In the corporate chessboard, the CEO’s piece often falls first. After all, when a company faces tough scenarios like a crisis, profit decline, or a failed project, it’s the head of this executive that tends to be targeted as the culprit for the situation. Of course, some mistakes can lead to a professional’s dismissal, however, in a chair as important as this to lead the business to success, having stricter management in this regard can hinder its progress and achievements, something that needs to be rethought for those who want to achieve even better results.
The famous phrase that ‘with great power, comes great responsibility’ fits perfectly with the CEO. This is because if some goal is achieved by the teams, the good leadership and command from this executive are celebrated. However, if a loss is noted, he is usually the first to be questioned and held accountable for the failure. A tight spot for all who occupy this solitary bridge of the pyramid.
To make matters worse, according to a Harvard Business Review survey, 55% of CEOs acknowledge experiencing moderate yet significant crises of loneliness. That is, besides many not feeling they have a support network internally on their journey, being in a corporate environment with a rigid organizational culture that does not tolerate mistakes creates enormous barriers to business progression, generating fears in establishing different strategies and processes that could lead to quite negative damages resulting in their dismissal.
If an organization wants to record good results, its management mindset must be the opposite, allowing and encouraging the CEO to innovate, take risks, and try, even knowing the possibility that it might not work out. A culture that encourages risk for extraordinary results and seeks alternatives for it, knowing that there will be successes or failures, can achieve much more significant growth and stand out against competitors.
Thus, even if, at the end of the day, the executive ends up being held accountable for what may not have been the expected result, there will still be a greater chance that they will build more effective strategies and resolutions together with their teams, without stifling creative ideas for fear of strong repercussions. Something that must be aligned with maximum clarity and transparency from the first contact between parties.
At the same time, while there are executives with a more daring profile, there are always those more conservative in their decision-making. Neither of them is more correct than the other, as each will find a more conducive and suitable environment for their style to feel comfortable in performing their functions.
Therefore, it is essential that when receiving a new proposal, the CEO seeks to understand, to the fullest extent, the culture of that company, its management style, and whether there is alignment and coherence with their own profile and professional aspirations. It is necessary to be very astute at this initial moment, also talking to those who work on-site to analyze the most possible perceptions about that organization.
The executive themselves need to be proactive in finding these answers, ensuring that the ideals of both parties are aligned and avoiding a clash of personality that would bring dissatisfaction to everyone involved. In this way, the chances of performing better in their position will certainly be higher, being in a place that aligns with their style and where they can adapt to achieve the desired goals.
No company wants to see their results being affected, but not always does a mistake justify the dismissal of a CEO. Each case must be carefully analyzed and considered, so they know how to recover from a worrying scenario with a good captain guiding them towards new horizons to be explored for prosperous corporate growth.
