Ok, how many of you dream of being a CEO?  Why?  What do you imagine the job would be like – the good parts and the bad?  What would the job ask of you – and would you be able to answer the call?  Remember that old saying, “be careful what you ask for?”  We surveyed our CEO clients to find out what they like best (and least) about being a CEO, and what they think it takes to succeed in the top job.

“I get to have my own way – but I have to come up with all the ideas”
Have you ever dreamed about never having to influence or persuade or compromise?  Our CEO’s admit that is sometimes fun – but the downside is that when everyone else is looking to someone “more senior, with more experience” to come up with the next great idea…you have only yourself.  And somehow people seem to equate “CEO” with “always has the right answer”.  Part of being the CEO is being able and willing to make the decision or take the action without full knowledge or certainty – or as one CEO explains “I am often wrong but seldom uncertain”.

“I have to recognize that not everyone works like me”
At one time or another, almost every CEO we work with has asked us, “why don’t they just do what they are supposed to?”  Many of the leaders we work with are self-motivated, high achievers who, when faced with a problem figure out an answer and make it happen. Often these leaders have figured out exactly what their organization needs to do – but have to acknowledge that it takes more than they can do single-handedly.  They are happy to hire others, and even seem at ease hiring people who are better than they are – but still they struggle to maintain their patience during the endless doubt and debate and alternative agendas and misaligned priorities.  Many believe that the most critical trait of a CEO is tirelessness – having endless energy to listen and repeat and process and keep trying.  Or as one of our clients stated – “I never knew as a CEO that I would have to spend as much time selling internally and externally”.

“It seems to require both baring my soul and suppressing my feelings”
In a particularly tense coaching moment, one of our clients asked in all seriousness, “is this a moment when I am supposed to share my true feelings or pretend I don’t have any”.  As our CEO clients explain, being a leader requires both.  There is tremendous power in a CEO sharing his or her vulnerabilities and authentic emotions.  Sometimes it is up to the CEO to make the first move to mend a fence, to “be the bigger person”, to create the space and put into words the doubts or fears that are paralyzing the rest of the organization.  At other times, leadership requires “rising above”, not reacting or giving in to worries or hurts or crises of confidence.

“I have to have enough faith for us all”
Just like a child needs to believe in the omnipotence of her parents, an organization needs to believe that their leader not only can but will at all costs achieve success.  Many times we have heard from employees “our CEO believed in us more than we believed in ourselves”.  It can sometimes be a tricky balancing act to see and plan for all possible risks without letting your faith and determination crack.  A CEO needs to balance humility with confidence, practicality with stubbornness, and above all needs to remember that the most powerful motivational tool they have is their own belief.

The  1776 has a wonderful passage about George Washington,

“…he saw things as they were, and he saw himself as he was.  As subject as any man to moments of doubt and uncertainty, he managed to summon the self-confidence necessary to persevere amid disaster.  He was committed heart and soul to the cause, resilient, open to new ideas and seldom failed to learn from his mistakes.  Through the often dark year…he would not only overcome his own fears but help his countrymen conquer theirs, too…”

This beautifully captures what we see as the job – and the key challenge – for a CEO.

Still want the job?  We believe it can be a joyous and rewarding, but challenging journey – and we want to help!

Relevant Link
CEO Coaching

Related Tools
CEO Role
CEO Competencies