Episode 69: Shaping the Future CEO

Interviews and discussion on this topic can be summarised into three areas: How they are? How they relate? How they grow? How are they? Courage is a theme. Trust and trustworthy Values and purpose Authentic Vulnerable These qualities are essential as a base. Failing to have these qualities will limit growth. Authenticity is important. Different observed CEO profiles can be autocratic, democratic or consultative. In the age of spin, there is a requirement to be believable and trustworthy. The intelligent people in your team are the final arbiters. Everything is highly visible. The invincible superhero leader is not required. The CEO does not need to have all the answers, just the right people around them. Balancing all of the required characteristics is difficult. It is essential to be consistent. You cannot just put on a mask and be a different person on a particular day. People leave companies if the Leader is authoritarian or fake. How do they relate? Great CEOs bring out the best in their people. They use their position and organisational power to create opportunities for their people and put them in the spotlight. The CEO needs the team's trust and to help individuals find their purpose. It is difficult for leaders to adopt this style and have enough confidence to bring out the best in everyone. Some CEOs are better at EQ than others. Training can help, but it comes down to accepting that everyone has a view of reality, and other perspectives need to be considered. Helping people with Mindset coaching is a real thing now. Sometimes it focuses on taking out the ultra-competitive aspect and making the decision process more considerate. When people see that their viewpoint is taken seriously, it motivates them to contribute more and feel part of the journey. How they grow? Growing is learning and being open to new ideas. Look across different domains. Don't get locked in an echo chamber. There is a lot of new information out there, and it becomes knowledge once we take it on board and digest it. It is essential for a CEO to be in the flow of the information and to be able to evaluate it critically. Which bits are more valuable than others? CEOs need to ask themselves what they will do for themselves and their personal growth. CEOs need to be open to feedback and learn from this. A psychologically safe environment will encourage feedback, which has to be used for personal and organisational growth. Timely and correct, effective decision-making is essential. Communicating the rationale is critical if the team and key stakeholders are to move with the CEO.