CEO QUALITIES I'VE WATCHED THAT WORK

I have studied and taught and assessed leaders using all kinds of models.
I was going to look up a few to stress the differences and to see how outdated they are, IF they are.

Instead, I decided to share what I have seen work for outstanding CEO's.

l.  They are in touch with the business they head. They go in close to customers and to the associates who touch the customer. They stay in touch with the trends in the business and explore new options. They watch the world and see its impact on their organization. 

2. They walk the thin line between bold and protective. They put pressure on needed change while protecting what is working right. They are graceful in bringing about change--even drastic change. Their timing is impeccable.

3.  They know the gossip of the company. Oh, yes--gossip. They stay in touch with the hidden stories behind the overt action. They do this through day to day contact and being great listeners. They have a cadre of confidantes they can ask for the underbelly discussions taking place in their company.

4.  They are constantly making course corrections of every kind without losing the focus of the primary targets. They correct and encourage and get mad at poor judgment and actions but never ever punish or shame a person.

5.  They are fair in hiring and promotions. They have a spelled out process and stick to it so that people understand what is needed to get hired and how to develop that skill. People know they have a fair chance at any position. Hiring and promotion discussions could go out on youtube and would be respected.

6.  They tell the story of the company so that history and context make sense of the position and challenges of the company in the present. They make strategy
clear, (no business babble) worth the effort, believable, steady and satisfyingly
possible.

7.  They create hope and optimism. They are hopeful and optimistic. Even in crisis or a horrible hit to the business, they see the way clear and convey it a through their person more than their words.  

8.  They ring true as a person.  They are congruent in thought, behavior and 
words.  This doesn't mean they aren't odd, or have goofy habits, or are not annoying.  It means they make sense as a person and can be counted on and known.  There is a kind of security in relationships.

Models galore exist for leadership.  These are some of my observations from up close work with CEO'S.  For what it's worth.

CEO NIGHTMARE—OTHER PEOPLE'S PROJECTIONS

I've seen CEO's come and go under good circumstances and not so good.
I've watched a company breathe a sigh of relief or gasp with dismay as one top leader goes and another is announced. It is one of the more delicate transition moments in an organization's life.

Here is something to remember.  It's difficult to see clearly as the top leader at any time. But it can take up to eighteen months for your company to get a real grip on who you are as their top leader—even if they have known you as a colleague.

You are often seen as the flip side of whoever proceeded you.  She was all about cost. You are seen to be all about growth. He was formal and distant. You are seen as informal and accessible. You aren't wanted and are viewed as evil and the downfall of the company. You are magnificent and readily embraced and viewed as the Knight in Shining Armor.  

In other words, perspective is distorted and stays that way for a while when a new CEO steps into the role. The old mantra of team development holds true. "Form, storm, norm, perform". The 'forming' is fun and often false due to the misperception I talk about above.  So know— that no matter how you enter into the CEO position, it is the storming that you want and it's not fun. It is the moment when things get real. You are seen for who you are plus and minus and people begin to adjust around it. You are talked about, mulled over, criticized, and courted too. The 'storming' comes when it all blows up, when a crisis rips off every one's polite cover, when the discontent pours out. It takes guts to allow and/or create the storm. 

It means you are a CEO who doesn't take cover, who allows for critical feedback,
who doesn't hide behind denial, and who can tolerate very tough interpersonal moments. (All of this should be part of a CEO job description)  And this storming seems to be a needed stage of development in a CEO's tenure, whether you bring it on yourself through straight talk or it comes to you in a grand dysfunction. Some new top leaders avoid this moment for years until under performance is the norm. Please don't. Wrestle your company norms to the ground through real contact with people and begin to perform with the power that comes  from making it all real.

WHO TAKES CARE OF YOU?

I don't have a one size fits all answer for this question.
I just know you should have someone who takes care of you professionally, someone on your side, able to talk straight to you, and cognizant of the demands of your role.

I write this on a Sunday night and remember the Sunday night heaviness of an imperfect Monday morning looming. I know that for the most part you don't ever put the entire burden of leading a company down from your shoulders.I know that you have the hardiness for the job. And still. Because you have the ultimate power and perks, your job looks good to others from the outside. Also, you want the role and are used to holding this responsibility.  Worse, you may buy into the idea that you don't need nurturing or support or care. Wrong. But how and where to get the care isn't so easy given time constraints, confidentiality issues and the need to appear oh -so- strong.

My wish for you is:

You have a Board Chairman who wants to see you develop as a leader and takes time to assess situations with you and sees your need for growth and expansion as part of his/her job, not fixing something broken.

You know that a spouse or partner can be a safe haven but not a person who
can objectively support and advise you

You don't rely on your team or a few team members to become your confidantes  for your self-confidence boost or for intimate conversations. Lean into them for
colleague-ship, not friendship.

You have a great long term friend who doesn't care what role you have at work, but that makes you laugh and is safe for any topic.

You have something that refreshes you that is not work related whether that is mysteries books, piano or golf.  

You know the symptoms of self-neglect--losing your temper in public, being anxious about how you are doing, chronic health issues, loss of enthusiasm about the business, finding ways to run away from work and still look legitimate, avoiding critical people and conversations to name a few.    

You have a very tough job. Take care of yourself. No one else will.
They already think you are taken care of.

ANOTHER CEO DILEMMA--AS IF THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH!

You know how your direct reports (and probably theirs as well) manage up.
You have enjoyed and benefited from their skill.

Well, here's what I know from my own experience as an EVP and from having many many confidential conversations with associates at all levels in many companies.

Many of your direct reports are literally a Jekyll and Hyde phenomenon.
It is not at all "what you see is what you get".  
What 'you see'–is a reflection of what people think you want.
What 'they get'–is a hidden reality that you can't experience.

Before you fight back, because most CEO's are sure they are in touch with their organization, assume the truth of the above statement.

Then the question is, "What do you do to get a glimmer of what goes on without becoming the dreaded spy CEO or turning your HR person into the spy for you?"

I would love some answers

EXECU- MAMA

Actually, I'm an execu- grandmama.  I was a working mom with five kids and a husband.  Sometimes that took more managing than my work.  One of my kids coined the phrase "execu mama".  As in "watch out, she's in execu-mama mode" meaning chores, homework, pick up the sports equipment, I can't stand it anymore, mom gone nuts.

One of my grandkids had a two year old birthday yesterday which made me remember early kid rearing time. 

I was pregnant and taking a class toward my Master's Degree.  The class was on  Executive Development taught by a retired Sears executive.  I was the only woman (and pregnant to boot) in the class.  And the only non-working, non-executive. The guys did not like that one bit. Mostly they were only condescending but careful because the professor liked me and made it clear that 
he respected my contribution. I don't remember how it came about but finally one guy blew his stack and said, "I don't agree with her at all and how would she know anything about being an executive and I don't think she belongs in this class. 

Well I blew back. You know how sometimes anger makes you clear and articulate?  Well this was one of those times.  I stood up with a proud stomach and gave a mini-lecture that I wish I had on video.

I said, "I guess you don't know much about your wife or what it takes to be a mother.  Let me tell you about the skill involved.:

—First of all, parenting is all about development. Who is ready for what kind
of responsibility.  What are the signs of a special talent?  How do you support it?
How do you see individual differences and create opportunity?

—Collaboration is what makes the system work. How do you create an environment in which people are proud of their accomplishment but know how to make room for others, how to celebrate peers?  How do you allow for healthy competition without letting it become detrimental?  How do you create the greatest good for the greatest number and let individuals flourish too.

—Stuff happens (I'm being polite). Everyday all the time. Nothing goes as
planned even in one day. You have to adapt to the most important thing without losing sight of what you wanted to accomplishment. And you have to accept 'what is' without giving up what you wanted to do. And you have to do it with grace if you want people to  to cooperate with you on the big stuff.
Patience and urgency have to work together.

—Let's talk budget. Parenting is all about trade-offs. If we do this, we can't do that. And you have to sell this concept to the world's toughest audience which is a kid in a toy store. Negotiation is ongoing if you don't want to slip into punitive dictator stance (which needs to be saved for the most dire circumstance) unless you want to live in an atmosphere of fear and resentment. (Think about your
workplace)

—There has to be flexibility in the present tense in order to meet the new 
demands of growth for the future. Kids are constantly creating a new need, and new future or a surprising direction. Parents have to adapt and find the new opportunity for what is needed. 

I know there was and is more.  It was a grand moment. There was applause.
Many said, they would tell their wives about it.  Mr Crab Apple said, "it was one way to look at things." I cringed on the way home wondering if I had been grandiose (common woman reaction--Was I too strong, too powerful, too strident?  Or (common man reaction--effective?)

I do think healthy parenting builds healthy executive skills and vice versa.
That't a whole other column/blog.