your dinner! they are using your face for TOILET PAPER!!! The majority of the 'top guys' on the server may sneer if you start a war, but never let them get you down, keep fighting and if need be torch there colonies and anyone who seems to think 'they are bigger so they have the right to do treat you like dirt' Do the same to them.
If you truly respect your corpies give them the option to leave with honour and your blessing before embarking on a campaign. In my experience they wont leave you hanging, they will fight on as hard as you. If members do wish to leave then thats ok you only want the harcore guys.
One of the methods I applied if a high xp player wanted in would be to give the order to blow themselves up on a colony repeatedly. My reasoning? simple I couldnt care about XP but I do care about trusting orders will be followed even if they make little sense to the corpies.
MAke it clear that only you are the one to deal with on outside affairs and diplomacy. If a corpy is drunk or over enthusiastic and invades someones elses colony discipline them and make it clear to the other corp not to take revenge and they shall have the colony/ies back. BUT if there the 3rd party is disrespectful towards yourself or your corp then give them hell.
Be fair in all matters.
(note I was very fair but my 'allies' ran off in a conflict that could have spelled the end of me..so show the galaxy what happens if you are pushed hard enough.)
People will betray you, allies will not hold up there words, enemies will hunt you.
One day they will be asking for your forgiveness....
