On the corporate chessboard, the CEO piece is often the first to fall. After all, when a company faces difficult scenarios like a crisis, declining profits, or a failed project, it’s this executive’s head that usually becomes the target as the culprit for the situation. Of course, some mistakes can lead to a professional’s dismissal, but in such a crucial position for steering the business’s success, having overly strict management in this regard can hinder progress and achievements—something that needs to be reconsidered for those who want to achieve increasingly better results.
The famous phrase ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ fits the CEO perfectly. This is because if any target is met by the teams, the good leadership and command of this executive are celebrated. However, if a loss is noticed, they are usually the first to be questioned and held accountable for the failure. A tight spot for all who occupy this lonely peak of the pyramid.
To make matters worse, according to a Harvard Business Review study, 55% of CEOs admit to experiencing moderate yet significant crises of loneliness. In other words, not only do many feel they lack an internal support network in their journey, but the fact that they operate in a corporate environment with a rigid organizational culture that doesn’t tolerate mistakes creates huge barriers to business progress, fostering fears about implementing different strategies and processes that could lead to highly negative consequences—including their dismissal.
If an organization wants to achieve good results, its mindset of management should be the opposite—allowing and encouraging the CEO to innovate, take risks, and try, even knowing there’s a chance it might not work. A culture that encourages risk-taking for extraordinary results and seeks alternatives, acknowledging that there will be successes or failures, can achieve much more significant growth and stand out among competitors.
Thus, even if, at the end of the day, the executive is indeed held accountable for what may not have been the expected result, there will still be a greater chance of building more effective strategies and solutions together with their teams, without stifling creative ideas out of fear of severe repercussions. Something that should be aligned with utmost clarity and transparency from the very first interaction between the parties.
While there are executives with a more daring profile, there are always those who are more conservative in their decision-making. Neither is more correct than the other, as each will find an environment more suited to their style where they feel comfortable performing their duties.
Therefore, it’s crucial that, when considering a new proposal, the CEO seeks to thoroughly understand the company’s culture, its management style, and whether there’s alignment and coherence with their own professional profile and aspirations. Sharp discernment is needed at this initial stage, including conversations with those who work there to gather as many perspectives as possible about the organization.
The executive themselves must be proactive in uncovering these answers, ensuring that the ideals of both parties are aligned and avoiding a clash of profiles that could lead to dissatisfaction for everyone involved. This way, the chances of performing better in their role will certainly be higher, as they’ll be in a place that aligns with their style and where they can adapt to achieve the desired goals.
No company wants to see its results harmed, but not every mistake made should justify a CEO’s dismissal. Each case must be carefully analyzed and weighed so they know how to recover from a concerning scenario with a good captain who can guide them toward new horizons to be explored for prosperous corporate growth.
